Ralph I am not all that clued up on all the terminology. I tend to set-up my bodies and seldom change anything. I always shoot continuous high. I used to shoot aperture priority, mostly f/7.1 and that is still the aperture I use most of the time for action. I also used to shoot a lot ISO 640. I have used back button focusing long before I stumbled across Steve's wonderful site. Since reading his books, I only shoot auto ISO 100/50, depends on the body, and manual. My go-to f-stop is still f/7.1 and my SS at least double the focal length of the lens. My max ISO is 3200, although I have gone as far as ISO 6400 on one trip and still usable images. My cameras are both set up for single focus, or 9 point, 25 point - I do not really change these - I have group area focus set on the round dial below the BF button. I use this sometimes for BIF if the sky is clear. Most times, I use the single focus point or 9 points, very much like Steve explains in his books. As said, I figured this out many years ago as BIF is my passion and by far the largest amount of my images are BIF - been trying 20 years now.
I also shoot a lot handheld and panning. Since I sold my 600 f/4 to get the 500 PF, I have never looked back and get more usable images - It could be that the muscle memory finally kicked in after so many years. Two very important things for bird photography, for me, and this goes for other critters too - know your subject, anticipate it moves, understand its behavior, and you can nail the shot. As said, I have tried for years, and large birds are getting there at take of and landing but it is the pocket rockets that still mocks me. I have managed to follow KF's into and out of the water a few times, but it is still a challenge and will always be. The second is to shoot immediately to get a few frames into the bag, then check your screen and adjust the SS or Aperture to suit, if possible.
Sometimes, a shooting session can go on for 30 minites or more - the same subject like cats eating - check the screen regularly as the light changes quite a lot, especially early in the mornig and late afternoon. You cannot shoot at the same SS, EV and apeture as the light changes to bright or towards dark, you have to continiually check and adjust.
I also shoot a lot at -0,7 EV. For insects, I go down to -2,7 or -3 EV. But the main thing is - if you are not at the right place, and the subject does not pitch and the light sucks, you cannot get an image, mo matter the equipment. So patience, I have sat many hours in many hides, waiting, getting nothing. But if you snooze, you loose - I have seen it time after time with others with me, if you are not on the watch, may not get the image, and even if you are awake, you may still not get it because the autofoacus does not want to pick-up. Hope this helps.
