I was shooting with a Canon 7D w/ 400mm F2.8 L USM II mounted on a tripod. Most of the photos posted here were shot using Aperture Priority, ISO 100, Aperture f/8.0, Giving me a shutter speed of around 1/1000 sec. With this in mind, you would of been able to achieve the same results with Canons much cheaper 400mm F5.6 L USM lens.
My advice to anyone wanting to get into a DSLR camera. Don't focus on purchasing the newest camera body on the market. Camera lenses retain the value better than the camera bodies. Also don't be afraid to purchase the lens you want, used.
The Canon 7D I have I purchased 2 years ago for $1400, today I see them selling used for $1100 in the same condition. I purchased a Canon 400mm F5.6 the same time I got the 7D body for about $900, and today I see them selling used for $1000