This guy came looking for dinner, but wasn’t so lucky so sat on the fence behind the shed just long enough for me to grab a pic.
Robin
This little fella has been keeping me company whilst I’ve been out in the garden the last few weekends.
I’ve been leaving a spade stood up in the ground hoping he would use it a as a perch and I could get the usual ‘Robin on a spade handle’ shot. After 3 weeks, he finally took the bait, although only long enough for a few quick shots. Next time I’ll go for something a little more interesting than a close-up.
Twite @ Connah’s Quay Nature Reserve
A flock of 50+ Twite had been reported all week, and were showing brilliantly around the West Hide this morning.
They are part of a mixed flock of Finches also comprising about 200 Linnet and a handful of Goldfinch.
The Linnet and Twite were feeding on the Oakenhalt Marsh and coming to wash in a puddle in the West Hide car park, and then sitting on the fence to preen. (Pictures below).
HDR Photography
I’ve been playing about with some HDR photography.
How do you do it? Buy Photomatix, take 3 pictures of different exposure (Exposure Bracketing on a Canon DSLR) and let Photomatix do the rest
CQNR, High Tide Birding, 18th September
Pretty impressive days birding with plenty to see out on Oakenhalt Marsh and the reserves pools.
Including Peregrine, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Yellow-Legged Gull and plenty more.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
A bird I have been hoping would turn up close to home for a long time. Conwy RPSB is close enough to home, so off I went.
What a beauty, although a bit too far away for a decent photo. Here is a record dot.
Also around were 2x Spotted Redshank, 1x Greenshank, 3x Red-breasted Merganser, 2x Black-tailed Godwit, 1x Curlew Sandpiper and 2x Ruff
Rhyl Air Show 2011
Rhyl Air Show 2011
It rained. . . and the air show didn’t start until 14:00 although the website and fliers said 12:00. Apart from that, not a bad day.
Red Kites
Gigrin farm in Powys is the ‘Official’ Red Kite Feeding station, and it gives everybody a chance to get close up views of these amazing birds.
The gates open to the public at 13:00 and at first glance there are very few Kites around, but by the time feeding starts at 14:00 there are Kites everywhere.
After 1 Hour 45 and 700 pictures later, here are a few of my favorites. Completely average by most photographers standards, I’m still pleased with them.
More images here -> Red Kites
Treecreeper
Paid a visit to Moore Nature Reserve near Warrington Yesterday.
No Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker, but I did pick up the other 2 Peckers, including both Green and Great-Spotted having a disagreement over the same perch, not something you see every day.
Willow Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Goldcrest were additions to the Year list, as was Chiff-Chaff.
Not many pictures, although I did manage to find this Treecreeper toing and froing from a nest site with nesting material.
More Finches
Finches are the only birds I tend to see let alone photograph at the moment. Here are some Greenfinch shots from last weekend.
oh, and a Chaffinch.
Latest bird images
I haven’t been out much this year, and when I have been out, it always seems like the sun has been on holiday.
Anyway, here’s a collection of some of the images I’ve managed. Probably not the best, but I think they all have their own qualities.
Motorway lights
I tried a bit of nightime photography, this evening. I didn’t get it quite right, the background of the image is too bright, and there is too much flare from the headlights, but I don’t think it’s too bad for a first attempt.
Aperture was f8 with an 8 second exposure. Anything less than 8 seconds and the car didn’t move through the shot far enough.
Leighton moss
Bittern and Bearded Reedling were the targets for today’s trip, and both species were seen, as well as
Twite, Connah’s Quay
11 Twite were at Connah’s Quay this morning, including this fella, pity he was too far away for any decent pics.
Moore Nature Reserve
An early start (for me) saw me at Moore Nature Reserve in Warrington at 7:45.
Word was that a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was hanging around the trees near the car park early mornings, and it ceraintly was. Calling and drumming for the 30 minutes we watched. It was still there on the same tree when we got back to the car park 30 minutes later. What a bird!!
