Another Short Drive

Lo Romero  Reserve - 4.3.20

It's another short drive to Lo Romero Reserve around six mile from the sea comprising two small reed fringed lakes in agricultural land that were formally part of a current working water works, can for me be a bit hit and miss for me but I guess the more time you put the better dividends it pays. Whats evident when I arrived was there are masses of Chiffchaff, resident in winter but the numbers seem greater than usual some even belting it out in full song.

Making my way to the second hide which has been the most productive in my past visits, several passerines are drinking from one of the only shallow pool amongst the tall reeds, Serin, Goldfinch and a few Chiffchaff take the opportunity to have a wash and brush up but its not really a clear shot, nevertheless I get some images of a "chiffy" perched on some reeds.

Chiffchaff

Serin

Several Serins take the opportunity to drink from a shallow pool but they are a bit wary as they can see me in the hide, Spanish reserve hides don't have rears wall so the birds can see your silhouette...pointless really.

Stonechat - female

This Stonechat is probably moving through the area, not your typical bird you find amongst the lake reeds.

Goldfinch

Another drinking from the shallow pool

Bluethroat

Out the corner of my eye a bird dives for cover, at this time of year it can only be one bird....a Bluethroat, now I would dearly like to get another shot of these usually skulking birds, anyway it wasn't for coming out but I did mange this record image.

Respite From The Rain

Laguns de Lo Monte

With all the grey and rain in the UK I've decided to head back out to Murcia for some milder weather and more importantly some sun. When in Murcia my first location to visit is usually the salinas down at San Pedro so yesterday as the norm I headed off down to do a rece minus the camera. It looks pretty quiet probably about three weeks early before the spring migration is visible, picking out the usual resident Black Tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Black Winged Stilt, Avocet amongst others on the main pans, along the channel a Kingfisher is doing what it dose diving from a palm tree its not the wader action I was hoping for so with no obvious photo opportunities I'm glad I hadn't made the early morning effort with all the gear and head back.

This morning I'm giving the salinas a miss and heading to the nearby Lagunas Lo Monte a small reserve with three large reed fringed lakes my only concern is it's weekend so reserve might be busy with local visitors. Usually I opted to use the crop sensor camera with the 500m and a 1.4 extender for long range targets but today I'm going to try using the full frame 5D4 with the 500mm and a 2.0 extender giving about the same magnification, on previous occasions using the 2.0 I have been a little disappointed but with good light this morning I hoping for better results.

Lo Monte for me can be a hit or miss but I guess you have the take it in the round and one of the main reasons is the reserve hides which the Spanish don't seem to have quite got it right, three sides and the back remaining open, any bird can easily seeing your silhouette quickly do a U turn and their off.

I've decided to remain in the second hide and see what turns up managing some shots of the few passerines coming down to drink, I must be honest I'm a little disappointed using the 2x extender as I was expecting better results using the 5D4 but you live and lean. Chiffchaff are everywhere some in full song, over the pools a large group of Swallows and Sand Martins are feeding after the long journey north, spring time in Murcia has arrived.

Goldfinch

Image was taken with Canon 5D4 with a Canon 500mm mkII and 2x mkIII extender, the image is soft and lack detail and is a real disappointment

Serin

Slightly better results with the same setup, perhaps more care focusing is required

Purple Gallinule

At the top hide there's a right old din going on as a Gallinule clambers up some reeds only the long toes preventing this chicken size bird plunging into the water...comical to say the least

Chiffchaff

Few more images with the 500 + 2x, again the images look a little soft, I thought I'd post the images for reference

Stonechat

Quick Break

Murcia - 16.1.20

It's been a while since I last posted on the blog with all the travel over the last few weeks including a short break in Murcia, not so much for photography but just some sun to break up the grey weather back in the UK.

Anyway not a big post just a few images from the week including unexpectedly BirdGuides "Picture Of The Week" of a flight White Wagtail taken not long after arriving at the Clot de Galvany seen below.

You can see the news article by clicking the following link....https://www.birdguides.com/articles/photo-of-the-week-22-28-january/

Update..27-11-20. I just been informed that the image of the White Wagtail has gone the readers vote to be included as feature image for January in Birdwatch Magazine's 2021 calendar. Thank you BirdGuides/Birdwatch magazine 

White Wagtail

Image was taken at the Clot de Galvany not to long after arriving at Alicante Airport which is around six miles away so easily worth a visit before heading south on the AP7 motorway.

Slender-billed Gull

These two images were taken at Los Urrutias which until recently was a great location to get near wading birds in the car, unfortunately after the recent floods just before Xmas the ground is so soft its not even accessible to walk without getting completely covered in mud.

Stonechat

One of my regular birds and locations being so close to the accommodation.

Little Ringed Plover

Salinas San Pedro another location I visit quite a lot, sometimes quiet sometime not but always a great winter sunshine walk along the beach at Torre Derribada.

Coot

Back at the Clot de Gavany in some great afternoon sunlight.

White-headed Duck

I was rather disappointed with this shot as I hadn't seen Whited-headed Duck for some time, a spur of the moment afternoon visit to Lo Monte Ponds, in the afternoon the sun is bang in your face !

Chiffchaff

Absolutely loads of these summer migrants to the UK around the area which winter in Murcia

Red-legged Partridge 

Another regular bird near the accommodation taken at Lo Romero Golf

It's Almost a Complete Wash Out !

Ringford - 18.1.20

The weather has well and truly given it's best today with heavy rain and wind, the light is so poor I've pushed the iso as high as possible and still I'm shooting at best no more than 200/sec, with very little photo opportunities it's a complete right off, occasionally a photo op presents itself like this Goldfinch probably one of the best images I have taken of this bird to date.

Goldfinch

Chaffinch

It's tough going picking out targets that are worth photographing but here's an image of a Chaffinch that I think work really well, the dark overall look and the rain streaks I think adds to the image.

Pheasant - hen / female

Great Spotted Woodpecker - male

Another image where the look is overall dark, the woody looking a little dirty I guess from all the mud !

Generally I quite like "rain shots" but today been there's not a lot to show for my efforts but must say I'm quite please with the images above. 

Odds & Sods

Whilst photographing waders at the salinas I often see passerines that I’m not set up to photograph, on one such occasion a Stonechat was flitting on some dead reeds just out of range of the lens behind where I photographing waders so I decided set aside an couple of hours and try and get some shots.

A Stonechat had set up territory adjacent to one of my favourite wader locations but it meant  positioning myself more in the open where theres was absolutely no chance waders were going to come anyway near, not that I fined Stonechats that approachable.

I'm in position with camo scrim over me and the gear and wait, heaven knows what the local Spanish are thinking of my antics. After a period of time the bird seems to accept my presence not to concerned about the odd shape in the under growth, not too close but close enough to the bird to get some images.

Back at the carpark amongst the Tamarisk bushes there are quite few Chiffchaff scuttling about frantically feeding on the abundant insects, the background clutter isn’t particularly good but I get some close shots of a bird at close quarters that seem to elude me back in the UK. Also an shot of an immature Greater Flamingo that was paddling around in the shallows, nothing special but it did make me smile with its sticky up plumage

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Stonechat

Chiffchaff

Greater Flamingo

January Sunshine

Work in progress...

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Chiffchaff

White Wagtail

Ruff

Sanderling

Black Necked Grebe

Redshank