Rocking in Gwent

I’m back down in the Forest of Dean this weekend at one of my favourite times of the year. Autumn has taken its grip with the trees now a mixture of golden browns with some still hanging on to the last of their summer green. Whilst I’m in the FOD it's my intension to photograph the Rock Thrush that's taken up residence in Pwll-Du Quarry at the top of the Blorenge mountain just over the boarder in Gwent.

Rock Thrush a summer migrant to the high peaks of southern Europe making it a rare sighting in the UK, even stranger it should now be wintering south of the Sahara in Africa instead it's taken up residence in a quarry in Wales !

Having seen some splendid images over the last couple of weeks on various internet birding sites I was keen to have a look for myself, it's too far as a one off “twitch” for me these days but well worth a visit if I'm down in the FOD, and its only thirty minutes from the house.

I arrive at around 8.0 am just as its becoming light and already two two cars are parked up, I get the gear ready and make the one kilometre walk with another birder with stunning views over Abergavenny below to the quarry the reported location of the bird. One of the disadvantages of being in a small group is it takes a little longer to locate the bird. I search the quarry rock face and boulder fall and after about thirty minuets the bird is located on a grassed area in front of the quarry eating an early morning breakfast of meal worms put down earlier by birders and photographers.

Over the next three hours I enjoy close views of a very confiding Rock Thrush down to distances as little as five metres well within range of the “big white” for a some detailed images of the bird. 

Its now around midday and with some 1,500 images in the bag and the viewing gallery now around fifty birders enjoying some mega close views, I call it a day.

I’ve been told some last minuet shopping is on the agenda for this afternoon...doh !

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Common Rock Thrush (Rock Thrush)

Meadow Pipit

Bradgate Deer Rut

Its 6.30 am and its still dark, I’m at Bradgate Park for a deer photographic workshop organised by Danny Green a Canon Ambassador, Danny has recently returned from Finland photographing Brown Bears so I’m hoping to learn a few tips and tricks

As always I forget something, this time a head torch. I tag along the back of the group trying not to stumble as we make our way into the darkness, after what maybe a kilometre we stop and wait for it to get light, maybe we could have started a little latter ?

Red and Roe Deer can be heard bellowing out their rutting calls and Tawny Owls are still calling in the now twilight. Soon it’s light enough to start looking suitable subjects, unfortunately it’s not cold enough for those classic shots where the deers breath can be seen in the cold morning air as the sun light is breaking through, maybe on another occasion. 

Through out the day we have the opportunity to photograph deer in natural undulating countryside albeit the light wasn't at it best but thankful the forecast of rain didn't materialise 

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Red Deer Stag & Hind's

Fallow Deer

Red Deer Hind & Sub Adult

Leighton Moss Bearded Reedlings

Bearded Reedlings or more commonly known as Bearded Tits, have over the last couple of days been appearing regularly at the grit trays located near the causeway hide at Leighton Moss Reserve, North Lancashire. With a weather forecast for a sunny morning and good light I thought I’d have a trip out and photograph these specialised reed birds that are only seen locally in any great numbers at this RSPB reserve. 

In order to photograph these birds you need to be in place just after sunrise as within an hour or so they soon disperse around the reserve. Arriving a little later than I intended, there are about ten or so people already watching two birds on the tables filling up with grit before they start looking for food, they use grit to help with digesting their main food source, seeds of the Common Reed Grass. 

Soon the unmistakable metallic “ching” call of a party of reedlings can be heard floating over the reserve, a group appear over the causeway path and they dive into the reeds next to the grit trays, this is when the best photo ops can present themselves as they jump back and forth between the reeds and the trays....but you’ve got to be quick to get an uncluttered reed shot.

Its now 10.15 am and the Bearded Tits have move away further into the reserve, I’ve shot over three hundred images in a period of just over fifteen minuets, its quite and hopefully I’ve managed to capture some images, which I have, so I decide to call time and visit the remainder of the reserve. 

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Rutting Time at Tatton

I'd planned to visit the south lakes today, a quick check of the weather forecast of cloud and drizzle I decide to head south instead to Tatton Park in Cheshire, a good decision really as it turned into a brilliantly sunny day, not good for photography but a grand day out.

The last time I visited Tatton Park my lad was riding his three wheeler bike, fourteen years later I'm back for a day out but also to take the opportunity as a taster for next weeks deer rut photo workshop with a well known Canon Ambassador

I'm lost, my sat nav has taken me along the M56 and off along what was the Chester Road now replaced by a new dual carriageway linking the M6. After a bit of a detour I manage to find the south entrance to Tatton Park and park up opposite Melchett Mere which I recommend if your interested in photographing deer. In the distance near Millennium Wood, Red and Fallow Deer are milling around in groups organised by the dominant stags, so that's where I'm heading to see what images I can manage.

Strutting his stuff and belting out his grinding calls is a Red Deer stag with a mass of wire tangled in his antlers a loop of which is strung under the throat of the animal, hopefully the wire will be discarded along with the antlers in due coarse.

Not wanting to spend my entire visit photographing deer, I spend the next hour with this chap before enjoying the remainder of the day in the Cheshire countryside on a loverly sunny autumn day

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