Misty Day At The Seaside

28.02.19 - Lancashire Coast

There's been some great weather over the last few days but it looks like it's coming to an end by the weekend, but before then I'm keen to get out at least one more time before we are back to the norm for the year...grey!

It's am and I open the curtains revealing low cloud and mist across the nearby moors barely able to see the wind turbines in the distance, in these conditions bird photography needs to be at relatively close range stuff otherwise the images are going to be pretty poor, so checking the various birding web sites to see if there's anything worth going for....owls?...too long range in these conditions, Twite.....now thats a possibility, I can usually can get quite near with a little patience also they won't be around for much longer departing to their moorland breeding grounds. So decision made, I'm off to the Lancashire coast.

It's an easy drive up the motorway all the while I'm hoping the mist will clear by the time I arrive, it doesn't. Normally I would bother in conditions but over the last few weeks I've not been out so much with the Six Nations rugby in full swing and Murrayfield next week..."common Wales" so I'm determined to make a go of it.

Parked up its only a short walk to the small bay to where these moorland finches visit feeding on high tide line, a quick scan there's no sign of the reported group of up to eighty birds that have been present over the winter months. There's a nip in the air and mist blurs the usual scenic view over the river, then I hear the Twite and a group of about twenty land on the slip way, time to get back to the car for the gear.

The plan is very much as my previous visit whereby I sit further along the small bay at a distance where Twite feel comfortable with my presence and wait, soon they land amongst the hide tide debris and the action begins. Forty or so birds are now hoping around the weed and trying to isolate a single that's sat up on a rock is challenging, what I don't want is a shot of a bird lost amongst the background.

This popular location is happerred by the occasional walker, some even look at what you are doing and point to the birds which invariably sends them sky wards and the waiting starts all over again. Its now 2.30 pm and the light has now deteriated such that I'm shooting at 4,000 iso which for a "cropper" (crop sensor camera) is a stretch to far for reasonable image quality, in any case its now started to drizzle and quite cold, time to call it a day but happy I made the effort.

Twite

Fly A Kite

Tuesday 26.02.19

Around this time of year I like a trip over to Harewood in Yorkshire to photograph the Red Kite which seem to be thriving around the general area and the best images are always to be had when there's a nice blue sky, so with a weather forecast of a great day today I'm on my way.

It's a relatively straight forward journey by motorway to Leeds but then it gets a little tricky as you need to work your way around the ring road north and out to Harewood. Today I'm not using my normal birding sat nav in favour the in-car version and you've guessed it I'm lost, to add to my woes I'm now stuck in endless commuter traffic and the many road works in the area...doh, I won't be coming back this way that's for sure !

Arriving at Harewood there's just one parking place left, perhaps my lucks changing. As it's still early morning the temperature a little on the cool side there's not a lot of Kite flying action, plenty of calling to each other but as yet none in the air, time for a coffee and a scone.

It's now late morning the Kite's have taken to the air in the spring sunshine maybe up fifteen at a time, another photo tog who's planned the visit a little better than me has brought along some chicken with the intension of generating some action, duly placed the Kite's take a keen interest but still a little wary but when they do decide to swoop down and pick up the free offerings it happens fast, very fast, in fact it would benefit from standing further back which isn't possible at this location.

Now mid afternoon the sun angle is probably at the best position being a little lower in the sky, earlier with the sun higher in the sky it has a tendency to cast shadows on the underside of the Kite. Now with a bag full of images I'm trying to be more selective trying to get that mega shot, hopefully it's there somewhere on the memory card !

It's been a grand day out in some great weather a venue where you could easily bring along a non photography partner, check out the Muddy Boot Cafe.

Click image to view

Red Kite

The Red Kite circles overhead, turn on it back and dives to pick up some food would. It all happens so quick that more often than not all you have is a loads of images of the Kite's rear end.

In this image the Kite is actually upside down even managing to swivel its head around at the start of its dive!

Another image where the Kite has rolled over on to its back showing its underside

Free food always welcome and guaranteed to generate some spectacular aerobatic diving picking up food, but you got to be quick.

And Finally

Sunday 18.2.19

The Peregrine unlike the two owls previous is a bundle of energy, initially placed on the Pigeon it rips into the carcass scattering feathers all over the place, best get the shots now before it all starts to look a bit gruesome.

Next the falcon is introduced to the second set with a carcass of a Red-legged Partridge and a sprig of heather to replicate moorland. The camera shutters are relentless, clicking and clacking with the best images to be had when the falcon is plucking the carcass. All too soon my memory card is full again, the second time in this session.

So that's my first managed photo session using falconry birds of prey, in some ways its not unlike my visit some time back to the Bird of Prey Centre at Newent, but this is more tailor made suitable for bird photography.

Would I recommend it...the answer is yes, it gives you the opportunity to concentrate developing your photography skills at the same time getting images of pristine birds that otherwise would be difficult in the wild....now when's the next session !

Click image to view

Peregrine Falcon

All Change

Sunday 17.2.19

Next up is the Great Grey Owl found in our region in Northern Scandinavia to Siberia and similar in size the the EEO, its happy just to sit and just look around not at all interested the food offered by the handler but the handler is doing a real good job hiding the tether behind the branch...top man !

More shots of this unusual looking owl in more or less the same pose and probably more than I need of the same shot, its time to move on the the Peregrine.

Click image to view

Great Grey Owl

Something New

Sunday 17.2.19

To date I haven't been a user of commercial paid hides or managed photographic sessions tending just to visit popular locations and reserves and chance my luck. Today I'm going to try something different and joining an organised group photographing some iconic BOP's, a Great Grey Owl, European Eagle Owl and a Peregrine.

As I'm not sure what the session entails I've decided to take all the gear but I suspect I'll just use the straight 500mm as being close the shallow depth of field will give a nice out of focus background.

Arriving around 10.0 am the group assemble at the first setup comprising a couple of different stumps and a tree trunk and branch ready for the European Eagle Owl. It's quite a big bird I need to stand reasonably far back to get it all in the frame, unfortunately standing so far back is also causing some issues as other snappers with smaller focal length lens are moving back and forth in front of me...hey ho ! For anyone doing one of these sessions a better option might been a 300mm f2.8 or even a 70-200mm f2.8.

On occasion the handler encourages the owl to posse into some unusual positions which would otherwise be difficult to see in the wild and very interesting to witness.

Time to move on.

Click image to view

European Eagle Owl