tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10411385616068495362024-03-06T01:39:15.605+00:00photobrothersnature photography, specialising in the native fauna and flora of Kent, UKMartin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-72359107755624532702011-05-27T15:06:00.000+01:002011-05-27T15:06:25.767+01:00Same subject; different approach<b>Park Gate Down orchids </b><br />
<br />
I was determined to get some shots before the wind got up too much as it had blighted my attempts to get any half-decent shots earlier in the week. I arrived at 7.15 to reasonably favourable conditions <i>[overcast but still]</i> and set about my task of experimenting with some different kit. It's all too easy to stick to the macro lens when photographic orchids but I wanted to push the envelope a little, so I left it at home!<br />
<br />
I've included my shooting details to give an idea of what I was up to.<br />
<br />
<b>Monkey orchid</b><br />
<br />
Most of the monkey orchids are just past their best but there are still a few coming up. I used a wide angle to give a sense of place and to show the relative sizes/growth of the plants.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdPEopJUpP6V-D-XSk2ccGFGzNviiGBtO4CSomxXclQoTwq8Zr1lvl9QpF7LI_uv6Qn4JsOb6Hcex3JKIIbuSy7TvtE7S5TJ4vfFb75sVLlmMlR-5nmK5j8ekGriDrjOvKGibqgPr5g8/s1600/Monkey_1D4_6097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdPEopJUpP6V-D-XSk2ccGFGzNviiGBtO4CSomxXclQoTwq8Zr1lvl9QpF7LI_uv6Qn4JsOb6Hcex3JKIIbuSy7TvtE7S5TJ4vfFb75sVLlmMlR-5nmK5j8ekGriDrjOvKGibqgPr5g8/s640/Monkey_1D4_6097.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">EOS 1D MkIV; EF 16-35 f/2.8 at 21mm; 1/20s; f/16; ISO 200; 3-stop ND Grad</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I next went to the other extreme and switched to a telephoto lens and, with the plants being very small, I could position securely with a bean bag (as even a low tripod would have been too tall). The minimum focal distance of the EF500 is 4.5m but by using a 36mm extension tube, I was able to get this down to ~2.6m. The two examples below were taken at a focal distance of ~2.8m. Focusing was effected manually via Live View (10x magnification).<br />
<br />
Nice diffuse background whilst retaining good detail in the flower spike.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6T3AZFA6RsJsDNl3dKDCN0qi3n8LejUMGsE4_rA_x8J3CUkF1Czgqnih4lqFYfUmHJgxwlPEwoiA2HMCZGLvNNtoUh79GXg1n7ax7MdtLjIzr8ZCyrFOOLAm1mjU049o9UiPHSO5hpV8/s1600/Monkey_1D4_6039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6T3AZFA6RsJsDNl3dKDCN0qi3n8LejUMGsE4_rA_x8J3CUkF1Czgqnih4lqFYfUmHJgxwlPEwoiA2HMCZGLvNNtoUh79GXg1n7ax7MdtLjIzr8ZCyrFOOLAm1mjU049o9UiPHSO5hpV8/s640/Monkey_1D4_6039.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">EOS 1D MkIV; EF 500 f/4; 36mm extension tube; 1/400s; f/6.3; ISO 400</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I also wanted to go for a softer, more impressionistic effect. I shot this at f/9 and then applied some softer processing in Photoshop, which I find quite appealing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8VgZMb9m29iluxjj_YFUXE00_Oo_QMmIluippxyxl3GDNODDnFaUUnKT__tcTLbK7OoiqoxiXHXb4sWD8DDaSZf23IY4qe_2oHS8iUS_ax3j05DNCvJb7abCpGEfKBOhNfoPncR_2lA/s1600/Monkey_1D4_6057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8VgZMb9m29iluxjj_YFUXE00_Oo_QMmIluippxyxl3GDNODDnFaUUnKT__tcTLbK7OoiqoxiXHXb4sWD8DDaSZf23IY4qe_2oHS8iUS_ax3j05DNCvJb7abCpGEfKBOhNfoPncR_2lA/s640/Monkey_1D4_6057.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">EOS 1D MkIV; EF 500 f/4; 36mm extension tube; 1/400s; f/9; ISO 800</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Fragrant orchid</b><br />
<br />
Whilst the monkeys are getting towards the end of their flowering season, fragrant are just coming up to their peak time. They are taller, slimmer and more delicate than monkey and therefore far more susceptible to the effects of the wind. I located a few good specimens in the chalk pit near the entrance, where it is reasonably sheltered and took a number of shots with the 500mm and also the 70-200.<br />
<br />
The 70-200 has a minimal focal distance of 1.2m so it's not possible to get as close as one can with a macro lens but it's still capable of reasonable shots. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GLRFSn2P_P6JlajotBdjuRUsX2LwTQXcVMA6b-6MCJuyVy3J1pK1xOhf96spBYGLypxw2Gr1-99O3rIONHFZU0qKUdtNR0c8fOrqiAnIk5PvsxMnr-fYEdBwLvEHNTKOyUv6C5L5Kp0/s1600/Fragrant_1D4_6161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GLRFSn2P_P6JlajotBdjuRUsX2LwTQXcVMA6b-6MCJuyVy3J1pK1xOhf96spBYGLypxw2Gr1-99O3rIONHFZU0qKUdtNR0c8fOrqiAnIk5PvsxMnr-fYEdBwLvEHNTKOyUv6C5L5Kp0/s640/Fragrant_1D4_6161.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">EOS 1D MkIV; EF 70-200 f/2.8 at 150mm; 1/1600s; f/4; ISO 800</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsHlfxeAD1RnQ0kkAmMg-sBahUq_dsyxYyqs1Twk7mal3o0xUQH4Djg-_1N1It6GH5HHBsBeZv3vPaETrihz4ZFmtFA0GJ-mO5ohagyhsBtlh0k17ZCgOSJEVnztRDdhHU1owoF8x6d4/s1600/Fragrant_1D4_6019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUsHlfxeAD1RnQ0kkAmMg-sBahUq_dsyxYyqs1Twk7mal3o0xUQH4Djg-_1N1It6GH5HHBsBeZv3vPaETrihz4ZFmtFA0GJ-mO5ohagyhsBtlh0k17ZCgOSJEVnztRDdhHU1owoF8x6d4/s640/Fragrant_1D4_6019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">EOS 1D MkIV; EF 500 f/4; 36mm extension tube; 1/1250s; f/4; ISO400</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtRwo7L1U-odTI02QWJsclnDlTb4SFqeK8Zqor-J5oeyAGwGlA9vYCj1bIgR4kQnrf_Mx3DQlV_9n20_-IIdQaM_3d7BCENbXrfHnf6ZTJDXsS0gZp35nfeu6U-aIM4rmh6Iz_GHb1aI/s1600/Fragrant_1D4_6183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtRwo7L1U-odTI02QWJsclnDlTb4SFqeK8Zqor-J5oeyAGwGlA9vYCj1bIgR4kQnrf_Mx3DQlV_9n20_-IIdQaM_3d7BCENbXrfHnf6ZTJDXsS0gZp35nfeu6U-aIM4rmh6Iz_GHb1aI/s640/Fragrant_1D4_6183.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">EOS 1D MkIV; EF 70-200 f/2.8 at 200mm; 1/800s; f/5; ISO 800</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I did take a few sets of images to do some focus stacking and when I've got a bit more time I'll post these for comparative purposes.Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-86059079641602623312011-05-21T11:57:00.001+01:002011-05-21T12:18:03.526+01:00East Kent tour<b>The best laid plans of mice and men</b><br />
<br />
On Thursday I planned a day out to photography butterflies and,whilst it did not turn out that way, I did not come home with an empty memory card.<br />
<br />
<b>Temple Ewell</b><br />
<br />
With light winds and slightly overcast conditions being forecast I headed first for Temple Ewell. My reference book gave a rather obscure location for the reserve car park and I did my best to program the sat-nav and, yes, I ended up at an old people's home (I'm not ready for one of those <i>just </i>yet). Having accosted a local and got proper directions I headed off the half-mile down the road where I drew up, somewhat relieved in the car park and re-programmed the Tomtom with the current location - sorted.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazQ2Ny33Jpr3RT9WH_NiD7O9ycr5RR-xjacyvFqgq5B2zMkq6smyB8o_yUlyu9_pTKmaqkqMCEeIHvvsN_g5YihpZ3pE73HXR9X7Rm7D_n-MbW5AnAvXF3ZMCgHLyMt0O0eGtaxWhBJU/s1600/Daisy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazQ2Ny33Jpr3RT9WH_NiD7O9ycr5RR-xjacyvFqgq5B2zMkq6smyB8o_yUlyu9_pTKmaqkqMCEeIHvvsN_g5YihpZ3pE73HXR9X7Rm7D_n-MbW5AnAvXF3ZMCgHLyMt0O0eGtaxWhBJU/s400/Daisy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My impression of an oxeye daisy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I made my way up the path to the meadow areas which were awash with daisies. There were a few common blue around and a number of other butterflies that I failed to identify properly as they were extremely active and despite my best attempts failed to get any decent shots. In my defence I claim three mitigating circumstances: it was quite breezy there; before kneeling or laying down one had to check the ground carefully - there was more dog sh!t than a Paris backstreet; when one did hit the deck the local ant population was on you like a rash.<br />
<br />
I decided to cut my losses and try a different location - Park Gate Down. Luckily this site was already in the sat-nav so I was quickly on my way, albeit with my tail between my legs.<br />
<br />
<b>Park Gate Down</b><br />
<br />
My visit here a few weeks ago coincided with the end of the early purple orchid display. These had well and truly expired by Thursday and I wasn't sure whether anything else would be showing. Luckily in the middle section of the reserve was a patch of about 30 monkey orchids. These were in various states of condition, not helped I'm sure by the very dry conditions we have had.<br />
<br />
Photographically, the wind was a constant challenge; I used my two 50cm reflectors as wind shields but there was still too much movement of the plants for my liking. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_CJrByenMqe7FhJxO8CF5hEbI7OFdm9dK3XGvKDV30jT8O9Mn4Wr0TIqQ7DEtEpIc2OGIX7tEACwtBFB7DAqS_kvkn1NoO8Rxgh9-CKkEdu07wvcY7ZNRZKI0GP-IIUkUnR0uqq26mY/s1600/MonkeyOrchid3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_CJrByenMqe7FhJxO8CF5hEbI7OFdm9dK3XGvKDV30jT8O9Mn4Wr0TIqQ7DEtEpIc2OGIX7tEACwtBFB7DAqS_kvkn1NoO8Rxgh9-CKkEdu07wvcY7ZNRZKI0GP-IIUkUnR0uqq26mY/s640/MonkeyOrchid3.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Monkey orchid. They ranged from ~10 to 20 cm in height</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3s8GjwO6TUgsnSyRiVpyWnR-Y6chvbTo5wqspMQWYPCkDuJJZ8m6FpgHoe26SCu2fptlsXmPA9l97681k03J7PXoSmfPEef6YlcEwzdB2z0z4yskC-MS98KPXAuWs6MKqEqJhorvjvQ/s1600/MonkeyOrchid2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3s8GjwO6TUgsnSyRiVpyWnR-Y6chvbTo5wqspMQWYPCkDuJJZ8m6FpgHoe26SCu2fptlsXmPA9l97681k03J7PXoSmfPEef6YlcEwzdB2z0z4yskC-MS98KPXAuWs6MKqEqJhorvjvQ/s640/MonkeyOrchid2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting in a bit closer</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4BNVM9Eon60uMt7BJgfkF88uR_cY2du15Kvo4LypWF1WHdQKTapfws_wWZbuztyGOu6LK-stx93luXnTG0Jc8I-mZVeOzgwjwk8sqi0hguvMub1aUQmBlu6TBcNp8pkMN-bgvOrjh8Y/s1600/MonkeyOrchid1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4BNVM9Eon60uMt7BJgfkF88uR_cY2du15Kvo4LypWF1WHdQKTapfws_wWZbuztyGOu6LK-stx93luXnTG0Jc8I-mZVeOzgwjwk8sqi0hguvMub1aUQmBlu6TBcNp8pkMN-bgvOrjh8Y/s640/MonkeyOrchid1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">... and a bit closer still ....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As with Temple Ewell, the butterfly population was quite low but I did manage to get to this orange tip that posed for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8CUa0f2JycmcB-4EnfbAoZc5m-nBiBOKVs4girLc39kHewILBfqwUYGbsH4_-4nA83dIJ8CgYOWLsUMma4D8wm6BNZqZCehSC0BXoYkOUeME4LEISu5vE212FmLtBWDCxjZiFvsUg_w/s1600/OrangeTip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8CUa0f2JycmcB-4EnfbAoZc5m-nBiBOKVs4girLc39kHewILBfqwUYGbsH4_-4nA83dIJ8CgYOWLsUMma4D8wm6BNZqZCehSC0BXoYkOUeME4LEISu5vE212FmLtBWDCxjZiFvsUg_w/s400/OrangeTip.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Orange tip resting on large leaf</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Denge Wood </b><br />
<br />
After a spot of lunch I decided to move on to another new location for me - Denge Wood. This is a delightful spot and I managed to track down another orchid first for me - greater butterfly orchid. Unlike the bold vibrant colours of lady and monkey orchids, this species is pale and delicate. I only saw this lone example, which was close to the edge of one of the paths and, being tall (30cm) and delicate it was also a challenge to photograph with the breeze (although it was more sheltered than the open spaces of Temple Ewell and Park Gate Down).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHifxX-x7zkNYjGY9hLWEGA7V_IvcgCX4kaaja-hjV_IKPdIq_-Yan3G7MZj26p6AYD0w_AkHVD4H9W607rSo7aAHaZcKfvtyJ0QyhCpwUMfhWo1zexbk4QdvsDQWz5sM7KcaqA7M6Vsk/s1600/GreaterButterflyOrchid1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHifxX-x7zkNYjGY9hLWEGA7V_IvcgCX4kaaja-hjV_IKPdIq_-Yan3G7MZj26p6AYD0w_AkHVD4H9W607rSo7aAHaZcKfvtyJ0QyhCpwUMfhWo1zexbk4QdvsDQWz5sM7KcaqA7M6Vsk/s640/GreaterButterflyOrchid1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Greater butterfly orchid - delicate with pastel colours</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPT-UfYpkzByuOb9YsSp4A-96be9YhbtnUq0y9kkiLqnjzwkGif5vjt90DoD9MFaEoqaGDlYgqIVxAQgxTRrwuB0bp097lrwsfYfHJ7naIrZbAjOdXOKDsTymfjba8XXxb9qglnp2k5M/s1600/GreaterButterflyOrchid2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPT-UfYpkzByuOb9YsSp4A-96be9YhbtnUq0y9kkiLqnjzwkGif5vjt90DoD9MFaEoqaGDlYgqIVxAQgxTRrwuB0bp097lrwsfYfHJ7naIrZbAjOdXOKDsTymfjba8XXxb9qglnp2k5M/s640/GreaterButterflyOrchid2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Individual flower close-up</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-33147425146124949692011-05-16T11:11:00.003+01:002011-05-16T17:09:25.684+01:00Butterflies in North West DevonJust back from a week in North Devon with my wife, chilling out, walking and doing some photography. My pre-visit research indicated that it would be a good area for butterflies and orchids, although we were probably there a couple of weeks too early for the full splendour of either.<br />
<br />
I visited Volehouse Moor twice in search of marsh fritillary to no avail but did manage to photograph some of the more common species. The weather was pretty good all week except for the wind, which was rarely below 20mph, making close-up work very tricky.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #6aa84f; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Volehouse Moor</b></span></div><br />
<b>Common blue</b><br />
<br />
My first encounter was a small flash of blue in the long grass on a more sheltered side of the reserve. I tracked it for about 10 minutes, with it flying away just as I got near every time. Eventually it settled low down in some vegetation (I'm not sure if it was tired out or just took pitty on me). The first thing I noticed was that its undersides were a beautiful speckled brown and white, in contrast to the pale blue upper wing. The second thing I noticed was how small it was - about the size of a postage stamp. I managed to get in closer and closer with my 100mm macro lens and amazingly it obliged, allowing me to get perpendicular to its body plane and shoot at a number of different apertures.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><i>[click any image to see at 1024px resolution]</i></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGV1XnuJD2YhE2RukL3uxy2lfTArcv81lDD15kBHfa_XGzOBNZMW7zY76O2_TbL16OLpzH3xf7wglb1X1fyfxq_0oYw5ivYPdWl7Ocvz4CQgD9avLhp5pefE9Xh0V6PRX4FoN6zR-_24/s1600/MaleCommonBlue3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkGV1XnuJD2YhE2RukL3uxy2lfTArcv81lDD15kBHfa_XGzOBNZMW7zY76O2_TbL16OLpzH3xf7wglb1X1fyfxq_0oYw5ivYPdWl7Ocvz4CQgD9avLhp5pefE9Xh0V6PRX4FoN6zR-_24/s400/MaleCommonBlue3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Male common blue. 1/160s; f/5.6; ISO 800</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I was keen to get some shots of it with its wings open but this individual failed to oblige - he'd given me a good run and I was happy with what I got. About an hour later I located another one further up the field that was feeding on a buttercup. He was swaying in the wind but I manged a few half-decent shots. Some were taken with a 50D/70-200 f/2.8 II combination and a 12mm extension tube (to allow me to get in a bit closer than the 1.5m minimum focal distance). With this rig I could photograph from a bit further away than with the macro lens but image quality is not as good.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAcaabbtSRHJL6jMiz38lO_J2RQLUrXkG-eZF6pgqpHgqPwNs5HWLAn4vXWUNCPeOQqGeujXYw2b5-AVpXuXqeuDCdtSzyg4hcJCDynSC7TxykSU2ImNE1lEnBtJZQ7kaRFyXeNGZNGc/s1600/MaleCommonBlue1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAcaabbtSRHJL6jMiz38lO_J2RQLUrXkG-eZF6pgqpHgqPwNs5HWLAn4vXWUNCPeOQqGeujXYw2b5-AVpXuXqeuDCdtSzyg4hcJCDynSC7TxykSU2ImNE1lEnBtJZQ7kaRFyXeNGZNGc/s400/MaleCommonBlue1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">70-200; 1/250s; f/6.3 ISO 400</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB6PtT73UdmWehQKYDrXwNuZzS_Stm_JVo2ttA73DUus6iysF2ebR3rsf5r5M7rd7-161jJqIrYS7YzBnKNuzq18ASvYpu_rQso1BLmrgKgzncLttZbE2DqcxoVx9WbVG1WmBxSMGG7o/s1600/MaleCommonBlue2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYB6PtT73UdmWehQKYDrXwNuZzS_Stm_JVo2ttA73DUus6iysF2ebR3rsf5r5M7rd7-161jJqIrYS7YzBnKNuzq18ASvYpu_rQso1BLmrgKgzncLttZbE2DqcxoVx9WbVG1WmBxSMGG7o/s400/MaleCommonBlue2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">100mm macro; 1/400s; f/8; ISO 800</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Green-veined white</b><br />
<br />
Also at Volehouse was a medium sized white butterfly that grabbed my attention. I did not know what it was so had to check it out when I got back. The underside was the biggest aid to its identification although I failed to photograph that aspect.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUh_KwfvbKxrZx-xFMuLo5YQ6e_qWW380_fTQ_75Am2UBunu3Cl-MjA45SSA_r2t4r26-0QHjjk2iFxLYUL2IQinMSEdrfFwAril8x8AZQQ-3YtBRKNtXJL5LGgJkIVr7GEOIl4R2RqI/s1600/GreenVeinedWhite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUh_KwfvbKxrZx-xFMuLo5YQ6e_qWW380_fTQ_75Am2UBunu3Cl-MjA45SSA_r2t4r26-0QHjjk2iFxLYUL2IQinMSEdrfFwAril8x8AZQQ-3YtBRKNtXJL5LGgJkIVr7GEOIl4R2RqI/s400/GreenVeinedWhite.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">70-200; 1/500th; f/9; ISO 400</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Small copper</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UwhnIz1i6UtVHhVijFVT-IbQM36f8lX_CpUXHRADGOREo-dogd4tRuX8CD5CXDm6ozZ8vZWr1anMbg6r3ApTzFzwzpwxppLREaTXJ_CqLHZO3NR4huvkDzOF_Ili1miBilsras19DE0/s1600/SmallCopper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UwhnIz1i6UtVHhVijFVT-IbQM36f8lX_CpUXHRADGOREo-dogd4tRuX8CD5CXDm6ozZ8vZWr1anMbg6r3ApTzFzwzpwxppLREaTXJ_CqLHZO3NR4huvkDzOF_Ili1miBilsras19DE0/s400/SmallCopper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Small copper; just a record shot as the grass head swayed in the wind</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b> <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Marsland</span></b></div><b> Small pearl-dordered fritillary</b><br />
<br />
I also visited Marsland reserve where I saw a few speckled woods and a small pearl-bordered fritillary. Both were too active to photograph effectively about 20 minutes to get these two record shots.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQlCBUPamVxXN_Ee9VtpcycwqPLuQvchiqyolvnVQc7LQUICXbeQgdSNwImtW3xiij8Bpfp0KhISharP41orJA9mWj3r1XRMKvyG4tinsufljJj4OrO6HDJg9zmmWFb0USVujQBXIaz8/s1600/SpeckledWood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQlCBUPamVxXN_Ee9VtpcycwqPLuQvchiqyolvnVQc7LQUICXbeQgdSNwImtW3xiij8Bpfp0KhISharP41orJA9mWj3r1XRMKvyG4tinsufljJj4OrO6HDJg9zmmWFb0USVujQBXIaz8/s400/SpeckledWood.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speckled wood; 100mm macro; 1/125s; f5.6; ISO 400</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVy-4ysgkZ4RrK51TKPTC2APXs-MkyBa-33HJWcz8apTyQeaV1SF_aE8xXu-JgSzmC7qBitlMy5NBbVQMOlNCSYfMk_u5qq3gQSussowuQYAdEBiyAuWScV0vhZ1q2NMOjWz8ujzw9uw/s1600/SmallPearlBorderedFritillary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVy-4ysgkZ4RrK51TKPTC2APXs-MkyBa-33HJWcz8apTyQeaV1SF_aE8xXu-JgSzmC7qBitlMy5NBbVQMOlNCSYfMk_u5qq3gQSussowuQYAdEBiyAuWScV0vhZ1q2NMOjWz8ujzw9uw/s400/SmallPearlBorderedFritillary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Small pearl-bordered fritillary; 100mm macro; 1/800s; f/5.6; ISO 400</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I got a real buzz from seeing and photographing these fabulous creatures and look forward to getting out locally in East Kent to get some of the specialties native to this area.Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-55626353272229013542011-05-05T08:59:00.002+01:002011-05-05T09:04:57.066+01:00Lady orchids at Yockletts<b>First attempts </b><br />
<br />
I have visited the site a couple of times in the last week, the first time being the Royal Wedding day (well, what else was there to do) and then yesterday. It has been my first time photographing wild orchids so I start some way down the learning curve.<br />
<br />
One thing that I learned fairly quickly is that it is quite different to bird photography in that you have much more control of your subjects; there are a number of individuals in different lighting to choose from and they don't move (or fly away!). That said, they are still a real challenge to capture nicely...<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ptNsBE1VcC6a72ej0_UVFJGX7NOe-KQ9h4eURFrLEtDBuxd1L6Zo3Uvo53uoqKSakmd2aWx4y5ro8yH2-Dv6taMIEBiyTL-u9Pepw_5zIjzt3MnCgVUCYm0AbrZuvHCiytm3OQjKhyw/s1600/1D4_4936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ptNsBE1VcC6a72ej0_UVFJGX7NOe-KQ9h4eURFrLEtDBuxd1L6Zo3Uvo53uoqKSakmd2aWx4y5ro8yH2-Dv6taMIEBiyTL-u9Pepw_5zIjzt3MnCgVUCYm0AbrZuvHCiytm3OQjKhyw/s640/1D4_4936.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Single flower spike</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The major challenges are:<br />
<ul><li>accurate focusing to get the entire plant in focus whilst at the same time choosing an aperture that diffuses the background</li>
<li>finding a specimen that is in good even light (high contrast is bad)</li>
<li>avoiding any wind movement (it's amazing how much they move even when the air appears to be still)</li>
<li>keeping the camera rock solid on a tripod or bean bag</li>
<li>slowing down (in stark contrast to bird photography where you need to think and work quickly) and concentrating <b>constantly</b> on composition and technique</li>
</ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXfnhr3WR263puXXio_p6RMZExsbyNJ7EMQ3i9Np3WmAzop25Qk9KxHawSZ2_aaPz2s0A8T7rObuaKIb9cBCK-bD0wIXnAZqNBuckQTxM_ay-vMAKkf0VMEA90x1qffXL_MH4hEKmM7I/s1600/1D4_5021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYXfnhr3WR263puXXio_p6RMZExsbyNJ7EMQ3i9Np3WmAzop25Qk9KxHawSZ2_aaPz2s0A8T7rObuaKIb9cBCK-bD0wIXnAZqNBuckQTxM_ay-vMAKkf0VMEA90x1qffXL_MH4hEKmM7I/s400/1D4_5021.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two flower spikes (these are a bit past their best but don't often see two together)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>All images are taken with a Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro (the older, non-IS model) on either a 50D or 1D Mk IV (I wanted to see how the different sensor sizes/field of view worked).<br />
<br />
The close up below was taken with the aid of a 20mm extension tube to allow me to get in tight.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyZHHE0RB2fgsTxgBZrauY2z99xPqUDG1IIqRWhniQHO7ZocTkdMhy4T3ZP9audHiC5HA0UztUC5BU7YFRyS3WDgGrGx4fIFikstUZyqG9iAVdIz4d9kjTXr4aZUqmlIbdifTL459frk/s1600/1D4_4989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyZHHE0RB2fgsTxgBZrauY2z99xPqUDG1IIqRWhniQHO7ZocTkdMhy4T3ZP9audHiC5HA0UztUC5BU7YFRyS3WDgGrGx4fIFikstUZyqG9iAVdIz4d9kjTXr4aZUqmlIbdifTL459frk/s400/1D4_4989.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Close-up; I've not met too many ladies that look like this - thankfully!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTUS1PcAdsAnzBzXcuF6IAS9FXlRnzAtQW5fUc8fG1OXRbFcEvc7fzG9EfNgv1XLBy9tsw_UCkeoUiGW-80Az_W9vRfJ5k1FmM5Fzbiosx4G2CRBEZ6CWD13P26DoKeb-uDNOUdhBjYY/s1600/IMG_6238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTUS1PcAdsAnzBzXcuF6IAS9FXlRnzAtQW5fUc8fG1OXRbFcEvc7fzG9EfNgv1XLBy9tsw_UCkeoUiGW-80Az_W9vRfJ5k1FmM5Fzbiosx4G2CRBEZ6CWD13P26DoKeb-uDNOUdhBjYY/s640/IMG_6238.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This single spike was in a very sheltered, low light and contrast position</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Getting a taste for more</b><br />
<br />
Having spent quite some time photographic birds over the winter, it's been great to try something different. I've still got some way to go to get images that I'm really happy with but I'm enjoying the challenge and will be honing my skills over the next few months.<br />
<br />
I'm off to Devon next week so may be able to get a couple of half-days in there too.Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-85791472389401616542011-04-17T08:24:00.000+01:002011-04-17T08:24:48.226+01:00High and dry at ElmleyI always try to get up to Elmley late April and do a bit of 'kerb-crawling' along the track. The temperature being very high for the time of year and the ground extremely dry, with water levels in the scrapes leading up to the farm quite a bit lower than previous years; a testament to how little rainfall there has been recently.<br />
<br />
As well as low water levels, the bird count appeared to be down on previous years (of course one day is not wholly representative). I only had the morning out so did not walk down to the first hide, which is a favourite of mine in the afternoons when the sun swings round to the west.<br />
<br />
I did not necessarily expect to see any rarities so to that end I was not too disappointed when I didn't. However it was great to be out on such a beautiful morning with a chance to take a few pictures being a bonus.<br />
<br />
Coot were busy with nest building.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qSRra0W3t369vlf718MwNvLm1CqhKKw8LtwQMZ88GrP7GbvxUSsIbnQr5MVMwKGerrqtCT6OtDAbwg0NVtY7Nx9YU9nrS8OVx1szItdPdT_0zgYcwfBC1LvL6W2WOPx0cMHXgF2oV7k/s1600/Coot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3qSRra0W3t369vlf718MwNvLm1CqhKKw8LtwQMZ88GrP7GbvxUSsIbnQr5MVMwKGerrqtCT6OtDAbwg0NVtY7Nx9YU9nrS8OVx1szItdPdT_0zgYcwfBC1LvL6W2WOPx0cMHXgF2oV7k/s400/Coot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cCtllLbAMT4sLq3mu5ZKbA81DCqU-YFJHJaOiz0gZ5C9Z61PGr2JcxFiwP9S7jR-T-tluR2M-7s_YWKfC58zz01Lyz7_RCUzMFw-O1u-ULsmg7tW7B6zxcB4wgmax5shGsgHGLUk_pw/s1600/Lapwing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfyWleoAEzzc2N29drUoAUhYjxqbot4Aa-EFB32VnXW_uvJbSiX6EFh-YqXOotoLcf92sUNR9lYF2L7KMRqMGuQ9XyCLlmIU4IUFmekwae8ro1ghTpiHRpfZwVJfYKy29Oy-zCUbOuTE/s400/Coot2.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>A number of lapwing were already hunkered down on their nests while others were feeding.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cCtllLbAMT4sLq3mu5ZKbA81DCqU-YFJHJaOiz0gZ5C9Z61PGr2JcxFiwP9S7jR-T-tluR2M-7s_YWKfC58zz01Lyz7_RCUzMFw-O1u-ULsmg7tW7B6zxcB4wgmax5shGsgHGLUk_pw/s1600/Lapwing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9cCtllLbAMT4sLq3mu5ZKbA81DCqU-YFJHJaOiz0gZ5C9Z61PGr2JcxFiwP9S7jR-T-tluR2M-7s_YWKfC58zz01Lyz7_RCUzMFw-O1u-ULsmg7tW7B6zxcB4wgmax5shGsgHGLUk_pw/s320/Lapwing2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JDkOIM9ZtDHrcLgwLg6pfsJTsqtDMxFa6skdHhJIi8mZB7KV67JlJDN4uHeUMVsJA9VEVSqg2w_hyphenhyphenBn8vmQhaMKs5K6FVLmBXKaNt0gL1-rcZqX3yfQ0uXUVidQSEKvxYQZ9dhKZyP0/s1600/Lapwing1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9JDkOIM9ZtDHrcLgwLg6pfsJTsqtDMxFa6skdHhJIi8mZB7KV67JlJDN4uHeUMVsJA9VEVSqg2w_hyphenhyphenBn8vmQhaMKs5K6FVLmBXKaNt0gL1-rcZqX3yfQ0uXUVidQSEKvxYQZ9dhKZyP0/s320/Lapwing1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This pheasant was quite happy being only a few feet from the car, giving me the opportunity for a few portrait shots.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB28Kkyb2HXYGg_xLNHsiy4IyysDse7xRL9rNEZFeddDBf8mKcT9jfDWBNbGFd1P8EVmqLX0FSPBwJTNPSDiKnLQQzgXbc9RYsh4rk1owSL1IaVN-ipQVpmDnb1ZD4jCNf7zMyupyNdWk/s1600/Pheasant2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB28Kkyb2HXYGg_xLNHsiy4IyysDse7xRL9rNEZFeddDBf8mKcT9jfDWBNbGFd1P8EVmqLX0FSPBwJTNPSDiKnLQQzgXbc9RYsh4rk1owSL1IaVN-ipQVpmDnb1ZD4jCNf7zMyupyNdWk/s400/Pheasant2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDmOQ94hwCzqzEHEVVA1O3p0V1ktumrYxMO1irQKvJdy81z3RlyVXqRdi7VsP8UzeaXcSX8EdRiFAmkjr4M92i3hCC23RkTnO5FYz8YDIiqsQ2qSYioM_MwEpgf1VwfRlNPV5bXCwcwo/s1600/Pheasant3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYDmOQ94hwCzqzEHEVVA1O3p0V1ktumrYxMO1irQKvJdy81z3RlyVXqRdi7VsP8UzeaXcSX8EdRiFAmkjr4M92i3hCC23RkTnO5FYz8YDIiqsQ2qSYioM_MwEpgf1VwfRlNPV5bXCwcwo/s400/Pheasant3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Redhsank were one species where the numbers were noticeable down on previous years. This one was a little disgruntled to have been woken up as I cruised by.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmO6RKvDYlESggt1xk-BuebaiZBfRatMI5In11NQ6dpIw4K-i8TNOqoVKX6JXwGDDnT2jc2a63s8igBMJCx1Yd7kXGVDjnI0yyv-vQ3ODjRe_HE2d5Xngyu1srBVMpI03t8BWffxph8k/s1600/Redshank1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmO6RKvDYlESggt1xk-BuebaiZBfRatMI5In11NQ6dpIw4K-i8TNOqoVKX6JXwGDDnT2jc2a63s8igBMJCx1Yd7kXGVDjnI0yyv-vQ3ODjRe_HE2d5Xngyu1srBVMpI03t8BWffxph8k/s400/Redshank1.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>This linnet was collecting dandelion seeds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8gvSeRHIPZTdo0AfP_fOSXhJzPKwqaeyi_8xC2SPur7CFdiKw1EqobP1SBRSdl1ZvWhrgJ7r6EQK3F8UpkEj0GOtgkgqqtGQR30O_ANii-MjbBVfQAhC8Q_dktQuILtT2E5PpjxEc50/s1600/Linnet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip8gvSeRHIPZTdo0AfP_fOSXhJzPKwqaeyi_8xC2SPur7CFdiKw1EqobP1SBRSdl1ZvWhrgJ7r6EQK3F8UpkEj0GOtgkgqqtGQR30O_ANii-MjbBVfQAhC8Q_dktQuILtT2E5PpjxEc50/s400/Linnet1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I saw at least 8 individual yellow wagtails, all but one of them male.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwthjSwDmxiqwbW22losaZhs-YXLibxRxgJ3aK4Td1B2iprBPDW1RG093TEwoP_2My4DwSXkE-L7BZY5lHxC-H1NU0tvrnSZTwUQs4YNfCCJps2PvrutXzlYRSUdDO-uILXxsKCOp4b7g/s1600/YellowWag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwthjSwDmxiqwbW22losaZhs-YXLibxRxgJ3aK4Td1B2iprBPDW1RG093TEwoP_2My4DwSXkE-L7BZY5lHxC-H1NU0tvrnSZTwUQs4YNfCCJps2PvrutXzlYRSUdDO-uILXxsKCOp4b7g/s400/YellowWag.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-83183480017786218692011-04-16T08:16:00.024+01:002011-04-20T09:10:37.665+01:00Yockletts Bank<b><a href="http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/east-kent-downland/yockletts-bank/">Yockletts Bank</a> (Kent Wildlife Trust) by Martin Washford</b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">[Click on any image to view at higher resolution] </span> </b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMQ0jDosDPufkneNuFCIUBKe9xpQpKa1IgE_12ZVw_5lw-CKqAZ5-aI4y7rJ7LABVoXMg7PFlgIc4qDu_a8BtnNBXERpWW1JUOhQXrSPe5gkjVr6JerlTQpRke_3ZORmzXK7pKl5X6y8/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMQ0jDosDPufkneNuFCIUBKe9xpQpKa1IgE_12ZVw_5lw-CKqAZ5-aI4y7rJ7LABVoXMg7PFlgIc4qDu_a8BtnNBXERpWW1JUOhQXrSPe5gkjVr6JerlTQpRke_3ZORmzXK7pKl5X6y8/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Yockletts is a woodland park, consisting of beech, hazel, holly and other deciduous trees. Sprint erupts with a carpet of wood anemone.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIy9fQYCxUk_bjVSTKwYSB5SFdYkt-Qbkmc4Pge9EQs3zm2AMP6T3DrC7uW4mj3AZmFyZ5dpLNR5GJtPrY62v26h1vVJu6UoaV5jRllaGhObANaG-E1nZiPEYF2KAJE0NEcD4LhkEHmgAe/s1600/2+wood+anemone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIy9fQYCxUk_bjVSTKwYSB5SFdYkt-Qbkmc4Pge9EQs3zm2AMP6T3DrC7uW4mj3AZmFyZ5dpLNR5GJtPrY62v26h1vVJu6UoaV5jRllaGhObANaG-E1nZiPEYF2KAJE0NEcD4LhkEHmgAe/s400/2+wood+anemone.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carpet of wood anemone</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pOTk5Siyrtxe_g8ptF3nn_kHS9TVu0FV-HLBTw0qCxV-7FTlGk7mvn9UgixZcVxxPVfiyjLx-MSAcbdVOpXRdauwFBHP8NLxrlxxviKvoPoYEXEBnrisQ9g_1VmAVoQegMk2h4nODMI/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2pOTk5Siyrtxe_g8ptF3nn_kHS9TVu0FV-HLBTw0qCxV-7FTlGk7mvn9UgixZcVxxPVfiyjLx-MSAcbdVOpXRdauwFBHP8NLxrlxxviKvoPoYEXEBnrisQ9g_1VmAVoQegMk2h4nODMI/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wood anemone close-up</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The anemone then give way to the familiar carpet of bluebell, in between which, a number of other spring flowers can be seen, including lesser celandine<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuF7SD737hn9gEBrGsOI8eXHMYd6TMIFP-l5BahZ15nfPWu5V0hSryr21iWu4g5ABuUSVOv58JYXs9NFTQ_sSa5D4PbxGx4O0Kmcbv-FGFNYNzZHFLChGCsvDlRTjWZwZbtGSFb074kmQ/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuF7SD737hn9gEBrGsOI8eXHMYd6TMIFP-l5BahZ15nfPWu5V0hSryr21iWu4g5ABuUSVOv58JYXs9NFTQ_sSa5D4PbxGx4O0Kmcbv-FGFNYNzZHFLChGCsvDlRTjWZwZbtGSFb074kmQ/s400/3.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lesser celendine</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ul4Z80v_QvR2L2bzZ4-zHwDprywu32AGdyfbDJ5HIbws7jZ99F2UWM6CMUI5UeMYi8ZsK8-GjPE-kQw2qj8p1L47FqNkh70akq3LxfS270v1Fx8dzDKQIsDVmOto-c-w9EjVQNjNHYM/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ul4Z80v_QvR2L2bzZ4-zHwDprywu32AGdyfbDJ5HIbws7jZ99F2UWM6CMUI5UeMYi8ZsK8-GjPE-kQw2qj8p1L47FqNkh70akq3LxfS270v1Fx8dzDKQIsDVmOto-c-w9EjVQNjNHYM/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Violet</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53WhzyCCoEKLdHG6NC9QpWsmLCpK86RzK6DlPGbsvp1EOQHdpgLJ_IAIWloEzJ8j5veBRHmx5OJOPSS2xGag0FTjKyQscPqSOvTP23kA0dxVVLtBkCpGk5itdFyEL2JxWYLpbxmDmp_Q/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53WhzyCCoEKLdHG6NC9QpWsmLCpK86RzK6DlPGbsvp1EOQHdpgLJ_IAIWloEzJ8j5veBRHmx5OJOPSS2xGag0FTjKyQscPqSOvTP23kA0dxVVLtBkCpGk5itdFyEL2JxWYLpbxmDmp_Q/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Emerging cowslip</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmG1RzboJ_V8mhsEKNkM8tHAT58Vczy4_vxjW7uWC9tifIAiX52ThRc5XwH2AS4sg32rEXb_CHvNWLB1Q79RckiDKjfz4GI8inyGTt-UtZpH4uwPTrvHeU4z5n7pCmr0qc979nIEp9yY/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmG1RzboJ_V8mhsEKNkM8tHAT58Vczy4_vxjW7uWC9tifIAiX52ThRc5XwH2AS4sg32rEXb_CHvNWLB1Q79RckiDKjfz4GI8inyGTt-UtZpH4uwPTrvHeU4z5n7pCmr0qc979nIEp9yY/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twayblades are making an appearance too</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Yockletts is famous for its variety of orchids, the twayblade being the first, followed by early purple.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjPsMP1rEDAPQwdHz1yxk6v3XgwaFBnZYe_igD35m_T5LrcbvVUHs4hKWjfkiryiwyRGBrsRPkS8uVlUIE9TewAWBEquayyZ48o043PPtNTb-VGKQ7r9nEg4dfZL6vDP2eB5OxpCQxVw/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjPsMP1rEDAPQwdHz1yxk6v3XgwaFBnZYe_igD35m_T5LrcbvVUHs4hKWjfkiryiwyRGBrsRPkS8uVlUIE9TewAWBEquayyZ48o043PPtNTb-VGKQ7r9nEg4dfZL6vDP2eB5OxpCQxVw/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pussy willow [taken with 65mm macro lens]</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFA3QnGKrU4rZ7QvbNyvDK8_YBgX9dR4gsUS03K1Rb5OIdI9rGqShClTOxhScnK2RS7kdci6vqOJ8QA-NHM4_UuUqvIA3pFYyB-YIYfMms78t9gw0vOVrY8YEu-nvkWE2404vJfjJgRw/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFA3QnGKrU4rZ7QvbNyvDK8_YBgX9dR4gsUS03K1Rb5OIdI9rGqShClTOxhScnK2RS7kdci6vqOJ8QA-NHM4_UuUqvIA3pFYyB-YIYfMms78t9gw0vOVrY8YEu-nvkWE2404vJfjJgRw/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Primrose</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Bee-fly</b><br />
Whilst walking back to the car I heard a noise that sounded like a swarm of bees. On checking this out I could only locate 3 or 4 'bee-like' individuals. Once home, I checked out the images in detail and found them to be bee-flies. When flying they are much louder than common or bumble bees.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_qoSv1Nem-LH7amUiQh0IGKSP698DU_ZlKEvvzedMocufn6DydJNSPS8Z6ztAagKr0bmiFIC8WpGf3_NmeN2Mp6oMPQdZsmUG3ZXFWCfFrPZB6TvKtZQOM6SwS51kl_hyf8tTnQBC1s/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_qoSv1Nem-LH7amUiQh0IGKSP698DU_ZlKEvvzedMocufn6DydJNSPS8Z6ztAagKr0bmiFIC8WpGf3_NmeN2Mp6oMPQdZsmUG3ZXFWCfFrPZB6TvKtZQOM6SwS51kl_hyf8tTnQBC1s/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bee-fly feeding on primrose</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYBjldVxobovCl9DXNW6EV-CTgV3axMfu0PyaNAC6BqBl7a31nybr5f5bZW6jc__1nMLQGPGe4fA-ZuC9I1ov42s4fKRv7S6ZeiqNDotMfxOKBroUTrq7c4RNwchVp4olWPIUE8n2mqc/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieYBjldVxobovCl9DXNW6EV-CTgV3axMfu0PyaNAC6BqBl7a31nybr5f5bZW6jc__1nMLQGPGe4fA-ZuC9I1ov42s4fKRv7S6ZeiqNDotMfxOKBroUTrq7c4RNwchVp4olWPIUE8n2mqc/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bee-fly resting</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
A few brimstone were there too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-MpudgHeNrSFuA8EJGQubS8J_ohBuP8e5c3GuNK-8DzCRMwwsUOGMnKm7scW0xoHLdCP4evKldv43BMkvBRMIjk3njapq4ZZzj2tM6wJOykceky0V_IWX41q0ynKo2MjxGB6__f9j00/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-MpudgHeNrSFuA8EJGQubS8J_ohBuP8e5c3GuNK-8DzCRMwwsUOGMnKm7scW0xoHLdCP4evKldv43BMkvBRMIjk3njapq4ZZzj2tM6wJOykceky0V_IWX41q0ynKo2MjxGB6__f9j00/s400/12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Brimstone</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNOwnYbOvVlWeCqBPijxGfB3nDwHjF_cAq_Kxn7eFjuQb9MKPMpX5hGWjswBzXnMcyMD7238UipwsoBSs-hTqWYIROm3wNTTEbv7_VvxHJPO8m2hFlUmf_0oLsCMs3bvp1i3S8Ss0jgI/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNOwnYbOvVlWeCqBPijxGfB3nDwHjF_cAq_Kxn7eFjuQb9MKPMpX5hGWjswBzXnMcyMD7238UipwsoBSs-hTqWYIROm3wNTTEbv7_VvxHJPO8m2hFlUmf_0oLsCMs3bvp1i3S8Ss0jgI/s400/13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Downy pigeon feather caught in leaves</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EuZCCHa2Snxu-1pKT_zyLdPqkp26828GV0SwdUMeOjuBXC0GTStErpZL6Nm6fTywDfxzD65a41TKxDZzji1Ln_IH0Bv8zaybkawrUnismcHWq4D6Aohhtxl2AqOEjgNWMG1t-mg3u44/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EuZCCHa2Snxu-1pKT_zyLdPqkp26828GV0SwdUMeOjuBXC0GTStErpZL6Nm6fTywDfxzD65a41TKxDZzji1Ln_IH0Bv8zaybkawrUnismcHWq4D6Aohhtxl2AqOEjgNWMG1t-mg3u44/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wild clematis left over from last year</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-59796616677561420972011-03-29T10:23:00.000+01:002011-03-29T10:23:23.572+01:00West Country Hirundines - a tale from left-fieldJust back from a four-day photographic break in Rock, Cornwall with friends Philip and Anthony. Whilst there we set up the '<a href="http://wonkyhorizons.blogspot.com/">Wonky Horizons Group</a>' - the sort of thing you do after a few beers.<br />
<br />
The trip was not a birding one but just general photography and relaxation. We were blessed with fantastic weather and our cottage looked out over the Camel estuary to Padstow and the shore could be accessed down a small flight of steps from our garden - bliss!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWbfQoTcLXL2dGeqr1Ahpr0gzkxRDceJ4z_Fni0tpdo26Ra8KHsbvibI90a8XQZDD5lE7X3Fy10VP6w1zs4nXqObomJwME6KIO8DncCU9iLb0elN6cbnEUM0CaPKuZ4MSB96ROVK10SE/s1600/HeronCamelEstuary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWbfQoTcLXL2dGeqr1Ahpr0gzkxRDceJ4z_Fni0tpdo26Ra8KHsbvibI90a8XQZDD5lE7X3Fy10VP6w1zs4nXqObomJwME6KIO8DncCU9iLb0elN6cbnEUM0CaPKuZ4MSB96ROVK10SE/s400/HeronCamelEstuary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Heron on Camel Estuary whilst waiting for 'ferry' back to Rock</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I was very excited to see a group of eight house martins fly over on Saturday afternoon - my first hirundines of the year.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkW49R25wqSV_JyRPJFCV6CxmbfDgBXXux7W4BOphUMj8flT7AhRgj5z3Njtxwf-XncojZMTqmOtpFtEGRfYdKQLYam-CroeLc7qzxxbWurjeQDmr17elsM_F4u0WDyzQS-8AE_E6xnHM/s1600/SwansOnCamelEstuary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkW49R25wqSV_JyRPJFCV6CxmbfDgBXXux7W4BOphUMj8flT7AhRgj5z3Njtxwf-XncojZMTqmOtpFtEGRfYdKQLYam-CroeLc7qzxxbWurjeQDmr17elsM_F4u0WDyzQS-8AE_E6xnHM/s400/SwansOnCamelEstuary.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mute swans in early morning mist (Sunday 27th)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I have just blown half my annual bonus on one of the new 70-200 f/2.8 Canon lenses so it was an opportunity to put it through its paces. It's a little heavier than I had anticipated but image quality is excellent and the IS appears to be very good.<br />
<br />
One very interesting thing we observed in <i>Padstein</i> was that the local turnstones have adapted to feeding on scraps of food on the concrete of the harbour front and associated walkways. Like the gulls, they don't seem to be too bothered about people as long as there is a chance of a quick snack. I think it will be a long time however until we are knee-deep in curlew on the quay.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfJLqmtXd0d6Rz2DfUyAs6QiAYrSE9J9UI_j_B54Z-mdJjnl28vsVGQ4ax6DqHVHruzl5ZTg3rSY877aqtKJAWd43R4AZbD7u6H8qpgxCkR5gNxc7L5cDBu8OQg9-pRnHBTT1xkFaATA/s1600/PadstowHerringGull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfJLqmtXd0d6Rz2DfUyAs6QiAYrSE9J9UI_j_B54Z-mdJjnl28vsVGQ4ax6DqHVHruzl5ZTg3rSY877aqtKJAWd43R4AZbD7u6H8qpgxCkR5gNxc7L5cDBu8OQg9-pRnHBTT1xkFaATA/s400/PadstowHerringGull.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grab-shot with my 24-105 lens</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now I'm back in Kent I'm looking forward to getting out with my camera and snapping some birds again but my wife's car is in for MOT today and she has taken mine to work. I'll just have to put on a long playlist and sort through some more images!<br />
<br />
I have to go into work on Weds. as my boss is coming over from Zurich. It will probably be the last chance I get to see him before I leave on 22nd April - PANIC!Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-53819890016797347092011-03-19T16:09:00.001+00:002011-03-20T12:56:54.988+00:00Different support<b>Grove Ferry / Stodmarsh</b><br />
<br />
I left home this morning at 7.30 for Grove, arriving in heavy mist just after 8 (despite it being perfectly clear at Chartham). I walked down to the Feast hide in anticipation of the sun breaking through quickly. Cettis were signing and a pair of reed bunting went about their daily business in reed bed. There was not much other activity but I decided to stay there until visibility and light levels improved, which was a full two hours later. In the meantime I took a few shots of a greylag that was on the raft. The light was very 'white' and I was compensating a full +2 1/3 stops to get good exposure - now that's shooting to the right!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMbBvMxYrpIJFAl2kt4sUvNuLos6fyqjG64wpoOQRanmoBc7wjbkp4hztJ_vIbYp94Cn1mnO0xSO-b99iXPf4HVDBAyxjk2QEM2pclS_g9DMT3IgWLgSK8EgtvHgu1wD6Bz2GF_8KxP8/s1600/Greylag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMbBvMxYrpIJFAl2kt4sUvNuLos6fyqjG64wpoOQRanmoBc7wjbkp4hztJ_vIbYp94Cn1mnO0xSO-b99iXPf4HVDBAyxjk2QEM2pclS_g9DMT3IgWLgSK8EgtvHgu1wD6Bz2GF_8KxP8/s400/Greylag.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<i>In the past I've used a Wimberley tripod head for support and although it works really well it's quite a lot to lug around in addition to the tripod. I used a monopod today as I was planning to do a fair bit of walking. This turned out OK and I will probably do it again when I want to be more mobile - particularly as image quality was not adversely affected.</i><br />
<br />
Once the light improved, I cut over to the Stour and walked down towards Stodmarsh. The same rain that had drenched me on Canterbury golf course yesterday had left the walkways very treacherous. I slipped over once but somehow managed to keep my equipment from landing in the mud - more by luck that judgement.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOPSwz_JJWx1Jc7rqva13CbIHKa_ypFD5nkzj_PAURgHLQNRxSEiX05Awgx8p657PrKRVrvY20kR2h4UQLOAJIg1U-5XUK70DZQrxM4vb6KgN002M5Jh05wU36UTxe7pCNZYGdQc72Jo/s1600/Robin1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdOPSwz_JJWx1Jc7rqva13CbIHKa_ypFD5nkzj_PAURgHLQNRxSEiX05Awgx8p657PrKRVrvY20kR2h4UQLOAJIg1U-5XUK70DZQrxM4vb6KgN002M5Jh05wU36UTxe7pCNZYGdQc72Jo/s400/Robin1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
There were plenty of teal and lapwing on the meadows and robin, chaffinch and various tits in the bushes lining the river but no sign of bullfinch or yellowhammer, which was disappointing. By now there were marsh harrier over the reeds and a sparrowhawk circled over too.<br />
<br />
It was fairly quiet in the wood so I continued to walk up towards the Marsh hide, taking a shot of some nicely coloured catkins on the way. There was a black-tailed godwit in with the lapwing from the marsh hide - not something I've seen at the reserve too often.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerRdPxYc478R8Ewjw_eYAmvwdeFoCU2QI8PAmakaDs0fVF21WeK2tJuTCllDU1wt2FqkvH9hOwGwi_Zd_M_VY2xrbnpwR4bIPu-rv1QKwT4xvoNCTQ_mZTNzgycXokk2va7pLr3T4vbc/s1600/Catkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgerRdPxYc478R8Ewjw_eYAmvwdeFoCU2QI8PAmakaDs0fVF21WeK2tJuTCllDU1wt2FqkvH9hOwGwi_Zd_M_VY2xrbnpwR4bIPu-rv1QKwT4xvoNCTQ_mZTNzgycXokk2va7pLr3T4vbc/s400/Catkins.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Just as I got to the end of the cleared out area I spotted a willow warbler *** in one of the willows that has fallen over. I hung around photographing it for about half an hour and managed a few good shots despite it being highly active and often in dense parts of the tree.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">*** On closer inspection probably a chiffchaff - could someone confirm? I usually rely on song to differentiate...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJA_YpfpluxpxQjLcrTaTpcfnj1mj3Nk5Wh6kQpfOx6Fx2_hcLTTmeAGXI8qLe_FlFoktk4i3vjP1h8pRh2toZNQsOJLpWTPCdP4nWuMylq_owBTJ7PMcCMSATMSmM0EaGgU9pTyBDLU/s1600/WillowWarbler3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJA_YpfpluxpxQjLcrTaTpcfnj1mj3Nk5Wh6kQpfOx6Fx2_hcLTTmeAGXI8qLe_FlFoktk4i3vjP1h8pRh2toZNQsOJLpWTPCdP4nWuMylq_owBTJ7PMcCMSATMSmM0EaGgU9pTyBDLU/s400/WillowWarbler3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0_bmiFzpos1thGY_FZ_T5x2F6jwLF_zyzV4QpUuNw8SNbFC4O-rZ49ICIcMD69ivQvjmMdrjzQeXW_RqNe0yCQzxMV8jPrLtv_TWZSFj2gHesjjfHWG0s49wZlbJZBLjhkePEcQclog/s1600/WillowWarbler2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0_bmiFzpos1thGY_FZ_T5x2F6jwLF_zyzV4QpUuNw8SNbFC4O-rZ49ICIcMD69ivQvjmMdrjzQeXW_RqNe0yCQzxMV8jPrLtv_TWZSFj2gHesjjfHWG0s49wZlbJZBLjhkePEcQclog/s400/WillowWarbler2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMf7yoauQBX0mrxy9CEBad5D1waRPzdlph2SVpTaHmpgb3HJVEv4KlDVc1GubYODEVdwaucCEFtE4PIP_xbDEMJ1vKRiFc4-j5_-cXqHJWL_VKcsT0By11Pgo8U99QsV63nT49SG2oNg/s1600/WillowWarbler1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMf7yoauQBX0mrxy9CEBad5D1waRPzdlph2SVpTaHmpgb3HJVEv4KlDVc1GubYODEVdwaucCEFtE4PIP_xbDEMJ1vKRiFc4-j5_-cXqHJWL_VKcsT0By11Pgo8U99QsV63nT49SG2oNg/s400/WillowWarbler1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I dropped into the Feast hide again on the way back but it was just as quiet as earlier. One bonus was a merlin that flashed across the top of the reedbed, heading towards the orchard.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Waxwing at Fort Belvedere (Berks)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Despite all the waxwings that have been about I've not seen one this winter (I know, I need to get out more!). However, Martin Washford had a flock of over 50 individuals where he was working at Fort Belvedere and managed to get a shot of them drinking from the edge of the frozen lake early one morning last week.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYFVzD2GQV9Nf4kqBgoixmcwnHtnO85WFXjTp6u-hhBOmQKIVTzlpw3-aXliYVOmRVE08XQJfyxV4YCJk1kw61sH_iMPtoBYrAS0OSJ0IJlGH1YNdYq-m9ZVIrzTo-BbZFvlehXlcWVs/s1600/waxwing1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYFVzD2GQV9Nf4kqBgoixmcwnHtnO85WFXjTp6u-hhBOmQKIVTzlpw3-aXliYVOmRVE08XQJfyxV4YCJk1kw61sH_iMPtoBYrAS0OSJ0IJlGH1YNdYq-m9ZVIrzTo-BbZFvlehXlcWVs/s400/waxwing1.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAuy41aQuShBy8cRkBgyWAzuoamaWTw6eVr5ALObz1At8RJITt4as04AmCB5cURf-DuAzy3mPh1q1hDgaKLKd-F317p3oLxCP09-GOx5q9xa3H8put947HxXx63f386Fi7Wr_K78wkqM/s1600/waxwing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAuy41aQuShBy8cRkBgyWAzuoamaWTw6eVr5ALObz1At8RJITt4as04AmCB5cURf-DuAzy3mPh1q1hDgaKLKd-F317p3oLxCP09-GOx5q9xa3H8put947HxXx63f386Fi7Wr_K78wkqM/s400/waxwing2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
One of the smallest spring flowers, that of the hazel.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTItj2TSMeng2o3n6yIT4aeSWY-txMIcMYJtpOv_81o9qltBvUYOkjQxdy0GdyMSxDWVuUsCaLu3wYHLEoyDyUugY2xL6PfsjXBOc_ZZ5jXVrvOPSun6pheyegAcgqLIlVFxmCl6q4ww/s1600/HazelFlower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTItj2TSMeng2o3n6yIT4aeSWY-txMIcMYJtpOv_81o9qltBvUYOkjQxdy0GdyMSxDWVuUsCaLu3wYHLEoyDyUugY2xL6PfsjXBOc_ZZ5jXVrvOPSun6pheyegAcgqLIlVFxmCl6q4ww/s400/HazelFlower.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hazel flower</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-51738736675692124282011-03-11T07:42:00.000+00:002011-03-11T07:42:38.622+00:00Broken promises and dipping on dipper<b>The Lakes</b><br />
<br />
Just back from an excellent few days in Ambleside, walking in the fells, eating and drinking too much - the ususal stuff. I vowed not to do any bird photography whilst away but there was just enough room in the boot for my long lens and all the other luggage would have just jangled around wouldn't it!<br />
<br />
My best photo opportunity came when I least expected it. The river Rothsay runs through the churchyard at Grassmere and was host to not only the ubiquitous mallard, but three pairs of goosander were working their way downstream. I only had my 24-105mm lens on so just a record shot but nice to see them anyway.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHshIGWzUh5tVXzDIVHA8TcWMtWaD8nk7F7hZL9qQHnEfTGUEpiyUrQRb4wkLtmUK_kQItFxPcwzpCnWU9KKCtp8K1BzHtUwovDFPGZnJfCRoia99JYQZYUY2Mbn1sp_-zPdQPIq1e-Vo/s1600/Goosander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHshIGWzUh5tVXzDIVHA8TcWMtWaD8nk7F7hZL9qQHnEfTGUEpiyUrQRb4wkLtmUK_kQItFxPcwzpCnWU9KKCtp8K1BzHtUwovDFPGZnJfCRoia99JYQZYUY2Mbn1sp_-zPdQPIq1e-Vo/s400/Goosander.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Later that afternoon we crossed Stock Ghyll and I heard a dipper that subsequently landed on a rock near the foot bridge. Making a mental note I slipped out the next afternoon and my hopes were raised as two bird photographers were installed by the bridge. I parked the car and walked up asking "any sign of the dipper"? "Oh yes, been in and out for the last two hours" came the reply. I hunkered down excitedly beside the bridge for an hour and half but when my shutter speed hit 1/125th at f/4 ISO1600 I decided to call it a day.Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-17529050104049795482011-03-04T18:20:00.002+00:002011-03-05T11:02:31.411+00:00Redheads galoreI arrived at the car park by the Arc pit at Dungeness just as Mick <i>two-converters</i> Sinden was getting out of his <strike>car</strike> vehicle. We ambled up to the hide together, chatting, arriving around 13.45h. The wind was head-on into the hide but at least the light was promising (in fact it improved as time went on).<br />
<br />
<br />
Two female and one male goldeneye were in the area all afternoon giving plenty of photo opportunities..<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><i> [Click any of the images to view at 1024px]</i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqsI2VdhjhwP5yCa9eyVbFSJFDGe600y_p71dQ8vdP6kXBRBhzqa9i-cE5PvClsXux5PGMKvpkiy6qD3csnjTUG3ri1HzrxJxc9QlskqlWzcECM3kH3iJ9WX-v8aLw-0m__yuPIkNGeg/s1600/GoldeneyeMaleAndFemale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqsI2VdhjhwP5yCa9eyVbFSJFDGe600y_p71dQ8vdP6kXBRBhzqa9i-cE5PvClsXux5PGMKvpkiy6qD3csnjTUG3ri1HzrxJxc9QlskqlWzcECM3kH3iJ9WX-v8aLw-0m__yuPIkNGeg/s400/GoldeneyeMaleAndFemale.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLM9hHqnu85AMdoez1XrmtytsLvJEbfYXcqEC3R8F3XF3AfsEEtteF-L6YIytoAogkO2dKYcaq4Hm_mhJNDrCOwAKc5aEHOGXRdnIOlkfHVLez28I3GlDEEGvD2RmOda4R1Y3mws0ntt0/s1600/GoldeneyeFemale5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLM9hHqnu85AMdoez1XrmtytsLvJEbfYXcqEC3R8F3XF3AfsEEtteF-L6YIytoAogkO2dKYcaq4Hm_mhJNDrCOwAKc5aEHOGXRdnIOlkfHVLez28I3GlDEEGvD2RmOda4R1Y3mws0ntt0/s400/GoldeneyeFemale5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQgatd2Xnph8FF5Vdqq0ZVxwKTsTKM3OptCVbVAC2eUfs5y1ljW3OZ5Ad4ey4dx_3c5UYaJkzTNOkgGzU7rRIacVsFAcX70h-48lQIO34jwPcoxx79hcQit0EcN5rVKqsBMpUJ98Y0bU/s1600/GoldeneyeMale3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQgatd2Xnph8FF5Vdqq0ZVxwKTsTKM3OptCVbVAC2eUfs5y1ljW3OZ5Ad4ey4dx_3c5UYaJkzTNOkgGzU7rRIacVsFAcX70h-48lQIO34jwPcoxx79hcQit0EcN5rVKqsBMpUJ98Y0bU/s400/GoldeneyeMale3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
There were 8 readhead smew that came and went during the couple of hours I was there. A lone drake was over the far side, roosting in with the raft of pochard. It drifted over towards the hide but flew off towards the screen and shortly after that disappeared completely.<i> The drake goldeneye was obliging enough that maybe the smew was too much to ask for!</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBMjt9VWoSkF_Z-qRJnSp7czP26BySTk_LzfdQFdWaRRRAr9mHlWRP67ToZU43EDshGzFdSDL0UHdrNxrCDabzxaRkuYtCnJ_QSWKNTt_TQiijyOMf7nTyWVWFmJIcSvFup0GWLS3za0/s1600/RedHead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBMjt9VWoSkF_Z-qRJnSp7czP26BySTk_LzfdQFdWaRRRAr9mHlWRP67ToZU43EDshGzFdSDL0UHdrNxrCDabzxaRkuYtCnJ_QSWKNTt_TQiijyOMf7nTyWVWFmJIcSvFup0GWLS3za0/s400/RedHead.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEO_jchKaQDt19hb3stJCO1GBNDD2II9sdhmILm50fMuTfYKxMXGCFuKwqsa8_i154Dsk9P0n0JTwOiVLEOBi5x8GjUTxoN91wI63S-4ez-btcyXm2Pq0F2xkl7uZmqhIGPi3sfROz3A/s1600/RedHead2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMEO_jchKaQDt19hb3stJCO1GBNDD2II9sdhmILm50fMuTfYKxMXGCFuKwqsa8_i154Dsk9P0n0JTwOiVLEOBi5x8GjUTxoN91wI63S-4ez-btcyXm2Pq0F2xkl7uZmqhIGPi3sfROz3A/s400/RedHead2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The light continued to improve and the wind abated, making focusing easier as the ducks were not bobbing up and down so much.<br />
<br />
The drake goldeneye was still strutting his stuff. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK8YecUAGuw-W5gdbCh6NNZbgqYOgiifN3OCcyxOzKPMbHpJYM6ZfEG4w8A7YrUN3bm61blDFcLVibwZjCgxITz4JaPNTQb6QfsOpv0kkiUj7-iFg4xWH1qXbcAZGcqTLvjs_vLb8m2k/s1600/GoldeneyeMale5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwK8YecUAGuw-W5gdbCh6NNZbgqYOgiifN3OCcyxOzKPMbHpJYM6ZfEG4w8A7YrUN3bm61blDFcLVibwZjCgxITz4JaPNTQb6QfsOpv0kkiUj7-iFg4xWH1qXbcAZGcqTLvjs_vLb8m2k/s400/GoldeneyeMale5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOxsNFhHzmWEsSZbivUUaUERegyDrQ38zRxv4nn9Ifpgwv_zATM4O6GPraWikbe7NzE6Nu7pKAJy8-OwFuH7GWYBTms5yp_KCCCCdXaF0QyJefClQtUIN2cDZCk8cq_6NJvqFGo1uPho/s1600/GoldeneyeMale1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOxsNFhHzmWEsSZbivUUaUERegyDrQ38zRxv4nn9Ifpgwv_zATM4O6GPraWikbe7NzE6Nu7pKAJy8-OwFuH7GWYBTms5yp_KCCCCdXaF0QyJefClQtUIN2cDZCk8cq_6NJvqFGo1uPho/s400/GoldeneyeMale1.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfzT8FO2vyj4-xCCG8ndkAHwloPaok0Tqj4GSICTfZxASx9jbGzwQ5qZTcdaK8Hviqk8wmsH5nAOCpN2iLg8wZaQLVlxWsmlxWjcX6tvyrCFYPRGpVFd7JjgdD2sqHn0FRz_YtiOiOnM/s1600/GoldeneyeMale2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfzT8FO2vyj4-xCCG8ndkAHwloPaok0Tqj4GSICTfZxASx9jbGzwQ5qZTcdaK8Hviqk8wmsH5nAOCpN2iLg8wZaQLVlxWsmlxWjcX6tvyrCFYPRGpVFd7JjgdD2sqHn0FRz_YtiOiOnM/s1600/GoldeneyeMale2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfzT8FO2vyj4-xCCG8ndkAHwloPaok0Tqj4GSICTfZxASx9jbGzwQ5qZTcdaK8Hviqk8wmsH5nAOCpN2iLg8wZaQLVlxWsmlxWjcX6tvyrCFYPRGpVFd7JjgdD2sqHn0FRz_YtiOiOnM/s400/GoldeneyeMale2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, you beauty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tufted duck are often overlooked but, if their head is at just the right angle, one can pick up superb green hues in their plumage.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rDihdPlcGyffXVEVdrXZcYIjtFDMw4-2TDy2cF-pYGIPXuskcw9rl6KBZRntNL4qiIw6WvFfDI66CtGbGt0Yiap8G22oYNEykAGGA97X1_qf_WGQIqs3MLDD8IoJueEiqwZKKBfU5PY/s1600/Tuftie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rDihdPlcGyffXVEVdrXZcYIjtFDMw4-2TDy2cF-pYGIPXuskcw9rl6KBZRntNL4qiIw6WvFfDI66CtGbGt0Yiap8G22oYNEykAGGA97X1_qf_WGQIqs3MLDD8IoJueEiqwZKKBfU5PY/s400/Tuftie2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXMRidkBMz3n-QrYI5v-tQ2SL7kopd3M66F30DKykJ7GtAMgARQXN_A-CWwgjqHlV0AKnvsNCrXzTXVPBybWo6bw-B7LRZaARoVth9Z6uPYNduc3raUVkWdkoZ3p0Os_2O4vZRIJY4sk/s1600/Tuftie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXMRidkBMz3n-QrYI5v-tQ2SL7kopd3M66F30DKykJ7GtAMgARQXN_A-CWwgjqHlV0AKnvsNCrXzTXVPBybWo6bw-B7LRZaARoVth9Z6uPYNduc3raUVkWdkoZ3p0Os_2O4vZRIJY4sk/s1600/Tuftie1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXMRidkBMz3n-QrYI5v-tQ2SL7kopd3M66F30DKykJ7GtAMgARQXN_A-CWwgjqHlV0AKnvsNCrXzTXVPBybWo6bw-B7LRZaARoVth9Z6uPYNduc3raUVkWdkoZ3p0Os_2O4vZRIJY4sk/s400/Tuftie1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>As I walked back to the car I heard a cetti's warbler singing in the scrub. A reminder that Spring is just around the corner. The diving ducks will soon be gone and a fresh set of migrants will be hitting our shores once again - BRING IT ON!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm off to the Lake District next week for a last taste of Winter. Probably little nature photography but my camera will be at my side all week.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-4362021858855431922011-02-28T08:56:00.001+00:002011-02-28T08:58:36.715+00:00Billy-no-matesI've been blogging for a couple of months now and not picked up too many followers so I was very please to see <a href="http://steveashtonwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/">Steve Ashton</a> on board. Steve's is one of the few sites I follow, along with <a href="http://www.ophrysphotography.co.uk/">John Devries</a> and <a href="http://www.nigelblake.co.uk/">Nigel Blake</a>.<br />
<br />
I don't feel like I'm posting stuff into a vacuum quite so much now and my paranoia alert status has dropped from 'Red' to 'Amber'...Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-24382312036912407722011-02-28T08:41:00.005+00:002011-02-28T09:19:38.235+00:00Death by 'Lichen'<b>Preamble</b><br />
<br />
You can always tell when I've not been out with may camera much when I throw in a technical tip or spout random stuff! What's my excuse? Too busy doing other things and, when I'm free it's been raining hard. Yesterday was a great example, I had arranged a game of golf at Boughton with a good friend of mine and it was a beautiful day.<br />
<br />
<b>Death by 'Lichen'</b><br />
<br />
I entered four images into the recent <a href="http://ashfordps.org.uk/resnathist.htm">Ashford Photographic Society Natural History</a> competition. I won the projected digital images section with my White-tailed Eagle (taken on Loch Na Kael last June) but the overall winner was judged to be a slide of a piece of lichen on a rock. Congratulations to Neville Marsh for winning the trophy - I think he was as surprised as everyone else (I don't think mine was the best image there either so no hard feelings!) There's always next year.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pPm4Vt3vT1zFXzGok3zSw3frcXezIe3in2Of5g9-j4BfmDnnAA039GSTh8T0Zcf-iNhkikeZkotRyyLFNX43CFLvfw1Uw_lKYwRCcABAvMpGHLMxbrzfV3MtXd_l4OD2OLKWFhcvaOs/s1600/WHITE-TAILED+EAGLE+CATCHING+FISH+ON+LOCH+NA+KAEL+by+60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pPm4Vt3vT1zFXzGok3zSw3frcXezIe3in2Of5g9-j4BfmDnnAA039GSTh8T0Zcf-iNhkikeZkotRyyLFNX43CFLvfw1Uw_lKYwRCcABAvMpGHLMxbrzfV3MtXd_l4OD2OLKWFhcvaOs/s400/WHITE-TAILED+EAGLE+CATCHING+FISH+ON+LOCH+NA+KAEL+by+60.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<b>RHS Wisley</b><br />
<br />
On Saturday I pottered over to Wisley with my wife to meet a friend of ours. I took the camera of course (you know how women like to chatter...) as I believe that just shooting nature all the time is a bit one-dimensional. Variety is good and it helps to make one a more complete photographer. I did try some fill-in flash in the butterfly house - this worked out really well. I've posted the images on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashford-Photographic-Society/132678576769170?v=wall#%21/photo.php?fbid=184749028228791&set=a.184749011562126.38102.132678576769170&theater">APS Facebook page</a>. Hope I can put it into practice effectively in the wild.<br />
<br />
I've only got eight more weeks to go at work now so looking forward to my spring career break to get out with my camera even more before I need to think about bringing in some money...Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-23403549320447686062011-02-13T09:25:00.003+00:002011-02-13T14:19:53.997+00:00Ugly Duckling to Swan Lake<b>Ugly Duckling </b><br />
<br />
Saturday afternoon brought the promise of some sunshine -<i> remember that?</i> I managed to escape the household chores and headed over to Oare Marshes, somewhere I have not been for a while but fancied trying to get some flight shots from the roadway. A north-west wind was in my favour as the birds taking off from the east scrape would be head-on. It was that flat, grey light that has blighted us so much of the year that greeted me - it was a real '<b>ugly duckling'</b> of a day!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJWV1cPTwvmpf8eyepnlXHwBrhVoO377JOSW7uRaVsFExDDXX5N-piM1YZiL1Z6kQrg93pEhRD29iregGmrRWHUlgS9wWIzA4j91AKGXhjpNzZSTt10ehU9_8RKmjnzxpKzWsYFjSfhc/s1600/Lapwings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJWV1cPTwvmpf8eyepnlXHwBrhVoO377JOSW7uRaVsFExDDXX5N-piM1YZiL1Z6kQrg93pEhRD29iregGmrRWHUlgS9wWIzA4j91AKGXhjpNzZSTt10ehU9_8RKmjnzxpKzWsYFjSfhc/s400/Lapwings.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Huge flocks of lapwing were on the move over Sheppey with a ring-tail and peregrine making brief appearances as the grazing Highland Cattle gave birders in the east hide a close encounter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Em-BDKDa5NLpiyK4aTotaPJpA12H20LRJBXWcgi6FrzoeUKZ2LjmrulKF53YXUn0mRKg2AZZ07_HdziutnGoXoP_H4nJBHYRrhbIujmFodS_ijuzolGCSc4CyNQkinE3rMMW_IWKqwE/s1600/HighlandCattle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Em-BDKDa5NLpiyK4aTotaPJpA12H20LRJBXWcgi6FrzoeUKZ2LjmrulKF53YXUn0mRKg2AZZ07_HdziutnGoXoP_H4nJBHYRrhbIujmFodS_ijuzolGCSc4CyNQkinE3rMMW_IWKqwE/s400/HighlandCattle.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were plenty of wigeon, teal and pintail around - the latter keeping out of range.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfewXfhJD-kIUAfSZLSE-cauSJTjIPixS4jGN95FiRZIM6VHJ3disKLTe0vcwOPDIbeZLEPEm89LhzTAqLHYW2ywqPhEzzbFPHreEFoMlWxlWzEQkNOATG4-flqGsrwn329w84xeBGwA4/s1600/Wigeon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfewXfhJD-kIUAfSZLSE-cauSJTjIPixS4jGN95FiRZIM6VHJ3disKLTe0vcwOPDIbeZLEPEm89LhzTAqLHYW2ywqPhEzzbFPHreEFoMlWxlWzEQkNOATG4-flqGsrwn329w84xeBGwA4/s400/Wigeon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wigeon </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBRJpgwTQkLcr9lvEXSJqerRhHSkyIETvX1a9pdT46p0Yg8_oN00raNvEBOTCv5p8c2B7B1Jc-476_-jWW5CniCd4Yc_AFb6nM4YK4215eRC-iGBlvwAY32Oxkhz0H0ZSTb80Qt_CT8M/s1600/Teal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBRJpgwTQkLcr9lvEXSJqerRhHSkyIETvX1a9pdT46p0Yg8_oN00raNvEBOTCv5p8c2B7B1Jc-476_-jWW5CniCd4Yc_AFb6nM4YK4215eRC-iGBlvwAY32Oxkhz0H0ZSTb80Qt_CT8M/s400/Teal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Drake teal</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>A flock of 19 mute swans glided onto the east flood as the tide came up, coinciding with the odd break in the clouds.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23rHawa_p4336vqkQiu4SzaC7ZegWO2TiWX4AX21kV3Qzgv7Mi70OENsdmuW9t9l8ZcCbfLv9hyEBUDaWluzCnuX4XhT6kY3DkIZ6asEWD5PGi5pwhq2u-lHrsV0unNOvcNcHc2jlpe8/s1600/SwansLanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj23rHawa_p4336vqkQiu4SzaC7ZegWO2TiWX4AX21kV3Qzgv7Mi70OENsdmuW9t9l8ZcCbfLv9hyEBUDaWluzCnuX4XhT6kY3DkIZ6asEWD5PGi5pwhq2u-lHrsV0unNOvcNcHc2jlpe8/s400/SwansLanding.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>What a difference a stop makes!</b><br />
<br />
Gradually the light improved and, by around 3.30pm, it was looking very hopeful. Hundreds of golden plover were making their way off the Swale onto the flood to roost up. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IZ8AY5RWe_IE7_YF-ZDNsQZXxsMDoTDWsrXzpvA1f7j6LRVGRdom4BRFslHoRIzi-lRL8-1nBaujr68CCmddD0lQJgVq5Wm1yp38XnTxFpOVWFF1bSDdG3IsuLk9XVQ0Sr_ISvlmsXs/s1600/GoldenPloverInFlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IZ8AY5RWe_IE7_YF-ZDNsQZXxsMDoTDWsrXzpvA1f7j6LRVGRdom4BRFslHoRIzi-lRL8-1nBaujr68CCmddD0lQJgVq5Wm1yp38XnTxFpOVWFF1bSDdG3IsuLk9XVQ0Sr_ISvlmsXs/s400/GoldenPloverInFlight.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Golden plover in improving light</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoWNDA2iuNZgz3c6sIdFF1vEId8zOVBFtEcngJBzqHWL1rntqaLd4pl0GxmjANAqM2k2-2nvXmossQIhY3nLrmvZmXt5rBM3NPobrTnbTZBW-XjmJrEkhTgT7ugIsGlqKHcFU5ZSpRP4/s1600/Wigeon2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoWNDA2iuNZgz3c6sIdFF1vEId8zOVBFtEcngJBzqHWL1rntqaLd4pl0GxmjANAqM2k2-2nvXmossQIhY3nLrmvZmXt5rBM3NPobrTnbTZBW-XjmJrEkhTgT7ugIsGlqKHcFU5ZSpRP4/s400/Wigeon2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wigeon were constantly on the move</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Swan Lake</b><br />
<br />
I guess the swans had been on the estuary for most of the day and were keen to wash the saline remnants from their plumage and preen up. What happened next was amazing - I was witness to a command performance of Swan Lake - too many images to load but here are some of the best.<br />
<br />
<i>[On arrival I was getting a shutter speed of 1/640th at ISO1250, by now I was at 1/6000th at ISO800. Very contrasty light so needed to keep an eye on exposure compensation and histogram so as not to burn out the white highlights]</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRH0mmP-DxDVMnsOCUuZK0oE2SDCgTPP914L0Pmosr8CnLLScPj3vGrI4Zqk_pSRmT8BEBAQv6h_gdUH6q1gkwXfNM7XN5Y_jdvVvmHEc_2Sam8rRpvlQJC6vq4PxNE5RjJhnddnVAGTk/s1600/Swan1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRH0mmP-DxDVMnsOCUuZK0oE2SDCgTPP914L0Pmosr8CnLLScPj3vGrI4Zqk_pSRmT8BEBAQv6h_gdUH6q1gkwXfNM7XN5Y_jdvVvmHEc_2Sam8rRpvlQJC6vq4PxNE5RjJhnddnVAGTk/s400/Swan1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtJRsrXim5yv-Ua40iJSIpmEeE01oRrMRQwgwbnzGdBeMIdEzNA4TjR_VW6qrpJ2h6BBlx8y-jUDpNzQ319XpsAOYuynwWhvfZsC4StJephoRYZ-_IrSibbMe7IptzqFZFqOfatjb6kw/s1600/Swan6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtJRsrXim5yv-Ua40iJSIpmEeE01oRrMRQwgwbnzGdBeMIdEzNA4TjR_VW6qrpJ2h6BBlx8y-jUDpNzQ319XpsAOYuynwWhvfZsC4StJephoRYZ-_IrSibbMe7IptzqFZFqOfatjb6kw/s400/Swan6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7O0evSaIt6v4bt8PfFKrQgmClSkRZiNtam7ClZbFmQbEiijL4C9YMONM9Ux7PRUxOhwEmhL09CDOcwFu9jbTgL6ZKpEJvhfNEce3tXv-d1WfAKHAeqOx17D8AHeDxjF26jhYJZyzkmxI/s1600/Swan5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7O0evSaIt6v4bt8PfFKrQgmClSkRZiNtam7ClZbFmQbEiijL4C9YMONM9Ux7PRUxOhwEmhL09CDOcwFu9jbTgL6ZKpEJvhfNEce3tXv-d1WfAKHAeqOx17D8AHeDxjF26jhYJZyzkmxI/s400/Swan5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've titled this image 'Angel' in memory of John Devenport, fellow photographer and member of Ashford Photographic Society who died suddenly, aged just 55, last Wednesday. A finer chap you could not wish to meet. He will be sadly missed by all that knew him and my thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Katrina and son Oliver.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYOvLrXRXeZgOyJntYhtK93Gpjrtb1Tl6f0xj3tqxwqa7YdYtUmtl1gLFKUDm-o_XF5Vv-HJZYkQQ02CE4eZAY-che_5nnv25W1TZnDLghhy0FDUZVyAMAGR9cEiUuupaLXsZbPi3zG4/s1600/Swan4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYOvLrXRXeZgOyJntYhtK93Gpjrtb1Tl6f0xj3tqxwqa7YdYtUmtl1gLFKUDm-o_XF5Vv-HJZYkQQ02CE4eZAY-che_5nnv25W1TZnDLghhy0FDUZVyAMAGR9cEiUuupaLXsZbPi3zG4/s400/Swan4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq98v8n5mAA-uWsM0unbEGzhLO_PePHMWswdc1lIIUSBmRQPZpDhGUCgidj7GDxIXiUv6JVp3EVgrnEgqFErAE0fquRX2_DCVXoiWcOOrrrxTPyLiqNPG9ToB5jWTVfb_WlHTr0Ch9Slg/s1600/Swan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq98v8n5mAA-uWsM0unbEGzhLO_PePHMWswdc1lIIUSBmRQPZpDhGUCgidj7GDxIXiUv6JVp3EVgrnEgqFErAE0fquRX2_DCVXoiWcOOrrrxTPyLiqNPG9ToB5jWTVfb_WlHTr0Ch9Slg/s400/Swan2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">It must be love!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIVO7HcMK-pIXSa93Gdcve6DaLcFISHQ8zz099JiG2ExHP4ZSBRY-LAVivsoXyRRjqbuXVt54Z_BScX_afDkzFPpTKhczjUlQGF3TzSJUp5GC4rAJDNzp74xvgjx_ZUvZThkmtSxyj98/s1600/Swan3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIVO7HcMK-pIXSa93Gdcve6DaLcFISHQ8zz099JiG2ExHP4ZSBRY-LAVivsoXyRRjqbuXVt54Z_BScX_afDkzFPpTKhczjUlQGF3TzSJUp5GC4rAJDNzp74xvgjx_ZUvZThkmtSxyj98/s400/Swan3.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDj-nCjFUu4HIUej1m3ogOhEqHBljouDTge_TlBmNfTc9lmtdBaEk8XmI-uUAUPa2MMl6i_oRvc9B4c3biKZqTlxRxWe4HWGiiSjymQ26huOW2DHTooFPny0xRq5NdyuhZVxi1fKU8mw/s1600/Swan7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDj-nCjFUu4HIUej1m3ogOhEqHBljouDTge_TlBmNfTc9lmtdBaEk8XmI-uUAUPa2MMl6i_oRvc9B4c3biKZqTlxRxWe4HWGiiSjymQ26huOW2DHTooFPny0xRq5NdyuhZVxi1fKU8mw/s400/Swan7.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In my photography I'm not too worried about chasing rarities - a good image of a common bird is far more pleasing to me than an average image of a rare bird. I strive to get images of my subjects actually doing things and pay particular attention to composition - note how there is separation between head and wings on the single-swan shots - a slight overlap kills the impact. </div><br />
<b>The supporting cast</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6j5-dipAW-b9UdGwl7k2zMvpg3DvV7M3o-s1xoofCULE5HWAbEyjpF5egCch3ZzbGxCAVzQ4-4bRB-99TLrkeON69o3BjAdGEwKkk9Kd3ZTqsE_0TAZA7a4qHWjvFSOwxz9vY4T1ev8/s1600/GreylagsInFlight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6j5-dipAW-b9UdGwl7k2zMvpg3DvV7M3o-s1xoofCULE5HWAbEyjpF5egCch3ZzbGxCAVzQ4-4bRB-99TLrkeON69o3BjAdGEwKkk9Kd3ZTqsE_0TAZA7a4qHWjvFSOwxz9vY4T1ev8/s400/GreylagsInFlight.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enter stage left - greylag geese</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point, I'd like to say thank you to Gabby and Brian for the most welcome (ever) mug of freshly brewed coffee. Brian seemed to be more interested in keeping up with the rugby until the barn owl took centre stage for a cameo appearance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Gabby - good luck for the London Marathon next month. Keep fit and enjoy it!</b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-5VaogBoYVnrIuyfbkzVFUoB-1Bnq0r99ykCGUYmztwlEHkYjyrPOAz-NOJ5r_AG4KSCMhD0cLdwjoi91RPg4xUCLLCsndX23Na4W6ujfNiDR_Uj5xjfinbNycWBYlC_KV_Ab4LJWdo/s1600/BarnOwl1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-5VaogBoYVnrIuyfbkzVFUoB-1Bnq0r99ykCGUYmztwlEHkYjyrPOAz-NOJ5r_AG4KSCMhD0cLdwjoi91RPg4xUCLLCsndX23Na4W6ujfNiDR_Uj5xjfinbNycWBYlC_KV_Ab4LJWdo/s400/BarnOwl1.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF2Zau9NMdixFFRwyCqrJN-Oq9hpDqtu6QXPFHJzNRELhQ3Kq5SnGVMYns8RFMa0z6pnSqZ_6Ivu-f9LJ5uKq2A0VyTdjeu1LZc8WkSIhGwtBRQqO7abmvAW6MhGxk3FP1FwVGibptws/s1600/BarnOwl2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF2Zau9NMdixFFRwyCqrJN-Oq9hpDqtu6QXPFHJzNRELhQ3Kq5SnGVMYns8RFMa0z6pnSqZ_6Ivu-f9LJ5uKq2A0VyTdjeu1LZc8WkSIhGwtBRQqO7abmvAW6MhGxk3FP1FwVGibptws/s400/BarnOwl2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwtXYRYv3iknO_OHMJOAOwboOO6sQQZh6_Bos00FI2kjr8yqCCUgEQww8f2laFdvw09UOlCjgLpCR-ZoL0TNxW_cB6RJlS70fl2DWadPy6kvoLXgQ1-UXajJgcWD5JoqpfeGkCzc6kBY/s1600/BarnOwl3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwtXYRYv3iknO_OHMJOAOwboOO6sQQZh6_Bos00FI2kjr8yqCCUgEQww8f2laFdvw09UOlCjgLpCR-ZoL0TNxW_cB6RJlS70fl2DWadPy6kvoLXgQ1-UXajJgcWD5JoqpfeGkCzc6kBY/s400/BarnOwl3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUguT10cejOH2QTCi8BXjJnVC_DBLgvtSuNS-ulUieCrWBp-_hfUSF1mnoDvnsCep3qECzl0GfaNfUVk6v7M5B-dEqpqTs070tn38qnGB6MRl19LbCs8FhYC75AhT-sfop6Ww3q-zYHvw/s1600/BarnOwl4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUguT10cejOH2QTCi8BXjJnVC_DBLgvtSuNS-ulUieCrWBp-_hfUSF1mnoDvnsCep3qECzl0GfaNfUVk6v7M5B-dEqpqTs070tn38qnGB6MRl19LbCs8FhYC75AhT-sfop6Ww3q-zYHvw/s400/BarnOwl4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It was great to meet up with Nige and his wife (sorry, did not get your name...) and <a href="http://www2.clikpic.com/mackay123/index.html">Steve Mackay</a> at the reserve. I hope to see you again soon!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYx6HO_r6XndPciG4h9IWHgdx7x-f-b1-5aXqSgSEhhuUj9x4_BixhQXYXP4VQvwWQ1DwBW7WcX1QY1Kb9Hr7nX7_LdTbIjwucZWxmPeT-sRAcBrZ3E4YH_qEM2PP9YFloR0j59miZWU/s1600/HalfMoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYYx6HO_r6XndPciG4h9IWHgdx7x-f-b1-5aXqSgSEhhuUj9x4_BixhQXYXP4VQvwWQ1DwBW7WcX1QY1Kb9Hr7nX7_LdTbIjwucZWxmPeT-sRAcBrZ3E4YH_qEM2PP9YFloR0j59miZWU/s400/HalfMoon.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Time to go home . . .</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-82147234825532959492011-02-08T17:53:00.000+00:002011-02-08T17:53:37.976+00:00It's tight at the top<b>Ashford Photographic Society</b><br />
<br />
We have just held our third round (of four) of the projected digital images competition and my golden plover image managed a third place with 19 points (out of 20). To see all the winning images <a href="http://ashfordps.org.uk/respdi-3.htm">visit the website</a> . <br />
<br />
It's the big one for me on Feb 18th - the natural history competition. I've entered two prints and two digital images. We have some very good wildlife photographers at the club and the competition is always hotly contested. I won it two year's ago but I'm not holding my breath.<br />
<br />
<b>Work gets in the way</b><br />
<br />
I resigned from my job a fortnight ago and have three months notice to work out. I visited one of the groups that I have done some developments for today to start some handover/documentation. Trust me to pick a perfect day weather wise to be stuck in the office - like everyone else I'm fed up with all this grey weather. Anyway, the good news is that spring is on the way, the bad news is that I need to start looking for another job!Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-47052376044644137672011-02-01T13:17:00.000+00:002011-02-01T13:17:26.684+00:00'Wasp-proof bird' video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Honey Buzzard raiding next</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honey Buzzard numbers are increasing in the UK, with an estimated 70 pairs nesting, mainly in East Midlands/Norfolk and Central/Southern England. They are summer visitors from Africa and their diet is predominantly the larvae of bees and wasps.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whilst on holiday in France a couple of years ago, Martin Washford managed to film one raiding a nest on a road side verge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzNvugHYVEi7YmHCJinq3qfGja4OwIs-G--RI6wz7brMMA-sLfDc7IbhwgsozpaCQY-BdN7OPljRdl_3eazOA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-88796210608778216332011-01-25T17:18:00.003+00:002011-01-29T07:17:43.587+00:00Back to the drawing board<span style="font-size: small;">My attempts to capture birds in flight at the woods this morning were not entirely successful (understatement of the week). Even with a shutter speed of 1/1250th I could not freeze the wing movements of the nuthatch. With the ISO already at 1600 and shooting at f/8 to get enough depth of field I could have done with a bit more light - two stops would have been nice. The IR remote release works really well so it was not all wasted time and I'm a step further up the learning curve.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The usual suspects were on the scene. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlG1EtpUpOc97VMeUnvJQTtSZcx6SgVdx0i0S2P74ihFbww9ntyNapIAYALQGv6vNvvFceKo6Z3hUd8Tw8JuoHLSDkfVCobCmOEEjCBD4uvPXX67brlxaXX0pi3ga2v75YKO15I6JSZfI/s1600/Nuthatch4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlG1EtpUpOc97VMeUnvJQTtSZcx6SgVdx0i0S2P74ihFbww9ntyNapIAYALQGv6vNvvFceKo6Z3hUd8Tw8JuoHLSDkfVCobCmOEEjCBD4uvPXX67brlxaXX0pi3ga2v75YKO15I6JSZfI/s400/Nuthatch4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Managed to capture with a nice clean background</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIMG0o2VL4g9VCYzKjt_Z_nw7TbucDElN4sjj8UCoHgUmUv9Gg2T585srEmPcWf9hCWjaJee5m-IkbNlMkitPC9Wl13swLbT1BJGUgQ2P6w-PkmALbVd7A6Z8GsqTY2dyVDKj4E5jr88/s1600/Squirrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIMG0o2VL4g9VCYzKjt_Z_nw7TbucDElN4sjj8UCoHgUmUv9Gg2T585srEmPcWf9hCWjaJee5m-IkbNlMkitPC9Wl13swLbT1BJGUgQ2P6w-PkmALbVd7A6Z8GsqTY2dyVDKj4E5jr88/s400/Squirrel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">One has to admire the ingenuity of these guys as they prize nuts and seeds from the feeders</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I visited my friend Neil on the Romney Marsh this afternoon and took a walk along the Royal Military Canal at West Hythe on the way - most pleasant.<br />
<br />
<i>I was further cheered to hear on the radio on the way home that Andy Gray has been sacked by Sky Sports - RESULT (After all is said and done, he is to punditry what Phil Collins is to music)</i>. Let's hope that 'wednap' junior doesn't take over . . .Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-48401126782900983222011-01-20T17:05:00.000+00:002011-01-20T17:05:18.246+00:00If you go down to the woods today . . .I'm getting to know the wood a bit better now. The feeders are doing their job and there are lots of opportunities to shoot 'portrait' type of shots of common woodland birds.<br />
<br />
The challenge I have set myself is to do some birds in flight (BIF). To this end I have invested in an IR remote release for my camera. I've tested this out and it is fairly simple to use - of course the challenge is to get the birds to fly past the end of the lens!! I've got a few ideas on how to achieve this, in the meantime, here are a few shots I took down there earlier.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQK0FoJmFh9XzTjOYpv-ddc7cTY5iGDMlSNBmDa_RphTHcH2VtutRMj0MK1XLseiS8vaskB2_DkL_7GSqqPfPaOigU4AZlMvSA0I3gcYeiHrsIqfHYjTC6eYsboP-lCHXPZGxMTdESDM/s1600/GreatTit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQK0FoJmFh9XzTjOYpv-ddc7cTY5iGDMlSNBmDa_RphTHcH2VtutRMj0MK1XLseiS8vaskB2_DkL_7GSqqPfPaOigU4AZlMvSA0I3gcYeiHrsIqfHYjTC6eYsboP-lCHXPZGxMTdESDM/s400/GreatTit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Great tit checking the coast is clear before raiding the feeder</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQudstM2vetOEXe08nzIK_Fo6-wbI2PGR-4VtTgCxZAv0DFFp3xMey0Cqq6o80bSOptPkMuhwcJwN2jzcNMKDgm4hToEEbqfAcexUfMzII09rGZwOdD-FjiSgXcBemUhXSS_90dYGkGg/s1600/Nuthatch2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsQudstM2vetOEXe08nzIK_Fo6-wbI2PGR-4VtTgCxZAv0DFFp3xMey0Cqq6o80bSOptPkMuhwcJwN2jzcNMKDgm4hToEEbqfAcexUfMzII09rGZwOdD-FjiSgXcBemUhXSS_90dYGkGg/s400/Nuthatch2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This nuthatch is a regular visitor to the feeder in a very 'smash-and-grab' style</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLzhIWfGntXXqB7iUvv5q3-tO-4ZVOVgkk8uoRdYFAbslll3aLnG3T2OGaoM1D7g_LLKYrFIUf7rWPTE5x6PVkxLJCycsCSfB7Q2p-vT55lYj2D-4RLfXATU2M_C0Y2B4AxKTPOPHKek/s1600/Nuthatch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLzhIWfGntXXqB7iUvv5q3-tO-4ZVOVgkk8uoRdYFAbslll3aLnG3T2OGaoM1D7g_LLKYrFIUf7rWPTE5x6PVkxLJCycsCSfB7Q2p-vT55lYj2D-4RLfXATU2M_C0Y2B4AxKTPOPHKek/s400/Nuthatch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">It did stay still enough to get a couple of shots</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>An opportunist squirrel came onto the scene too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhmsnYgrjgoVzvvi-Gqwub1_kp8MQGsJE0B8SRDN43Sf_37RKPh1iuRLXnK_jG_D1CIMnS5n74I4__-3x9i30AZQNrzlBip17dgbu-ursd4cpxLBjWf9uzuDitR8RYux69n0AiyXafcA/s1600/IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhmsnYgrjgoVzvvi-Gqwub1_kp8MQGsJE0B8SRDN43Sf_37RKPh1iuRLXnK_jG_D1CIMnS5n74I4__-3x9i30AZQNrzlBip17dgbu-ursd4cpxLBjWf9uzuDitR8RYux69n0AiyXafcA/s400/IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just managed to frame him without cutting off his toes</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-70921827802698385882011-01-17T09:56:00.000+00:002011-01-17T09:56:34.005+00:00Technical tip #2 - Composition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After a week of poor weather and a dose of man 'flu there are no new images from me this week. Instead I thought I would share a few thoughts on composition.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>The importance of composition</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As photographers we want to create images that not only please us but please other people - be it a 'thumbs up' on a web site gallery, acceptance for publication or even someone purchasing one of our photographs. Just to be clear, composition is all about getting it right in camera and, whilst I'm competent enough in Photoshop to perform any number of manipulations I'd much rather not have the bother. Image processing in Photoshop for me is all about enhancing my images rather than fixing them. I've got to a point now where I rarely do any more that levels (possibly curves), cropping and a hint of sharpening - life's too short to be spending large portions of it at the computer.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Composition </b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Composition is as important in photography as exposure and focusing - get all three right and you'll have great images - and it starts before we even leave the house. Below is a kind of mental checklist that I use when planning a bird photography trip.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li>What is my target species and/or location?</li>
<li>What is the wind speed and direction? Birds will always take off into the wind and prefer to feed facing into the wind. For example, if the wind is in my face and I'm are trying to photograph waders I may struggle to get anything other than rear-end shots</li>
<li>What is the best time of day to go in terms of lighting? Sitting in the Scott hide at Dungeness RSPB first thing in the morning will be straight into the sun, with reflections off the water to contend with too</li>
<li>What are the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/tides/">tide times</a>? If I go to a pool near the coast whilst the tide is fully out will the birds be out on the mudflats too? Just before and after high tide will be good times if I want to capture birds in flight as they move from the mud flats to fresh water pools</li>
<li>If I am photographing birds in a semi-controlled environment (e.g. back garden) have I done the best to arrange any feeders/perches in their optimal configuration/orientation? </li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of the key elements of composition that is often ignored when starting out is backgrounds. There may be times when we want to show the animal in its natural environment or we may wish to fully isolate it as a portrait with a totally diffuse background - or maybe somewhere in between.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hPG8IxgUwidQUvbhtRhWJjmEZ8cqpGRZX2eJ3K23lytNSURrhB4pzfIXWjL2VGSVMenyn1J19vXgUgLkVlahYLccyOokf2VzjOQl-kX1q2lh0_vQdfbauyBljNXYBi5eIf40diQQIGM/s1600/Hare%252400015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hPG8IxgUwidQUvbhtRhWJjmEZ8cqpGRZX2eJ3K23lytNSURrhB4pzfIXWjL2VGSVMenyn1J19vXgUgLkVlahYLccyOokf2VzjOQl-kX1q2lh0_vQdfbauyBljNXYBi5eIf40diQQIGM/s400/Hare%252400015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">In its natural environment, surrounded by grasses and semi-diffuse buttercups, the hare, side on munching on grass [Elmley RSPB taken from car window]</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOZ3eW3MgHtGgLn7miDh5dp6PxpF_7p6eqjoCDZGVctCPgJG6ifiGonSCnhzAdwAE8NK_phvpgcrv_XcB0Lz4rpz_PNlde7lVJl0uXFC6nQ6tiZDeinVmOnZX29d3enU5jkoofI2upmM/s1600/RED-BACKED+SHRIKE+by+60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOZ3eW3MgHtGgLn7miDh5dp6PxpF_7p6eqjoCDZGVctCPgJG6ifiGonSCnhzAdwAE8NK_phvpgcrv_XcB0Lz4rpz_PNlde7lVJl0uXFC6nQ6tiZDeinVmOnZX29d3enU5jkoofI2upmM/s400/RED-BACKED+SHRIKE+by+60.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Red-backed shrike (juv) with fully diffuse background - a portrait of the species. Note the complementary colour of the background too (natural shingle). [Dungeness RSPB]</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Viewpoint</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">With the effective depth of field being determined by the lens focal length, aperture and focal distance, we have some level of control as to the degree of focus we have in our backgrounds. We often shoot at wide apertures, say f/4 to f/8 which help to isolate our subject but if we can increase the distance between our subject and the background we can take it further out of focus and leave it more diffuse. This is typically achieved by taking a lower position with your camera as shown in the diagram below.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyCtVTk-PYq_viKNkrareJ_m7fSomTiRoVcFa1QBeh8eO5O2g0dP4uw1jhRdNqT94NfaMWc6wj_RoaWg-1YQ5IDxoa0VyyXnaTw2BqILNAxbhfGbOQT0RFvFzZsTofWQ0MBjsQGVV1KE/s1600/BackgroundBlur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPyCtVTk-PYq_viKNkrareJ_m7fSomTiRoVcFa1QBeh8eO5O2g0dP4uw1jhRdNqT94NfaMWc6wj_RoaWg-1YQ5IDxoa0VyyXnaTw2BqILNAxbhfGbOQT0RFvFzZsTofWQ0MBjsQGVV1KE/s400/BackgroundBlur.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">By shooting from a lower standpoint - camera height [2] - the background will be further from the subject and will be further out of focus and hence appear more diffuse in the image</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcQic5N0f3UJNh4uZiBu9hIDsOzEC45YvmSRORCTz-fegiDIFL_4z_Qogry61YPS7Z4279ap3c72JFEUZeUiTT7xGf2w2TL6r9ZnuuETykTAXBtTxxStXWWZp1dQuJVN3wItvAXlzpw8/s1600/AmericanRedSquirrel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcQic5N0f3UJNh4uZiBu9hIDsOzEC45YvmSRORCTz-fegiDIFL_4z_Qogry61YPS7Z4279ap3c72JFEUZeUiTT7xGf2w2TL6r9ZnuuETykTAXBtTxxStXWWZp1dQuJVN3wItvAXlzpw8/s400/AmericanRedSquirrel.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This american red squirrel photographed by Martin Washford is a excellent example of taking a low standpoint. The background is beautifully diffuse and also, just as importantly, we feel that we are not 'looking down' at the subject but are at its level and in its world.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35YohzZMOEkVriMk10ULZwWUip3nCB7u3mETyojc34aar1eyzG5cGfuPIOqyo4lofBSTLCJ2lyaJBJjJ_HXmmXoGDzIHN-ygb5d5yVY2KaPeDj9pY2FfwQ6Srd1VoD9cy6vXUklscyxc/s1600/Fox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35YohzZMOEkVriMk10ULZwWUip3nCB7u3mETyojc34aar1eyzG5cGfuPIOqyo4lofBSTLCJ2lyaJBJjJ_HXmmXoGDzIHN-ygb5d5yVY2KaPeDj9pY2FfwQ6Srd1VoD9cy6vXUklscyxc/s400/Fox.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting at eye level with this fox gives a real empathy with the subject [photographed by Martin Washford on a site he was landscaping]</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Of course, if you are in a hide or shooting from the car window then you may not be able to get any lower. This is why I prefer not to photography from hides, instead, taking my chances crouching behind bushes or prone on the ground with a beanbag as support.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ideally you should avoid bright highlights in your image backgrounds as these are very distracting - they should be natural and complementary. Often by moving a few metres from one side or the other it is possible to take a bright reflection out of the background and replace it with a dark, complementary one.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitofWbWUNa_KWWkLNFayxphWOMmSezQsbE0P6fuPpgTmUID_g8jU36CvQSz_kwKV0radNtWr_PyPH2Ryz0A0VkPkJHSmyVe1fgqHLEgzlDP6Hkf2cWxKslsLb40eI7PK23QHc0sx40ICI/s1600/REED+BUNTING+by+60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitofWbWUNa_KWWkLNFayxphWOMmSezQsbE0P6fuPpgTmUID_g8jU36CvQSz_kwKV0radNtWr_PyPH2Ryz0A0VkPkJHSmyVe1fgqHLEgzlDP6Hkf2cWxKslsLb40eI7PK23QHc0sx40ICI/s400/REED+BUNTING+by+60.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">By ensuring a small bush was behind this reed bunting there are no distracting highlights</span> <span style="font-size: small;">[Oare Marshes]</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Lighting</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Typically we shoot with the sun at our backs or from the side but there are occasions when backlit subjects, with the correct exposure, can give something a little different.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZXnkCIHkOFSyaJ85SOXXdzq43VXFKoBrdrQHoQJ7u8fx0P1Mt4mo3SCxGfA-Starr_NHStQMhtkflj_K0vk4fh3dWLIGkClikI9tjs5_ywHW2z3-FkQwvmnUMPXcCduCTOBEDjNF9xE/s1600/KESTREL+by+60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZXnkCIHkOFSyaJ85SOXXdzq43VXFKoBrdrQHoQJ7u8fx0P1Mt4mo3SCxGfA-Starr_NHStQMhtkflj_K0vk4fh3dWLIGkClikI9tjs5_ywHW2z3-FkQwvmnUMPXcCduCTOBEDjNF9xE/s400/KESTREL+by+60.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Female kestrel with low light from behind and to the right gives a nice fringing to the feathers below the beak [Oare Marshes]</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-9293108410557658942011-01-10T11:31:00.000+00:002011-01-10T11:31:43.592+00:00Sunday am - Dungeness<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #f6b26b;">Dungeness RSPB </b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Had friends coming over for lunch but managed to get out for a couple of hours in the morning. Bitterns on the move constantly, seeing at least three different individuals flying at distance on the Denge Marsh side of the reserve.<span id="goog_1286476688"></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span id="goog_1286476689"></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Decided to set up in the <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dungeness/map.aspx">Christmas Dell</a> hide as light was good. Not a great deal of activity but a couple of coots decided to have a bit of a scrap. They went at it hammer and tongs for about 10 seconds. I managed to capture some of the action but the tips of the reeds were in the way which hampered focusing and intruded into the lower part of the image.</span> <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NUt47hwzgEkzoLTPNWqLLD5z_xpKaTPJ3Szgql7r6MA70KhND6vtif5AskOnAkWhF25BPXKvsMxw9oXrzUX3_U4uy_U3QFHJkgUUF4tBUa3niSQbCUgllyX77dqbYRMki25dg7WLYFk/s1600/FightingCoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NUt47hwzgEkzoLTPNWqLLD5z_xpKaTPJ3Szgql7r6MA70KhND6vtif5AskOnAkWhF25BPXKvsMxw9oXrzUX3_U4uy_U3QFHJkgUUF4tBUa3niSQbCUgllyX77dqbYRMki25dg7WLYFk/s400/FightingCoots.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">More that just 'handbags at dawn'. All I can say is 'I hope she was worth it!</span>'</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Martin W's wood</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On the way back we stopped off at Martin W's wood, where he has built a hide and set up feeders. As he works away during the week I've volunteered to maintain food levels. Hopefully we can get some shots of woodland birds over the next couple of months.</span>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-67382475108665022792011-01-08T14:42:00.005+00:002011-01-09T07:23:34.698+00:00Technical tip #1 - Canon lens AF microadjustment<div style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Lens AF microadjustment - the why and the how</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Why?</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you take your photography seriously and often work with telephoto lenses at wide apertures then read on.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When shooting wildlife one is often working with very limited depth of field (<a href="http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html">DOF</a>). For example, with a full-frame camera (1Ds), a 500mm lens at aperture f/4 with a focal distance of 10m will give you just 9cm DOF, meaning that accurate focusing is paramount. <i>[Note: With crop-sensor cameras (with APS-H and APS-C sensors) DOF will be even less!]</i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Many of us make significant investment into quality prime lenses and digital SLRs but are we getting the best focusing performance from them? Despite stringent quality control in the manufacture of such equipment there will be differences in tolerances in the lens mounts and positioning of key glass elements and sensors. To ensure that you are getting the best performance from your camera/lens combination(s) you should calibrate them via 'lens AF microadjustment'. There are many ways to do this but outlined below is my simple method which I find works well. Please note that it is specifically written for Canon equipment although other manufacturers (Nikon, Sony, Pentax) also have this feature built into their high-end cameras.<br />
<br />
Please note: Other methods are available which may be more appropriate for shorter focal length lenses. There is an excellent <a href="http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/cameras/1ds3_af_micoadjustment.html">article</a> on Northlight Images covering these methods.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>If you are unsure if your camera supports AF microadjustment please refer to the documentation. Recent models such as 1DIII, 1DsIII, 50D, 7D, 5D Mk II and IDMk IV all have this option.</i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #783f04;">How</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>What you need</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As well as your camera and lens, you need: </div><ol style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li>A sturdy tripod, plus an additional form of support, which could be another tripod, the back of a chair or something similar</li>
<li>An opaque 30cm/12" ruler</li>
<li>An angle bracket or similar means of supporting the ruler</li>
<li>An extra weight to hold the lens down - I use a pair of binoculars </li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #e69138;">Setting things up</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I made a simple bracket from wood to support the ruler at a 45 degree angle and screwed it to a trellis post in the garden (excuse my fat balls!).</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EmOpIrvVvZ6_o11Dj7087hneuUFgem34upB3FvlAHgQZVN2V19UC2N0vBwk5Vf5P0iEIkqqu11hd_gflVdu4OdbuTBer_Ogv1x3xBHNZhMEA3tSD5HdzUGv50dgItrYeT0z5kmA9Vhc/s1600/microadjustment2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7EmOpIrvVvZ6_o11Dj7087hneuUFgem34upB3FvlAHgQZVN2V19UC2N0vBwk5Vf5P0iEIkqqu11hd_gflVdu4OdbuTBer_Ogv1x3xBHNZhMEA3tSD5HdzUGv50dgItrYeT0z5kmA9Vhc/s320/microadjustment2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: #e69138;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Side view of ruler on support</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxAZbQACdpSlLnLEEnsgWWu7GSkwPrrCTPnvSdu3Gm1590cYBWjLFc9kKakPnxDWpVUxBTMdH1BPC3wAwbxnZS8aycxrBpVtlJa2OQug5SVleLfzkpEV4jC3p_PzUyAHEKTTUrkRfC_g/s1600/microadjustment3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxAZbQACdpSlLnLEEnsgWWu7GSkwPrrCTPnvSdu3Gm1590cYBWjLFc9kKakPnxDWpVUxBTMdH1BPC3wAwbxnZS8aycxrBpVtlJa2OQug5SVleLfzkpEV4jC3p_PzUyAHEKTTUrkRfC_g/s320/microadjustment3.jpg" width="123" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e69138;">Front view of ruler on support</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FS1GGcMWJjdBnY0zq_d3bcGwLNRJkGYyrGsXS7ck89UvgXdDsaDO0HAt8q8olwHi1rcD2SfNlvZvwatZnzUXvW6Bt5Eyr99buVo8fyM8yhE3QK_M1fVPSBuqnGthe6NcvU7wtamLKsM/s320/microadjustment1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e69138;">Equipment mounted on two tripods with binoculars to keep it all steady (second tripod is supporting the lens hood)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The next part is the fiddly bit....</i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li>You should set up your camera at a distance from the ruler that you typically shoot your subjects at - say 10-30m. Make sure it is roughly the same height and perpendicular too.<i> I put a red dot with a felt-tip pen in the centre of the ruler to make setting up easier</i></li>
<li>Next, adjust the tripod supports so that the central focus point is exactly on that red mark on the ruler</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Equipment settings</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><ul style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li>If your lens has image stabilisation, turn it off</li>
<li>Auto focus should be turned on</li>
<li>The central focus point (only) should be enabled </li>
<li>Set your camera to aperture priority and select the largest aperture (lowest f/number). You should try and get a shutter speed of at least a few hundredth of a second (if necessary, wind up the ISO).</li>
<li>Set the focusing mode to 'One Shot' (not servo)</li>
<li>If you have a cable release you should use it in combination with mirror lock-up. However I find that just using the timer delayed release (2 seconds) works just fine</li>
<li>Take a set of three images, ensuring that before each one you manually adjust the focus ring on the lens to defocus the ruler</li>
<li>Review the images on the LCD screen on the back of the camera to check that you are getting consistent results (If they are indistinct on the LCD, load them onto your computer to view in more detail). If they are variable check that stability of the equipment</li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You are looking to see which part of the ruler is in the sharpest focus and, once this is ascertained, you can use the microadjustments.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1EY1upkQkpriITO9T-T4By-PN3byes7ALSv3MBHmPtIpmAa_eqJdYSXiC2zCF4bbFd51-mmzAkLyvNZxh7so3uj32ucqWpCQkp4zUevqcwGzA7oAdziVaKlx5QjOxVz6ZBQ67OH6kwI/s1600/microadjustment5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1EY1upkQkpriITO9T-T4By-PN3byes7ALSv3MBHmPtIpmAa_eqJdYSXiC2zCF4bbFd51-mmzAkLyvNZxh7so3uj32ucqWpCQkp4zUevqcwGzA7oAdziVaKlx5QjOxVz6ZBQ67OH6kwI/s320/microadjustment5.jpg" width="106" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-size: small;">In this example, the lens is 'front-focusing' i.e. the sharpest part of the image is at the bottom of the ruler, which is closest to the camera. This example was taken using a 1.4x converter with my EF500 and 1D without any adjustment. As you can see the focal point (where the red dot is) is very blurred.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #e69138;">Making the adjustments </b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The lens microadjustment is located in the 'Custom Functions' section of your Canon camera's menu system. On a 1D MkIV and 50D it is C.FnIII 7 - refer to your instruction manual for full details.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtu8X2e4izMZ6e5PN_BjcnFXdfzTkzla-adJZ-ae_IGt0aLAshQuYq-WYzDaHpyQOTqj5dlJCVSJEH8bZc5M1iSBIbdZtV79TENgH-EoQfpuzsC5zhXHZSZ_MzupObwfC-1itwGddi70/s1600/microadjustment4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtu8X2e4izMZ6e5PN_BjcnFXdfzTkzla-adJZ-ae_IGt0aLAshQuYq-WYzDaHpyQOTqj5dlJCVSJEH8bZc5M1iSBIbdZtV79TENgH-EoQfpuzsC5zhXHZSZ_MzupObwfC-1itwGddi70/s320/microadjustment4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Once you are inside the AF Microadjustment menu, use the quick control dial to adjust the settings as required.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If your lens is front-focusing you will need to adjust to the right, i.e. +ve adjustment. To correct for back-focusing you will need to adjust to the left, -ve adjustment.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When setting the adjustment you will need to bear in mind the types of subjects that you commonly shoot. If you photograph butterflies you may want to err on having virtually all the DOF in front of the focal point (you can focus on the head of your subject and keep the wings as sharp as possible). For bird photography you may want to maintain the DOF more behind than in front.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One of the great things about these adjustment settings is that it is possible to save settings for all your lens/converter combinations. Once this is done you can just shoot away!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Without any calibration my 1D/EF500/1.4x combination was front focusing badly, which would have resulted in very disappointing results. I had to adjust to +15 to bring it to where I wanted. Interestingly, without the 1.4x converter no adjustment was required.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I hope you found this article useful and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to <a href="mailto:minx@tillm.plus.com">contact me</a>.</div>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-66201744230140305752011-01-06T19:04:00.003+00:002011-01-06T20:02:32.556+00:00Thornham before the mist rolled in<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>[Firstly, thanks to all the staff at the <a href="http://www.maypolehotels.com/lifeboatinn/index.html">Lifeboat Inn</a> for a great Christmas lunch - great food, excellent service - even if I went a bit off-piste with the sirloin of beef and ricotta & cranberry cake for afters!]</i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The early morning light on Boxing Day was very good. We sneaked down to the creek and managed to photograph roosting golden plover and snipe before the dog walkers arrived. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The battery on Martin W's 1D could not stand the cold weather and gave up the ghost so I lent him my 50D for the remainder of the morning (luckily we both shoot Canon).<i> <span style="color: #666666;">You owe me one bro'</span></i></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #783f04;">'The eyes have it!'</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hIfZl3AmlIMa2bRnaxkKIfgAHHb9R_Tsa3DOE6H7TZifBVgTwXgJHw2sgFjQDnziydCAf_-lrEpd6tk8_bWrv08L-1asNRIftHHtq6napdHOAfv3nf2W5w9-LKVwc9oU4xKTZvg4kK0/s1600/ROOSTING_SNIPE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hIfZl3AmlIMa2bRnaxkKIfgAHHb9R_Tsa3DOE6H7TZifBVgTwXgJHw2sgFjQDnziydCAf_-lrEpd6tk8_bWrv08L-1asNRIftHHtq6napdHOAfv3nf2W5w9-LKVwc9oU4xKTZvg4kK0/s400/ROOSTING_SNIPE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As with any animal photography, the eye (however small) is the most important part of the image. It must be unobstructed, pin sharp and have a natural catch-light.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJaRXqkhPg4WJ6aXg85eZWmvDU8UOFeREDQL4YfJiK-BXnmEdI29qfkiPyh1m8RkswTLRW467l-yRNMLQtayBF69TN4qNrPP-ILqY2l1e52rPvS93WFsR2adNiEDbTWR-BDYMu4JNwh8/s1600/ROOSTING_GOLDEN_PLOVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJaRXqkhPg4WJ6aXg85eZWmvDU8UOFeREDQL4YfJiK-BXnmEdI29qfkiPyh1m8RkswTLRW467l-yRNMLQtayBF69TN4qNrPP-ILqY2l1e52rPvS93WFsR2adNiEDbTWR-BDYMu4JNwh8/s400/ROOSTING_GOLDEN_PLOVER.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Golden Plover are totally resplendent in their summer plumage but even in winter the light makes them glow. This little fellow was very obliging and hung around long after the snipe had left the scene.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #783f04; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b>Another day, another challenge</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYGSP4fCfi_7_4qdkO2m6pJqVvdYYuJi6QHfuqm8bsP-UBgtD2q1l1JWpeNXir0IRCJqI_oj-zq6v6kQ30BvS4AOKySyoQQxnZctF5Vc_sexXmMgfOhCwAlAAedGYa0z_xaIsvuHxV5s/s1600/ThornhamCreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXYGSP4fCfi_7_4qdkO2m6pJqVvdYYuJi6QHfuqm8bsP-UBgtD2q1l1JWpeNXir0IRCJqI_oj-zq6v6kQ30BvS4AOKySyoQQxnZctF5Vc_sexXmMgfOhCwAlAAedGYa0z_xaIsvuHxV5s/s400/ThornhamCreek.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
What a difference a day makes . . . the bright skies of Christmas and Boxing Days made way for fog for the remainder of our week. There were plenty of birds around but flat light made for lifeless images. </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #783f04;">Sound and vision</b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Geese were constantly on the move - this telephoto shot only shows a fraction of the skene - numbering in their thousands, as they took to the skies from fields around Holme. I love to hear them calling to each other as they make their way across the landscape.</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiittF8gxsXtIM-IxdK1ZCCVwannpQHz27VWB6zaDCkhuOTQB3YLD7_Bu-elQJKqjyK9F2wVAXCM82FDlpamcFYt7xuWpkbsdI_pebWDuP3rn1oMzc04eAHYggPy6wrG7XA2wzNCTebogg/s1600/Geese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiittF8gxsXtIM-IxdK1ZCCVwannpQHz27VWB6zaDCkhuOTQB3YLD7_Bu-elQJKqjyK9F2wVAXCM82FDlpamcFYt7xuWpkbsdI_pebWDuP3rn1oMzc04eAHYggPy6wrG7XA2wzNCTebogg/s400/Geese.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="color: #783f04;">Wading about </b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I nestled down in the mud at the side of the creek before the tide came in, bringing the waders past me. Lots of dunlin . . .</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedYVBQ0Uwx3bYAzbJMXtv_f12DegTyJ1QJtcgJI46l-8_NEMJ6hLZiIIJI1FofzerKpdFe4vIjSH3swLIeDcTQi2uydmN7WKYXjcxbRfzOxSe-dqd1yPKir4McvbioF4ftDqExAfFdr0/s1600/Dunlin3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjedYVBQ0Uwx3bYAzbJMXtv_f12DegTyJ1QJtcgJI46l-8_NEMJ6hLZiIIJI1FofzerKpdFe4vIjSH3swLIeDcTQi2uydmN7WKYXjcxbRfzOxSe-dqd1yPKir4McvbioF4ftDqExAfFdr0/s400/Dunlin3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and the odd grey plover . . .</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLEU4y4Xc1-lYCVOvtJyOulEtpj4KfDEYk6nQCWEyd2dkeD7oz3EoYv_yX00AdkqcB6m3hdqulrXeSjZ3CjRFCRULhFmneC-k8YLkhke-IYRijPyn92jdsCZlXgL-Oiv_mtxgWs_d2tw/s1600/GreyPlover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLEU4y4Xc1-lYCVOvtJyOulEtpj4KfDEYk6nQCWEyd2dkeD7oz3EoYv_yX00AdkqcB6m3hdqulrXeSjZ3CjRFCRULhFmneC-k8YLkhke-IYRijPyn92jdsCZlXgL-Oiv_mtxgWs_d2tw/s400/GreyPlover.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and the ubiquitous redshank!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFADIwMK7FHE93fcQWEpug5nd5f-_9gexepPkV-nohWKy9nr2RWJ0c1ysPreNzDVmA_xUnnzTjcb3eZixYb9XofzrFO30d2UtNUxqmW1YkWvhZyVsjITCw3sE330_x2U7YQaG7aFHHW48/s1600/Redshank1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFADIwMK7FHE93fcQWEpug5nd5f-_9gexepPkV-nohWKy9nr2RWJ0c1ysPreNzDVmA_xUnnzTjcb3eZixYb9XofzrFO30d2UtNUxqmW1YkWvhZyVsjITCw3sE330_x2U7YQaG7aFHHW48/s400/Redshank1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #783f04;">Sea duck</span></b></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And then, purely by chance, a female red-breasted merganser dropped in about 30 feet from me - nice! [Possibly the same one that was seen at Titchwell the previous day] </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RkCZeycS0t8zck8VqojyOfOiB5smo0LA6o97RoPz31ynYm6OJG6C99dJ_viMsq49_jxiMUPPC9VB8Bs8iNPsWBfJyojk73YAKNnKOZOUFlUBtGJCxoDRvENoycD7oiZQCKVFpOcTrHQ/s1600/RedBreastedMerganser-Norfolk-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RkCZeycS0t8zck8VqojyOfOiB5smo0LA6o97RoPz31ynYm6OJG6C99dJ_viMsq49_jxiMUPPC9VB8Bs8iNPsWBfJyojk73YAKNnKOZOUFlUBtGJCxoDRvENoycD7oiZQCKVFpOcTrHQ/s400/RedBreastedMerganser-Norfolk-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1041138561606849536.post-12271399490302815032011-01-06T10:42:00.002+00:002011-01-06T19:14:13.564+00:00Christmas on the north Norfolk coast - a.k.a. my first blog<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've been thinking of writing a weblog for some time now but have always been too busy. Hang on - that's just a lame excuse. If something is important, whatever it is, then one must make time for it. Why is a blog important you may ask? I guess it's a form of self expression but, unlike graffiti, it is not imposed on anyone - if it's a good blog then people will read it and if not . . .<i>(have I lost you already?)</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My whole family spent the Christmas week at a cottage in Thornham, giving me and my brother-in-law, Martin Washford, who is also a keen photographer, the opportunity to shoot some of the local wildlife (digitally of course). Our plan was to restrict ourselves to the local area - we were on holiday after all and did not want to be charging around too much. We were restricted slightly by the fact that the freshwater parts of <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/t/titchwellmarsh/index.aspx">Titchwell</a> were completely frozen over and the only incentive to enter their <a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/301739">funky new hide</a> would have been to get out of the wind!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Barn Owl - one of Norfolk's finest</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">North Norfolk is a stronghold for barn owl - a species that we see only rarely in Kent. We knew of a regular hunting ground for these and set up our gear. Within 10 minutes one was quartering the meadow and, at one stage, two were hunting at the same time. Below are a selection of shots taken on Boxing Day and the day after.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKFvqdcqzOlnXUK4Xx6MBLAUQaRIcy_JQeJq1rYpGDtSTgUzVYwzgbu-ihnPE_zWXW6S8j6QJPwWefrpcVsZdSCVgi8L77yMw0t71IJ5LmtiJ776Ruj0snbXMLeJlPCImbGv-uydgwu8/s1600/BarnOwlPheasantFlyover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKFvqdcqzOlnXUK4Xx6MBLAUQaRIcy_JQeJq1rYpGDtSTgUzVYwzgbu-ihnPE_zWXW6S8j6QJPwWefrpcVsZdSCVgi8L77yMw0t71IJ5LmtiJ776Ruj0snbXMLeJlPCImbGv-uydgwu8/s400/BarnOwlPheasantFlyover.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The bird approached from the far end of the field, still covered in frost at 11.00h. The pheasant was looking for lunch too.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dQNx7haGneOmPVSaqVw5JjM440gXJ71xcsLdOi5byDGm1I2yXOD3czIbPLSP424TPWPNcvcJq-8fGJZptbH0p3f-vNM95h2S-AxrcpRWQ7yn_QNztOUs8ruPb5m0u7J581IJnXTHYvA/s1600/BarnOwlNorfolk-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dQNx7haGneOmPVSaqVw5JjM440gXJ71xcsLdOi5byDGm1I2yXOD3czIbPLSP424TPWPNcvcJq-8fGJZptbH0p3f-vNM95h2S-AxrcpRWQ7yn_QNztOUs8ruPb5m0u7J581IJnXTHYvA/s400/BarnOwlNorfolk-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Photographing birds in flight is a real art and the number of 'keepers' you get can be quite low. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDws3yduP5ADFbTnjjQHUBbhcNrNuIAGDXXDZdfwqRDvtxgD1L6mMJC1Ugrcj4RqdmVEh6ICuEHq5AdKh7kq_cbO5o-mHm2Lmzv9TsFZAGOVwr48VxheQ5YSlq1K55BEZteTxzn0Ta3wY/s1600/BarnOwlNorfolk-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDws3yduP5ADFbTnjjQHUBbhcNrNuIAGDXXDZdfwqRDvtxgD1L6mMJC1Ugrcj4RqdmVEh6ICuEHq5AdKh7kq_cbO5o-mHm2Lmzv9TsFZAGOVwr48VxheQ5YSlq1K55BEZteTxzn0Ta3wY/s400/BarnOwlNorfolk-8.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Despite the frozen ground and an air temperature of -2 centigrade the owl was successful in reducing Norfolk's rodent population.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: #783f04;">Timing is everything </b><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Martin W managed to grab the owl as it came up with its prey -handsome!</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kNd7pA5Llfc6UgKhD07U45wtZMx3fUhILgUNW-9okwDPti0mvUIoM2tqP13WUDAC_g_ekhA3TTh371kwVp78jkB7hIIkKPFmBQgAETHhVKSPVQYRHholPL4a_67JiKh3w0rAar3vuLY/s1600/BarnOwlNorfolk-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kNd7pA5Llfc6UgKhD07U45wtZMx3fUhILgUNW-9okwDPti0mvUIoM2tqP13WUDAC_g_ekhA3TTh371kwVp78jkB7hIIkKPFmBQgAETHhVKSPVQYRHholPL4a_67JiKh3w0rAar3vuLY/s640/BarnOwlNorfolk-13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPTC-HwLUyqHAH0GX64YlugDo6ghzO233eQXgS9v_zYGW7VzUaNRnk6zv3PvHjf72X-qocC5RV-pzvC1CJwcVpSRS3J_Aa73iVO3sgyQVRFfWPIURPe05urWk3Bb1PPced9TVxbalpFE/s1600/BarnOwlNorfolk-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZPTC-HwLUyqHAH0GX64YlugDo6ghzO233eQXgS9v_zYGW7VzUaNRnk6zv3PvHjf72X-qocC5RV-pzvC1CJwcVpSRS3J_Aa73iVO3sgyQVRFfWPIURPe05urWk3Bb1PPced9TVxbalpFE/s640/BarnOwlNorfolk-10.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am particularly pleased with this shot as the bird stands out well against the bramble/hedge background and the wings are in perfect symmetry - in terms of composition it's something a little different from the stock images we are used to seeing.</span><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span id="goog_1377230057" style="font-size: small;"></span><span id="goog_1377230058" style="font-size: small;"></span>Martin Tillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17336025711156224426noreply@blogger.com0