WHAT A DIFFERENCE A MILE MAKES (10/10/09)

Same day, same place but at the camp not two miles from New Quay. Approaching the truck I couldn't believe what I was seeing, you won't either, it departed on heavily beating wings. A Buzzard. Actually got a frame off, but with auto focus and a wide angle lens all that I had to show was an out of focus blob amongst tree branches..... As it happens none of the latter were in focus either.

Made coffee and settled down to the crossword, not finished again and this time even more annoying, just one half of a clue missing. Not only that, The Daily Telegraph award one with a pen for completing the Saturday crossword..... Bother!

By noon the sun was out, in a fitful sort of fashion. So decided to give the small mere, pond, lakelet, call it what you will, a look...... Look What I got.

A Wood Brown, I hope? Pretty rare I am led to believe. my second this year.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, isn't he a bobby dazzler? Pity about the pylon! Pity he wouldn't peck a tree as he's supposed to do.

     Common Darter Dragonfly.......... No not dead, resting. I would too if I had to drag my mate halfway round a pond.

         Female Common Darter. I hope!

          Both together................. and just in case you thought I just got lucky.

     Here he is at full speed. Fascinating, love how he knows to tuck up his undercarriage whilst flying. Took Homo Sapiens twenty or thirty years of powered flight to work that one out.

Not bad for a bloke that can't frame a blasted Buzzard. Nor for that matter an Emperor, quicker than Buzzards are Emperors.

Here she is laying eggs..... Hope this is what was going on. If not and someone doesn't educate me then, Whoops! If I am correct then my middle name will be Attenborough henceforth.

There are also Wrens, Emperor Dragon Flies, the afore mentioned Buzzard, a pair of Peregrine Falcons (silver ones with scimitar shaped wings?), and a green jobby which was a Damsel Fly, (I think), Choughs (a crow with red legs and beak) and must be more. Shows what buying a hide can do. Brilliant!!! and I've yet to get it out of it's bag. Spent half last week at an RSPB reserve and got a bad shot of a Robin. Can't, I really can't, believe how efficacious a hide is!

Molly enjoyed it too, she's keeping a low profile and watching.  Promise I won't bark........ Promise!.....Unless that damned Buzzard returns.

   So a busy day, have kept a chicken leg and will put it out on the grass tomorrow. It will spot it. 'Eyes like a Hawk' they've got!

That's your lot.

Post Script. That's long for P.S.(In English 'After what I've wrote'). Found out what I did with the camera the other day. As I suspected Muppetry. Been playing with flash, unless anyone knows different, I set my speed to 1/200 sec (to make sure) .My sinc speed is 1/250. Never noticed the wee green light in the view finder wasn't lit. Can't say I ever remember there being one. That's why pros are pros! Also why I shoot manual or aperture, very few apertures but loads of speeds for it's brain to select from. The camera is on speed again today, suspect the Dragon Fly was, still didn't manage to freeze the little blighters wings.

That's it.

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