ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Wednesday 2 March 2011

STILL BIRDING AFTER ALL THESE MONTHS (02/03/11)

Another glorious day but decidedly cool……….not to worry it’s much better than it could be at this time of year.

We had breakfast whilst gazing at the feeders………a few new visitors today. Greenfinch, Spotted Woodpecker, Robin and a flock of Long Tailed Tits. Due to the proximity of the food to the van window I failed to get a picture of the Woodpecker, wary blighters they are.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA     A Long Tailed Tit………..a first for me.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA     There are surprisingly few Robins and Blackbirds but this one has been popping round for mealworms. He’ll be out of luck tomorrow as a dozen Starlings called round ate the mealworms and decimated the fatballs. Greedy wee devils.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA       A Greenfinch. these are amusing they spend more time defending the feeder than eating.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA           I think this is a Greenfinch as well…………so maybe the other one isn’t. They may be a male and female or something else entirely…….most of you know my capacity for dubious identification. It is definitely not a Penguin.

That’s it the muesli done and dusted, sometimes the bird food looks more appetising than my breakfast. We then wandered down to the estuary. The tide was in and I had hoped it would drive the waders within range…….it had driven them somewhere, somewhere else entirely. Nothing about but I set up anyway.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI must look a bigger plonker than usual as I hide under the new poncho. This has advantages and disadvantages. I can’t see the dogs and they know it………..little imps………no sooner do I get underneath it than away they go a rabbiting. it’s also one hell of a business lighting a fag without starting a major conflagration. The advantage is passers by can’t identify the idiot underneath.

After half an hour and several excursions to retrieve the dogs I tied them to a rock and was rewarded by the arrival of a flock of Wigeon. (spill chucker is insisting there is a [D] in Wigeon). I’ve told it to get lost!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA    Now that was worth the wait………………..I switched to video mode………….wish I’d had more sense!

Widgeon at Ravenglass

I don’t know what happened with the final credit but I got in a muddle and a bit of a tis and couldn’t delete the frames……..decided S-D IT! Not the attitude of a dedicated professional I’ll admit. The footage leaves much to be desired so it has a sort of symmetry.

Tomorrow we are away to a tarn on the fell there are a pair of brown coloured geese up there. Bet they are either no longer there or they are Greylags. Still there should be some good views. Hope so it’s two hours walk uphill.

That’s all for today.

9 comments:

  1. Good bird day! I've never managed to get a long tailed tit so am a tad envious there.

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  2. A great birding, especially the Long-tailed Tit. By the way, it is the Wigeon.

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  3. Great post as always Adrian, and put a smile on my face too.
    Cracking bird shots, and a clear video. HD certainly makes a difference.

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  4. Nice LTT shot. Re the Greenfinches, to me they look like male and female.
    As you have found out; what appears to be a nice steady, sturdy tripod for still work can be far from steady with telephoto video work, even with a light wind. Unless that was when you were lighting your fag and trying not to imitate a Guy Fawkes bonfire lol. I wonder if your lens is image stabilised? If so it is said to be better switched off when on a tripod for video work. Enjoyed the video.

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  5. Graham a first for me. There were dozens.

    Bob, thanks. I was thrilled to pieces. with the LTT. Don't know what spell checker is doing half the time.

    Keith, It is not full HD 1280x720 whatever that equates to. I have SD on as well so will give that a whirl. It's uploading that's the pain takes a good half hour for a few minutes.

    John.The lens is not IS. Olympus put it on the sensor but I switch it off for tripod work. I am half thinking of getting a theodolite tripod from Machinery Mart they are about £60.00p. I have a spare head which I could adapt. I also have a giant corkscrew for anchoring the dogs that with a spanish windlass to the tripod helps. It really was only a gentle breeze yesterday.

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  6. ... And birds are supposed not to get frightened off by that poncho??? ... (LOL)

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  7. Monica, it's the lesser of evils.....you have yet to see me!

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  8. Looks like you have created a war zone in West Cumbria with your equipment !! Excellent pictures though.

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  9. Jay, it is like a war zone what with the dogs and Eskmeals range blasting away.

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