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

Sunday 24 February 2013

CLOSER. (24/02/13)

First light this morning was much like yesterday. No light at all.

We came back, ate breakfast and the sun was shining down on us. Off we toddled again.

_V0G5381_edited-1  I decided that if I set up on this little spit of salt marsh then we could be quiet and still and hope the birds would come within range……Optimism is a wonderful attribute no matter how misplaced.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe dogs settled, now all I needed were the waders. There were plenty around, Oystercatchers, Curlew, Redshank, Dunlin and a few of a size between the two. Sandpiper of some sort I presume. What a waste of an hour and a half…..photographically.

I had only just opened my flask and was admiring a couple of curlew when a Chocolate Labrador charged out of nowhere and put everything into the air and away. It’s owner, an ignorant bitch of a woman with an arse the size of Luxembourg, and a face like a squashed cabbage waddled up laughing and said that’s disrupted your day. With commendable restraint I said nothing. It is fortunate it is Sunday and I need all the help I can get with birding. I didn’t want God on her side…..I doubt he was….I’m no Adonis but she poor woman was a real fright. I’m an optimist, I could have met her in the twilight and been petrified…..I wanted to show you that ugly goes through and through but she wouldn’t pose for a picture. Probably just as well….the lenses are expensive!

We waited for half an hour but although a few birds returned they were miles away. An exaggeration, a couple of hundred yards away so near enough to enjoy but too far to photograph.

Altogether I spent a couple of hours an hour either side of high water but  we were then rudely interrupted by a Marsh Harrier. If you think a dog can cause havoc then you want to see the effect a raptor has. I was frozen by this time was out of coffee, fast running out of roll ups and so decided to call it a day.

That’s an hour and a half walking and two hours sitting. I’ll be a shadow of my former self!

_V0G5399_edited-1       What I am calling a Redshank……It could well be something else despite having red legs.

_V0G5390_edited-1

_V0G5386_edited-1       A Curlew. These are easier to get close to when they move up onto the moors to breed. I have a little bird by the feeders that makes a similar call. I can’t isolate it.

_V0G5413_edited-1          There was no sign of the Wigeon this morning. This smart duck floated past but I can’t find it in my book.

It was a good morning but I really hoped to get closer.

If it’s nice tomorrow I’m going up to the World Owl Centre. They will be close enough there. They have the little blighters in cages. It’s only a mile away so I’ll take Bertha. That reminds me Bertha needs a wash. She seems to have collected a bit of mud.

Have a good week.

22 comments:

  1. You got a few, Redshank, and a Curlew, I haven't spotted one yet. The lady with enormous arse spoilt your day, it wasn't dogs, it was her fat arse that did it, lol.
    Good luck with the Owls tomorrow.

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    1. Ta Bob....They are a northern bird I think. tThe owls are trapped they can't fly away.

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  2. Beautiful light you had there first thing Adrian! I think someones left the fridge door open here, it's struggled to rise above freezing for the last two days...bloody cold it is...I am!

    Mrs. dog walker has a lot to be thankful for, with it being a Sunday and you on your best behavior, she got off very lightly!!

    Your effort and dedication paid off and you managed to come away with some bird shots for your trouble. The mystery duck is a Shelduck btw.

    Good luck with the wols tomorrow, at least they shouldn't be able to fly away!!...[;o)

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    1. Trevor the light was second thing....black as a witches hat first thing. It is blasted freezing.

      I was a good quarter of a mile from the footpath. She was trundling about in the salt marsh.....probably been reading Agony Aunt comments about birders being lonely.

      Ta for the Shellduck odd it isn't in my wee Collins book. I have seen them before but never here and never so far away.

      The owls are fine....A lass let me in the aviaries last time I went. I got bitten by a Burrowing Owl....vicious little devil it was....It needed stamping on but I refrained. Didn't think she would appreciate a flat one. I'll have my wellies on tomorrow though.

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  3. Big bum woman was a pain in the rear; not keen on people like that.
    Nice shot of the estuary. Should be plenty of Shelduck around there.
    Enjoy the Owl centre.

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    1. I suspect there are a few Shellduck. I thought they were Eiders which I've seen here before.
      She was trying to be jolly and friendly....I hate being mugged. The birds can see for miles and talk to each other. They are here to be enjoyed the fact that I can't afford or want anything longer than Bertha isn't their fault. All these pictures were shot with Bertha and a 2x Extender. Not the quality I strive for.

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  4. Hi Adrian...How you come up with your descriptions just floors me hahaha!!
    I hope you at least gave here the "evil eye" !!
    Nice shot the first one, and my favorite is of your little doggies patiently hanging around!!
    I love the looks of Curlews, and this is the first time I have seen a shot of one with it's bill open ..great one!!
    Grace

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    1. Grace, I can push and pull a landscape or seascape. I dropped a polariser on for this.
      Folk are funny and don't appreciate the effort of lugging a lens this big around.

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    2. PS. Grace this one lives next door to Sellafield it quite possibly glows in the dark as well as yawns.

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  5. How apropos that you're going to see owls tomorrow. You're description of the woman was a.. hoot.

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  6. Hilary, she meant no harm and just diverted from the path out of loneliness.
    Pity she didn't drown on the way but such is life.
    Salt marsh is to be treated with respect the water comes in really fast.

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  7. Splendid open-beaked curlew picture. Ugliness and ignorance may be unavoidable qualities but lack of consideration is not.

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    1. Graham, I would not make a perfect picture. I would no more dream of detouring of a footpath to see what someone was doing than I would think of parking the camera and lens outside a kindergarten.
      There again I'm not the Pope or one of his Ilk. Happen she was a Nun in mufti.

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    2. Perhaps she was hoping for a convert. I thought most nuns wore mufti these days. Actually most of the nuns I know (knew) were rather attractive.

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  8. We have to be so patient. I have people who irritate me too when I go out shooting.

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    1. Maria, I am lazy so patience comes naturally.

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  9. I hope you recovered and warmed up. I like the curlew.

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    1. JoLynne, It was really warm yesterday...I had a couple of layers too many on.

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  10. Some nice shots despite your troubles, Adrian. I've had a few run-ins with people like that - they breed rapidly and are spreading everywhere!

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    1. Jeremy, it was my fault for going out mid morning on a Sunday.

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  11. I think my biggest flaw is that I couldn't have been so civil to such a drongo, I would chucked her back into the swamp she had emerged from.

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    1. Douglas, she was too big for me to chuck anywhere. She could have said sorry though.

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