Sometimes it happens. I headed back out to the fields where I'd seen the deer earlier in the week. They weren't around. Indeed there was nothing much at all in evidence.
A few pigeons swept overhead, and some crows circled aimlessly. A magpie flew by carrying a twig. In the shrubs along the edge of the fields a small flock of yellowhammers were skitting about and doing their level best to avoid the camera.
A jay put in a brief appearance. Not my best shot, but the moment was fleeting.
I took a few other assorted shots, but while it was great to be outside I didn't think I'd seen anything striking. That's fine. Most of the interesting shots amount to a few seconds of activity spread over an hour or more of looking; and the looking has a pleasure of its own. But I was wrong about having seen nothing unusual.
When I was going through the shots the evening I came across a sequence I have no recollection taking, other than a vague memory of having grabbed a quick burst of an unidentified small bird as it flew past. They're not the greatest shots I've ever taken, but I was stunned to see that somehow I'd managed to photograph a great spotted woodpecker in full flight. :faint: I only wish I'd been aware of the fact at the time. It seems odd having the photographic evidence of something that I didn't see!
I managed three frames in all. The others are here and here.
No badger tonight (yet), but the nicked-ear vixen passed through the garden, too quickly for a photo but I was pleased to see her at all after several very quiet days.
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
Cynthia23
25 Oct 2008Your photography is really brilliant! Nice catch of the spotted woodpecker! :up:
Words
25 Oct 2008Thanks Cynthia!
SittingFox
25 Oct 2008LOL! I…sense the irony. But that is a very cool shot, all the same! :yes:
Nice picture of the jay too :up:
Words
25 Oct 2008It's bizarre. It was a complete shock when I saw the photo. I do sometimes forget what I've got if I've been taking loads of pictures, but generally think 'oh yes' when I see the image. This time, nothing!
anonymous
26 Oct 2008Anonymous writes:
I've never heard of a great spotted woodpecker. Great photo. BTW, I read that all woodpeckers evolved from a common ancestor, with no instances of convergent evolution.
Words
26 Oct 2008We have three main species, the great spotted, the lesser spotted and the green woodpecker. I'd not heard about the evolutionary line, so thanks for that information :up:
Vulpes vulpes
27 Oct 2008Great capture of the Woodpecker – even if you didn't know it at the time!
Words
27 Oct 2008Cheers Vulpes! :cheers:
Mickeyjoe-Irl
28 Oct 2008A nice surprise… for everyone. :up:
Words
28 Oct 2008Mick, thanks. Definitely unexpected!