Collared Dove and other flight shots

July 17, 2014 by Words | 6 Comments

The main sequence today is a collared dove, flying low over Falmer Pond this morning. I’d been hoping for more photos of swallows, swifts and house martins, but sometimes you have to take what you can get. And I was quite pleased to take these 😉

collared dove

collared dove

collared dove

The first of the other flight shots in the title is a fairly standard photo of starlings. It’s hard to be sure, but I don’t think I’ve seen as many this year as in previous years. Overall, their numbers are in decline, but local variations can mask the true situation. Anyway, just a quite nice image of them flying overhead in a small group.

Flock of starlings

The final shot is one of those that I’m always looking for but very rarely do all the elements fall into place. It was taken against a blue sky, but I’ve converted it to black and white.

Aircraft crossing the moon

Aircraft crossing the moon

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.

Posted in Birds, Moon Tagged , , , |

Running Rabbit

July 16, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

Unusually for me, only one photo today.

It was taken this morning among the trees at the side of Falmer Pond. I’d just been out in the open photographing the geese and so was set up for strong light. The wooded area was inevitably much darker and I nearly didn’t see the rabbit as it ran across my path.

I took two frames before it was gone from view, the first of which is a rabbit-shaped blur as I tried to catch up with its movement. The deep shade had dropped the shutter speed from around 1/2000 out in the open to a measly 1/60s. Somehow, for the second frame, I was tracking it at more-or-less exactly rabbit-pace.

I’m rather pleased with the result, especially the motion blur on its legs and across the background. Plus I got its head in focus.

rabbit

Camera note: taken with the Canon 7D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens. f/6.3, 1/60s, ISO 640

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Good Day for Birds

July 16, 2014 by Words | 5 Comments

The recent improved weather (and it should get warmer as the week goes on) isn’t always great for watching birds. The skies can be quiet, and in the middle of the day the more sensible creatures tend to seek out shade. Today was pretty good as these things go. The swallows and wagtails were taken at Falmer Pond, while the buzzard was spotted at Seven Sisters, near Eastbourne.

I’ll start with the buzzard, but just one shot.

buzzard

Down at Falmer Pond the pretty little pied wagtails were particularly prominent. The first photo is one of the adults, down by the edge of the pond looking for insects.

adult pied wagtail

Here’s the hungry fledgling!

Fledgling pied wagtail

Pretty as they may be (and great aerial acrobats), the wagtails couldn’t compete with the swallows which were sweeping the pond for insects. Photographing swallows over variable backgrounds is one of those challenges that I enjoy with the camera. I miss a lot of shots, but occasionally it comes together fairly well. I was pleased with this one of a swallow emerging from its low dive.

swallow

And this, of one skimming across the surface.

swallow

I’ve not spent much time recently watching the foxes, but I have updated a couple of my early Fox Watch! pages and moved them over to this part of the site. More will be added over the coming weeks.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Birds Tagged , , |