Category Archives: Birds

Fighting Fulmars at Rottingdean

March 28, 2016 by Words | 4 Comments

Regular readers will have seen me post about the fulmar colony at Rottingdean many times before. Fulmars are often mistaken for gulls (when I was taking these shots several people pointed out the ‘nesting gulls’ to their partners/parents/children). All mistaken: Fulmars are ‘petrels’, related to the albatross (not gulls at all). Anyway, Friday was good and the fulmars got into full swing by mid-afternoon.

Their main activity is flying along the cliffs and attempting to land…

Fulmar at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

Fulmar flying along at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

Their other main activity is guarding their small rocky roost.

Fulmar nesting at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

Fulmar nesting at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

Combined, this means a lot of this…

Fulmar at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

Fulmar attempting to land but being seen off by the cackling incumbents.

I could have taken those three shots any time over the past few years (I have so many exactly like them). What made Friday special was a genuine on-the-wing spat between two of the birds.

Fulmar sparring at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

Fulmar sparring at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

Fulmars sparring - not the very flimsy legs (part of what makes landing so difficult)

Fulmars sparring – note the very flimsy legs (part of what makes landing so difficult)

Fulmar sparring

It’s more noise than serious fighting

Fulmars at Rottingdean Cliffs, East Sussex

And one of them finally dives away

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Also posted in water birds Tagged |

Jackdaw Silhouettes

March 23, 2016 by Words | 8 Comments

I took these on Tuesday morning at Falmer Pond. Yes, I had to be up that way in the morning so it was a chance to look around the pond again. The rats are long gone from what I could see (plenty of ‘do not feed rats’ signs all over the place), but the ducks and geese were doing fine. I photographed a few for old times sake, but my favourite sequence was of some of the jackdaws who were busy gathering in nest material and taking it back to the church roof. These three shots are taken as the jackdaw was coming in to land, and putting on the brakes.

They have all been converted to black and white to emphasize the form over the detail, but hopefully I’ve left just enough tone in the feathers to keep them lively.

Jackdaw with nest material

Jackdaw with nest material

Jackdaw with nest material

Jackdaw with nest material

Jackdaw with nest material

Jackdaw with nest material

I’ve had a second encounter with the garden badger. He really doesn’t seem to mind me at all, and I’m looking forward to another good year with them. Here’s one from last night as a taster (again converted to black and white).

Black and White Badger

Black and White Badger

Camera note: jackdaw photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. The badger was photographed with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Also posted in Badger Tagged , |

Woodland Owl

March 6, 2016 by Words | 4 Comments

These are more of the images I took of the short-eared owls on Friday morning.Short-eared owls hunt over grassland, but stay near to wooded areas. This sequence gives an idea of the general habitat.

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Short-eared owl at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

I’m not always as lucky as this. I spent about 2 hours at Sheepcote this afternoon and saw nothing but sheep! Here’s hoping we have some bright early mornings in the coming week.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Also posted in Bird of Prey, owl Tagged |