Category Archives: Birds

Cormorants and other things

Although it’s only about a week since I last posted, it feels a long time. The weather has conspired against all but the most feeble attempts to photograph anything, though things looked up slightly today (and even more slightly yesterday). In between the good stuff (sunshine) we’ve had rain, hail and gales.

This shot of a buzzard was taken on Monday. Within literally 5 minutes of taking it, the skies had turned black and a torrent of hail swept down.

Buzzard

Today was more stable (in terms of the weather). Dark early on (not unexpected), but sunny through most of the day. (Right now the rain and near gale force winds are back). I’d seen a couple of cormorants turn up at Falmer Pond during my early visit, and headed back at lunchtime to see if they were still around. One was.

Cormorant

That was taken more of less into the sun. I waited for it to swim towards some shade which made for a much easier shot.

Cormorant

I also popped into Westlain Plantation, the local (muddy) wood adjacent to the car park at work. I had vague hopes of a buzzard or a woodpecker, but instead stumbled on some mushrooms. I have no idea what they are.

Mushrooms

The final shot is something of an experiment. The light was odd (as it can be at this time of year) and I zoomed in to the woodland fringe of Stanmer Park, across the valley. I have played around with this a little, mainly to warm the colours and accentuate the contrasts. A bit arty, but I like it.

stanmer park

The weather is going to be variable (and generally variable on the bad side of good) over the next few days, so I’ll have to see if I get anything worth posting.

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, fungi, Landscape, water birds Tagged , , , |

Blue Tit Green Stick

Today was very nearly a wash-out. Torrential rain wrecked any chance of early morning photos, and lunchtime edged from rain to drizzle before finally clearing into what proved to be a beautiful afternoon (of which I had about 10 minutes in which to take any photos). These are a sample of what I got.

The blue tit was flitting between this nice mossy branch and a bird feeder.

Blue tit

Blue tit

Blue tit

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

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Splash of Colour on a Grey Day

We’re still going through the damp and gloom, but despite the grey there is still a touch of colour out there somewhere.

For a few minutes this morning the rising sun found a break in the clouds as it rose over the Downs. The moment was brief, but time enough to catch these shots of a moorhen on a golden Falmer Pond.

Moorhen silhouette on golden pond

Moorhen silhouette on golden pond

Moorhen silhouette on golden pond

The sun had long disappeared by the time I took this next sequence, but robins don’t need sunshine: they shine for themselves as this little chap proves.

robin

robin

robin

robin

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 , , |