I took a quick detour to the local churchyard this morning. No jackdaws to talk about, but a very pretty female blackbird made up for their absence.
The ducks also seem to like an early morning stroll through the gravestones…
That wasn't my main destination though. There have been reports that the owls may have reappeared in some local woods. I didn't see any sign of them, but the woods proved a good location and I will re-visit. The photos I managed today are on the low side of poor, the best of the batch being this green woodpecker.
Photography in wooded areas is tricky. As well as struggling for light (and that will get worse as the trees come into leaf), everything is masked by a dense network of branches. Yes, I'm getting the excuses in early for what are among the worst photos I've posted here. Treat these as a 'diary entry' and no more. I spotted this next bird twice during the day. Both times I scarcely had time to raise the camera as it flew out through the trees, and focusing was near impossible. It's nothing more exotic than a buzzard, but to have one more or less literally on my doorstep is quite exciting. If I'm right and it has taken up residence I hope to do better in the future.
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
12 Comments
Words, your Mallards are just like ours. They walk around the place with an air about them that says they own the place!
A buzzard, eh? They spend a deal of time in the air.
The blackbird is lovely, and the ducks are … well … ducks. Nicely shot.
The first picture is stellar! So very artistic! As Robin says, the ducks look like they own the place!
The ducks are quite amusing. Bold, too, straying away from water like that. Congrats on your local buzzard!
Ducks expected to be fed, I would say 😀
Robin, don't they just! There's a good number of mallards on the pond, but they do like the churchyard in the morning for some reason. I'm sure they do think they're in charge.
Darko, they really should know by now that I don't feed them. Plenty of people do, but not in the morning.
dW, I usually see buzzards soaring, but they are happy to sit for long periods in trees. I now have to find the right tree in the woods. A little bit like needles in haystacks!
Lois, thanks! I was pleased with the blackbird. She was posing so prettily among the vegetation.
Adele, thanks. It's a small wood on the edge of the campus, an area I've overlooked for far too long.
First two shots are just brilliant :wizard:
Thanks Sami!