Just a few shots from the last hour of daylight at Rottingdean today. I had high hopes of a striking sunset, but as things turned out it didn't quite materialize. This was the best of it. As the sun dropped lower, the clouds rolled down to obscure it.
For the rest of the hour it was bird watching. I saw a lone fulmar fly overhead, but none are yet in their usual roosts along the cliffs. The rock pipits are there though. This one hopped down to the railing overlooking the beach.
The big plus was that the tide was out. This exposes the rocky shoreline which, with its dense cover of seaweed, is a fine feeding ground for the waders. I was pleased to see some oystercatchers among the herring gulls. I don't think I'd realized before just how well camouflaged they are for rock pools.
The pick though was an egret, a bird that is anything but camouflaged in this environment. By the time I took this the light was on the bad side of poor, and photographing against the dark seaweed poses additional problems. The photo was taken at ISO 2500, which really is pushing the 7D to its limits.
Camera note: all bird shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. The sunset was taken with the EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens.
derWandersmann
10 Dec 2012On the contrary, Words, that shot of the last light showing under and beyond the layer of clouds is truly striking. Not at all like the usual sunset shot.
The silhouette of the rock pipit is charming, and the last two are interesting as well, especially the egret … you couldn't have got it to show up better.
SittingFox
10 Dec 2012I see what you mean about oystercatchers. They usually stand out a mile, but yes, that one blends in superbly.
I wish I could see an egret without immediately checking its feet colour (the standard way to tell little and intermediate egrets apart, but that's hardly an issue in the UK!)
Words
11 Dec 2012Adele, spotting anything against those rock pools (apart from the egret) is a bit of a challenge, but it didn't strike me until yesterday why I had particular problems with the oystercatchers. They are clearly made for landscapes like that. The egret does of course have its yellow wellies on.
Words
11 Dec 2012dW, that first shot was taken about 30 minutes before the sun should have hit the horizon, but I did like the cloud layer heading all that way out there. I'm glad I got the egret in a half-way decent shot. It's always good to see them there.
derWandersmann
11 Dec 2012"Yellow wellies"? Its legs are black.
gdare
11 Dec 2012That last one might be pushing to the limits but it was worth its every pixel :yes:
Words
13 Dec 2012Darko, thanks! I was pleased to get something quite so usable from the conditions.
Words
13 Dec 2012Originally posted by derWandersmann:
Ah, but if you could see its feet you'd know exactly what I mean 😉