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 😉
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.
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.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.
derwandersmann
18 Jul 2014Excellent moon shot, Words!
And the dove sequence is brilliant.
Words
20 Jul 2014dW, I always check the daytime moon because it offers so many opportunities. This was near perfect. Looks like the plane’s orbiting! The doves were good too. I really like them but it can be tricky to get interesting shots. I’m still after a full back-lit image of one taking off.
derwandersmann
18 Jul 2014P.S. I’m not sure that your starlings are the same species as ours.
Words
20 Jul 2014dW, I did some checking and I think yours are European starlings. This group may have looked slightly different as there are a fair few young starlings in the group (much less colourful, and paler.)
Darko
19 Jul 2014Absolutely amazing shot of the Moon!!!
Something in doves’s body position resembles to eagles fishing in rivers or lakes. What was it doing?
Words
20 Jul 2014Darko, thanks. As I was saying, that’s the kind of shot I’m always on the look-out for.
The dove was flying low over the pond. I think it’s putting on the brakes to land slightly higher on the bank.