Water attracts wildlife, and among the regular sights at the moment are the fast-flying swifts, swallows and house martins. They're all attracted by the abundant insect life, and all three species create a wonderful aerobatic display as they feed on the wing. Photographing them is something of a challenge. With rapid and unpredictable changes in direction, keeping them in focus (and in frame) is a complicated compromise between distance (more frame) and detail (when they're close they fly out of shot almost before you see them). All of which means that a lot of shots get thrown away, but every now and then the different elements come together and something useful emerges.
One of my big 'want' shots is a swallow skimming the water. I've yet to manage one I really like. This one was too distant, and the swallow is facing the wrong way!
The swifts are almost as tricky but they tend to circle more persistently which at least means you get lots of 'goes' at capturing them in the camera.
The best opportunities though come when the subject decides to do you a favour and come down on to dry (or at least, muddy) land. Swallows do this, and so too do the house martins.
Even better, what comes down also goes up, and photographing a take-off is child's play (relatively speaking).
In between tying myself in knots with those shots, I did take a few of the other inhabitants. First a young pied wagtail.
Next, a juvenile moorhen (they grow up so quickly).
The goslings currently come in two sizes (and colour schemes). First some recent arrivals.
After a few weeks, the gold turns to grey (they are greylags, after all), and they start to lose their hair (surely life by the pond isn't that stressful!).
As for the ducklings, they're moulting too and some of them are just discovering their wings. They are not yet ready to fly, but there's no reason not to enjoy a good old stretch.
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
SittingFox
18 May 2011Hmmm, yes, martins definitely win in ease of photos. I don't think I've ever got a picture of a swift.
gdare
18 May 2011Photographing a swallow in flight is almost an "mission impossible" challenge :left: I am surprised you managed o do that one at the beginning of the post :up:
Words
19 May 2011Darko, it's not so bad when they are in the sky, but over water you have to keep them in focus the whole time (or be very lucky). At least with digital there's almost no limit to the number of shots you can safely waste. 🙂
Words
19 May 2011Erwin, thanks!
Words
19 May 2011Adele, the relatively constrained size of the village and pond helps with the swifts as there's only so far they range once they've arrived. Patience is the key… and a lot of luck.
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012Wonderful the shot of the swift