RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2010

Just like the Meerkats at the Tropical Butterfly House yesterday, I've been on lookout today, doing my bit for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.

I conducted my watch from 8am to 9pm and did pretty well. No Blue Tit, Woodpigeon or Magpies which are regulars but just about everything else turned up.

Goldfinch x 4
Chaffinch x 2
Jackdaw x 3
Blackbird x 3
Robin x 1
Wren x 1
Dunnock x 2
Starling x 9
House Sparrow x 2
Greenfinch x 2

The light wasn't great (sunny before and after!) so I didn't bother with the camera this year, just kept the bins handy instead and concentrated on the counting.

Dabbling With Raw Again

After reading the photography book I got for my birthday (RSPB Guide To Digital Wildlife Photography), I thought I'd give shooting in raw another try. I'm still only using Picasa, I just don't have the time to fiddle about in photoshop, not when all I ever do is crop, brighten/darken and correct the white balance.

I had an hour in the garden hide this morning (shed), no sunshine and not that many birds to be honest, just a couple of quick visits from the Goldfinch and the odd Starling. Our Robin was around the whole time, singing away, but stayed at the opposite end of the garden.

Goldfinch

Starling

Goldfinch

The problem I've got when there is little light is that I'm so close to the action up there, I need to be using f9 or f10 to keep all the bird in focus. Todays shots were taken at f8 at ISO 1000, which you can see isn't enough. It seems so long now since we had a proper sunny weekend, I can't remember the last my camera was set to ISO 200!

RSPB Old Moor

It's my 40th birthday on Tuesday and I had a fabulous party last night. Anyway, I was fortunate enough to get some birthday money so I've been down to RSPB Old Moor today and spent it!

I've had my eye one a couple of books for a while now and decided to splash out today and get them. The first is RSPB Guide To Digital Wildlife Photography and the second is The Secret Lives Of Garden Birds. Both have had good reviews so I'm looking forward to reading them when I get a minute.

It would have been rude to have visited any not taken any pictures, even if the promised sunshine was absent and the darkest bird garden in the world was darker than ever.

Blue Tit

Greenfinch

Tree Sparrow

Tree Sparrow

Male Bullfinch

Female Bullfinch

Even though it was a grey gloomy day, it was nice to get out with the cameras for the first time in ages.

Cold Winter Days

The cold spell that started before Christmas is still showing no sign of letting up so it's more important than ever to keep those garden feeders topped up with goodies.

On New Years Day I spent an hour or so in the bird hide, there wasn't much about, all the action was at the other end of the garden outside the kitchen window, I should have stayed in there instead of shivering in the hide!

The Goldfinch kept me company, although they weren't too keen on me wearing a bright red noisy coat, warm it might be but for birding it is not.

On Tuesday we had 8 inches of snow with occasional snow showers each day since including today. We've a number of birds in the garden this morning but most at a distance because Mr & Mrs Blackbird kept chasing everything else off, greedy beggars!

No Pied Wagtails today but a number of Chaffinch, only usually see one male and female at a time.

Paul.

New Years Eve Blue Tit

Probably my favourite Blue Tit shots of 2009 and on the last day! Taken through the kitchen window on the new perch I added earlier this year.

The Pied Wagtails are still around, I thought they might have disappeared now all the snow has gone.

That really is it for this year, may I wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

It's been a fantastic year for bird watching and what better way to finish 2009 than with a garden first, Pied Wagtail in the snow.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped by over the last 12 months, may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Birds & Snow

Not posted for a while, what with cold, flu and Christmas preparations, I've just not been able to get out with the camera for weeks.

Got the day off work today but with all the snow about, it was too hard to resist a drive into the hills rather than freeze my nuts off in the garden hide!

Anyway, here's a shot of a Dunnock in the garden a couple of weeks ago...

This is a shot from Woodhead in the Peak District where I have been this morning.

I've been out and topped up all the bird feeders, they really need it now the ground is frozen and covered with snow.

Paul.