Busy Garden

It's been a while since my last post, I've been snapping away but it's hard to find the time to get round to uploading the pictures. The garden has been alive with young House Sparrows and even more young Starlings over the last couple of weeks.

Since we changed the feed from pure sunflower hearts to mixed 'no mess' seed, we've seen more and more House Sparrows but the Goldfinch have been sulking next door. Last weekend we put up a new feeder with Nyger seed and it seems the local Goldfinch gang are now our friends again.

I need to have a look at the camera today, I'm being plagued by dust in the lens at the moment, I just get rid of one spot then another appears. I cleaned the lens last weekend to get rid of one spot and then thousands appeared, I nearly died! I've more or less sorted it now but I think it still needs a bit of attention.

Starling


Female Blackbird


House Sparrow


Starling


Off to get the Mr Sheene out of the cupboard .... only joking!

Paul.

Bempton Cliffs

I've been to Bempton before but years ago and while we were on holiday last week we decided to call in here to check out the sea birds. It was a little disappointing not to see any Puffins and the bright morning sunlight was making getting pictures of white gulls quite difficult.

I did manage a few shots and after about half an hour zooming around the sky, I managed to get some shots of the Gannets in flight.

My favourite shot of the day was a Kittiwake which wasn't too far away, I love these gulls, more easy on the eye than a menacing Herring Gull.

It seems it's still a little early in the season but now we know we can take Lucy with us, we're planning to go back there, probably in July when the cliffs should be alive with thousands of birds.









Paul.

Garden Springs To Life

After weeks of not seeing much at all in the garden, this week the activity has exploded. All the regulars are back along with House Sparrows which I've not seen here in over a year. Even a Grey Heron dropped in to check out the goldfish in next door's pond.



















I made the most of the lovely weather yesterday, this being a bank holiday weekend, it's going to go downhill!

Paul.

Baby Wood Pigeon

I spotted a young Wood Pigeon with an adult first thing this morning at the top of our garden. They were there for a good hour, giving me enough time to get the big lens on the camera and grab a couple of shots. The adult (not sure if it's a he or she) went off in search of food a couple of time and came back to feed the youngster.













It was marvelous to watch while our garden greeted other visitors such as Blackbird, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Starling, Collared Dove and Dunnock. I've not seen so many birds here for ages, hence the lack of posts over the last month.

Paul.

Langset Moor

Just when you think you're getting the hang of this photography lark, a dark brown bird appears on the bright white snow and you're buggered!

Just had the Sigma 70-300mm with me for a walk round Langset reservoir last weekend and there we're Red Grouse popping up all over the place, often not too far away. The problem was getting the exposure right.

I've fiddled with these two shots in Picasa but unless snow starts falling a different colour, I think a new approach will be needed next time.





Paul.

Potteric Carr Nature Reserve

Yesterday we managed to mix one of Debbie's favourite pass times with a spot of bird photography by visiting Lakeside Shopping Centre in Doncaster followed by our first ever visit to Potteric Carr Nature Reserve.

I know I keep going on about the weather but there has been a distinct lack of sunshine and like the rest of our week off it's been cloudy and cold.

We trundled off through the woods, looking out for the Great Spotted Woodpecker we were told about by the friendly staff at the visitor centre. No sign of any Woodpeckers, just a couple of trains whizzing by. We didn't have time to take in all of the reserve, it's a much bigger place than I'd imagined, but we checked out all the hides along the shorter route and got some distant shots of various ducks.

After stopping at the field centre for a nice hot cup of coffee, we opened the door to the hide overlooking the feeding station and were totally blown away by the number of different birds and just how close were.

A Jay appeared from nowhere on the feeding table and a little later, Debbie spotted a Woodpecker through the trees which I could barley make out. Just as I changed to manual focus to try to get a shot, it vanished and appeared on the birch feeding post right in front of us!

Debbie was bouncing of the walls with excitement and I think I've got her hooked now. We'll be signing up for the annual membership on our next visit, which I don't think will be long!

























Apologies for the number of images, I got a bit carried away sat in that hide! Here's one more shot which Debbie got with her Canon Powershot G9 and I think it's fantastic..



Paul.

Thyberg Country Park

The weather still isn't up to much, cloudy and freezing but at least it's dry. This morning we went for a stroll round Thyberg Country Park in Rotherham. I think I went years ago and I seem to recall it was freezing on that day too.

It's a lovely place but a bit bracing in the cold wind, stand around too long to identify the little brown jobs in the hedges and you risk turning blue.

The highlight of the visit was a Goldeneye, some distance out for the Sigma 70-300mm lens to capture but at least you can tell what it is. I also struck lucky, finding a Great Crested Grebe nesting on an island not too far out, got a few shots off before frost bite started setting in.

I think it might be worth a return visit, but not until it's 20 degrees warmer!











Paul.