Wednesday, 19 August 2009
Monday, 17 August 2009
Stalking Oystercatchers
Today I spent the day on Littlehampton beach. Not the best spot for wildlife perhaps, but as I headed towards Rustington (away from the crowds), there were a number of birds working the shoreline. The usual collection of gulls along with the occasional ringed-plover, a couple of nervous groups of turnstones and a fair number of oystercatchers. Other than the gulls, everything was a little twitchy. I opted to use one of the beach groynes as a blind, and after a while the birds settled down and got on with their lives. It was uncomfortable and the sand was wetter than I realised. However, it as worth it. After about twenty minutes one of the oystercatchers worked its way along the beach toward me.
The last time I was this close to an oystercatcher was on the Falklands. There are two species there. The magellanic looks similar to our own, but with paler legs and eyes.
The aptly named 'blackish' oystercatcher is more obviously different. All three species have a squeaking call, but (unless my memory is playing tricks on me) I swear that the european oystercatchers is significantly higher in pitch.
The last time I was this close to an oystercatcher was on the Falklands. There are two species there. The magellanic looks similar to our own, but with paler legs and eyes.
The aptly named 'blackish' oystercatcher is more obviously different. All three species have a squeaking call, but (unless my memory is playing tricks on me) I swear that the european oystercatchers is significantly higher in pitch.
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Sunday, 9 August 2009
Omissions and errors
Not a great weekend. Visiting family so I didn't take a long lens. Today, however, Dad decided he wanted to go to Fowlmere. So we did. Only as I took a photo a red-winged moth did I realised I also had no compact flash card. Doh! Beginner's mistake! We narrowly missed seeing a kingfisher from the spring hide (as a guy with a 1D and 300mm f/2.8 was keen to show us). Great shot! I was jealous. Actually I'm glad we missed it because I'd have been gutted if it was there and I had no lens or memory! And then my car broke down on the motorway on the way home.
Anyway. In lieu of a real entry for the week, and as a way of destressing myself here is young herring gull which kept me amused for ages on Caldey Island. This little chap was very active. Trying all the time to catch flies. On occasion I think it even succeeded. I'd wandered down the path to try and get closer to some common seals and found myself in a gull colony. I sat down and after a while they just got on with life.
Anyway. In lieu of a real entry for the week, and as a way of destressing myself here is young herring gull which kept me amused for ages on Caldey Island. This little chap was very active. Trying all the time to catch flies. On occasion I think it even succeeded. I'd wandered down the path to try and get closer to some common seals and found myself in a gull colony. I sat down and after a while they just got on with life.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Saturday, 25 July 2009
On Japanese Anemones
It's been quite a wet summer. Bad news for holiday makers, but good news for plants. My parents garden has been overtaken by a mass of Japanese anemones. So prolific they are almost a weed - but they have beautiful flowers which attract a lot of wildlife. This morning they were alive with hoverflies - often five or six to a bloom.
Better yet, after last night's thunderstorms the light this morning was perfect for photography, and the ideal opportunity to see how the 24-105mm performs at the macro end.
The budlea was doing well also. This morning it was covered with painted ladies and some smaller, white butterflies. The 24-105mm proved slightly too short for the latter as every time I approached they fled. This evening I had another look and there were six or seven peacock butterflies (but the light had gone). Note to self. Take a longer lens home next time!
On an unrelated note, I have recently popped up a new slidehow featuring some of my Falkland Island penguin photographs on YouTube.
Better yet, after last night's thunderstorms the light this morning was perfect for photography, and the ideal opportunity to see how the 24-105mm performs at the macro end.
The budlea was doing well also. This morning it was covered with painted ladies and some smaller, white butterflies. The 24-105mm proved slightly too short for the latter as every time I approached they fled. This evening I had another look and there were six or seven peacock butterflies (but the light had gone). Note to self. Take a longer lens home next time!
On an unrelated note, I have recently popped up a new slidehow featuring some of my Falkland Island penguin photographs on YouTube.
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