Tuesday 4 December 2012

After the Lord Mayor's show at Wheldrake Ings

After my exploits last week over in Lancashire a few hours on one of my local patches at Wheldrake Ings had more than a hint of 'after the lord mayor's show'. On its day Wheldrake can throw up some cracking birds - Hen Harrier, Goshawk, Short Eared Owl and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker have all been seen here at this time of the year in the recent past but last Friday morning nothing much stirred from Bank Island (with water levels so high still this is just about the only place one can view anything of the reserve) but this passing Grey Heron looked quite good through the lens.
 
 
Plenty of Winter thrushes about though and have to say I've been trying (and failing) to get some good shots of Fieldfares so this one in flight was a welcome capture - shame the wings are a bit fuzzy but I love the detail on the head and the way his feet are tucked right in!
 

Maybe I need to be a bit more patient but I'm finding both Fieldfares and Redwings very skittish and its tricky getting something through the lens that fills the frame - being in a hide always helps of course but with all the hides being partially submerged on the reserve this next one, nice in its own way of course, is very typical of my efforts so far!


Redwings are proving even more difficult ... they're not as numerous this year as their bigger cousins plus I'm sure they hide behind twigs in the trees whenever they get within my camera's range!

My challenge for the week ahead is clear!
 

1 comment:

douglas mcfarlane said...

I'm chuckling to myself with your description of Filedfare behaviour (you're right, they are skittish) and especially Redwings hiding behind twigs, I thought it was just me. It's funny too how Fieldfare fly with their feet curled up I noticed that with some of my flight shots. Try and find a quiet lane and use the car as a hide much more approachable...sometimes