The Long Tailed Tit is one of Britain's prettiest birds with its plump plumage of pink, white and black…at least normally. At this time of year constant feeding of its young means less time for feeding and personal grooming resulting in, well a bit of a transformation. The first picture is what you would typically expect to see, in top condition and looking its best. The other pictures were taking this weekend of a pair busy feeding their young. The harsh lighting didn’t help in bringing out their best, but still, they’re not going to be wining a beauty contests anytime soon!
Sunday, 22 May 2016
Saturday, 7 May 2016
Cold Disappointments
This weekend has been complete contrasts. Today warm sunny, but yesterday… It’s been a while since I’ve photographed Foxes – in fact it’s been a while since I’ve really seen one, but for fleeting glimpses. Saturday, (the not so warm and sunny day), I went out early in the morning in the hope of doing such a thing and where better to photograph a Fox but where there are plenty of Rabbits. Or at least that was the plan. It was damp, misty and a slight on/off drizzle, not the kind of day I like to normally venture out into but I was committed so I set up and waited.
I hadn’t planned on photographing Rabbits but as time went by I figured I may as well, besides it was freezing and needed to take my mind off it. It felt like the coldest day of the year so far probably due to the fact, being May I didn’t really think I would need extra layers of clothing and gloves (I had taken my gloves out of my bag the night before). Lighting was poor but the dew in the grass made for quite picturesque images so I persevered even after two hours by which time my hands were going numb with the cold, not helped by having to touch the metal on my lens. At times it was even hard to keep the camera still as I was starting to shiver.
Another hour and a half and still no luck. The Rabbits seemed pretty relaxed but for the occasional running around and I noticed they rarely put their heads up to look around for predators. Two Magpies were flying back and forth nest building. These birds have been great alterters for me of the presence of Foxes, but there wasn’t any indication from them the whole time that there was any danger about. Self preservation eventually made my mind up and I left empty handed – at least of Fox images but I did come away with decent Rabbit ones - and no frost bitten fingers!
One of the few times a Rabbit seemed alert
A bit of Rabbit action – not a result of a Fox though
The sight I left behind
Sunday, 1 May 2016
No Show Roe
I thought I'd try another visit to the woods this weekend, to hopefully see and photograph some Roe Deer. So far this year I haven't had much success though, to be honest I haven't managed to get out as much as in previous years.
Last week's brief photograph of a Roe was 2016's first and normally, spring is the best time to see and take pictures of them, but the woods have seemed and felt different recently. Maybe it's my imagination or maybe it's because of the lateness of Springs arrival, it's been cold like winter and the woodland have a look and feel of winter, but by mid morning the light was what you would expect more in late spring/summer - hard and contrasting.
I tried a different way around this time, one that would go 'against' the Roe Deer's morning route from their night times feeding so hopefully increasing my chances of seeing them. A number of sightings, mostly from a distance the closest being one where I stumbled across it last second - I couldn't believe I didn't see it! Too late as it bounded off, stopping briefly to look back at me then disappeared into the woods. I was using my binoculars for much of the time as without the dense undergrowth of later on in the year, I can see quite a distance.
On one occasion, scanning the from one side to the other I caught site of a male Roe, relatively close, looking right at me. Due to their poor sight which is more sensitive to shapes and movement, all I could do was freeze. He was completely motionless - not a twitch - and so had to do the same. After a few minutes I was feeling the strain of my holding the binoculars to my eyes with one hand, it was the longest standoff I've had with a Roe, but he eventually carried on. It's not as if I had a chance of getting a good photo of him, so could have let him be spooked and run off but I suppose it's as much as about causing as little disturbance as possible as much as getting the picture. That's as much as part of the challenge. Of course, walking through a wood which has wildlife you're going to cause some disturbance, but then so would any would be predator including more natural ones such as a Fox.
Eventually I got the 'drop' on a Roe I spotted in the distance. It wasn't coming towards me but across left to right. She was feeding and hadn't spotted me but was very alert. I had time to set up my lens and cover much of myself with some scrim netting. I was able to get the following images as she made her way across. There were a couple of open areas but she wasn't really co-operative enough to really pose in these spots and in one of the only two where she did, managed to pull a funny face at me! Much like when photographing people it was taken just at the wrong moment.
I had my shutter option to quite mode which was working too well as the normal shutter mode would be enough to stop a deer due to the sound. It did stop at my last photo opportunity just before disappearing, maybe it had finally heard me or I just got lucky. Looking at the images it looks like it was really intent on where I was but actually it was looking in all directions and had spent much of its time with her head down feeding. I only took the opportunity looking at me to take the photos.
I've left all the images un-cropped to give a better idea of what I was seeing through the camera.
The slow signs of spring growth
Current woodland view showing, despite the lack of undergrowth, the difficulty in spotting a Roe Deer
I know I have a tendency to go on about the weather, but this year has been particularly bad. Lots of rain and this week snow! The image left is an example and a sight from my work window. Quite depressing considering it was the end of April and you're expecting some warmth the arrival of summer.
The good news is that finally warm weather is forecasted for the coming week and so hopefully the weekends.
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