Your day's wildlife

[kynikos]

600mm and you want bigger ....you cannot be serious !!!

I'm not likely to be getting anything longer in view of the cost - ~£1,500 for 800 mm and £2,200 for 1200 mm new, a bit less for 'pre-owned' but 600 mm is not overly big for bird photography.

Anyway I was out this morning but the camera stayed in the bag as the light was poor, the mist was down and it was raining. There was a lot of activity however, more than I've seen for a long time.

Saw: Dunnock, Mallard, Cormorant, Reed Bunting, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Moorhen, Goosander, Wigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Grey Heron, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Coot, Woodpigeon, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Chaffinch, Thrush, Reed Bunting, Magpie, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Thrush, Lapwing, Shoveler, Cetti's Warbler.

Heard: Bittern.

Unusually, didn't see: Any raptors, GWE, Little Owl.

Disappointed not to see: Kingfisher (been a few weeks now).

Quite a few GW and Little Egrets around before Xmas but numbers have gradually reduced to the one GWE which appears to also have moved on.

White Tailed Eagle was spotted a couple of weeks ago but not by me (or many others!)

 

[Dave7]

I'm not likely to be getting anything longer in view of the cost - ~£1,500 for 800 mm and £2,200 for 1200 mm new, a bit less for 'pre-owned' but 600 mm is not overly big for bird photography.

Anyway I was out this morning but the camera stayed in the bag as the light was poor, the mist was down and it was raining. There was a lot of activity however, more than I've seen for a long time.

Saw: Dunnock, Mallard, Cormorant, Reed Bunting, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Moorhen, Goosander, Wigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Grey Heron, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Coot, Woodpigeon, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Chaffinch, Thrush, Reed Bunting, Magpie, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Thrush, Lapwing, Shoveler, Cetti's Warbler.

Heard: Bittern.

Unusually, didn't see: Any raptors, GWE, Little Owl.

Disappointed not to see: Kingfisher (been a few weeks now).

Quite a few GW and Little Egrets around before Xmas but numbers have gradually reduced to the one GWE which appears to also have moved on.

White Tailed Eagle was spotted a couple of weeks ago but not by me (or many others!)

That is an excellent tally for one outing. May I ask where you are ,
I used to have a 500 f4 which I sold and moved onto a 300mm 2.8 which was great with a 2x convertor.

 

[kynikos]

I "work" one day a week as a Volunteer Ranger at RSPB St Aidan's. Love it!

 

[Poacher]

600mm and you want bigger ....you cannot be serious !!!

I'm not likely to be getting anything longer in view of the cost - ~£1,500 for 800 mm and £2,200 for 1200 mm new, a bit less for 'pre-owned' but 600 mm is not overly big for bird photography.

I sacrificed quality for convenience when I bought my Panasonic Lumix TZ93 (travel kit exclusive to John Lewis) nearly 8 years ago, for under £390. Similar to the current TZ99 in capability, 30x zoom, equivalent to 720mm maximum, amazing for such a compact camera priced at £491.61. Image stabilisation gives decent results with hand-held shots.
If replacing it now (hope not, as the TZ93 is still going strong, touch wood), I'd also consider the equally compact Canon SX740, at £500, with a 40x zoom, equivalent to 960mm.
For real mind-boggling telephoto capability, John Lewis also offer the Nikon Coolpix P1100, which is an ungainly brick of a beast, but boasts a 125x zoom, equivalent to 3000mm. A bit cheaper than upgrading your lens, at £824.19. Heck, I've almost talked myself into taking a punt!

 

[kynikos]

The Lumix TZ** is the camera which I've always regretted not buying; it's great for just throwing in a bag/pocket and just using whenever you fancy - as the saying goes the best camera is the one you have with you. It came second when I bought a Lumix GX80 a few years ago and second again a few months ago when I got an OM TG-7 for messing about with. I like the TG-7, it's especially good at macro when out and about (but no use whatsoever for birds).

We're off to Gran Canaria next month and I've just discovered that our hotel is a 20 minute walk away from the premier birdwatching spot on the island so a camera will be needed. Can I borrow yours?

A pal has just bought a Lumix FZ80D which has a 20/1200 mm zoom and comes in at £379. What's not to like?

I got rid of the GX80 (only dropped £127 when trading it in) and have just moved to the Lumix G97 body with my favourite lens the 14-140 and the longer zoom for the birds. I like having a bit more "real estate" on the top plate and the fully articulating screen but not the fact that I keep activating the touch focus with my nose! Need to work that one out.

I used to like both Canon and Nikon cameras back in the day when using full frame but I'm now a big fan of micro four thirds on the basis of both size/weight and cost.

Happy snapping!

 

[biggs682]

Sat watching two goldfinches picking berries of our pyracantha bush after being chased of by a blue tit .

No pictures as just out of reach of my phone camera

 

[gbb]

While on a meander today on the bike looking at local water levels...

RIver Nene. Local angling agencies are NOT going to be happy about this.
Anglian Water.(or.some water authority) i believe released a couple of these a couple year's ago to allow them to recover injuries or sickness, the reckoning was inland waters would be ideal for that.
Trouble is, they decimated fish population levels locally, a survey last year highlighted a massive drop in populations, adter a.long running battle with the local angling assocoation, they then caught them and released them back to the sea (i assume the sea and not a sanctuary)
They've only just spent tens of thousands of pounds restocking bream, roach etc amid great fanfare.
Lovely creature...but it really should be in the right environment .

 

[potsy]

 

[sevenfourate]

Spring has Sprung in Suffolk this Morning 😍

And we even found a Tree that looked like a Gouls face. Complete with sapling ‘snot’ coming out of its nose……

 

[bluenotebob]

I saw a red squirrel on this afternoon's ride on our local Voie Verte, in the Yvel valley near the quarry at Trégadon.

They're not particularly rare here but it's been a few months since I've seen one.

About 45 mins later on the way back to the van, four deer jumped down an embankment, crossed the Voie Verte and hurtled up the other side and ran off into a field. They're what the French call chevreuil - which (roughly) translates as roe deer.

 

[geocycle]

The geese are gathering along the estuary, pink foot, greylag and Canada, presumably contemplating returning north. I also passed a field with about a thousand lapwing on today’s ride. There were a few curlew and oyster catchers with them. I really like lapwing, fantastic birds.

 

[biggs682]

A pr of blue tits sheltering inside of our bird table

 

[matticus]

The geese are gathering along the estuary, pink foot, greylag and Canada, presumably contemplating returning north. I also passed a field with about a thousand lapwing on today’s ride. There were a few curlew and oyster catchers with them. I really like lapwing, fantastic birds.

Me too! I think they're the most interesting "common"* UK bird; a very unusual call, and once they're above you the b/w wing pattern makes them look a very odd shape!

It's been nice to hear skylarks recently too - at least between showers.

*I say common ... you can travel many miles without seeing them, but noone would call them a "rare" bird.

 

[Dogtrousers]

The foxes managed to open my food waste bin last night, despite me wedging it between two other bins and putting the handle in the locked position. Fortunately for me there's no trace of the chicken carcass and other bits that it contained. Someone else's garden is probably a right mess.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Urban fox outside my shed/office this morning