BIRDS! G.C. Bird Survey photos.

Don't be daft Kandy....OF COURSE IT IS STRAIGHT IN TO THE SURVEY !:yho:

What a fab picture - kudos to Mr K and better luck next time with your shutter speed chuck!

A crossbill - I didn't think we would get one of those - a great addition to the list.

Not entirely sure if it is a Crossbill or a Parrot Crossbill - they look very similar apparently - the parrot one has a forked tail - but it is conveniently hidden in the water!!! I suspect it is just a crossbill as you say Kandy

It will go down as a female crossbill for now and I'll accept correction from the bird people !

Have a look at this RSPB link and see what you think.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/p/parrotcrossbill/index.asp#

 

List updated as of this post.

Thanks to everyone - your enthusiasm is wonderful!

 

Hi Kath,We met up with a chap on the reserve with a very expensive and very heavy long lens {got a photo of it as well,it was that big:D} and he said he had been on the reserve in his camouflage gear on since 7.30am taking photos of them and when Mr K showed him the photo he assured us it was a Crossbill and that there were at least four on the reserve He was shocked that Mr K got such a clear view of it with his Fuji and when we got back round to the hut where they have leaflets the warden loved the photo and said word was going round that someone had captured one on photo as opposed to Wardens or guys in camouflage outfits.:thumb:

The quality on here isn't 100% sharp because Mr K has cropped the photo and has sent the photo down to the laptop from the desk top upstairs but the original is perfect

I am going to suggest to Mr K that as we are members of the RSPB that he ought to send the photo in to their press office to get it published into their quarterly 'Birds' magazine,unless of course the chap with the big lens doesn't get in first.:D

I will have a look at that link now,Thanks

 

Kandy, I get a free weekly email from birdguides.com and they often request contact or photos from anyone with anything of interest - maybe Mr K could email his fab picture to them...

http://www.birdguides.com/home/default.asp?menu=menu_home

here is the contact info from their newsletter.

If you are fortunate enough to encounter anything of interest, or if you have travelled to see one of the birds mentioned on our Bird News Extra page, please:

- use the web page http://www.birdguides.com/submit
- call us on 0333 577 2473
- email us at [email protected]
- text BIRDS RPT (followed by the details) to 07786 200505

We would love to hear from you with information on what you have found, or an update on what you've been to see.

 

Welcome periwinkle - someone with your and your OH's passion for birds is really welcome to this thread.

I can't wait to see what you can show us when you get your digital camera!

I'm so glad you have been enjoying this thread - it is all due to the hard work and enthusiasm of our GC members and all are welcome.

Have a fantastic weekend away - it sounds like a lovely place you are visiting!

Good to have you on board :luv:

 

Hi Kath and Kathy:D

Here is my version of the Crossbill and then there is that lens and camera.I will have to ask Mr K when he gets home how heavy the chap said the whole lot weighed.Rather him than me:lollol:



Kathy,my Father In Law used to work for London Brick Company at Stewartby,Me and Mr K have walked round Stewartby Nature Reserve years ago,and My MiL was born and brought up in Kempston.Mr K took his driving test in Bedford and we try to get to Sandy when the garden and allotment gives us some free time to visit it.We have Red Kites near here up at Finshade Woods where they were introduced some years ago,oh and we also have Ospreys nesting over at Rutland Water

 

I'm interested in the type of camera you are going to get Periwinkle! I have long craved a top of the range digital SLR camera but unfortunately have a Rolls Royce taste on a Robin Reliant budget... :(

However, having said that.... looking at Kandy's photo of the awesome lens/camera/scope kit I can see that even with that I would have some frustration. A couple of months ago, we were surprised on a walk by seeing our first short eared owl - only because I had a little hand held digital camera was I quickly able to capture it on the move. Yep, the picture quality wasn't brilliant, but I can see what the bird is and it has captured a happy memory for me. With all the time it would take to set up such high tech equipment, the moment would have been lost - and with such powerful magnifications, capturing something on the move would have been nigh on impossible. Carrying such a lot of heavy equipment would also preclude taking it on any longer walks - sedentary bird watching is fine - but does this equipment stand up to transportability??? What is the solution to an 'all-round' excellent camera - but for all occasions?

Much as it is lovely to see really professional looking pics on this thread - that is not really what it is all about folks. The person who has read this thread and been inspired to go out and look for birds and comes back with an out of focus pic, who then goes to look up what the bird was and posts it here is more precious than anything - an interest has been sparked and hopefully this will lead to years of looking and learning about new birds. That is what I hoped to achieve from the survey - brilliant photos are a bonus, but not the heart of the matter We are not an exclusive photo club and I wouldn't want any GC members to feel too intimidated by any high standards to feel they couldn't post here too!

Also, Periwinkle and everyone else using the bird thread - don't forget the other thread currently running on wildlife for you to give a mention to any reserves or treasure troves of wildlife you find on the 'Locations' thread.

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/british-wildlife-and-20357.html

Happy hunting everyone and I hope the spring brings some more great photos for the thread - duplicate birds welcome remember - and also photos of birds 'doing their thing' in all ways would be interesting - washing, drinking, feeding frenzies, flight, singing, hunting, courting :o etc - whatever you can manage!

As Glen has basically chomped up the last challenge without spitting out the bones ... :ntwrth: - I think another challenge may be on the way ... :hehe:

(Only kidding Glen - your challenge photos are thrilling!)

Take care everyone and enjoy our great outdoors!

Cheers

Kath

 

eek - on looking through the bird survey, I noticed that unfortunately, Rouxbee has removed her photos from the photo hosting site and hence now we cannot see her entries. (Page 10 post #199) and we have lost her lovely Siskins.

I'll not alter the list, but I hope that everyone can manage to keep their photos available - it would be sad to lose such a rich and varied record of all our birds.

Thanks Folks

 

CM how about this little chap who has been visitng my garden for the last two months.A Reed Bunting.I am well chuffed to have him coming although he was slow in realising that cats can't be trusted.It is worth having wild bird seed sprouting all over the lawn though to enable him to feed and phtograph him.Sorry about the quality of the photo but I have to take the photos through glass which distorts the subject slighty and the camera is on full zoom as well.

I need to dig out my blurred photo of the Snowy Owl we took at Wainfleet years ago and also of the Nutcracker.Now that was a good spot:D

GlenW lovely photo of the Great Grey Shrike.I believe they are known as butcher birds but could be wrong.We saw our first one down on the Scilly Isles:D

 

Fantastic photos Dave,Kandy &(mr Kandy) well done all of you.:gnthb:

 

Common Buzzard
There were 3 circling high over the village today. Not a very sharp photo as it was very high up in the sky.

 

just catching up with this thread again!

Great close ups Davew, how did you get that close??:gnthb:

Kandy - lucky you with the crossbill, haven't seen one for a good few years!! Your right with the shrike, they have got the nickname of butcher bird due to their habit of skewering prey on hawthorn spikes etc and saving them for a later date.

Welcome periwinkle, good to have another 'birdie' on the forum. Looking forward to seeing some of your photo's when you get your monster camera!! Have you thought about checking if your existing camera and telescope are any good for digiscoping before you go out spending on a camera??

cookie - you can't start another challenge, theres still the egrets foot outstanding from the last one as well as the grey partridge from the first challenge!!!:thumb: Thanks for keeping the thread interesting and can I echo what you said about its not about excellent photo's, its about the having fun!

 

The bird table is mounted on the kitchen window sill Glen, and we can watch the bolder birdies from a couple of feet away. Most of those shots were taken from about 8 feet with a 70-300mm zoom lens with camera on a tripod with remote shutter release.

 

Caught this Grey Heron right at the moment of the kill at Stover Country Park, near Newton Abbot, South Devon.

 

Great shot cookie you're getting very good at this wildlife photography.:gnthb: