Heads or Tails..............Heads

Again these images are of the resident species at Slimbridge,the idea was to practise our photography, specifically judgement of exposure relating to birds with black and white plumage.
(If you believe that you will believe anything)


Bar Headed Geese

Demoiselle Crane
Golden Eye

Bewick Swan

Eider Duck

Blacktail Godwits

These Blacktail Godwits were also photographed at Slimbridge Wild life and Wetland Reserve at Gloucester, they are wild and are migrating through the area.

Mandarin Duck

Mandarin ducks photographed by Lisa.

Oh Carolina

This is a little test blog to see what the results are uploading straight from Google picasa.species is a North American Carolina Duck, a cheat really as it is one of many species resident at Slimbridge .A great place especially to familiarise yourself with the many species of duck and practice your photography.

This is a little test blog to see what the results are uploading straight from Google picasa.species is a Carolina Duck, a cheat really as it is one of many species resident at Slimbridge

Early Morning Wrens

This morning,and an early walk down the valley, their seem to be a Wren on every available perch and I couldn't resist a couple of images

Sammy the Seal

Lisa and I had a trip down to Gwithian to photograph coastal birds such as Razorbill and Guillemot.On the way walking the North Cliffs coast we thought we would have a look in seal cove and it was full of Atlantic Grey seals. These seals have probably been photographed a million times but we couldn't resist a session photographing these wild creatures. Click on the image to enlarge.

Chiff Chaff instead of Woodchat

Sunday we spent a couple of hours looking for a Woodchat Shrike that was seen in Cot Valley on Saturday,as usual no Shrike to be found,the story of my life. So I have posted a Chiff Chaff I took on the day.Also how cool is it that a Golden Eagle has been spotted in Cornwall, Stithians Dam to be precise.

Anyone who is interested in American species ,checkout the blog Montanagirl, their is some stunning photographs on the site, the latest is a Killdeer.

West Cornwall Chough Watch

I am involved in the monitoring of a Chough nest site in West Cornwall, in the hope that they will establish and become a permanent addition to our local bird species.Last year they bred in this area for the first time in One Hundred and Fifty years.The pictures I take I give to a kids club called the Chough club that is run by a local teacher.The first photo is one of the breeding choughs. Click on the picture to enlarge





Gannet diving for fish (heavily cropped)


Pied Wagtail

Linnett

Maw and Paw Jackdaw

Soft Focus Hen Harriers At Nanquidno

Tonight after work and before going home (Ahhhh light evenings) I took a trip down to Nanquidno and walked into some instant Hen Harrier action, and did I make a hash of it.Camera set up quickly I over exposed the shots, auto focus wouldn't pick up and within two minutes a spectator, a fine local chap who went to great lengths to explain that the Harrier had been there for months and he was very excited. One Hundred and Forty photographs and all I could get was three average shots . Click on the images to enlarge

Wheatears At Gwithian

An evening walk at St Gothian Sands presented me with this forthcoming Wheatear. Probably just arrived and tired from his Journey. Click on images to enlarge

Sandwich Terns in Mounts Bay

I photographed these Sandwich Terns late afternoon on Saturday 11th April.The Terns were feeding on Sand Eel,stocking up on food to then move onto there breeding grounds.The distance to the subject was to far for a highly defined image and the images are heavily cropped.

St Gothian Sands, Gwithian

A trip down to Gwithian delivered these little beauties.Anyone who has tried to photograph Sand Martins in flight will know how difficult they are,two photo's good enough to post out of about 180 shots.

Ironically I had no success with Shelduck until now.

We also managed to nail Sandwich Tern at marazion Beach this evening,so you have something to look forward to tomorrow.Click on the images to enlarge

Fulmars on Good Friday

Interesting day today, I was out early this morning, walking around Botallack ,and I am convinced I spotted a Subalpine Warbler, so sure that I mailed the sennen birding site (Terry George and Cornwall Birding.I had a close view of it ( 2 metres) through the bins for five minutes.No camera though, I can't carry the camera constantly, sometimes you just have to watch.Unfortunately the bird moved off and I had to leave site.I returned an hour later but no sign of the bird.The rest of the day was spent at nanquidno photographing Fulmars.I tried to photograph this species when I first purchased my camera and was unsuccessful.

Purple Sandpiper at Penzance

A small group of Purple Sandpiper regularly overwinter at Penzance and roost on the rocks close to the jubilee pool. I managed to get a flikght shot of these birds and I can tell you they go like bulletts, The flight shots are all cropped from one photograph.