Wednesday 27 April 2011

California Travelogue-Day 2


The weather started off very grey and dreary with possibilities of rain but the forecast was to improve later in the day and that would/should be the end of the naff weather for the week, I started off down at the lake after the Eared Grebe, I found it straight away and set up in some bushes, I used the D7000 and 600+1.4 just in case it stayed distant, I could not have been more wrong and ended up over lensed as it would dive and pop up right in-front of me, No problem as the water wasnt the nicest of colours because of the grey sky, It really is a great looking bird, I spent the morning at the lake taking shots of the grebe as well as the numerous coots and Canada Geese that we eating the grass behind me, I moved a few miles down the road to the bay and got in position to shoot the waders that were there in the thousand, I watched as the birds got closer and closer, I dare not move and was within feet of starting to shoot when they all took off at the same time and suddenly there was deep barking behind me as an idiot with a big dog decided to walk up and see what i was doing-not pleased would be one way of saying it, I left and spent some time shooting or trying to get Snowy Egret and Night Heron images as they flew up to their nests, The weather was now nice and sunny-great for getting a tan or in my case getting a red face, I left to grab something to eat as the light was now very harsh, When i returned i set up and waited to get some birds in flight-hoping for avocet and stilt, Just before i was about to leave the birds started to go mad in-front of me, Both Stilt and Avocet working together instead of bickering over territory, I couldn't understand what was going on and guessed there must be a predator around and after a careful look at where there were hovering over i could see a snake, There hovered over it for about 5 minutes giving me lots of opportunity to get images before packing up and leaving-what a great and enjoyable day-just hope that it carries on as the weather is now set for the week







 Snake in the Grass


Dave

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful series of images! The grebe is such a handsome bird, and how interesting to have spotted a snake curled up in the pickleweed!

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  2. Very very nice pictures, bird with which lens?

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