Better Days - Pt2

Following on from my last blog, here is the second installment.

As I pulled up at my first stop, I saw four raptors to my left circling up to gain height. As I had only recognised four large 'dots', I assumed they were Buzzard. Getting out of the car and training my binos, the top two birds were Buzzard, but as I scanned down, I was thrilled to see the lower two were Red Kite.

Now I had once see a solitary Red Kite near this location a few years ago so this was a good start. Within a short space of time, I grabbed the images that I shared in the last blog.

Scanning further with the binos, I soon found six Red Kites, and eight Buzzard. One of the Kites spent some time on the ground in a field to my left and then after being disturbed by a Buzzard decided to fly towards me. This sequence shows the results of its catch, and how it feeds while on the wing.

Red Kite + Worm in Flight

Next morsel goes in

All cleaned up' for flight again

Afternoon sunlight was kind to me

So within the space of a few minutes, I was up to three raptors.

Moving a little further on, I met up with a bird watcher and we shared a few stories. A decent sized flok of Golden Plover were dancing in the light too, showing their wonderful profile and changing tones as the flock wheeled. Sadly, they were too distant to bother with the camera. The first Hare of the day showed itself, and another half dozen Buzzards were around, or maybe they were the same as the earlier ones.

Moving on again, I was fortunate enough to see seven more Hare in one field, three in another and another couple in a third field. A couple of Ravens let me know of their presence with their distinctive calls, while the Buzzard count went to around about twenty and even more pleasing, I would estimate that there were a total of about 25 Red Kite too. Flocks of Yellowhammer and Skylark were also interesting to watch and hear.

But it was shortly after seeing the Yellowhammer, that one of my target species flew into view - a stunning male Hen Harrier. Into the sun from my location, and I watched it for about thirty seconds only, but beautiful nevertheless, a real thrill.

Moving back to the second site, I rejoined the birder and we looked for the male HH but to no avail. We did see two female Hen Harriers hunting the rough cover, one of them spooking up a Short Eared Owl into flight.

Following the direction of flight of the SEO, I found it sat down in the middle of a field, into the light and too distant sadly.

That little tiny blob below is it, and the massive crop just merely allows me to confirm identification. I watched it for about 45 mins but it was quite content to just sit there and outstare me.

As the light got lower and lower, I moved towards home. A further sighting of a Sparrowhawk on my way back brought my raptor numbers up to six species. My challenge to get some decent SEO shots again remain but for me the birdwatching element of the day was probably the best bit for me.

It made my thoughts from a recent outing seem like a distant memory

Fingers crossed for more days like this

Martin

Trip Report - Short Eared Owls

The weather and the light felt right, the wind was very gentle, the snow has melted, so surely the Short Eared Owls would be up again for some much needed food. That was my thinking before we ventured off down the Cotswolds today.

As I pulled up at my usual spot one was already up and flying. A quick set up and off we went.

Just into a stoop for some supper

 

Small in the frame but wanted an enviro shot here

 

Scrap with a Kestrel.  The Owl got the upper hand as it had the height advantage (Image is a big crop sadly)

Now I mentioned about following me on Twitter  a couple of posts back.  If you had been,  this afternoon you would have live updates in between shots.

Martin

From the archives - Short Eared Owls

It is just coming up to that time of year, next couple of months or so, that we can look forward to seeing Short Eared Owls again.

I have been lucky for the last two years to have a great hunting field within about 30 minutes drive from my home and so look forward to finding out where they will be this year.

It will depend on how the farmers have left their field through the winter, and whether the fields will support a sufficient vole population to feed them.

They are fantastic birds to watch as they quarter the fields, flapping their long wings, before suddenly folding the and stopping into the ling grass.

About the size of a Buzzard, they are often 'bombed' by a Buzzard or Raven, but as long as they get height then they are safe.

I had a fascinating time last year watch a much heavier Buzzard try to out climb the lighter Owl. They became small specks in my binoculars after a few minutes, before the Buzzard decided to give up the unequal struggle.

Anyway, here are a couple from two years ago, with thanks to my friend Robbie Brookes, currently living in the Shetland Isles who took me to this site for the first time.

Martin

Trip Reports - Short Eared Owls

Well after my post of 14th December, when we were getting used to this blogger system, I have been back to the Short Eared Owl site on a number of occasions. Mostly in terrible light, but with occasional glimpses of sunlight.

I have seen either three or four birds on each occasion, hunting across a couple of fields. The location is pretty good photographically with one field shooting up hill, usually with the light behind, with some long dried grass in the foreground like this. Shot with Canon 1Dmk3, 500 f4 L + 1.4EFTC, ISO 1000


The lower field is usually either with side lighting or shooting directly into the late evening sun, although this has been quite rare on my trips. The site is about 45 minutes south of Stratford upon Avon, in the Cotswolds and I tend to find I leave here in stunning photo light only for it to clag in on me when I am about three miles from the site. Sods Law - but you have to be there to get the image. Armchair wildlife photography doesn't work!!

But on the occasions when the light does show, you can get images like this if you are prepared to shoot into the light. This time at ISO 800.

Natures sepia tone!!

A friend, Graham Goddard wanted to visist the site so we went down on New Years Day, having avoided hangovers with Graham setting out from home at about 6am that day!!. After a fairly fruitless morning at WWT Slimbridge, we went up onto the Cotswolds to see the most amazing haw frost covering the landscape. Unfortunatey, the sky was still very grey but the scenary was fabulous. We observed some great sights - large flock 150+ of Golden Plover, four SEO's on show, a hare on the drive up, three Buzzards, a kestrel talon locking and falling with one of the Owls, a couple of Snipe flying through and a Peregrine falcon through twice, and Graham also tells me a Barn Owl about five minutes after I left when I gave up shooting as it was virtually dark by then.

But I was pleased to get this image at extreme range, at ISO1600 and the 2 x converter, at f10 with camera on bean bag on dry stone wall.

A small splash of colour on a monochrome scene



Click on the images to enlarge.

All images were shot in M mode, metering from neutral scenes and I use the 'expose to the right' methodology. Both of these will be subjects that we will cover in later blog posts - so keep watching.

Martin

News - No owls to be seen

I went out to day to a site where Short Eared Owls are being seen at the moment. Sadly not today though. It was cold grey and windy and the light would have been awful. Did get to see plenty of Fieldfare, some Corn Buntings, which are becoming increasingly rare and a few Redpoll on the tree tops. Also bumped into another well known wildlife photographer from these parts, Mike Lane, who was also after the same photo opportunities as me. It was nice to have a chat - small world!!

The image of a Short Eared Owl is one that I took back in February this year at a different site

Martin