Summer Godwits

When it comes to wading birds, top of the list when it comes to good looks is the Black-tailed Godwit in summer feathers. My recent trip to photograph the birds fighting was not too successful but the two birds that were present made great subjects in the late afternoon light.

The transformation from the beige winter birds into the mottled rust of summer is striking.

The colours of the birds were further enhanced in the golden tones of the dropping sun. It was great conditions for photography.

There may not have been any fights between birds to photograph but it was enjoyable just to watch them busy feeding.

Spring Sunshine

Spring is such a wonderful time of year for the bird photographer. The birds are very active, often in their best colours and the spring passage of migrants can always produce the unexpected. A further benefit is that first light is still at a sensible hour!

My local coastline is a good place to wander around at this time of year as it is popular as a brief stopping point with migrants heading northwards. One of the first arrivals are the Northern Wheatear in their beautiful spring colours. They are difficult birds to approach with a fondness of staying ahead of you and frustratingly just out of range. I managed to use some cover to get close in on this fine male.

Another species which is diffcult to get close to are linnet, although spring does seem to offer the best chance for a photograph or two as the males are often preoccupied with trying to attract a mate.

I was out yesterday morning and managed to get a Whimbrel in front of the lens for the first time. Always such a great pleasure to get a new species. Slightly smaller than a curlew and easily distinguished by the head stripe, there are always few passing through each spring. They show similar characteristics to the curlew in being nervous and difficult birds to approach. A slow and patient couple of hours were required to get a few photographs.

As for the unusual, I was recenty out with my friend Steve and spotted this goose on the local shore. It was one of the moments when you had to rub your eyes in disbelieve, as there in front of us was a Bar-headed goose. These birds are from central Asia and hold the migration altitude record as they fly over the Himalayas. I suspect this bird has never seen central Asia and likely to be an escapee (although it had no leg rings) or a feral bird.

To finish off this post there is still the odd Turnstone locally that have not headed north to breed. They are looking very smart as they transform into their summer plumage.

I should imagine this worm had wished this particular bird had made its migration journey.

Avocets

I recently took a visit across to Marshside RSPB. The main purpose of the trip was to try and get some photographs of black-tailed godwits in dispute which always make a great photographic subject. However, this plan was not fulfilled as the were very few godwits present which was no doubt partly due to the large number of the noisey and aggressive avocets that were there.

Black and white birds are always a tricky exposure as it is a fine balance in trying to get some detail in the black areas without over exposing the whites. The easiest way to do this is just to time the visit when the sun is low and light less harsh, either early in the morning in late in the afternoon.

There was plenty of activity as the birds engaged in terratorial and dominance disputes.

There was also a fair amount of mating going on which follows a very specific sequence. The female stands still and adopts a position with tail up and head flat to the water while the male struts around her preening himself.

The male then starts to splash water over the female's head from both sides, immediately before mating.

After the act the male jumps down and the birds cross bills before making a short run across the water. An enjoyable session overall despite the general lack of godwits.

Getting to Grips with 'Groppers'

The spring migrants are starting to arrive, and this morning I went out at first light with one target bird in mind, the grasshopper warbler or 'Gropper'. They really are wonderful little birds to photograph. They are fairly easy locate from their characteristic churring grasshopper call, although those people in their later years sometimes appear to have difficulty in hearing its high frequency.

I located a bird calling in a bramble patch before the sun had risen far.

It did not take long for the dawn sun to light up the bramble patch with a soft golden glow. The warbler was soon on the highest stem....

and very quickly burst into song.

The only real views you can get of these birds are when they come up from deep within the vegetation to 'reel'. The song can be quite prolonged and the whole bird tremors as it radiates it song.

Easter 'Bunny'

Given that it is Easter Day I thought it would be appropriate to post some recent brown hare photos. I have had a look around the net and apparently in some countries, particularly Europe, the tradition of the Easter 'bunny' is associated with the hare rather than the rabbit. The reasons for this are twofold. Firstly hare are always very active and visible in the spring and were considered a symbol of high vitality, new life and fertility. Secondly hares do not live in burrows but out in the open in depressions in the ground called forms. Lapwings nest also nest on open ground, and their nests look similar to the forms. Often in spring eggs would be found in what looked like hare forms, giving rise to the belief that the hare laid eggs. This is where the tradition of Easter eggs is apparently derived from in some countries.

A couple of weeks back I did manage to miss some photos of the elsuive boxing in beautiful light as I was busy sorting out another camera while the brief action occured. A missed moment that will haunt me for a while. So the rest of the photos will have to be of them running around as usual at high speed.

Birds of Rock and Snow

A couple of weeks back there were two male snow bunting being reported at Rhos-on Sea in North Wales and so I decided to take a trip over to see them before they disappeared back up to their upland breeding areas. We tend to get a few snow bunting appearing round the local coast each winter, feeding on the seeds washed up along the tide line. On arrival my attention was immediately drawn away from the attractive snow bunting to a rock pipit there was going through singing display flights over the rocky shore. We seldom get these on my local coast so thought I would take the opportunity for a couple of photos.

However, my attention was quickly diverted back to the male buntings

The birds were looking great and changing into their black and white summer plumage.

All too soon the brief session was over and it was time to leave. My trip had been well timed as the birds had been in that spot for around 2 weeks and disappeared two days after my visit. Luck always plays its part in wildlife photography.

Late Afternoon Gulls

A couple of weeks back and before the gulls departed off to their breeding grounds, I briefly stopped on the way home from work to have a few minutes with the local gulls. The sun was low and the air was clear creating some lovely light which seemed a shame to waste.

The two photographs which stood out for me from the few that I took are the ones below. The first because I like the symmetry of the water droplets bouncing off the wings.

and this because of the 'angel wings' effect.