Testing, testing..1..2..Mk3

The 1DMK3 body arrived so obviously needed some testing. I always find it takes a little while to settle into a new camera body and I headed over to Marshside RSPB near Southport for the first shots. Lapwings are such beautiful birds when the light is at the right angle.

Teal in eclipse plumage
and Black-tailed godwit
One of my favourite wadersI was pleased with the results of the first test session but still had to see how it performed with birds in flight.

Inner Marsh

I called in briefly to Inner Marsh Farm to see if the reported spotted redshank were about. Unfortuately they were way off in the distance with only a few Teal and Pintail in photographing range.

I always kep an eye open on the way back up to the car park and came across this Dunnock in the brambles

and could not resist a quick shot of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker on the feeder at the feeding station. It would nice to have got a shot of the bird on a branch or tree trunk but it was not playing that game.

Marshside Waterfowl

Went over to Marshside RSPB near Southport on Sunday at first light, my first visit with a camera. I opened the hide flap to be great my a site to raise any bird photographers spirits

This is not the easiest place to photograph in the morning with the hide facing east and the rising sun creating backlighting. After a couple of Black tail godwit shots I decided to concentrate on the abundance of wild waterfowl but it would have to be potraits and there was not enough light for action. So here are some of the ducks that came my way during the morning.

A teal drake

Pintail drake

Shoveler a duck species I have never really got any shots of before.

not forgeting the females of course

and some whistling wigeon to finish off.

An immature bird

and a well grazed adult drake