Daylight Owls II

The other species of owl I have been fortunate enough to photograph recently is the Barn Owl. I first found two birds at the end of a sunny winter afternoon and just managed a few shots before the light disappeared.

A sight to make any bird photographer happy, an owl heading straight towards the lens

and one last shot before the sun completely disappeared.

I returned to find a solitary bird out hunting voles along the fringes of a field.

Daylight Owls

I have been forunate in the last couple of months in getting the opportunity to photograph both Short-eared owl and Barn owl. They are both beautiful species and facinating to watch and photograph.

For this Post I will just concentrate on the Short-eared owl shots.

and some flight shots

The birds also have some interesting mid-air terratorial disputes

Woodland Birds

Whilst photographing the squirrels at Formby Point I became easily distracted by the abundant bird life in the woods.

A Treecreeper

Coal tit

The tiny Goldcrest which are always tricky to photograph.

and Song Thrush

Red Mammal Day

Took a trip out the other day to photograph some of the red squirrels at Formby Point. I had heard some Grey squirrels had appeared in the area so thought I would get some more shots of the reds just in case they are impacted by the Greys.

During my visit I was also rewarded with a lovely close encounter with a fox.

Howling Winds

Its been a difficult week for bird photography with the UK being battered with high winds. Up until Sunday the week had been lean with only the dipper in the last post to show for my efforts. I went back out on Sunday morning and ended up at Crosby Marine Park as I had some reports of some unseasonal Litle Gull being present. I really wanted some flight shots but that was not going to happen in the raging winds.

However, I did manage to get a flight shot of a passing cormorant.

I went for a wander towards the dunes to see if there was anything there and nearly stepped on a Grey Partridge and managed to get my first shot of one before it rapidly disappeared.

Walking back to the car I noticed that one of the Goldeneye drake, that were so elusive the week before was close in. So using a litter bin for cover I managed to get some shots on the rough water,

First Dipper of the Year

Hopefully the first of many. The bird was photographed on a flooded North Wales stream flowing through some private land which I have recently got permission to use. The bird was photographed by open stalking using a bankside tree as cover to conceal the approach. The encounter was brief but enjoyable.

Crosby First Light

Went over to Crosby Marine Lake at first light on Sunday morning to mainly see if there were any unusual gulls to photograph. However, I got quickly distracted and decided to concentrate on some other birds on the small lake in some very good early morning light.

Started off with some coot which is something I normally overlook but they were lighting up well with the low sun

A cormorant came in to dry off a little

Some Goldeneye caught my eye but the drakes remainded elusive and distant. An immature bird and a female were more accomodating.

and the female

and some Tufted duck to finish off an enjoyable morning in some sun for a change.

Jay at last

Finally managed to get a close although brief encounter with a Jay and in some rare UK sunlight as well.

Some other shots from this week are a Reed bunting on some of its habitat

a Cormorant obviously waiting for a fish to drop from the sky

a male Great-crested grebe

and to finish off a normally shy water rail unusually out in open water as it swam between two reedbeds.

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