Captive tropicals

As the light has been poor this morning I thought I would take some time sorting through and backing-up some shots from last year. As I was working through my huge collection of zoo shots I came across some photos from Chester Zoo and thought they might go together to form a nice colourful post. Thought this would bring a change from the wild birds. I enjoy visits to the zoo as it makes for some more relaxing photography than stalking wild birds and is also good for practicing technique. The majority of these shots were taken in the tropical realm within the zoo where all the birds are free flying and light generally limted. Hopefully I have got the names right!!

Amethyst Starling

Orange headed thrush

Peking Robin

Red whiskered Bulbul

Superb Spreo Starling

Royal starling

Asian Glossy Starling

Not sure of the names of the next two!!!

and to finish off a Taveta Golden Weaver and Lillac Breasted Roller

Hopefully the light and conditions will be better tomorrow.....

Disturbance free bird photography

It is great getting photographic access to private sites as it is grood to have freedom without disturbance. Thought I would post some recent birds from private sites that I have access to . The first set is from a private woodland where I set up a feeding station earlier this year.

The ever present chaffinch

Difficult to resist a Robin

I am not sure why but I really like Dunnock and despite their lack of colour, they hold a lot of interest to me.

Moving on to another site, this time a private farm that I recently visited for a session with a friend. For those interested these shots were taken with the 100-400mm zoom lens.

Goldfinch

I seem to have an attraction to pheasant at the moment, as they keeping turning up everywhere I go!!!!

Bullfinch

and to finish off a new species for me, the unfortuately rapidly declining Tree sparrow

Incoming

Spotted my first migrant arrival of the year in the shape of a male Wheatear in the full glory of its spring plummage. The bird was very nervous but managed to get a couple shots by using the 1.4 teleconvertor on the 500mm lens and a stealthy approach.

Dark Morph

Popped out for the regular early Sunday morning session but the light was dire. In fact I had given up hope of getting any shots and was just on my way home when a dark morph pheasant appeared at the side of the small road I was heading down. I have never managed to get a photograph of one of these birds before so obviously took the opportunity. A beautifully subtle coloured bird which would have been nice to shoot in some better light.

Why did the pheasant cross the road....

More Larks

Thought I would have another go this morning at the Skylarks on North Wirral Country Park . Got out early to try and avoid the dogwalkers but was still hassled by unleased dogs. Managed to get a few more shots during my brief visit including my first flight shot of one.

Its not often you get to see those long hind claws


and my first attempt at a flight shot which I will hopefull try and improve on over the next couple of weeks.

Larking about

The other day I noticed the first lark of the year rising vertically in song and made a mental note to return there with the camera. A brief visit in some poor light and my open stalking of skylarks was somewhat disrupted by dogwalkers but at least managed a couple of shots.

They are so well camouflaged that unless in flight or song they are very difficult to spot.

I was getting closer and closer to this bird by slowly moving foward and just got to where I wanted to be when I heard a loud bark of a black labrador from behind and the bird was gone.

Down in the Woods

The woodland feeding station has been busy with birds with some new species just appearing including goldfinch, siskin and pheasant. I manage some first shots of the nervous woodpecker the other day using the hide, although it was interesting with the odour from the sprouting wild garlic under foot!!!

Here are some recent visitors

Long-tailed tit

Coal tit

Blue tit
Dunnock
and a female Great spotted woodpecker

Just Kites

Just been through the last of the photos from Gigrin Farm and so some more red kite shots.

Down on the Farm

I have been meaning to visit the Red Kite Feeding Station at Gigrin Farm for a long time and yesterday managed to get down there but only just in time. It is certainly a spectacle and great to see these beautiful wild birds at such close quarters. I will start with other birds that were also there for a free meal.

Common Buzzard

and Raven

but of course it was the Kites that I had really gone to see.

Some of the locals


Living at the end of the Wirral pennisula there is often a good variety of birds to be found locally.
This shots says a great deal about Herring Gull....

There are still a large number of curlew roosting in a field nearby over the high tide periods.

Disturbed by the flocks of starlings


and Tufted Duck on the small park lake

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.