Photo of the Day - Great-spotted Woodpecker

One from some years ago.

Photos of the Day - Bathing Sparrowhawk

A few years ago this male Sparrowhawk would bathe in our garden pond, almost daily. On this occasion I was in my hide photographing smaller birds when it turned up. The lens I was using was far to big to fit all of the bird in and get shots of it bathing. So I literally crawled out of my hide and managed to get to the house, collected my 300mm lens , crawled back, swopped the lenses and the job was done. Who says you can't outwit a bird of prey.

Garden Coal Tits

Other birds that has been foraging in the garden pine trees are Coal Tits. Several pairs have been feeding on the seeds over the last month. They are a lot easier to photograph than the Goldcrests, especially when they hang off the pine cones.

Garden Goldcrests

Recently there have been good numbers of Goldcrests in the garden. Although I have had a few attempts at photographing them, the light has never been good enough to get some shots. Today I counted at least eight and this one posed for me for more than the usual split second, in decent light too. I'm still waiting for a Firecrest which I'm sure will turn up soon. My garden has a good record for them, having had three at once several years ago. I briefly saw one at the beginning of this year, so fingers crossed and watch this space.

Here's one of the Firecrests I photographed in my garden ten years ago.

Leighton Moss Waders

Back in September I spent a couple of mornings at Leighton Moss RSPB Reserve in Lancashire. The target was waders and hopefully some nice reflective shots. Of course things never really go to plan and with a breeze picking up on the first visit, the perfect mirror reflection was never going to happen. On the second visit the levels were so low that there was more mud than water. Still, a few good shots were taken and here's a selection.

Black-tailed Godwit

Greenshank

Great White Egret

Greenshank

Greenshank

Spotted Redshank

Dunlin

Little Egret

Little Bitterns from France

As I noted in a previous post, I put in quite a few hours of my family holiday in France to photographing Little Bitterns. I have finally gone through the several hundred images of them and processed 50 of the best for my website. There were several pairs which were feeding well developed juveniles in the reedbeds. So I was able to get a good variety of shots, including many in flight, especially of the males which were constantly back and to with food.

More images here - Steven Round Bird Photography
 

After a few days I was shown an area where they were feeding and would come within 3 or 4 metres. Quite a bit of patience was needed though and on my first session I had to wait over 5 hours before one came in, by which time the sun was too high and the light was a bit harsh to say the least. The next day I was there at first light, and within 15 minutes I had a male land and walk towards me, too close at times. I soon realised that I didn't have to be so still or hidden as I had been, he wasn't bothered by me being there at all. I was able to change lenses and even stand up to stretch my legs, without him even looking at me. It was a great experience.

I even managed to photograph them sunbathing.

Scarce and Rare Birds on the Wirral

With a period of Easterly winds the Wirral got more than it's usual share of rare and scarce birds over the last week or so. At Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve (or BMW as it is known) there was a good list including a Red-necked Phalarope, Cattle Egret, Little Stints, Curlew Sandpipers and Pectoral Sandpiper. Some of these were present for most of the week, if not longer.
Tied in with some high tides I spent a couple of days out with the camera to see what could be done. BMW isn't great for photography and from the old hide unfortunately the birds are a little distant. So this would only be good for record shots. Still, I had a go and managed to photograph the Red-necked Phalarope and Pectoral Sandpiper.

Red-necked Phalarope

Pectoral Sandpiper

On the North Wirral coast I photographed Curlew Sandpiper on the beach at Hoylake and the diminutive Little Stint which was roosting with about 500 Dunlin at Leasowe.

Curlew Sandpiper

Little Stint

Here are some of the more common species I encountered in a productive couple of days with a bit of decent sunshine.

Dunlin (It's not marching)

Grey Heron

Mute Swan

Ringed Plover (juvenile)

Sanderling