23rd-25th March 2014

March 26, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Aerial photography!

When I first retired and proudly took possession of my big lenses I had one main ambition in mind: to photograph birds on the wing. It has been the source of much pleasure and fascination over the past four and a half years to enjoy doing just that: capturing bird flight.

This blog is not exclusively of birds in flight by any means, but there are a lot of flight pics and I think they show what can be done with a bit of practice. Sunday's shots were taken with my 400mm DO lens on the Canon 1D Mk III. Tuesday's were taken with the same set-up but with my new extender twixt lens and camera. See what you think.

On Sunday 23rd March Barry and I set off for Flamborough bright and early. A quick drive along Bempton Lane soon located the reported hooded crow but it was too far away to photograph.

Tree sparrows at the visitor centre nest in...a building!

Tree Sparrow

Once at Bempton we set off northwards as corn buntings were known to be in the Buckton area. I had mentally targeted the large rectangular set-aside. Meadow pipits were abundant.

Meadow Pipit

Skylarks sang above us.

Skylark Skylark

The wind was enabling birds to hover close to the cliffs. Some had trouble in landing and floated perilously close to a collision.

Gannet Gannet

We spotted a number of puffins on the cliff. Photo strangely reminiscent of a very similar one taken three years ago. Puffin Puffin

Fulmars too were almost stationary in the wind. Fulmar Fulmar

Fulmar Fulmar

Fulmar Fulmar Fulmar Fulmar Fulmar Fulmar

Sometimes a landing was aborted at the last moment.

Fulmar Fulmar

I spotted a peregrine.

Peregrine

Closer view.

Peregrine

A sparrowhawk appeared as well as at least two peregrines.

Sparrowhawk

Gannets were floating on air.

Gannet Gannet

He's off to his art class. Going to sketch some of those crazy puffins!

Gannet Gannet

Walking on towards the set aside area, Barry admired the view of Carr Naze or Filey Brigg as most people call it. We found the corn buntings - a large group together with an even larger group of yellowhammers in just the area we had hoped for.

Barry near Bempton

We drove north to Sandsend in hope of seeing the long-staying iceland gull [previously photographed earlier in the year]. It was crowded: people, children, dogs. I wondered if it was worth staying. It seemed unlikely the bird would come anywhere near. However it knew its plaice!!

Iceland Gull

On to Scaling Dam where Barry espied our first wheatear of the year.

Wheatear

I saw two long-tailed ducks come sailing by.

Long-tailed Ducks

Finally we called at Skinningrove where we saw another wheatear. Given the current fashion for 'selfie' photos I thought I'd have a try. This is me from the pier at Skinningrove - a sort of shadow selfie if you like, taken with my iphone. Chris' shadow at Skinningrove

Tuesday 25th March

Little ringed plovers at North Cave were the lure to go out for the day. They took an hour to locate [3 of them] plus at least 4 of the bigger kind. I heard chiffchaff. With my new extender all I managed to photograph was a dunnock...

Dunnock Dunnock

...followed by a greylag doing semaphore. i won't tell you what the message was because it's rude!

Greylag Goose Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose

I decided to head to Blacktoft for some photos of something, anything.... That's birding for you: little did I realise how the day would become rather special.

Avocets were raining down at Marshland.

Avocet Avocet