Close ups - Swthland Woods 26 March 2011

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/250 @ F7.1, iso 1600,  370mm

I went back to Swithland Woods today, I wanted to try for some closer pictures of the smaller birds. About a week ago I started seeding a tree stump that was further away from the road than the one in the one in the previous entry, which was right beside the road into the car park.

I set the camera on a tripod, lined it up and manually focused on the stump, then covered the kit with a camouflage cape and put some seeds, nuts and meal worm on the stump. I connected a 5 metre USB cable between the camera and my lap top, then using the remote control program (on EOS Utility) set the camera to live view on the lap top screen.

Then all I had to do was watch and wait, it wasn't long before a blue tit came to look. Unfortunately when I looked at the computer screen he was out of the picture, but he didn't feed because the whole area of the feed was covered by the camera.

After several flypasts, they started to come and the Nuthatch (above) was one of the first. But he wasn't sure if he should eat the nut or play football with it.



Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/250 @ F7.1, iso 1600,  370mm

 I'll let you decide if he finally made is mind up to eat the nut or if he's just looking for someone to pass it to.


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/250 @ F7.1, iso 1600,  370mm

When there is food on offer, particularly mealworms, the Robin is never backwards in coming forwards and this one made several visits. He had an argument with the Nuthatch over it, despite there being plenty for all.


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/250 @ F7.1, iso 1600,  370mm

In between the others this Coal tit made a few visits, but was very shy and tried to keep out of sight, I got several pictures showing just his back or tail as he ducked. The blue tit came and perched in a nearby bush several times and did several more fly pasts, but never came into view of the camera.

Spring is Here - maybe - 14 March 2011

Having not found many birds in the usual places recently, Maja suggested we went to Swithland Woods and put some seed on an old tree stump by the car park. Here are the results;


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Cheeky as ever, the Robin was the first one at the table, he looks a lot slimmer than when he had his feathers all puffed out to keep warm. He took a mouthful of meal-worms and disappeared.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/250 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Next up was this female Chaffinch, she surveyed the area from a nearby post, before commiting herself.



Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/200 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

And where there's a female the male is usually not far away. This male Chaffinch had a walk round the base of the stump before taking his share.


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/60 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Following the Chaffinches, this Dunnok had a feed on the ground and never tried to get onto the stump. 

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/200 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

In spring you cant move far without seeing a Blue Tit and this one made several visits getting second and third helpings.



Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/100 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm



Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/200 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Then along came the Nuthatch, and bullied his way in. I don't know quite how he did it but the picture on the right shows him flying without the use of his wings (although he did spread them a after I took this).

Let's hope this is the start of spring and plenty of wildlife to follow.

Beacon Hill 13 March 2011

I decided to go somewhere I hadn't been for a while, so Maja, Skipper and myself went to Beacon Hill, we approached from Martin's Woods on Deans Lane and walked up through the woods.

It wasn't any improvement from the wildlife point of view, we could hear a coule of rooks shouting at each other and a Peacock calling in the distance but that was all.



Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/1000 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Beside the footpath there was a herd of Longhorn cattle ruminating and this one looked up as we passed, so I took his picture.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/1600 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm

From the top of Beacon Hill, you can see Old John on Bradgate Park, (if you click on the picture you'll get a better view) and these were the only pictures I took today.

Quiet Times 10 March 2011

As I walk about the various parks of Leicestershire, I'm struck by how little wildlife there is now. Through the summer, autumn and winter, there has been plenty of choice and even some rare visitors. But now there are a few of the more common birds, although very few Moorhens and I've had great difficulty getting decent pictures.

So below are two common birds that attracted my attention at Charnwood water, Loughborough. This seems to have a good selection of the commoners, probably because it's on the edge of a housing estate and they get fed regularly.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/2656 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Above a male Mallard having a good shake after washing and below a Canada goose having a good loud honk.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/640 @ f5.6, iso 400, 170mm