Small Bird Central - 27 January 2013

Friday morning and the snow was still frozen to the ground, we visited Swithland woods. Maja took the dog for a walk while I remained in the car. On her way out Maja spread some bird food on the stump of a tree that we'd parked close to.

For five minutes I was thinking "Oh well if the birds don't come I'll take some photos of the snow laden woodland." Then the avalanche started, birds were flying in from everywhere quicker that I could focus on them they fed and left. The first to arrive was the robin.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/250 @ f6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400, L Lens
1/1000 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

He discovered the food on the ground first and was soon watched closely by the magpie.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/100 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

The Carrion Crow wasted no time in getting to the main source of the food.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

A feisty Nuthatch, always ready for a fight, saw off the crow and took possession of the stump. Another Nuthatch quickly followed but peered over the edge to be sure the other one had gone before climbing up and feeding

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/640 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400 L Lens
1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

A great tit came for a look but retreated to a tree until the Nuthatch left.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

When the Robin settled in the tree, I couldn't turn round far enough to get a picture through the front window. So I opened the rear sliding door, half expecting the sound would scare him off. I was wrong, he just sat and looked at me.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/2656 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Not the sharpest of the pictures but I love the pose of this blue tit, I was lucky to get him like this and to be honest I didn't know I had until I saw it on the computer.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 390mm

I was just wondering why I hadn't seen a chaffinch when this one arrived for her share.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/320 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

This Robin was surprised when the Nuthatch landed just before him and he had to do a flypast.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/640 @ f6.3, iso 800, 390mm

But not being a bird to back down from a fight, he returned to press his argument.

I took nearly 300 pictures in about three quarters of an hour, but the light was variable and some of them were too dark despite a picture taken a second later being bright and clear, see the reflection in the Crow's eye, yet the next one of him was unusable.

They were coming in so fast it was difficult to get a picture before the next bird came along, a really great morning, particularly when I remember all those months without a decent sighting.

Cold weather wildlife - 23 January 2013

After looking for months and having very little luck, suddenly the weather turns bad and they all come out to play.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ 5.6, iso 400, 260mm

This Robin at Watermead park is a perfect example of what I was saying previously, he's puffed up like a furry ball, but it didn't stop him coming to see what we had to offer him.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/200 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Back at the car park, this Robin was waiting for food, a number of visitors leave bird food on top of the fence posts for them and this one was waiting for the squirrel to finish. Robins are feisty and will take on most things but I think the squirrel was just too much for him.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/320 @ 6.3, iso 400, 285mm

This furry bundle was waiting for us as we drove into the car park and was still there when we got back from our walk. He didn't retreat far when we went to put the food out and was quickly back to his feeding station.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Another one sat in the snow, waiting his turn. I don't know what the Robin thought about that, but it was still sitting on the fence as we left the car park.

Let it snow - 20 January 2013

With this recent spell of snow and cold, don't forget to put food out for the wildlife. 

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens.
1/250 @ f5.6, iso 400, 260mm

Robins like this one may look fat, but he's fluffing out his feathers for added insulation.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens.
1/500 @ f8, iso 400, 400mm

A wren might be a rare sight at your bird table and very small, but they need as much food as the others.

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

You may not be a fan of the Grey Squirrel and he may not be an indigenous species in the UK, but he doesn't deserve to freeze or starve.

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

They're nice to see and the Robin is never backwards in coming forward.