Blackbird

"Wheres my food?"

1/160 @ f6.3, ISO 1600, 380mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Blackbird

I got my eye on you

1/160 @f6.3, ISO 1600, 380mm

Swithland and Watermead - 24 June 2013

There wasn't much about at Swithand woods, where do all the birds go when the young have fledged?

The juvenile Blackbird below seems to be collecting for a late brood unusual for a juvenile, not sure about the white feather over its eye though.

1/80 @ f6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Robins, of course, are always around and ready for a free feed.

1/500 @ f6.3, iso 400, 380mm

We moved on to Watermead South and caught this Mallard flying by the car park.

1/800 @ f6.3, iso 400, 105mm

1/1000 @ f6.3, iso 400, 105mm

I thought this female was going to fly as well but she was just stretching her wings.

1/1000 @ f6.3, iso 400, 105mm

The male wasn't too happy when she was at full stretch though.

All taken on a 

Canon EOS7d with an EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

When the birds are away - 3 June 2013

We went back to Swithland woods yesterday and loaded the stump with seed and nuts. Then while Maja was off taking the dog for a walk, I settled down to await the visitors.

1/100 @ f7.1, iso 800, 400mm

It was a long time before anything arrived, I was buzzed several times by Blackbirds but they didn't hang around. This Robin collected his mouthful on his way across the track. He hopped onto this post, next to the stump and seemed to be looking across at it. But when he took flight, it was away from the stump and he never came back.

1/100 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

In the last few minutes before Maja returned, this Grey Squirrel turned up. First he hid behind a car and surveyed the area and I thought he wasn't coming out.

1/100 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

But he suddenly dashed across the track and up onto the stump.

1/100 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Where he proceeded to eat as much as he could, taking his time and ignoring a passing car. Being summer he wasn't rushing off to bury his loot and he stayed for about ten minutes.

1/100 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

I'm not sure if this was a pause for breath or a burp, but he looks happy.

1/100 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

I think he could hear a dog coming up the path and a few minutes a Jack Russell appeared and he was off up the nearest tree.

All taken on 

Canon EOS 7d, EOS 100 - 400mm L series zoom

Watermead car park - 27 March 2013

With my back giving me some gyp, I decided to set things up in the Watermead car park so I could stay seated in the car. We positioned the car about two and a half metres from a fence post and loaded the post top with wild bird food. I hadn't got back to my seat in the car before a Robin came and sat on the fence looking at me.

He obligingly hopped up to the post when I picked up my camera, the wind was lifting his feathers but he didn't seem to mind.

1/250  @ f6.3, 1600, 400mm  

A blue tit followed and though usually nervous and away before you can focus on them, this one posed for me.

1/320  @ f6.3, 1600, 400mm 

What followed was interesting, three female Blackbirds, all looking different, wanted to occupy the area around the post and a male was kept busy trying to chase two of them away. He was faithful but two of the females were determined to lure him away.

1/200  @ f7.1, 1600, 210mm 

This was the partner of the male trying to get a good feed.

1/125  @ f7.1, 1600, 400mm 

1/100 @ f7.1, 1600, 400mm 

These two were the contenders who only had to show their faces for the male to chase them away.

1/160  @ f7.1, 1600, 400mm 

This handsome male was keeping watch in all directions for the usurpers.

1/200  @ f7.1, 1600, 400mm 

A Dunnock often found himself being chased off when the male blackbird caught a glimpse of his brown back and attacked before he was sure of his adversary.

1/160  @ f7.1, 1600, 400mm 

Great Tits are always a welcome and handsome sight and like the Blue Tits are often nervous, I only got this one picture of him and he was gone.

1/250  @ f7.1, 1600, 400mm 

Of course the Robin is the exact opposite, he is happy to pose and in this case sing while I took his picture.

All taken on my Canon EOS 7d with an EF100 - 400mm L series Lens.

Who you calling shy? - 28 Feb 2013

We decided to go back to the stump in the Swithland woods and were glad we did.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

As usual the cheeky Robin was first to take advantage of the free feast.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/320 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

The Nuthatch having made sure all was safe by watching the Robin's reconnaissance dived in next, taking the Robin by surprise and putting him to flight.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/320 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

The Robin can always be relied upon to be a bit feisty and came straight back, forcing the Nuthatch to stay at the side.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/400 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

Then they all cleared off when an unexpected visitor arrived.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

Jays are said to be shy birds.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

But this one wasn't he returned several times and stayed long enough for me to take thirty pictures of him in a variety of poses.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/400 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

But all good things come to an end and he departed, only to return again as we were leaving.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/320 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

In between the Jay's visits a Blackbird, a Great Tit and a pair of Chaffinches stopped by.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/250 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/250 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

I took so many pictures it's taken me until today to sort them out. 

A Good weekend - 3 April 2011

It looked as if the weekend was going to be fairly slow, around Watermead a lot of the birds from the winter have gone and we are back to the usual collection - with most of them not putting on a show. On Sunday I was cycle-walking Skipper, he likes that it gives him a good run and being a Border Collie it's something  he needs - lots of exercise.

As we reached the Thurmaston end of the main track, I heard a young mother say to her child, "look he's got a fish!" So I stopped and looked again at the lake, there right in front of us was a Grebe with a fish in its beak.
Before I could get the camera out it dived and shortly after a fish skipped across the surface, but then the Grebe resurfaced with an even bigger fish in its beak. This all happened in a few seconds and I was still astride my bike, but I took what pictures I could and though they're not the best quality I thought I'd show you these two.


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/5000 @ f 5.6,  iso 1600, 400mm



Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/8000 @ f 5.6,  iso 1600, 400mm

They were the only pictures I got on the way round the lakes. But when I returned to the Meadow lane car-park I had some time to spare and a few bird nuts and meal worm in a container in the back of the car so I put some on a fence post at the end of the parking area and sat in the car with the camera at the ready.

At first nothing happened, but after about ten minutes a Robin appeared, it's usually Robins that get in first especially when there are meal worm about. He hopped about for quite a while, posing and sometimes seemed to be looking right at me.


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/100 @ f 6.3,  iso 1600, 350mm

There was a brief exchange with the male blackbird, who came to investigate the food and took away a beak full.


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/125 @ f 6.3,  iso 1600, 380mm

But then it started to rain and the birds disappeared, so I started to pack my camera away and turned to put it in its bag when I caught a movement in the bushes halfway down the car-park. A grey Squirrel popped out and ran down the fence, he looked around then ran towards me - so out came the camera again and I took some photos as he came closer.


Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ f 6.3,  iso 1600, 200mm

He ran up the fence, to where the birds had been, and feasted on the remaining peanuts. He stayed for quite a long time, despite the rain and hail. After about fifteen minutes he'd obviously had his fill. he climbed down and disappeared into the undergrowth.