Back - with birds

[Yv]

Yes, its been very lean photographically the last few months. Karate tournaments aside, the cameras have been collecting more dust than images, so, in desperation, I set up a sort of hide through living room window pointing at the bird table [its amazing what you can do with a old rafia roller blind, a pair of scissors and a couple of metal scewers!], attached the ailing Sigma 70-300 and topped up the garden cafe with yummy treats. Apologies first of all for the lower than normal quality, really having probs with the 70-300 now and everything is very soft at any length :shake: However, the birds are flocking in atm, so these are just the better shots. Not a CT or Sawman, but its a start and better than having itchy shutter finger ;)

1 - As always, its the woman doing the homemaking, running round on behalf of the kids, etc, etc...

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1002/blackbirdfemale.jpg

2 - male black cap and a robin share the table

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1002/blackcap_robin.jpg

3 - the femal blackcap
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1002/blackcapfemale2.jpg

4 - Hmmm....these dont so much peck as take whacking great mouthfuls!

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1002/magpie.jpg

5 - "come on guys, the food is here!!"

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1002/starling3.jpg

6 - ok, not a good pic, but I just want ID confirmation. Got a pair of these hanging rounds and I have identified them in the colling pocket bird guide as Dunnocks, but is that correct? :thinking:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1002/dunnock2.jpg

Thanks for looking, like I say, not brilliant, but just wanted to share the only thing I have done recently.

[oldgit]

Looks like a load of fun.
Bit more practice, maybe an extra branch to the side of the feeder, and the images will start to shine

[Venomator]

Excellent range of images LL ... :thumbs: ... you are so fortunate to have captured both sexes of the Blackcap coming to your feeder ... :eek:


What is the stuff they are feeding on ... :suspect:


Well done for capturing and sharing with us such a wide selection of our feathered friends ... :clap:




:p

[Ewan]

Decent shots and I'm sure you'll only get better! Try to get them used to your presence by sitting outside nearer the table (very quietly and don't move) at the times they usually come down. If you make slow movements you can get some close up shots without scaring them off :thumbs:

Yes that's a dunnock.

[CT]

1 - As always, its the woman doing the homemaking, running round on behalf of the kids, etc, etc...


Not so in the case of all birds LL. The male Wren charges about in manic fashion building several nests all on his tod and when he's finished his labours, she chooses one... typical! :D

Nicely done ma'am, and as you've discovered, any sort of hide/concealment pays dividends. :thumbs:

[Yv]

Excellent range of images LL


What is the stuff they are feeding on ... :suspect:

:p


Oh its an old and secret formula..... :whistling:










OK, I lie! Tescos high enery seed and fruit block - or something like that, cant recall exact name, sorry. Whatever it is though, the birds love it, together with the sunflower hearts.

OG - the branch I had sort of..well... fell down, you can see it on the female blackcap shot. I have now repositioned, so hopefully next lot of shots will be more natural ;)

EWan - its bloody freezing outthere!! :eek: :lol: TBH< I started using the blind with the holes cut out from bedroom window, then yesterday move to the living room window, much closer. The birds are now getting used to the shutter noise, the only ones that still run from it being the Magpies, and thats no great loss tbh, so I am slowly moving into a range where I can use my shorter and infinately better lens, but the big problem is we have 2 jack russells, and if I sit out side, they go mad inside wnating to be out there too and their noise frightens all the birds away :bang: However, I do have a plan, thinking of getting one of those small flip up tents, sticking my chair in it, and voila, birds cant see me and neither can the dogs! :D

Thanks for the comments guys, just one last question, is it niger seeds that finches are particularly partial to? I have had chaffinch and green finch in last couple of days, but lousy shots of very brief appearnaces, so would like to tempt them back!


Oh, we also have woodpeckers a few gardens along in some mature trees, I can hear the, but too far away to see, so I keep hoping they will venture over eventually :suspect:

[Venomator]

Niger is good for smaller finches and Goldfinches in particular seem partial to it ... :D


Sunflower hearts are best for the larger Greenfinches and Chaffinches imhgo ... ;)


Tempt peckers with good quality peanuts and fat balls ... :suspect:


HTH ... shrug:




:p

[jimbob]

fancy getting a pair of blackcaps,thats just plain showing off!!!!!well done on creating a nice spot for em all

[Venomator]

Oh ... :suspect: ... and your ID query is spot on at Dunnock or whatever the heck else you might want to call it ... :thumbs:


Missed the query first time around LL soz ... :D






:p

[Yv]

:lol: thanks Ven, and everyone else :thumbs:

[CT]

Peanuts will bring Woodpeckers once theye know they're there, unless they're Green Woodpeckers in which case, you'll be lucky, they're usually on the ground and more interested in ants and things.

[Yv]

I did actually see a green woodpecker out there 3 or 4 weeks ago, grabbed camera but only had short lens on, and of course, it was on grass at far end of garden :bonk: did get a shot, albeit very distant, noisy, blurry, etc,so not sure which ones I can hear, but I am led to believe the green drums very rarely, but this goes on in short bursts for several hours every morning so I am hoping its a spotted :shrug:

[CT]

I see a green now and again but I can't get to get a decent shot. The only real success I had was a fledgling green one which came down on the lawn.

[Cuddy]

Did your Blackcaps spend the winter, or are they recent visitors?

[InaGlo]

Not just me having a lean time of it lately then!


Nice variety there LL. :)
I see we have the same feeder ... looks tres modern until its covered with mucky squidger paw prints doesnt it ... oh! and so not natural!
Humpf! why did I never think to attach a branch to mine :bonk:

Im also impressed by the Black Caps, :thumbs:
Ive never seen one before, at least not that Ive been aware of.

Hmmm! Tesco's grub you say? :naughty: