Recent content by Songbird Admirer

These five pictures are of one male and one female, taken yesterday just down the road from where I live (farmland area). They were feeding very close to one another for a good while. 'Sun was shining, virtually no wind, no bother whatsoever, everyone was happy and co-existing peacefully. Then...

Farmland, County Durham, taken last week. Nikon P950. You wouldn't want to be a beetle with that face and those talons coming at you. Little Owl by Paul Young, on Flickr

These five pictures are of one male and one female, taken yesterday just down the road from where I live (farmland area). They were feeding very close to one another for a good while. 'Sun was shining, virtually no wind, no bother whatsoever, everyone was happy and co-existing peacefully. Then...

Farmland, County Durham, taken last week. Nikon P950. You wouldn't want to be a beetle with that face and those talons coming at you. Little Owl by Paul Young, on Flickr

Northern Wheatear in Weardale on Sunday, setting up his territory and awaiting his mate (Nikon P950). Northern Wheatear by Paul Young, on Flickr

Kestrel yesterday, 'beautiful bird. Nikon P950. Kestrel by Paul Young, on Flickr

A bit of decent light, Lepus, and you have a decent chance with these cameras!

Nikon P950. North East early yesterday morning, coastal marsh/rough grassland. These cameras are limited by their small sensor, but all feedback welcome particularly from those who have or have used a similar small sensor camera. ISO 400, SS 1250, aperture mode (6.3), zoom is not quite fully...

Short-eared Owl, North East early yesterday morning, coastal marsh/rough grassland. There have been good numbers of these birds hunting during in daylight over the last couple of months, numbers presumably boosted by migrants from Scandinavia and Russia. Nikon P950. Short-eared Owl by Paul...

I'd say the final picture is sensational considering where you started from. This reminds me that I really need to improve my picture editing skills!

'Similar to the Nikon P900 and P950. I don't think there's much difference between the cameras. A few bits and pieces added on for the P950 which I don't use anyway. On reflection, I could have saved myself a few hundred quid and bought the P900. It's probably worth Lepus doing a quick bit of...

No bother, Dale. The other feature that strongly suggests juvenile is that the black part of the facial pattern is much less defined than that of an adult. All things considered, I don't see how the bird can be anything other than a juvenile hatched in the same year, given that they're out of...

Just to add, Dale, the undertail looks much paler than that of an adult. 'Looks to me like a male who hatched in the same year.

What month did you take the picture, Dale? I'm no expert but my understanding is that once the juvenile red crown is gone, it's gone, never to return. British GSWs moult fairly early and by later summer they are out of juvenile plumage. Other country's GSWs, however, moult later, and...

'Looking a bit ragged there! 'Nice picture though.