Dale's Garden Hide. (been a busy boy)

Lick of paint time, reno almost complete, just the roof to re felt.

I've not been alone in my hide, saw a huge spider today, fat as an egg. I'm not their biggest fan so it's a little unsettling. :eek:


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Dale. said:
No! :runaway:

:LOL:
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Ahh go on Dale please...................... a macros series of the paint drying would be ace,some of the lads don't have much to do now Dale You'ld get tonnes of likes and it will stop the b*ggers moaning as the paint would never dry:D .

Oh and as I'd say if I walked past ya on a building site..................over there mate;)

missed a bit:p:exit:

Looking good there bro !!

stu
 
....and all of a sudden, there were none. Only fleeting visits now from goldies, rare for the siskins and no redpolls. I'm guessing (hoping) they're just away in the woods doing the next generation thing.

The same thing happened last year, to be replaced with hoardes of house sparrows but even they're staying away at the moment. I'm sure it was later in the year last year, then the goldies etc came flooding back after the nesting season.

All very odd.

I guess I'll have to take pics of Boris the spider for now, although he is up for eviction when I can get him with my spider catcher. He won't be harmed, just relocated...... but boy, he's fast. :exit:
 
Dale. said:
Very useful links and interesting too. I think I'd need to use the bigger hatch though. :LOL:

With flash, the 7D is limited to 1/250 sec, so I'm guessing high speed flash is the way? Something else to learn. (y):banana:
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Great thread, great shots.. just thought I let you know you 7D will go up to 1/8000 using flash, I use the flash off camera, never on, allows you to be more creative & get some great results..
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old git said:
Great thread, great shots.. just thought I let you know you 7D will go up to 1/8000 using flash, I use the flash off camera, never on, allows you to be more creative & get some great results..
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Oooft, awesome. A barn owl is on my bucket list, I'm actually working on a possible location just now. Well, when I can get there. That's high speed flash?

I must admit, I have slightly maligned the 7D, it's a better camera than I gave it credit for, a lot was to do with operator error. ETTR really helps. It is still grainier than other cameras I've owned but bearable nowadays.


This is as close as I'm going to get, or want to get to Boris. He's fat but fast. My spider catcher will have its day and Boris will be off to a mansion eleswhere. That mouldy old chair needs to be taken to the dump, but it's staying put for now. :LOL::runaway:


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Most flash units have HSS which allows you to shoot as fast as you wish. I use mine for everything, including all my nature work. I started by using speedlights, these days I use a mixture of 200w & 600w units as I do a little work for Pixapro.... I do have some nature videos showing how I set up the flashes for nature if you want to watch them sometime... might give you a few ideas..
 
old git said:
Below is a link to my YouTube channel, theres a few different bits on there nature & macro aswell as a bit of Motocross & other sports. These set ups are the same ones I use in my garden and other nature... Part 1 of the MX series gives you a run through the gear I use... https://www.youtube.com/user/ImageMX1/videos
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Much coolness, thanks a lot.

I'd link you to my channel but it's pants. I aim to make more of it one day.
 
That's today's lockdown sorted. (y):LOL:
 
PS , Borris is probably a lady , they are the big ones and after mating they eat the partner :eek:
 
F1.2 said:
PS , Borris is probably a lady , they are the big ones and after mating they eat the partner :eek:
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Had a feeling Boris might actualy be Borisette. I don't know much about spiders, except they are to be ran away from. ;)

Wouldn't hurt one though.
 
Nice to see you're still getting some shots Dale- very nice it is too mate

Les :)
 
Crikey, nearly a month and no update, sorry.

I've been spending little time in the hide, more outside it and the refurb is complete. Outside painted, new roof felt and gutters fitted. My new electric drill driver has arrived, so the permanent reflection pool is next.

There isn't much activity birdwise, it's mainly house sparrows, starlings and pigeons but I am getting the odd goldfinch. The same thing happened last year but I'm sure they'll be back soon. I did spend 6 hours out there yesterday though, had 4 or 5 visits from 4 goldfinches. They are hardly using the perches just now as they don't have to queue for the feeders, so I had to be quick. In the end, I under exposed (7D) trying to protect the whites so I've had to mask the background and kill the clarity on it to get it anywhere near clean.

Anyway ..........

Goldfinch. by Dale, on Flickr
 
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Nicely done. :)

I have loads of them in my neighbours' garden, but they won't come to my feeders for some reason. The nyjer seeds are left untouched and the tits and chaffinches eat all the sunflower hearts. :help:
 
Sky said:
Nicely done. :)

I have loads of them in my neighbours' garden, but they won't come to my feeders for some reason. The nyjer seeds are left untouched and the tits and finches eat all the sunflower hearts. :help:
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Cheers.


Could be the feeder perches, they seem to like thin, short ones. I also find some kind of tray or bowl attached to the bottom of the feeder for the seed to overflow into helps. Might also be lack of cover?
 
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Dale. said:
Could be the feeder perches, they seem to like thin, short ones. I also find some kind of tray or bowl attached to the bottom of the feeder for the seed to overflow into helps. Might also be lack of cover?
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Thanks Dale, I'd like to put the feeders under a tree, but then the backdrop would be my neighbours' house instead of my hedgerow. I shall see about fitting a covering branch to my 'made up' tree. (y)
 
Dale. said:
I've photographed a few Goldfinches in my time, probably hundreds but I have never seen one with orange spots on its nape, one each side.
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That's because it's a commissioned officer!!! :LOL:

We have a couple of local female Blackbirds, one with 3 white spots on the back of it's neck, another with a white flash in the same place.
 
Beautiful shots, and a nice variety of birds you get in your garden!

How much time do you typically have to spend in your hide/shed on each occasion if you don't mind me asking?
 
bass_junkie83 said:
Beautiful shots, and a nice variety of birds you get in your garden!

How much time do you typically have to spend in your hide/shed on each occasion if you don't mind me asking?
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Thanks.

Time depends, I can get an image within a minute or so when it's busy. It also depends on species, Goldfinches are usually the first to perch, they will sometimes tolerate me entering the hide, only feet away, so getting an image takes as long as it takes to set up. Siskins and redpolls take a little longer but it varies, I can get them within 5 minutes or I may not see them at all all the time I'm in the hide. I usually spend at least 2 hours in the hide but sometimes, all day.

It's tended to be loads of House Sparrows over the last few months, so even Goldfinches took a few hours, if at all but it will soon be crazy busy with finch type birds if last year was anything to go by and I will have images within minutes of going in.

I had a GSW coming in but it was a juvenile, I got some nice pics of it over a few weeks. I've not seen GSW at the hide for over a year now but I have heard them in the nearby woods. I frequently get a Sparrowhawk but no images of it from the hide yet but I have some of it from the kitchen.

In a nutshell, I average a good few hours in the hide, sometimes, I won't get an image, sometimes I'll get loads, depending on species and time of year.
 
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