10.5 hours in the hide - 29TH JUNE ANOTHER BUZZARD ADDED

Please Mr. Buzzard, pay me a visit today and sit on the post in front of me.

Perfect Birthday Pressie :D

Barn Owl been visiting every morning but no shots due to crap light, got that one to work out.:thinking:
 
Happy birthday Nicky!! Have a lovely day xx
 
Happy birthday Nicki. Have a good one (y)

Thank You I did but no buzzard, but now I have a new project Barn owl in flight (y) It is nesting on the other farm and is out flying late evenings and early mornings, but trying to decide what hunting grounds is it visiting is the puzzle :thinking: :LOL:
 
Have 2 skirts of lamb for them tomorrow now lets see if the buzzard can resist that :D
 
It's pouring here so may have to do a couple of hours in the morning before work, as the Buzzards will be busy worming in the morning (y)
 
About the most memorable thing in the last 48hrs, one of Brionys ponies getting the freedom of the field this afternoon, big crop so nice and soft:), was geared up for short range:)

138-1.jpg


Mildred visited 4 or 5 times this morning:)

160.jpg


and then there was the tree rat that thought it was a Meerkat:D

012-1.jpg
 
Did a couple of hours this afternoon until it poured and had visits from Mr Mrs Blackbird and Mrs Chaffinch.

HideMay14th021edit.jpg


HideMay14th006rdit.jpg


HideMay14th018edit.jpg
 
Last edited:
It's nice to see you posting some more shots. I thought you'd gone a bit quiet lately.

That's great detail on the blackbird and very nice exposure for the dark feathers. However, in the second example I'd say the grass is looking a bit lively as a consequence and might benefit from toning down just a little. Here's my interpretation with a small adjustment in Lightroom....

20110514_184551_000.jpg


For the chaffinch shot I'm not sure the framing is the best you could have managed. Remember you can pick different focus points to use. I certainly would have. Of course, focus/recompose is an alternative, but if you have to work quickly then having a suitable AF point pre-selected is probably the best way to go. The exposure is pretty nice though and you have a catchlight in the eye, which is always a plus in my book.
 
Thanks (y) was struggling with the weather today, first of all sunny then caught in a thunderstorm, hence the chaffinch shot, so dull and drab conditions, but was playing around and trying diff settings etc
 
Decided to have a few hours in the hide this afternoon, and was very quiet so thought I would pack up at 4 p.m.

All of a sudden the Buzzard flew in front of the hide about 10 foot in front of me and about 5 ft high then proceeded to land on the post about 20 yards from me but behind a tree :bang: how bloody frustrating is this, aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh anyway took this just as a memento :D
HideMay20th006edit.jpg



Then waited for about 1 and 1/5 hours to see if it would land on the rabbit but no,:shake: so came home.

In the garden I found this poor chap looks like he had an injury to his jaw and could not shut it and was so thin. Went in to get the gun :shrug: to put him out of his misery then he dissapeared. He was trying to drink out of the bird bath and eat the grass but could not shut his mouth.

HideMay20th008edit.jpg



Poor little mite expect he will be dead in a couple of days though as was so thin.


Also took this one the other day of the Kites diving:shrug: shame I did not get all the wings in but enjoy anyway.

HideMay20th004edit.jpg


Forgot to say, before all this when I got to the hide the dam tree rats have been inside the hide knocked everything off th shelves ate the tea bag plastic box chewed my Jack Pike netting and then to add insult to injury it has "Pooed" on my seat, ughhhhhhh little gits so now have declared war so anything that is furry and has 4 legs has got to watch out as I now have the air rifle in the hide (plus they make good bait for the kites/Buzzards)
 
Last edited:
Poor deer, that's sad, but I'm sure you're right, it'll probably die :crying: Shooting it may be the kindest thing for it. Sad but true.

That buzzard is playing games with you Nicki!! I swear it waits for you and watches from afar...:LOL:
 
Poor deer, that's sad, but I'm sure you're right, it'll probably die :crying: Shooting it may be the kindest thing for it. Sad but true.

That buzzard is playing games with you Nicki!! I swear it waits for you and watches from afar...:LOL:

Yep,:) think you are right the buzzard, well I took his rabbit away so serves him right.

If the deer comes back we are ready for it but just don't want it running out in the road and causing an accident or suffering.:shake:

See you tomorrow (y)
 
Maybe he'll do a low flypast for us tomorrow! ;-) (y)
 
Maybe he'll do a low flypast for us tomorrow! ;-) (y)

More like a "Low flying pig" :LOL:

Mmmmmmmmmmm what's happening today then :LOL:- let me think :thinking: Oh I remember now ; (y) :D

"A laughable idea"





Don't think so !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Last edited:
Just an update, not been up there much this last week as been practising on the birds diving, (and working !!!) not quite as easy as it seems :bang: anyway Fernface (Brian) has spent 2 nights up there and his report was there was loads of activity from the Woodies and masses of Nutties so look forward to seeing his pictures soon.

So lucky to have loads of Nutties here, I did not realise they were so common.(y)

Right now getting the Kites in training for my meet here, so that the people attending will hopefully get some great shots (y)


IMG_1632.jpg by Nicki.C, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
You haven't got a Wildlife Rescue charity nearby then? First thought was to shoot the deer? :( :shrug:

Natural reaction for rural folk I guess... ;)
 
You haven't got a Wildlife Rescue charity nearby then? First thought was to shoot the deer? :( :shrug:

Natural reaction for rural folk I guess... ;)

Yep we have but by the time they could get here the dam deer would have gone, being realistic here, and thinking that the stress the deer would have gone through would have been kinder to have put it out of its misery, as was an old injury as you can see by the condition of the deer.

Rural folk seem to have the realistic answers :shrug:
 
Few shots taken over the last couple of days. First two brought the title to mind:) Looks as if some sort of filter does not like "what" being abbreviated:D:D


441.jpg


713.jpg


711.jpg


I should have been a woodpecher:D
279.jpg


658.jpg


Kites where having a day off and Buzzards well what can i say!!
 
Having given this a bit of a "tart up", and done my best to lose the barbed wire, thought i would put it up to remind myself what one looks like:D:D

053-2.jpg
 
Had a bit of a play today outside the hide with the kites and liked this shot of the top side instead of the underneath.


IMG_3083.jpg by Nicki.C, on Flickr
 
Yep we have but by the time they could get here the dam deer would have gone, being realistic here, and thinking that the stress the deer would have gone through would have been kinder to have put it out of its misery, as was an old injury as you can see by the condition of the deer.

Rural folk seem to have the realistic answers :shrug:

Spot on - theres lots of animal rescues in your area, but seriously what are they going to do if its jaw's knackered other than catch it and put it down. - a .308 is definitely the kinder solution in this case
 
Just completed yet another 48 hrs in the hide:thinking:. Up until 2115 last night it was a dead loss, no nuthatch, no greater spotted woodpecker, in fact no nothing:D. Then i looked up and saw this standing looking in my direction, managed a couple of quick shots that i am pretty pleased with, not big crop at all it was only 18-20yrs away, pretty dreadful light as it was so late, only the second time i have seen a "real" fox as opposed to those gopping urban things!

DSC_6669.jpg


It did not hang around after the thunder of the Nikon shutter:D
 
Well done Brian, good shot considering the time and the light.

Nice to see (y) considering we had been told that the vixen and her cubs had been dispatched earlier in the week.:shrug:
 
Well spotted in the last 2 days Kites feeding on the ground, another Vixen and her cub and also the Buzzard has landed. (y)

Well done Brian (y) look forward to seeing the photos, me :shrug: busy doing the VAT in the house. :thumbsdown:
|
Working at the weekend also so may be will get out next week.

For rent,

1 hide complete with chair, hot drink making facilities and also dead rabbits (y) should anyone want to come and chance you luck, when it is not in use. :D
 
I can't wait to see Brians pics. I've been up to my ears with accounts too, it must be that time of year!

Hopefully I'll pop over soon to see you. We'll try lunch again!!

I finally spotted my barnie, but don't tell anyone, it's secret! :LOL: x
 
Well managed to grab a couple of hours today and yep it arrived :woot: :woot: :banana:

Came down quite unexpectedly had not heard it call at all. Have been feeding daily and it finally paid off.


IMG_3220.jpg by Nicki.C, on Flickr



IMG_3203.jpg by Nicki.C, on Flickr

It even managed a wave to me !!!! :D


IMG_3211.jpg by Nicki.C, on Flickr

Brians will follow hopefully later, (thought they may have been up by now but probably still wading through memory cards !) the task is not finished got to get it closer to enable me to get it with the 70 - 200 :D

Enjoy anyway, I like them considering the length of time it has taken to get some sort of decent shots. (y)
 
Last edited:
Now for the Barn Owl, quite exciting really as we have found out they have 5 chicks hatched by the chap who monitors them.

Can't wait for them to start flying (y)
 
Finally after 10 months i think it is. Buzzard arrived yesterday afternoon, not only that but it came back for another visit a couple of hours later. To say i was pleased is an understatement, i was like a dog with two wotsits, in a street full of lamposts:D:D. Only processed a few, so.o.o. many to go through.

D31_9605.jpg


D31_9698.jpg


D31_9664.jpg


Well done to Nicki for getting her shots today, its been a long time. As she says challenge now is to get them closer, similar to the Red Kite epic:D
 
Thanks Tim, just wish I had the Canon 400 would have been so much better oh well Canon 70 - 200 going on next but at least we have some.

Brian. love the shots, (y) time has certainly paid off, only went up for literally a couple of hours and as usual was making a cup of tea when it arrived and the phone was ringing (on silent) so did not know where to turn. :LOL:

Still, hope I can make a bit more time next week, deespite the work schedule.
 
Yay, nice Nicki and Brian, time and perseverance have paid off, knew you could do it :)
 
Back
Top