Kingfisher on mace perch

Not bad for a large crop. Is that from the Bittern hide John?
 
toonamp said:
Nice capture John :) Is it a tad soft?
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I suspect as John said Ant, it's a huge crop and he's right on the edge of usable resolution. That's why I asked which hide it was taken from. I could understand the problems from the Bittern hide as they're long range shots, but much closer from this particular hide, so I suspect John needs longer glass, more pixels, or both.
 
I did see the Water Rail shot. To be fair, those birds are buggers to photograph -diving in and out of cover, and again it could be a huge crop. This one looks like it could have had NR run on it too?

I'm not sure what lens John is using - would be handy to know.
 
Don't give up John. I take it there's no sign of those perches going back at the WR hide then?
 
jc55 said:
Thasnk you for comments,ive not been to happy either,use a sigma 150-500 but a lot of the recent shots have been in c**p light and at a distance,ie,the "lapwing" hide and the w/rail hide,just fed up :LOL:,but will keep trying ,the w/rail by the rodrest
john
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I had the Sigma 50-500mm.
In good light I was very happy with the results, but as soon as the light dropped it was a struggle to get acceptable shots, unless fairly close up. Distance was a pain in poor light, so you've done pretty good there :)
 
I have to admit, I'm fed up with pussyfooting around with the political situation at Upton Warren. I've been twice and met some nice people there, but I've also met some people who make no bones of the fact that they don't like photograhers to the point of being pig ignorant.

The situation at the Water Rail hide provides the best opportunity you're likely to get for photographing Kingfishers close-up anywhere, at least from a permanent reserve hide, but the Kingfisher perches have been removed making photo opportunities a lot less likely. I'm told the reason the perches have been removed is because of photographers going out in front of the hide, installing their own perches and flattening obstructive vegetation. I'm not defending that behaviour for one second, but I really fail to see why we should all pay the price for the actions of a few.

Prior to my last visit I'd negotiated the replacement of the perches on a trial basis, only to be told at the nth hour that they are not going to be replaced and for the reasons already stated.

What sort of signals do the Wildlife Trust think this sends out to me as a new member who's recently paid his membershio dues, and other photographers to whom they look for financial support?

The answer to this problem lies in common sense and understanding between two different groups of people, not in staff at UW behaving like little dictators and refusing to meet the needs of people giving them financial support.

Thoughts?
 
CT said:
I have to admit, I'm fed up with pussyfooting around with the political situation at Upton Warren. I've been twice and met some nice people there, but I've also met some people who make no bones of the fact that they don't like photograhers to the point of being pig ignorant.

The situation at the Water Rail hide provides the best opportunity you're likely to get for photographing Kingfishers close-up anywhere, at least from a permanent reserve hide, but the Kingfisher perches have been removed making photo opportunities a lot less likely. I'm told the reason the perches have been removed is because of photographers going out in front of the hide, installing their own perches and flattening obstructive vegetation. I'm not defending that behaviour for one second, but I really fail to see why we should all pay the price for the actions of a few.

Prior to my last visit I'd negotiated the replacement of the perches on a trial basis, only to be told at the nth hour that they are not going to be replaced and for the reasons already stated.

What sort of signals do the Wildlife Trust think this sends out to me as a new member who's recently paid his membershio dues, and other photographers to whom they look for financial support?

The answer to this problem lies in common sense and understanding between two different groups of people, not in staff at UW behaving like little dictators and refusing to meet the needs of people giving them financial support.

Thoughts?
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Well CT i have to agree with you 100%, I was there this morning and went into the water rail hide which was empty and no poles and no birds around apart from the water fowl out in open water :shake: so i went to the bittern hide where the feeders are saw the usual small birds but did managed to get a few water rail shots, but it seems very quiet not many people around now i wonder WHY! also the same kind of thing is happening at brandon marsh. ps sorry john for messing your thread up.
 
stifler said:
Well CT i have to agree with you 100%, I was there this morning and went into the water rail hide which was empty and no poles and no birds around apart from the water fowl out in open water :shake: so i went to the bittern hide where the feeders are saw the usual small birds but did managed to get a few water rail shots, but it seems very quiet not many people around now i wonder WHY! also the same kind of thing is happening at brandon marsh. ps sorry john for messing your thread up.
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Hey stranger! I heard about Brandon Marsh - good innit - not!

Generally speaking these reserves aren't set up for photographers anyway, they're set up for bird watchers with binoculars, and there's no getting away from the fact that there's no love for photographers from many bird watchers, which is the basic situation at Upton Warren - all the rest is excuses and BS. ;)
 
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Have been to upton today in the lapwing hide and got this one.They are to far away really so that is about how good it gets.It was all started by the birdwatchers taking out the poles because of us toggers apparently taking up the room and then someone was seen at 5.30 one morning treading down the vegatation so that is what did it in the end a few of us were allowed to put the pole back but they were just removed again

kingy15.jpg
 
I could understand the resentment if it was togs turning up mob handed and commandeering the hide with their gear - not to mention bags and cases etc filling up the rest of the hide -obviously a bit of common sense is required.

There aren't any problems which can't be sorted to the satisfaction of all concerned with a bit of common sense I'm quite sure, but given the attitude I've encountered so far I'm not holding my breath. ;)
 
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CT said:
I could understand the resentment if it was togs turning up mob handed and commandeering the hide with their gear - not to mention bags and cases etc filling up the rest of the hide -obviously a bit of common sense is required.

There aren't any problems which can't be sorted to the satisfaction of all concerned with a bit of common sense I'm quite sure, but given the attitude I've encountered so far I'm not holding my breath. ;)
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The best part about it was the time we spent in there hardly any birdwatchers came in so we were doing no harm at all Mark Evans went one day and he said he came across some bird watchers who were not friendly with them at all and they were doing no harm hardly taking up any room at all how do they expect members to keep joining if this is what is happening:shake:we should all be able to share these places
 
I know exactly what you mean Kaz, we've met people there not even attempting to hide their resentment and bordering on showing open hostility.

These people really need to look at themselves, they're running it like a little exclusive club which you're either in or you're not. At the same time the trust is asking you to donate beyond the minimum subscription if you can. They've surely got to be kidding if they expect continued support in this atmosphere.
 
CT said:
I know exactly what you mean Kaz, we've met people there not even attempting to hide their resentment and bordering on showing open hostility.

These people really need to look at themselves, they're running it like a little exclusive club which you're either in or you're not. At the same time the trust is asking you to donate beyond the minimum subscription if you can. They've surely got to be kidding if they expect continued support in this atmosphere.
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I totally agree CT they want our support but then are being spitful to us toggers at the same time the point as been made of birders using their scopes is only the same as us using our cameras we only take up the same room and if they are not careful many will not renew their memberships I have joined 2 wildlife trusts and Midlands bird club but maybe I won t be renewing one of them next year if this continues
 
It's the worst sort of situation - entrenched cliquey people dictating what happens there, and who's welcome.
 
CT said:
I have to admit, I'm fed up with pussyfooting around with the political situation at Upton Warren. I've been twice and met some nice people there, but I've also met some people who make no bones of the fact that they don't like photograhers to the point of being pig ignorant.

The situation at the Water Rail hide provides the best opportunity you're likely to get for photographing Kingfishers close-up anywhere, at least from a permanent reserve hide, but the Kingfisher perches have been removed making photo opportunities a lot less likely. I'm told the reason the perches have been removed is because of photographers going out in front of the hide, installing their own perches and flattening obstructive vegetation. I'm not defending that behaviour for one second, but I really fail to see why we should all pay the price for the actions of a few.

Prior to my last visit I'd negotiated the replacement of the perches on a trial basis, only to be told at the nth hour that they are not going to be replaced and for the reasons already stated.

What sort of signals do the Wildlife Trust think this sends out to me as a new member who's recently paid his membershio dues, and other photographers to whom they look for financial support?

The answer to this problem lies in common sense and understanding between two different groups of people, not in staff at UW behaving like little dictators and refusing to meet the needs of people giving them financial support.

Thoughts?
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Tell them you are not going to renew your membership this is what we all need to do the more who do it the more chances of perches going back up
Regards
Lost
 
lost said:
Tell them you are not going to renew your membership this is what we all need to do the more who do it the more chances of perches going back up
Regards
Lost
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WellI I certainly wont be renewing my subscription based on my experiences there so far. I don't see why anyone should put up with the treatment we're getting there and be expected to pay for it into the bargain.
 
lost said:
Tell them you are not going to renew your membership this is what we all need to do the more who do it the more chances of perches going back up
Regards
Lost
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That is really a bad situation for you guy`s :( Oh how I wish I could meet someone like that with attitude. It would give me great pleasure in asking them if they wanted to experience eating hospital food. "Through a straw" :D
 
E-mail the trust tell them you are not happy and why if we all do that we may get some where
 
lost said:
E-mail the trust tell them you are not happy and why if we all do that we may get some where
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Well... the people we need to get on with are the people who actually run the reserve. I see no point in complaining to the trust until other lines of communication have failed and it's only likely to lead to further bad feeling anyway.

The good news is I'm informed that the perches have now been replaced for a trial period. However the water level is quite low in front of the hide, so whether the KFs will use it or not remains to be seen.

Fair dues to the staff at the reserve for replacing them, and it's up to us as photographers not to now go and fux it up. Meeting mob handed and comandeering a hide all day is obviously going to causei ll feeling if other people can't use the hide. Please bear in mind also that the Water Rail hide is the only hide at the reserve with wheelchair access, so a large dose of common sense is required should there be any disabled visitors. (y)
 
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