Sun + Waxwings at last!

mufftrix

mufftrix

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Mick
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I have been chasing these pesky devils for weeks now all around Staffordshire/Cheshire and either they there but it as dull as can be, or they have gone by the time I get there

On the odd occasion I have had both sun and birds the background was man made :(

Anyhow one of the locations they keep returning to there were repots of 30-50 the previous gloomy day!

So I set off the next morning with the weather promising sunshine, I stood for 3 hours in the gloomy freezing fog yet again haha! Eventually the sun did come out and the large numbers reported did show in-between disappearing for 40 mins at a time my patience eventually was rewarded!

The trouble is with so many coming down as am sure those that have photographed have found is it then trying to decide which one to try and get some shots off? As they only stay a few seconds because of a main road, so as soon as a lorry/bus or large noisy car comes past they gone again! Luckily I managed to isolate ones that performed well for me :)


Waxwing - Staffordshire by Mick Erwin, on Flickr


Waxwing - Down The Hatch! (Staffordshire) by Mick Erwin, on Flickr


Untitled by Mick Erwin, on Flickr


waxwings in flight (Staffordshire) by
Mick Erwin, on Flickr


Waxwing - Touchdown by Mick Erwin, on Flickr
 
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I thoroughly enjoyed looking at these, some great detail caught......nice.

BTW - envy, envy and very envious:) I'd love to get some shots or even just to observe them.
 
bx338 said:
very nice, lovely set of images.
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cruso said:
A great set Mick you have done well with these
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mark richards said:
fantastic set! you done better than me,
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Mark Johnson said:
Brillo Pad.........
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Monkeyhanger said:
Excellent set
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mulch said:
I thoroughly enjoyed looking at these, some great detail caught......nice.

BTW - envy, envy and very envious:) I'd love to get some shots or even just to observe them.
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charlychuckchuck said:
Great set Mick:clap::clap::clap::clap: #2 a real stunner (y)
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Thank's everyone much appreciated

I am glad to have got some of them I am happy with at last, I missed them a couple of years ago so was even more determined to get some images this year!

Here a couple more ;)




Waxwing Flyby - Staffordshire by Mick Erwin, on Flickr


Waxwing - Staffordshire by Mick Erwin, on Flickr
 
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Excellent set, your perseverance paid of Mick.
 
You got there in the end. Excellent set. Number 2 is my favourite and for expression,number five. I don't think your presence is appreciated. lol. The flight is well caught too.
 
Mick,more stunning images well done ,love the eithic to keep pushing too mate, great images and earned. does it get better?....jees the grey cold gloom,ugg.,it just seems us in the middle have sat in it bar a few days almost since chrimbo.

Mick what gear are you using please(if i've asked before apologies),could you also bang a few techs up for the first three probably the same but worth asking.
Ahh buddy I'm the wrong side of fifty have loved this bird since early chidlhood never got to see one let alone a flock,I even missed the ones on TV a few years back,But today after not just going out for a lovely drive:rolleyes: to be froozen half solid;) and erm get some air:D, today we spent a few hours with some weird little guys that trill..... waxwings OMG FINALLY. i'm beyond stoked so so long i've just wanted to see one,,bloody 'eck, the sun came out...well sort of.... too
Thanks mucker i've stared as your efforts a goodly bit of late especially after another blank day really cool having that little imspiration telling me it can happen has been a godsend. Fabulous images Mick still like that wall background we spoke on, but on having had a chance, share the not wanting to really make images in an urban environment of wildlife,very strange really .
Stu
 
Excellent shots. We had them for a whole week under heavy skies and blowing a gale. Soon as the clouds parted they departed.
 
Swanseajack said:
Excellent set, your perseverance paid of Mick.
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Dale. said:
A cracking set. I really wish number 3 was mine.
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mark richards said:
ones in flight are brill..
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wezza13 said:
Good set Mick, glad you finally got them (y)
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Mark Johnson said:
Lovely birds (never seen one in the feather), and great photos.
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The Weasel said:
Great set, Mick...love the flight shots.
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JohnC6 said:
You got there in the end. Excellent set. Number 2 is my favourite and for expression,number five. I don't think your presence is appreciated. lol. The flight is well caught too.
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fergie said:
Excellent shots. We had them for a whole week under heavy skies and blowing a gale. Soon as the clouds parted they departed.
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Thank you all, it makes it worth the cold and miles travelled when it all comes together at last :)



Stuart Philpott said:
Mick,more stunning images well done ,love the eithic to keep pushing too mate, great images and earned. does it get better?....jees the grey cold gloom,ugg.,it just seems us in the middle have sat in it bar a few days almost since chrimbo.

Mick what gear are you using please(if i've asked before apologies),could you also bang a few techs up for the first three probably the same but worth asking.
Ahh buddy I'm the wrong side of fifty have loved this bird since early chidlhood never got to see one let alone a flock,I even missed the ones on TV a few years back,But today after not just going out for a lovely drive:rolleyes: to be froozen half solid;) and erm get some air:D, today we spent a few hours with some weird little guys that trill..... waxwings OMG FINALLY. i'm beyond stoked so so long i've just wanted to see one,,bloody 'eck, the sun came out...well sort of.... too
Thanks mucker i've stared as your efforts a goodly bit of late especially after another blank day really cool having that little imspiration telling me it can happen has been a godsend. Fabulous images Mick still like that wall background we spoke on, but on having had a chance, share the not wanting to really make images in an urban environment of wildlife,very strange really .
Stu
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Thank's Stuart it much appreciated !

I have stood in gales and bitter wind, travelled numerous miles and paid car parking far to much over the past few weeks lol! I was gutted when I missed them 2 or 3 years ago and kept seeing the lovely shots on here only made it worse? But work commitments and bad luck meant I never even got to see one, just the empty berry trees they had left behind? I to like the wall background shots but wanted the blue sky that seems to be avoiding us most of the time recently.

My only niggle now is the condition of the berries in the shots, and to be 101% happy I would like to have got them with more photogenic berries?

That means I will be chasing them again but not so much now only if conditions are spot on and they are localish.

I am though more than happy with the results so if I don't get another chance I won't be too disappointed! There were 80+ yesterday chirping away the biggest flock I have heard of around this area, but the weather is back to gloom once more so no images just nice to see them all! With that number they will soon be moving on as the trees will be soon stripped with so many active beaks on the go ;)

Equipment wise I am using a Nikon D810 body along with a recently acquired new 600 F4 Nikon lens that I just got a few weeks ago (I upgraded from the 500 F4)

The settings for the first 3 were ƒ/7.1 600.0 mm 1/1600 and 280-560 ISO (auto ISO) I shoot in manual and leave the ISO to the camera)
 
Absolute cracking shots Mick, you're perseverance has well truly paid off. It had to eventually, just glad it was this time round! :banana:

Shame i'm not driving at the mo... (trapped nerve in my neck) or I would have jumped at the chance when you messaged the other day (y)
 
munchycarrot said:
Absolute cracking shots Mick, you're perseverance has well truly paid off. It had to eventually, just glad it was this time round! :banana:

Shame i'm not driving at the mo... (trapped nerve in my neck) or I would have jumped at the chance when you messaged the other day (y)
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Thank's Stef !

Yes it a shame you couldn't make it there was quite a crowd gathering in the end, but the sun was being blocked by a building site as the afternoon went on so there was less and less of the tree in sunshine!

They still about at the moment but with the large numbers showing I think they be on the move very soon?

Here one more I got of them ;)


Waxwings Incoming by Mick Erwin, on Flickr
 
Many thanks Mick,we had another go today not so productive,but i'm already over the moon. what surprised me was there seemed to be courtship going on ,we saw grooming and a food pass,which was sort of lovely to say the least. I don't know much about them Mick but it's enchanting that they are already starting to pair up before the long journey home to breed.


Now to find out if the old shutter press was quick enough to catch dad giving mum a hard won berry haven't quite got to day's images yet:rolleyes:

cheers

Stu
 
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