What birds or bird have you seen today – communal thread, I hope!

I saw some Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Black Backed Gull. I also saw a Cormorant on the River Irwell in Manchester near the Lowry Hotel.
 
First bit of frost for this winter here yesterday, car temperature was showing -1 @ 08.00hrs. These male and female blackbirds were active in the garden searching for worms. ISO 1800 & 2000 and through the backdoor glass.

I have seen the female Chaffinch for the last three days, but she's not coming close enough for me to get any half decent photos. Usual other visitors.

Female Blackbird by Swansea Jack, on Flickr

Male Blackbird by Swansea Jack, on Flickr
 
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from this morning ..........he or she keeps pecking at our living room window .......... until I go outside and then he is off

there were two last week and it's the hunting season... so maybe his reflection is his lost friend?

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gramps said:
Just ordered the 300 f4 VR PF ... if it all goes wrong you know who I will blame! :D
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Ooo it ain't half light!
After lugging around the 500 f4, backpack and heavy duty tripod, this is going to feel very different ... won't get out until Friday (weather permitting :( ) but should make for a much greater spring in my step :D
 
gramps said:
Ooo it ain't half light!
After lugging around the 500 f4, backpack and heavy duty tripod, this is going to feel very different ... won't get out until Friday (weather permitting :( ) but should make for a much greater spring in my step :D
Click to expand...

It is nowhere near the same as the longer primes - I have found that it can be very effective, (I can only compare the images I take with both), but the RAW images certainly need pp and it takes a little getting used to........ it's very quick to use ....... very light, also too light ....... almost a permanent carry around - it will be very interesting to hear what you think Roger
 
Just the usual suspects today, Canada Geese, Coots, Moorhens and Black-headed Gulls, but also a Young Mute Swan

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And a female Mallard Duck who decided to get in on the act as well...

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good clear images Geoff ...... with good colours reflecting the light at this time of year
 
Thanks Bill, these were taken at around 14:30pm, which at the moment is around the last hour before sunset. They're probably looking for more food, I'd just given them a 1.5kg bag of seeds. The Canada Geese that are here are so used to people that they will eat from your hand. The lodge does get some werid and wonderful light ay all times of day and year, and the water never looks the same from shot to shot. Good thing is it's just a few minutes away from my house. It's also good for Dragonf;lies, Damselflies and lots of other butterflies.
 
Travelling north on the M1, just south of the junction 9, within about a mile there was a kestrel and two buzzards sitting on posts and a kite overhead.

Dave
 
Linnet
Bullfinch
Greenfinch
Reed Warbler
Chaffinch
Blue Tit
Crow
Magpie
Robin

All too far away but i cant resist taking the shot:)

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Great colour there Mike, makes for a very attractive image ... and a great list of sightings, I'm very jealous! :)
 
few Jays and WP's around ...... but raining all day and the following is the only interesting shot I got

I know that they often stand on one leg but I watched this bird for a few minutes and it genuinely seemed to only have one leg

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Bewick Swan with a neck-ring!!!

Well not really, some Bewicks have been fittted with GPS trackers to monitor their travel path between The Arctic and The UK ... this is done to ensure that Windfarms are not sited within their flightpath :)


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Seen a few today
Cormorant
Tufted
Pochard
Chaffinch
Mallards every where :)
Crow
Magpie
Blue Tit
Golden eye
Gulls
Collared Dove
Greylag
Barnacle

First time out with the Tamron 150-600,took nearly everything wide open to find out about it.

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lots around today

Redwings, Magpies, Jays, the usual Tits, Chaffinch, Dunnocks and a couple of Nuthatches bossing the smaller birds

all about light today ...... just a few "art" shots trying to show this, but I only got Grade 3 for GCSE in Art in 1963

- the usual subjects

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What I saw was a **** heron fishing in my pond AGAIN!. No I didn't photograph it, I'd happily have shot it if I had the means to do so. The pond is fully netted but somehow it gets through the chinks and the fish count (Koi, shubunkins and Orfe plus goldfish) is dropping steadily.

I like wildlife in principle but some species are hard to love.
 
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Cap'n Bill said:
What I saw was a **** heron fishing in my pond AGAIN!. No I didn't photograph it, I'd happily have shot it if I had the means to do so. The pond is fully netted but somehow it gets through the chinks and the fish count (Koi, shubunkins and Orfe plus goldfish) is dropping steadily.

I like wildlife in principle but some species are hard to love.
Click to expand...

Might find some help here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=h...-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=M-ZZVrjcGcWUaIXOtogN

Herons are though a protected species :)
 
Bill lovely idea,some cracking images posted too. We are seeing all the usual suspects sparrows blackbirds wren robin tits etc a few finches

I have to tell you a little mad story. We have had kestrels near for a goodly while,in the good old days a barnie hunted behind the house. For yonks i'm mused putting up a box that either might possibly utilise. Tuesday night had a dream about said box and it being used by Kez. Well the next day I got a phone call a very excited Shaz had just watched Kez take out something definitely avian ,probably a house sparrow and was mantling it on the greenhouse. It gets better the next day she was back with a mate perched at the front of the house. Today we got another visit she hunted here and sat tight a while actually in the garden, she left and came back later Sadly no pics to show I just couldn't get a clear shot from the house and utterly didn't want to go out and disturb her but with time I might finally get something as kez has thus far eluded me. I can't tell you how wonderful it's been today watching her sail around in the gusts of wind and looking down on her,I guess slightly frustrating as no pics to show damn me for putting in some secondary glazing in the room with the best view just last week,but how lucky to have her actually hunting my patch regularly. One way or another a box is going up here for her. I know this is all slightly nuts ruddy dreaming about then things happening next day,but it's all gospell truth can't believe she also took out a bird not a rodent I didn't realise kestrels did this.
Ahh happy days,we used to get the occasional sparrow hawk which is sort of expected when one feeds the little fellas but kez is utterly new.Here's hoping she can find enough to visit regularly and I might be able to catch up with her properly very soon.

what a joy

Stu
 
Weather has been positively awful, when it wasn't raining it has been dark and overcast. Just the usual suspects again, but no idea what this poor Black Headed Gull has got wrapped around its leg.

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Plenty of Ducks,Tufted,Pochard,Golden Eye
Bulfinch,Chaffinch,Bluetit
Sparrow hawk
Coot
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Well captured Jerry, fantastic little birds :)
 
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A Barnacle Goose landing on the marsh water thinking it's a B52 or something!
 
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Still fine tuning the 300PF + TC's - but light todays not great for most part


but this fella is now getting quite tame

taken at an angle - surprised the DOF is so narrow

ISO 2500 with NR

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…and this one Bill?
Would you have any other "nasty comment" about Daphnée? (RIP)
 
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