We were promised diabolical weather today and I am glad to say that as usual they were mostly wrong! We had the most glorious day with about 4 hours of lovely winter sun. I have discovered a great place in the garden that is half hidden in the shadows and used by lots of birds as a corridor or safe haven before they dive on to the feeder or move through the garden. I sat in the hide for a couple of hours with the camera pointed in the general area hoping for that “killer” shot. Well I can tell you that this photo lark…. excuse the pun ….. is more difficult than it looks. For example, I know that the Blackcaps are in the garden, I saw one eating a cotoneaster berry, It would have made a great shot but you can’t always have the camera with you in the bathroom!
So sat in the hide, the first bird to show was a lovely cock Blackbird, with the sun full on to him you would have thought that a great photo was a foregone conclusion but out of the 10 or so that I took there was something wrong with all of them. Either over exposed under exposed, out of focus or blurry due to the bird moving. Then all of a sudden there was the Blackcap cock perched magnificently, just what I was waiting for. He was again in the full sun and just begging to be photographed, he looked so beautiful and his black cap reflected the sun. I had been waiting for so long that frankly, I panicked, I was all thumbs and completely forgot that the camera was set to manual focusing so I missed him too……….. what a dummy!
So now who was left? Well the Coal Tits have just started to get a little bit less noticeable, I wonder why? So they never presented themselves. A Dunnock did, and again with the sun ……. well just have a look and you can see waht a great photogenic little spot this is. Anyway I got a half decent shot of him have a look here, Still not 100%, slightly fuzzy on the breast but at least the eye is in focus.
So now the only bird to really pose was this Robin. He/she has been with us for a few weeks and is quite happy to perch on a feeder but when I placed one horizontal rather than vertical the Robin really liked it because it is easier for him to feed from.
I like this photo with the sunflower heart in his mouth. But the one on my PBase gallery is a smashing image, again in”that place” Please have a look. Robin on my PBase Galleries.
So sat in the hide, the first bird to show was a lovely cock Blackbird, with the sun full on to him you would have thought that a great photo was a foregone conclusion but out of the 10 or so that I took there was something wrong with all of them. Either over exposed under exposed, out of focus or blurry due to the bird moving. Then all of a sudden there was the Blackcap cock perched magnificently, just what I was waiting for. He was again in the full sun and just begging to be photographed, he looked so beautiful and his black cap reflected the sun. I had been waiting for so long that frankly, I panicked, I was all thumbs and completely forgot that the camera was set to manual focusing so I missed him too……….. what a dummy!
So now who was left? Well the Coal Tits have just started to get a little bit less noticeable, I wonder why? So they never presented themselves. A Dunnock did, and again with the sun ……. well just have a look and you can see waht a great photogenic little spot this is. Anyway I got a half decent shot of him have a look here, Still not 100%, slightly fuzzy on the breast but at least the eye is in focus.
So now the only bird to really pose was this Robin. He/she has been with us for a few weeks and is quite happy to perch on a feeder but when I placed one horizontal rather than vertical the Robin really liked it because it is easier for him to feed from.
I like this photo with the sunflower heart in his mouth. But the one on my PBase gallery is a smashing image, again in”that place” Please have a look. Robin on my PBase Galleries.
Wildlife in a Suburban Garden 
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