Lochwinnoch

Popped down to RSPB Lochwinnock the other day. Not much about really, the day before Kingfisher, Osprey, and Buzzards were seen, but not today! Anyway, was chuffed I saw and got a shot of a Whitethroat before they start to move away from these parts!

Great Spotted Woodpeckers at Lochwinnock

Just thought I would process these shots taken couple of months ago of the GS Woodpecker and its Juvenile



.

Gannets at Troop Head

Had a great time at Troop Head. This must be one of the most under-rated RSPB sites in the country! I feel it is better than Bempton Cliffs.

Ospreys & Chris Packham

Had a couple of days up North of Scotland, to try and catch some good sightings of Ospreys before they leave our shores again, back South to Africa. First visit was to the Loch of the Lowes. Here the birds had nested in a most beautiful setting, high in a Scots Pine tree over looking the Loch. The adult birds had raised two chicks who were just as big as their parents but were still unable to fish themselves and so just sat around waiting for Dad to bring them breakfast. I was told this would gradually decrease so as to force the juveniles to learn new fishing skills and fend for themselves.

Next stop was to Loch Garten. Here again, one can see the nest from the RSPB hide, but personally didnt find this place too appealing. Although walking in the woods and walking round Loch Garten did provide some good sighting, not only of ospreys flying over the loch, but a bird I had wanted to see, and apparently this area is the only place in the UK to see these little birds...the Crested Tit. I had seen them before in Spain, but never in the UK.

As I was walking back to the car, I bumped into Chris Packham who was with a small BBC film crew, making a new TV program about bird watching. Speaking with Chris, he explained that he had witnessed about 5 ospreys coming together in this special place to fish that very morning. Obviously I asked where he had been and he told me. The next morning I got out of my tent at 4:15am and headed to be in this fishing loch for 5am....and just as Chris said, the ospreys were looking for early morning breakfast.

Unfortuneatly it was a dull morning and as it was still quite dark, I couldn't take any photos initially, as it was just too dark, but I didnt mind as I just watched in wonder as these birds went about their business. I had never seen an osprey catch a fish before so I was amazed at witnessing such an incredible spectacle in nature!
Anyway, here are the photos I did manage to get. They were shot at very slow shutter speeds and with the highest ISO my camera offered, and at the widest aperture.
(f5.6; 1/200sec; ISO1600; Canon 400mm lens)and no tripod.

Eider Ducks at Girvan

Was glad I had my camera with me in the car, was able to get these two shots of Eider Ducks as they came in near to the harbour area.

Artic Terns - Farne Islands

As well as plenty of Puffins on the Farne Island, there are thousands of Artic Terns. As we disembarked from the boat we had to run the gauntlet if being attacked by the terns as they protected their nests. Some were actually nesting on the wooden walkways. Quite an experience to get so close to these birds!

Farne Islands...Puffins Galore!

Last week I went to the Farne Islands, something I had wanted to do for some time. Timing has to be just right. First of all their is only a small window of opportunity, as the Puffins are only present there a couple of months in the year. Then the boats doesn´t always sail if the wind is above moderate. Then even when the wind has calmed down it may take another day or two until the swell of the sea to calm down, to make landing on the islands possible! Then if you are taking photographs, the light has to be good to capture the birds in flight, so you need a fast shutter speed (unless you have a £5,000 low lightlens, which I dont have!). So a lot has to come together all at the right time....and so last Tuesday was one of those perfect days!
I only managed to get a place on the boat due to a cancellation, and when I boarded the boat it was jammed pack with what looked like a seminar of Canon photographers, all with their big 400mm, 500mm lens, Manfrotto Tripods, and hats. (Will tell you later why the hats...in the Tern Blog)