Citrine Wagtail at Marazion Marsh

My first visit to Marazion for a while, found lots of people looking for a Citrine Wagtail. Well I managed to get a few images of it, but none of them quite nailed it; low light teleconverter and distance all not helping. Normally I wouldn't of put these low quality images on the blog, however I am well informed that this bird is a rarity so the images are published below.



Heron: Exif: Canon 1D mk111, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), Aperture Priority, f5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 400, +/-0 Stop





Exif: Canon 1D mk111, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), Aperture Priority, f5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 400, +0.7 Stop













Citrine Wagtail: Exif: Canon 1D mk111, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), Aperture Priority, f5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 400, +0.7 stop

Citrine Wagtail: Exif: Canon 1D mk111, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), Aperture Priority, f5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 400, +0.7
Citrine Wagtail: Exif: Canon 1D mk111, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), Aperture Priority, f5.6, 1/640 sec, ISO 400, +/-0 stop

Walkabout at Windmill Farm

Hadn't paid a visit to Windmill farm for ages, so got there at 9.30am on Saturday morning. Decided to set off with the 600mm lens and tripod with a vague idea of where to go. Set off to look for the main hide at Ruan pool and didn't find it (should of looked more closely at the map in the information centre) . Got back to the van about 3 hours later having only took pictures of a few birds on the last leg of this initial three hour trek. Check of the map and back out this time on the correct route to the hide. I arrived there and there I was me, and nothing else at all for thirty minutes so gave up on that one. Returned to the van armed myself with the macro and zoom lens and the twin flash for the macro. Unfortunately the batteries were flat on the twin flash, some idiot (me) left the spares in the van. (just having a bad day) Still determined to get some pictures of something before I left I went through the wooded walkway in the marshy area and around the dragon fly ponds. Final pictures can be seen below. Bit to windy for the macro shots but I still managed some. The dragon fly ponds are also good for getting images of dipping swallows, which is where I will go on my next visit with the larger 600mm lens as the 100-400 focal length is to short.




Swallow: Exif: Canon 1D Mk111, 100-400mm zoom lens, Aperture Priority, F6.3, 1/500 sec, ISO 400, +0.7 stop

Dragon Flies: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 100-400mm zoom lens, Aperture Priority, F6.3, 1/2000, ISO 400, + 0.3 stop

Beautiful Demoiselle: Canon 1D MK111, 100-400mm zoom lens, Aperture Priority, F8, 1/200, ISO 400, + /-0.stop

Whitethroat Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 840mm,(600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter), Aperture Priority, F5.6, 1/1250, ISO 400, +/-0 stop

Ruddy Darter : Exif: Canon 5D, 100mm macro lens, Aperture Priority, F10, 1/160, ISO 200, +/- 0 stop

Hover Fly (Helophilus Trivattatus): Exif: Canon 5D, 100mm macro lens, Aperture Priority, F10, 1/160, ISO 200, +/- 0 stop

Blue/orange bullets

Today got off to a poor start, off to photograph the 4/5ft clean surf which was forecast "not even close to this" to be polite. So I took a wander around St Gothians where I photographed Pipits, Wheatear, Greenshank (maybe) then onto Hayle where I grabbed a couple of images of the Kingfisher and a fledgling swallow about an hour out of the nest. The kingfisher is somewhat fast hence the blurred background on the first image due to me panning the camera to keep up with the bird, notice the diffence in shutter speed also due to the really poor summer lighting and the addition of the converter to the lens. I will get better pictures of these it is just a matter of time! Wasn't sure on the pipits but if I am incorrect just add a comment and I will ammend


Kingfisher: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, Aperture Priority, F5.6, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), 1/500 sec, ISO 400, +0.7 stop



Kingfisher: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, Aperture Priority, F5.6, 600mm lens, 1/1600 sec, ISO 400, +0.7 stop

Rock Pipit: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, Aperture Priority, F5.6, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), 1/500 sec, ISO 400, +/-0 stop

Meadow Pipit: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, Aperture Priority, F5.6, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), 1/400 sec, ISO 400, +/-0 stop

Wheatear: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, Aperture Priority, F5.6, 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter (840mm), 1/500 sec, ISO 400, +/-0 stop

Swallow: Exif: Canon 5D , Aperture Priority, F5.6, 100mm-400mm lens, 1/160 sec, ISO 200, flash, +/-0 stop

Egrets, Greenfinches and Swallows all at Hayle RSPB hide

Hi Again,

A long time since the thread was updated, I have been busy enternaining summer visitors, replacing the dashboard and fitting a rock and roll bed to my van. I visited the hide at Hayle a couple of times this weekend, managed to get some close ups of Swallows and Goldfinches and some, what I consider my best shots to date of the egrets feeding. One evening I was just about to leave as the light was so bad, when the cloud lifted slightly and two egrets started feeding one either side of the hide. So even though there is not much around there sometimes arises an opportunity to get better quality images of subjects you have already taken. The goldfinch started feeding to my surprise about 5ft to my left as the 600mm was fitted I moved back so I could focus as my original position was to close. Once I had some shots, as the light was poor I grabbed the 5d with flash to get a couple more. My 5D and 100-400mm lens are now the back up to my 1dmk11 and 600mm as I have sold the 40D. First pictures from the 5d are in this blog post. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Dont forget it is best to view the images at full size.



Egret: Exif: Canon 1d MK111, 600mm lens, Aperture Priority, F4, 1/3200 sec, ISO 400 +/- 0 stop (note the diffence in the shutter speed here, compared with the next three images due to the amount of available light changing from one side of the hide to the other






Egret: Exif: Canon 1d MK111, 600mm lens, Aperture Priority, F4, 1/500 sec, ISO 400 +/- 0 stop

Egret: Exif: Canon 1d MK111, 600mm lens, Aperture Priority, F4, 1/640 sec, ISO 400 +/- 0 stop

Egret: Exif: Canon 1d MK111, 600mm lens, Aperture Priority, F4, 1/640 sec, ISO 400 +/- 0 stop

Goldfinch: Exif: Canon 1d MK111, 600mm lens, Aperture Priority, F4, 1/160 sec, ISO 400, + 1 stop

Goldfinch: Exif: Canon 1d MK111, 600mm lens (840mm with 1.4x converter), Aperture Priority, F4, 1/250 sec, ISO 400, +/- 0 stop

Goldfinch: Exif: Canon 1d MK111, 600mm lens (840mm with 1.4x converter), Aperture Priority, F4, 1/200 sec, ISO 400, +/- 0 stop

Goldfinch: Exif: Canon 5D MK1, 100mm-400mm lens, Aperture Priority, F6.3, 1/125 sec, ISO 200, +/- 0.3 stop, 580ex Flash

Swallow: Exif: Canon 5D MK1, 100mm-400mm lens, Aperture Priority, F5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 200, +/- 0.3 stop, 580ex Flash

Swallow: Exif: Canon 5D MK1, 100mm-400mm lens, Aperture Priority, F5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO 400, +/- 0.3 stop, 580ex Flash

Gulls at St Gothians

Well all seems to be very quiet with few blog updates, useless weather (except the last few days) and what seems like no change on the bird/wildlife residents. So not to be out done, I decided to get out and photograph some of the local/ long term residents, even gulls. Long periods of boredom and short periods of action were required to get the images. On the plus side I did get a long distance shot of a king fisher at Hayle although to small for use on here. Hope you enjoy them. As usual when it comes to identities I am a bit of an idiot, even with a guide. So if there are any mistakes just leave a comment and I will correct them. Don't forget for best viewing click on the images to see full size.



Stonechat: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/800 sec, +0.3 stop, ISO 400, St Gothians

Buzzard: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/1250 sec, + stop, ISO 400, St Gothians

Gull: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/4000 sec, +0 stop, ISO 400, St Gothians

Moorhen: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4.5, 1/640 sec, +0 stop, ISO 400, St Gothians

Grey Plover: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/6400 sec, +0.3 stop, ISO 400, Hayle

Common Gull; Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/8000 sec, +1 stop, ISO 400, St Gothians

Swallow: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/3200 sec, +1 stop, ISO 400, St Gothians

SandMartin: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/6400 sec, +0.7 stop, ISO 400, St Gothians

Cormorant: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f5.6, 1/2500 sec, +0.7 stop, ISO 400, Stithians

Sedge Warbler: Exif: Canon 1D MK111, 600mm F4 lens, Aperture Priority, f4, 1/1250 sec, +0.7 stop, ISO 400, Stithians