Stithians

A cold and wet day at stithians this afternoon. After recording the first swallow of the year for me and for the Stithians list the weather got even worse. Todays list:

Southern Cut-Off
Great Tit 2, Robin 3, Chaffinch 6M 2F, Blue Tit 5, Coot 4, Dunnock 1/2, Reed Bunting 4M 3F, Bullfinch 1M 1F, Mute Swan 2, Greenfich 4, Moorhen 2, Carrion Crow 2, Tufted Duck 3M 3F, Little Grebe 2, Buzzard 2, Swallow (First for Stiths year list), Mallard 2M 2F, Teal 3M 3F, Herring Gull 10+, Wren 1, Blackbird 1M 1F, LBB Gull 5, Wigeon 2M 1F, Rook 8, Wood Pigeon 1, Gadwell 1, Cormerant 1 And Chiff-Chaff (Heard)
NO COAL TIT

All with Canon EOS 450D and Canon EF 400mm L USM

1/1600 F/5.6 ISO 800 Tv Daylight WB

1/1000 F/6.3 ISO320 Tv Daylight WB


1/1000 F/5.6 Tv ISO 800 Daylight WB

1/1600 f/5.6 ISO 800 Tv Daylight WB

1/1600 f/5.6 Tv ISO 800 Daylight WB

Stone Chat In Zennor.

These were taken last Sunday while out looking for the Short Eared Owl. Once again I dipped. The Stone Chat was so close to the car the camera wouldn't focus. Mum reversed the car and I got about 10 shots of which these 2 were the best. 1/100 f/5.6 Tv ISO400 +1/3 EV
1/160 f/5.6 Tv ISO400 +2/3
Both taken with Canon EOS 450D and Canon EF 400mm L USM

Off To Find The Stiths Coal Tit This Weekend!!!!!!!!!!

Buzzards At Steeple Woods

All taken with Canon EOS 450D with Canon EF 400mm L USM
1/1600 f/5.6 Sport (Pre-Set Mode) ISO400 Auto WB

1/2000 f/7.1 Sport (Pre-Set Mode) ISO400 Auto WB

1/1250 f/5.6 Tv ISO400 Auto WB

1/1250 f/5.6 Tv ISO400 Daylight WB

1/1250 f/7.1 Tv ISO400 Auto WB

1/2000 f/5.6 Tv ISO400 Daylight WB

One Sunny Day

Not much to say today so straight to today's list and photo's.

Stithians- Southern Cut-Off
Mallard 3M 2F, Coot 4, Reed Bunting 2M 2F, Chaffinch 3M 1F, Great Tit 3, Goldfinch 4, Grey Heron 2, Blue Tit 2, Robin 2, Tufted Duck 2M 2F, Little Grebe 2, Herring Gull 12+, Rook 3,
Bullfinch 2M 1F, Blackbird 1M 1F, Greenfinch 2, Sand Martin 3, Chiff-Chaff 1, Long-Tailed Tit 2, Marsh Tit 1, Wood Pigeon 10+, Moorhen 4, Dunnock 1, Wigeon 2M 1F, Buzzard 2.


Canon EOS 450D- Canon EF 400mm L USM, 1/2500 f/6.3 Tv ISO 320 Daylight WB






Canon EOS 450D- Canon EF 400m L USM, 1/1250 f/5.6 Tv ISO800 Cloudy WB
+1/3 EV

Canon EOS 450D- Canon EF 400mm L USM,
1/1600 f/5.6 Tv ISO 320 Daylight WB -1/3 EV

St.Gothian

We arrived at St.Gothian today and began the search for the Ring Ouzel..... NO SIGN (as usual).

The Sand Martin's were flying around the Main pool but there were no Wheatear.

All pics taken with new Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM

St.Gothian

Sand Martin 14+, Herring Gull 40+, Pied Wagtail 2, Stonechat 1M, Mallard 3F 7M, Carrion Crow, Magpie 2, Shelduck 4, 2 Water Pipit

Will I see the Bittern at Stithians on the weekend?

1/4000 f/6.3 Tv ISO500 Daylight WB

1/2000 f/6.3 Tv ISO320 Daylight WB

1/2000 f/5.6 Tv ISO250 Daylight WB


1/3200 f/5.6 Tv ISO800 Daylight WB


1/4000 f/5.6 Tv ISO800 Daylight WB


1/800 f/5.6 Tv ISO800 Daylight WB +2 EV

Today.... Well It Made Up For Yesterday!!!

Got to the Main Hide at 1:30 and before I even sat down my first Sand Martin flew past the window (Tick), After settling down for the afternoon We recorded (we being, everyone who came in and out while I was there)
Main Hide
3 Grey Heron, 3 Coot, 4 GC Grebe, 6 Herring Gull, 5M 4F Tufted Duck, 1 Moorhen, 2M 2F Goldeneye, 1 Buzzard, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Sparrow Hawk, 1M 1F Mallard, 4 C Crow, 1 Water Rail, Lesser Black Back Gull, 2 Dunnock
Dunnock 1/500 ISO 400 f/5.6 Shade WB

Southern Cut-Off- Spotted while testing Bins/Scopes
1 Marsh Tit, 1 Wren, A Few Reed Bunting, Teal, 2M 1F Mallard, 6M 4F Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, 1 Blue Tit, 2 Grea Tit, 1 Robin, 1F Woodpecker, 1M 1F Chaffinch

One the way home I wanted to try for the Ring Ouzel, Snow Bunting and Wheatear at St.Gothian as I failed on Saturday.
After walking for about 15min and seeing none of the species targeted I felt like Simon (Warden of Stiths if you didn't know), anyway after dipping, we met a local birder who pointed us in the direction of some Wheatear. So as the light was fading he set up his scope and within seconds was watching 2 Wheatear hopping up and down the bank. They were present for about 5min before being flushed by a dog. Being nearly pitched black we headed back to the car reflecting on a great days birding.
St.Gothian
2 Moorhen, 7 Shellduck, 2 Wheatear, 15+ Wagtail, 4M 4F Mallard, Crow's, Gull's

With 3 Life Ticks this weekend and hopefully 2 this week after school (if we can find the Short Eared Owls and the Hen Harrier at Zennor)

Coming Up This Week:
Short Eared Owl and Hen Harrier
Pic's With My new Canon 400mm f/5.6 L USM


Pied Wagtail 1/250 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

Mallards 1/1000 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB
Sunset over St.Gothian (18-55 IS ) 1/1000 ISO 400 f/4 Daylight WB

Sunset over St.Gothian 1/1000 ISO400 f/4 Daylight WB

Out And About

Today I decided that I would try to see as many new species as possible. With Sand Martin at Stithians, Ring Ouzel and Snow Bunting at St,Gothian, Ring-billed Gull on Helston Boating Lake and Cattle Egret on Hayle Estuary I was hoping for some life ticks.

Stithians:

Main Hide

2 Great Crested Grebe, 30+ Herring Gull, 5 Coot, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Greenfinch, 3M 1F Tufted Duck, 1 Little Egret, 2M 2F Goldeneye, Rook, Carrion Crow.

Grey Heron- 1/4000 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB


Southern Cut-off Hide
3 Coot, 2M 1F Chaffinch, 3M 2F Reed Bunting, 3 Great Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Long Tailed Tit, 6M 6F Tufted Duck, 3 Robin, 1M 1F Bullfinch, 1M 1F Greenfinch, 2 Mute Swan (Building Nest), 1 Dunnock, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Buzzard, 1M 1F Blackbird, 3M 2F Wigeon, 1 Marsh Tit, 3M 1F Mallard, Herring Gull 3

Male Reed Bunting- 1/2000 ISO400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

Wigeon- 1/2000 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

Golden Lion Hide
2M 1F Mallard, 5 Coot, Carrion Crow, 1M Blackbird, 2M 1F Tufted Duck, 1M 1F Wigeon, 2 Little Grebe, Buzzard.

St,Gothian

8 Greylag Geese, 6 Shelduck, 2M 2F Mallard, 100+ Starling, 50+ Herring Gull, 30+ Carrion Crow, 3M 3F Chaffinch, and quite a few Collard Dove, Rook, Woodpigeon.

Helston Sewage Works And Boating Lake

(didn't count numbers) Chiff-chaff, Chaffinch, Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Moorhen, Herring Gull, Carrion Crow.

Chiff-Chaff- 1/800 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

Chiff-Chaff- 1/800 ISO400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

Hayle Estuary

2 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 14 Red Shank, 6 Canada Geese, 5 Greylag Geese, 9 Cattle Egret, 5 Little Egret, 40+ Shellduck, 1 Rook, 3 Black Headed Gull, 4 Woodpigeon, 2 Wigeon, 2 Magpie, 10 Mute Swan, 1 Heron, 1F Goosander, 5 Carrion Crow, 3 Buzzard, 1M Mallard

Buzzard- 1/1000 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

Grey Heron- 1/640 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

As I said earlier I went looking for Snow Bunting, Ring Ouzel, Sand Martin, Ring-billed Gull and Cattle Egret. I only saw the Cattle Egret But there's always tomorrow.

--Remember Steve Roger's Optics Display At Stithians (Southern Cut-Off) Tomorrow From 10AM Until 4PM. For More Info See Steve's Blog--http://www.swopticsphoto.co.uk

Dunnock, This Morning, Nans Garden, Carbis Bay

1/1250 ISO 400 f/5.6 Daylight WB

Work Experience and Photo's.

Does anyone know anybody who would take me for work experience for my school in June. I would like to do something with photography (anything will do) even if it is helping out in a shop or preferably out taking photo's.

I'm unsure on the date but I think it is the week beginning 8th of June. Please comment or email me at ashhugo@tiscali.co.uk if you or anyone you know would let me work for you/them for the week.

See you at optics day at Stithians on Sunday.

Ash

1 Life Tick, 3 Garden Newbies And The Return Of An Old Friend.

This morning I was up later than hoped (8:15). The weather was nice and I was looking forward to a day at Stithians. I sat in my bedroom with note pad and camera and recorded:
2 Great Tit's , 1 House Sparrow , 2 Dunnock's ,2F 1M Chaffinch's , 1M 1F Black Bird's , 1 Robin , 1 Wren , 2 Blue Tit's .

As in the Title the garden newbies were 1 Rook , 2 Wood Pigeon's And Goldfinch (A Life Tick). The returning bird was The male Black Cap. We haven't seen the male or female black cap since before christmas.
So out on the road.
I found out about St.Gothian Sands NR Blog on thursday and was Dying to have a look.

3 Lesser Black Backed Gull's, 20+ Herring Gull's, 5+ Black Headed Gull's, 2 Shellduck's, 5 Stone Chat's, 3 Blackbird's 10+ Carrion Crow's and 50+ Starling's (in the distance).

Now off to Stithians:
Main Hide
2 GC Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Carrion Crow, 2 Coot, 6M 6F Tufted Duck and 1M 2F Goldeneye.

Southern Cut Off
4M 3F Green Finch's, 3M 1F Reed Bunting's, 3 Coot's, 3 Great Tit's, 3M 1F Chaffinch's, 2 Blue Tit's, 4 Carrion Crow's, 2M 1F Tufted Duck's, 2 LT Tit's, 2 Magpie's, 2 Robin's, 1 Buzzard, 2M 2F Bull Finch, 1F 1M Black Bird's, 1 Dunnock, 1 Moorhen, 1 Little Grebe, 1M 1F Mallard, 1 Grey Heron and a Wood Pigeon.

A few pics from today.

Video from Venus Part 2

These are the remaining videos from Venus Pool, Shropshire . I said I would post them in the week but school work got in the way.
Enjoy
Later I will post info and pics from todays trip to St.Gothian Sands and Stithians.

Video from Venus

Just a short video clip of 2 Long tailed tits feeding. Uploading this video has taken a long time so I've only had chance to do the one. But I'll post the next 3 When I get back from Stithians. Taken Last week at Venus Pool, Shropshire on Nikon Coolpix 8700.

Might see you there.