I love the gallery on here - don't get me wrong - but I feel the pictures get lost - so perhaps if anyone has any bird photos they want to show then we should post them on here - as comments are always so lovely to receive - don't you all agree?

Over the last few years we've had a family of Stonechats in the hedge next to the house. There used to be Spotted Flycatchers, but I think there was a great argument between them & the catchers moved out! I often see the male chat perching high up on stalks catching flies & over the last few days I've been trying to photograph him.
Every time I see him, I run to get my camera, but then he's gone & I curse! But the other day I caught him! He wasn't in the hedge & as I shouted at him through the wind angrily, he suddenly appeared on the garden shed roof, looking down at me, almost like he was saying, "well come on then, what are you waiting for? Take my picture!" - So I did!

Okay, here's one of mine, taken yesterday at Ebury Hill just outside Shrewsbury.

At present, the jury's out on whether it's a Marsh or Willow Tit.

This post was last modified: 31-10-2007 09:30 PM by wild canon.

Heres one of mine jury's out, Peregrine or Golden Eagle hehehehe



The StoneChat and (uncertain) Tit are both very nice sorry i cant help with the ID Richard !

Looks more like a bee eater to me!!!!

Wow Ian - that Kingfisher (yes that's what it is lol) is so beautifully posed it looks like a painting!

Wild Canon - not sure which - but their calls are very different, try & find out that way!

Looks more like a bee eater to me!!!!

Ooooh hadnt thought about that, think you might be right

hehehehee I bet you wont want to see the Bittern shots that i got with it

Wow Ian - that Kingfisher (yes that's what it is lol) is so beautifully posed it looks like a painting!

Wild Canon - not sure which - but their calls are very different, try & find out that way!

Thanks Skylark it prints out superb on A4 and A3 its looks a little odd so small but not sure about size limits on pics so thought i would play it safe

hehehehee I bet you wont want to see the Bittern shots that i got with it

I'll bet we do !

[beautiful Kingfisher, but I am partial to them, as you can probably tell!]

Kingfisher

IanC_UK Wrote:

hehehehee I bet you wont want to see the Bittern shots that i got with it

I'll bet we do !

[beautiful Kingfisher, but I am partial to them, as you can probably tell!]

Kingfisher

Hehehehe ok ill see what i can do

Here you go then





If you are interested, the Kingfisher and Bittern were taken with Canon EOS 1D Mk3, 600F4L IS and 1.4x converter on a tripod (cos i cant handhold it )

This post was last modified: 02-11-2007 10:58 AM by IanC_UK.

Thank you! I am surprised that the bittern was not busy blending in with the reeds in the background.

I have only twice ever seen the equivalent American Bittern here at home, and both times the bird flew directly over me on a path, giving me a very clear view.

Kingfisher

Like this you mean ?

http://www.cookster.co.uk/gallery/albums...ittern.jpg

Ah, so your bittern WAS blending in!

Kingfisher

Yep was certainly blending but it came out of its shell for a while so i managed to sneak some less obscured pics

Beautiful Bittern - you're very lucky to see them, I've only heard them.

Long tailed tit:







This one was so far up in the tree, I had no tripod with me, only a big heavy Nikon D70 with my telescopic lens - Nikon ED AF Nikkor 70-300mm. So it was hard to hold still, focus & click at the same time without falling over! lol