Day 4 at Skokholm Island - Peregrine

Steve and I spent some time looking at the pair of Peregrines nesting on the island - we think they had 2 or 3 young in the nest. We were not sure as the path was quite a distance away from the nest. During our time watching both birds flew up into the sky - to be chased by gulls. This is one of the better shots I managed of one of the birds in flight:



Taken with my Canon 500mm lens ISO400 f11 @ 1/500sec.

Our first Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile of the year

Not the greatest photograph ever but quite an amusing one as it is perched on the hide I put out to take photographs of the young woodpeckers!

Skokholm Island - day 4

Our last full day on Skokholm - and our best! Starting with two birds taken from the hide at Well Pond. The first was a spotted flycatcher:

Taken with the 500mm lens ISO400 f8 @ 1/800sec.

And the next was a wren again:

Taken with the same kit & settings f8 @ 1/1000sec.

Next was another repeat but probably slightly better shot of a flying oyster catcher:

Again same kit & settings f8 @ 1/250sec.

Next was the star bird of the week - a spoonbill on North Pond:

Same kit & settings f8 @ 1/1250sec.

And last of all a couple of sunsets - the sunsets on Skokholm Island are stunning:

Finally thanks to Jerry (the warden of Skokholm Island) and his staff for looking after us well during the time or our stay.













Skokholm Island - day 3

Again a great day on the island - we have been very lucky with the weather. Today the most interesting images were - first of all a raven in flight:

Taken with the Canon 400mm f5.6 lens ISO400 f8 @ 1/800sec.

A chough in flight:

Taken with the same lens and settings f8 @ 1/1000sec.

A peregrine:

Taken with the same lens and settings f8 @ 1/800sec.



An oyster catcher in flight:

Taken with the same lens and settings f8 @ 1/2000sec.



And finally, a portrait of a puffin:

Taken with the same lens and settings f8 @ 1/1000sec.







Skokholm Island - day 2

Another wonderful day on the island - took over 500 images reduced to about half that when the rubbish was removed. Here are some of the new birds taken on that day. A meadow pipit (I think - let me know if you think differently):

Taken with my Canon 500mm f4 lens ISO400 f5.6 @ 1/1600sec.

An Oyster Catcher on some railings overlooking South Haven:

Taken with my Canon 400mm f5.6 lens ISO400 f8 @ 1/640sec.

A sedge warbler seen from the hide at Well Pond:

Taken with my Canon 500mm lens with 1.4 extension ISO1000 f8 @ 1/3200sec.

A reed bunting from the same hide:

Taken with the 500mm lens ISO1000 f8 @ 1/1000sec.

And lastly a rock pipit:

Taken with the 500 lens and 1.4 converter ISO1000 f8 @ 1/4000

Skokholm Island - day 1

My main target for the week is good flight shots of puffin. The more photographs I take of them the more I realise how difficult it is to get a really good shot of a puffin in flight. The slightly easier option is to get them when landing. Like this one - taken off Crab Bay:

Taken with my Canon 500mm lens, ISO 1000 f8 @ 1/5000sec.

While waiting for the next lot of puffin to land I saw this (male) wheatear collecting food:

Taken with the same kit, ISO1000 f8 @ 1/4000sec.

I then had a quick look down at The Neck to see if the guillemot and razorbill were around. The cliff face was in the shadow at the time that I went down there so I only took this photograph of a pair of razorbill:

Taken again with the same kit ISO1000 f8 @ 1/3200sec.

On the way back I stopped off at the hide near Well Pond and managed a few shots of this wren:

Taken with the same kit ISO1000 f8 @ 1/2000sec.

Very lucky with the weather - took about 900 images - reduced to about 450 when the rubbish is removed, so a very good start to our stay on Skokholm Island.

A pair of bee-eaters

While we were at the Teifi Marshes today I had a phone call from Richard (in Dorset!) - he had a report of a pair of bee-eaters on the road between Blaenporth and Aberporth. We managed to find the bee-eaters but they were on a far hedge with a field between them and the road. Took several photographs but this is the best - most of the others were 'bum' shots!

Taken with my 500mm lens with 1.4 converter - ISO 1000 f8 @ 1/1600sec.