Teifi Marshes Reserve

These images of a snipe and curlew were both taken from the Curlew Hide at the reserve:

ISO400 f5.6 @ 1/800sec.

The snipe was taken through some reeds - to explain the dark patches on the image :)

ISO400 f5.6 @ 1/2000sec.

A flying dragonfly

While waiting for waders to land in front of the Curlew Hide at the Teifi Marshes reserve saw this dragonfly passing and was lucky enough to catch it in flight. ISO400 f5.6 @ 1/2000sec.

A coot at Marloes Mere

Went to Marloes Mere to see the glossy ibis (again) but no success. Instead we found this co-operative coot hunting for food in front of the hide. ISO400 f5.6 @ 1/1250

A turnstone in Goodwick Harbour

This is one of a group of turnstones found at Goodwick Harbour in front of what was the flagpoles. Taken with Canon 7d 500mm lens with 1.4 converter, ISO400 f5.6 @ 1/540sec.

Visit to Norfolk

We rented a cottage in Salthouse for a week to look around the local bird reserves. The light was very poor for photography for most of the week but we had an enjoyable time. Highlight of the week, bird wise was an Arctic Skua at Titchwell RSPB:

All the photographs were taken with my Canon 7d at 1000 ISO, 500mm lens with 1.4 converter. The above image was taken f8 @ 1/1600sec.

The image below is not good but is included as it shows a curlew sandpiper on the right and a spotted redshank on the left:

F8 @ 1/2000sec.

The next image is included as I can not recognise the bird - suggestions are welcome:

Thanks to Richard & Wendy for identifying this as a juvenile starling.

The area is well known for avocet so here are two of the many images I took during the week:

F8 @ 1/2500sec.

F8 @ 1/3200sec.

The next is of a flying cormorant:

F8 @ 1/5000sec.

I tried many shots of terns flying, none very good, this is probably the best (common tern):

F8 @ 1/2500sec.

A little egret:

F8 @ 1/4000sec.

A pied wagtail:



F8 @ 1/640sec.

A female reed bunting:

F8 @ 1/2500sec.



 A ruff:

F8 @ 1/500sec.

And a spoonbill:



and in flight:

F8 @ 1/1600sec.

A swallow:

F8 @ 1/2500sec.

A sandwich tern feeding its young:

F8 @ 1/3200sec.

And finally a young swallow:



Penclacwydd (WWT Llanelli) again

Read on the Rare Bird Alert website that there was a spoonbill in Penclacwydd. Unfortunately did not get a close image but this is one of the best I had during the day:

Taken with my usual kit plus 1.4 converter, ISO1000 f8 @ 1/2000sec.

Also managed a flight shot of a black headed gull carrying nesting material:

In our garden

This is the time of year when we have young birds coming in and feeding. The ones I look out for most are the young greater spotted woodpeckers. My most sought after shot is of an adult feeding its young. I have managed a few but of poor quality - the light is usually bad in the evenings when the young birds come in to the garden. Still not managed the feeding shot but this is one of the young birds:

Taken with 500mm lens from a hide in our garden - ISO1000 f8 @ 1/250sec.

This is an image of one of the adult birds:

A female chaffinch:

And our 'resident' male pheasant: