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| Blue Tit hanging around. |
Above is a prime example of not being ready with the right camera settings when the action happens AND this is also the fuzzy, out of focus, image that I have been seeing through my left eye for some time ... actually it is much worse than this!
I am booked in for cataract surgery early on Monday Tuesday morning so if all goes well without any unforeseen complications I am hopeful that my clarity of view with both eyes will soon be nearly as good as my camera's auto-focus.
March has arrived with a few more sunny but cold days interspersed between the continuing blustery showers but this week I have not ventured very far from home. So here are just some of the birds that have come within range of the lens.
My first sighting of a Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) this year during a wander in Bushy Park on Thursday. Another species whose conservation status in the UK has been upgraded from Amber to RED!
Close by its slightly smaller cousin the Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) was joyfully singing.
As usual any opportunity to spend time with a Grey Heron (below) will always grab my attention and I have a few other images to share in a future post.
During a late morning walk on Friday around Horton Country Park I finally added another species to my local patch and current year lists, the Siskin (Carduelis spinus), one of our smallest finches. This was definitely a case of identifying them initially by the colour and pattern of their under bellies before spotting the single adult male with his black cap. They certainly tested my patience and focusing skills while acrobatically moving around the top of an Alder some 50 or so feet above my head seeking out the ripe seed heads.
I logged a much smaller number of the overwintering Redwing (Turdus iliacus) feeding in the horse paddocks and only one individual (below) came close enough for a quick snapshot. Surprisingly this winter I have seen very few Fieldfare and only located one individual amongst the Redwing flocks on Friday.
Linking to:
Saturday's Critters
I'D-Rather-B-Birdin'
Nature Notes
Hello Frank!:) A nice selection of birds, with a great photo of the Mistle Thrush. I will never forget how to identify one now.:) I have been trying to get decent shots of the Siskins all week,... congrats on your sighting of them.
ReplyDeleteI hope all goes well with the operation. All the best!:)
Hello Frank, great post and photos. A wonderful variety of birds. My favorites are the two thrushes and the Siskin. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteHope all goes well on Monday. Love the Thrush shots. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteHi Frank Lovely set of images, not managed Siskin or Mistle Thrush Thrush yet this year, but quite happy this morning been out and nailed Velvet Scoter and Cirl Bunting for the year list. Hope all goes well on Monday. Best wishes.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for Monday Frank, I hope it all goes well and you're soon seeing, in sharp focus, what the other have of the world looks like!!...[;o)
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos! I especially like the Heron.
ReplyDeleteHope all goes well with your eye surgery
Lea
Great post Frank,the Mistle Thrush is my favourite.
ReplyDeleteJohn.
So many enviably great shots! Mistle thrushes are very long and elegant birds, saw a load of them in a fild in South Muskham village.
ReplyDeletegood luck with your surgery frank. i have fuzzy MS (optic neuritis) vision, sometimes i am surprised that my images are as focused as they are. good thing for the nikon, knowing what it's doing!!
ReplyDeleteawesome captures, i am a lover of birds and everything nature related!!! thanks for stopping by!!!
Beautiful, beautiful images. And such a wonderful variety. The top image is so great...shows the flitting action of our feathered friends; a natural view in my opinion. And the poses you've captured of each species...excellent, in clarity and composition.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this weekend, at I'd Rather B Birdin'. All of us, the birders within us, appreciate you taking time to add your link!!
What beautiful photos and I love that handsome heron! I hope things go well with your surgery. Diane from Florida
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the surgery! I hope everything goes well.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be so much happier after the cataract surgery! Your images are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series of photos. I actually like the first one even though it is a bit blurry. It gives the feeling of motion. Best of luck with your cataract surgery.
ReplyDeleteYes, a great selection of pictures for us ... thank you.
ReplyDeleteHope your cataract surgery goes well.
All the best Jan
Many thanks for all your comments and good wishes.
ReplyDeleteI'll let you know the outcome later this week.
Cheers FAB.
gorgeous bird shots! (even the blurry one!) i hope your surgery is successful and your recovery quick!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos..I am just hearing spring calls now here..I love them as they lead into true spring..Michelle
ReplyDeletePictures are wonderful as far as I'm concerned and I've already had my cataract surgery ... Hope yours went as well as mine did! I had both done about a week apart and that in between week was not fun. But small price to pay for a great result! Best wishes !
ReplyDelete