A day at Walmsley Sanctuary

The collection of various images below are the result of several hours spent in a couple hides at the CBWPS reserve. The site is looking stunning and the birds are fairly close too. Pick of the crop are some displaying Gadwalls and Northern Shoveler, a distant record shot of the wintering Hen Harrier, a showy male Pheasant and a very close shot of a Little Grebe. The highlight though was the steady increase of Sand Martins through the day... at dusk as we were leaving, I would estimate up to 1000 birds hawking insects on the reserve.

EXIF detail: Aperture Priority. Aperture F/5. Shutter 1/500th. ISO 320 Focal Length 600mm. WB Cloudy. EV 0.0

Hen Harrier at Trewey

The closest that this harrier approached was about 100 yards and these two images have been fairly heavily cropped; the yellow iris can just about be seen.

EXIF Detail: EV 0.0, Shutter 1/800, Aperture F/10, ISO 320, Focal length 850mm, WB Auto, mounted on car window frame.

Hen Harrier at Trewey Common

Trewey Common and the Zennor Moors are long-established moorland wintering habitats for Hen Harrier, Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and the very occasional Snowy Owl. In fact, it was a census of the harriers which unearthed the Snowy Owl. I waited for an hour before this first year male appeared alongside the road at a distance of approximately 150 yards. Although not award winning shots, the montage gives a different flight perspective of this agile raptor. Try working out the upside down angle as it pounces on its' prey!

EXIF Detail: EV 0.0, Shutter 1/800, Aperture F/10, ISO 320, Focal length 850mm, WB Auto, mounted on car window frame.

St Ives and Zennor

A day out in West Penwith was probably the warmest day of the year so far - 10 degrees in fact! It almost felt like Spring. Sadly, few birds were on offer though the mild climate compensated. Best image today goes to a Turnstone feeding in the harbour at St Ives whilst some rugged Cornish scenery provides a backdrop for a Hen Harrier at Zennor. A Black-headed Gull adds to the tranquility today.