Parus caeruleus
15 hours ago
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Changes.
I have been fiddling about on the blog and it went belly up. Most of the day I have been trying to return to my original but alas no such luck.
The old army motto " If it works leave it alone" next time I hope I remember.
The old army motto " If it works leave it alone" next time I hope I remember.
Monday, 30 March 2009
My Prototype Scope.
What modifications I would like on our digiscoping setup.
Remote control.
Autofocus.
Target sight.
Quick reacting tripod head for flight shots.
Hood and magnifying glass over camera screen for bright light conditions.
Someone to carry it all...set it up...focus it.... an assistant.
Remote control.
Autofocus.
Target sight.
Quick reacting tripod head for flight shots.
Hood and magnifying glass over camera screen for bright light conditions.
Someone to carry it all...set it up...focus it.... an assistant.
Stithians
Chaffinch...Fringilla coelebs
Goldfinch... Carduelis carduelis
Images shot during a digiscope session at Stithians Reservoir.
Goldfinch... Carduelis carduelis
Images shot during a digiscope session at Stithians Reservoir.
Sunday, 29 March 2009
A Pair of Dippers.
After a latish start we arrived at Kynance Cove. John Rowe gave me instructions to the likely whereabouts of the Dartfords.....John was on the button (so was Jenson). Unfortunately I could not be 100% certain the bird I saw was a Dartford Warbler.... so a dip. The Stonechats and Skylarks were abundant though.
I did take the scope with me and the results were horrendous. I now know I cannot see the screen clearly in bright sunshine and obviously not being able to look through a viewfinder I shall use it in Hides and the garden where the results have been more than satisfactory. We had to miss The Lizard and Helston as Angie had told Duncan we would be at Hayle at midday.
No Cattle Egrets and no Sandwich Terns.
We spent the remainder of the day at Stithians taking photographs and we are both pleased with our results.
So the end result was the usual 120 miles round trip and no birds for the list.
I did take the scope with me and the results were horrendous. I now know I cannot see the screen clearly in bright sunshine and obviously not being able to look through a viewfinder I shall use it in Hides and the garden where the results have been more than satisfactory. We had to miss The Lizard and Helston as Angie had told Duncan we would be at Hayle at midday.
No Cattle Egrets and no Sandwich Terns.
We spent the remainder of the day at Stithians taking photographs and we are both pleased with our results.
So the end result was the usual 120 miles round trip and no birds for the list.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Cattle Egrets.
The Cattle Egrets are back at Hayle today along with 20 Sandwich Terns this evening....hoping for the best tomorrow.
The Two Shots.
You can see the different size images using the Camera (2nd shot) and the fuller frame Digiscope (Ist shot). Also the lighting is completely different.
The log was around the minimum distance for the scope.
The log was around the minimum distance for the scope.
A Long Wait
The two images below were focused on with the Digiscope during a short morning session .
Well I waited and watched the little fliers land everywhere else until eventually I gave up.
The digiscope is not as versatile as the hand-held camera.
While I struggled to get an image..Angie shot off a couple of hundred in a short space of time.
The image of the trunk was used as a test shot to compare the Canon with a 400mm lens and the Opticron G80 ED scope with a Nikon P6000 and a 30x 60 zoom used only in the 30x setting. I will put the camera's image up when I get hold of it.
I think off the top of my head the scope must be the equivalent to a 600-800 mm lens.
Well I waited and watched the little fliers land everywhere else until eventually I gave up.
The digiscope is not as versatile as the hand-held camera.
While I struggled to get an image..Angie shot off a couple of hundred in a short space of time.
The image of the trunk was used as a test shot to compare the Canon with a 400mm lens and the Opticron G80 ED scope with a Nikon P6000 and a 30x 60 zoom used only in the 30x setting. I will put the camera's image up when I get hold of it.
I think off the top of my head the scope must be the equivalent to a 600-800 mm lens.
Friday, 27 March 2009
Cattle Egrets.
It is not looking good for the Cattle Egrets at Hayle on Sunday. Yesterday was the first day for a while that they have failed to show or at least failed to be reported. I am not sure the conditions will favour the Dartford Warblers at Kynance Cove this weekend either. Somewhere I read they like calm condition then sing from the top of Gorse bushes like the Stonechats.
Chough, Linnets and Perigrine Falcon are also on our hit list.
Chough, Linnets and Perigrine Falcon are also on our hit list.
Thursday, 26 March 2009
A Birdwatchers Licence.
What does the future hold for orthinologists? At present we are able to roam about at free will but for how much longer? Birdwatcher is basically a free pastime unlike the fishermans lot who have seen prices spiral upwards as the cost of maintaining stock and water increases.
Soon I feel someone is going to take a hard look at the hobby and seek to find ways to generate revenue. Pay to View will be coming one day in the not to distant future.
Soon I feel someone is going to take a hard look at the hobby and seek to find ways to generate revenue. Pay to View will be coming one day in the not to distant future.
Triffids had their day...now it is The Abbots turn.
It has been pointed out to me that the reason I see so few birds is that the Birds See Me First.
This coupled with a voice raised to the decibels of a ships foghorn effecting the shipping lane trade figures has made me realize something drastic needed to be done. Eureka.... I now look like a moving, talking tree straight out of Lord of the Rings with the only apparent problem being the passing cannines.
This coupled with a voice raised to the decibels of a ships foghorn effecting the shipping lane trade figures has made me realize something drastic needed to be done. Eureka.... I now look like a moving, talking tree straight out of Lord of the Rings with the only apparent problem being the passing cannines.
Sunday Inventory
Methinks it is time to add our bogey bird the Cattle Egret to our Lists. Various trips to Hayle where 9 Egrets have taken up residence has strangl'y enough failed to locate them.
So this weeks agenda looks like The Lizard for Chough, Kynance Cove for Dartford Warbler, Helston Boating lake for Ring Billed Gull and Hayle for the Egrets then checking on Stithians before returning home.
So this weeks agenda looks like The Lizard for Chough, Kynance Cove for Dartford Warbler, Helston Boating lake for Ring Billed Gull and Hayle for the Egrets then checking on Stithians before returning home.
Polkerris
Polkerris is a small harbour between Par and Fowey.
The lane leading down to Polkerris Harbour.
The Harbour.
The lane leading down to Polkerris Harbour.
The Harbour.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Autofocus Camera.
To clear up any misunderstandings I would like to explain a few points.
I have never used an Autofocus Camera in my life...the only exceptions are the Nikon P6000 compact which I have used for all the blog photographs and an ancient Fuji.. neither which could be termed a DSLR Autofocus Camera.
Hopefully in the near future Angie and myself will be joining the DSLR brigade.
I have never used an Autofocus Camera in my life...the only exceptions are the Nikon P6000 compact which I have used for all the blog photographs and an ancient Fuji.. neither which could be termed a DSLR Autofocus Camera.
Hopefully in the near future Angie and myself will be joining the DSLR brigade.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Garden Shots
The garden was very quite this afternoon with the exception of the ubiquitious Woodpigeon. Most of the garden birds kept a low profile making digiscoping very hard indeed.
Due to the nature of the garden and the position of the feeders it is difficult to get a full shot of a large bird like the Pigeon.
Greenfinches.....Carduelis chloris.
House Sparrows... Passer domesticus.
Woodpigeon.... Columba palumbus.
Due to the nature of the garden and the position of the feeders it is difficult to get a full shot of a large bird like the Pigeon.
Greenfinches.....Carduelis chloris.
House Sparrows... Passer domesticus.
Woodpigeon.... Columba palumbus.
Cagey Coal Tit.
Soon the Coal Tit of Stithians Reservoir will have reached legendary status.. emulating the fanciful Beast Of Bodmin. People have claimed to have seen this mysterious bird ..but, so far no pictorial evidence has been produced.
Wagers have been made that would make a Bookmakers Odds Compiler weep in his sleep.
Can we now expect a carnival atmosphere at Stithians as the new Coal Tit Cup takes place?
Dress code is thrown to the wind and the only rule is.....There are no rules.
Highlights will be carefully veiled in tactful obscurity as our band of hopefuls pound the roads and footpaths searching hedgerows, treetops, rubbish dumps and the undersides of spectators cars (thanks Ashley) for the elusive Coal Tit.
Who Wins?
Wagers have been made that would make a Bookmakers Odds Compiler weep in his sleep.
Can we now expect a carnival atmosphere at Stithians as the new Coal Tit Cup takes place?
Dress code is thrown to the wind and the only rule is.....There are no rules.
Highlights will be carefully veiled in tactful obscurity as our band of hopefuls pound the roads and footpaths searching hedgerows, treetops, rubbish dumps and the undersides of spectators cars (thanks Ashley) for the elusive Coal Tit.
Who Wins?
Monday, 23 March 2009
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Grey Squirrel
Not much has happened today so out comes the *Rainy Day Squirrel* photograph.
Although Angie says I do not like them this is a misconception...I am really quite fond of him and welcome him on my fence feeders but not on the hanging ones. After breaking two expensive wooden lantern type feeders I have now positioned the hanging ones well out of the squirrels reach...so far we have reached a status quo..
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Just one Tick
The total added to my life list over the weekend was just the one.
Sand Martins (3) overhead at Stithians provided the solitary tick.
Sand Martins (3) overhead at Stithians provided the solitary tick.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Cornish Mine
Just one of the hundreds of old mine workings scattered throughout the cornish countryside.
Local Views.
White River meandering through the Pentewan Valley
View looking over St Austell Bay from Black Rock.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Mute Swan.
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Photographs taken at Par Freshwater Pool in evening light.
Travelling *Greenhorn* Birders
We intend to do a couple of days of intensive Birding this weekend and hopefully add to our low lists. I am trying to familiarize myself with the 52 Cornish Sites mentioned in the Cornwall & Scilly book.
Unfortunately one of the joys of birding is lost on me being profoundly deaf (Awwww gee) so I have to rely on vision only or the good nature of others. Still...I consider myself an ultraist freebooter with an explorers wanderlust appetite....
Birding, Photography and Travel are perfect bed partners.
Unfortunately one of the joys of birding is lost on me being profoundly deaf (Awwww gee) so I have to rely on vision only or the good nature of others. Still...I consider myself an ultraist freebooter with an explorers wanderlust appetite....
Birding, Photography and Travel are perfect bed partners.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Loss and Gain.
Like most of the Stithians regulars I have lost the following of Simon the Warden. But...Mike Anders is indeed a welcome replacement as I greatly admire and respect his output at Stithians.
Welcome aboard the good ship A&T BIRDING Mike.
Welcome aboard the good ship A&T BIRDING Mike.
Joseph Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
When the light catches the Starlings you can see their many different feather colours. With my fondness for giving birds nicknames I decided to give him the sobriquet Joseph in honour of his multi - coloured coat.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Low Lister
Two more lifers over the weekend. Fulmar and Shag ..both at Hells Mouth. I am 98% certain I saw a Shag at Charlestown Harbour a week ago but I chose not to count it until I had a 100% I.D
Blue Tit
Parus caeruleus
Blue Tits like Goldfinches are one of our easiest species to photograph. I love our garden Bluey's and hope they have a successful breeding season as we can never have too many in the garden.
Greenfinch
Carduelis chloris
I have never been happy with my garden shots of Greenfinches on the feeder. I will have to wait till I get a decent shot on the lookout posts or branches.
Sunday, 15 March 2009
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