2 familiar species from the UK.........................
There were absolutely loads of Redpolls today. Between Yakumo and Oshamanbe there were 3 big flocks. The flock nearest Yakumo was a little flighty and it was difficult to get close, these were out of the car window.
There were many hundreds of Redpoll around but only 3 Siskin....................these were again out of the car window but with the 1.4X extender on.
Having a grip makes it easier to use portrait mode..........and to get a bit artistic.
It was raining, hailing, sleeting and snowing.......................but strangely the light was good enough to use ISO 400 even at 700mm handheld out of the car window.
2 early Bar Tailed Godwit were a surprise at Yakumo but it was otherwise pretty quiet.
This immature Night Heron was on the river near my apartment yesterday.................taken with the 100-400 and old 7D.
I don't use the 100-400/7D so much these days, here are a couple more from last weekend with that same combo. The Red Breasted Mergansers were in Kamiiso and the Nuthatch was at Onuma.
Very jaded with watching sports, the weekend's loss to Man U was just about the final straw, after what seems like 18 months of one disaster/heartbreak after another for Liverpool and England (football and cricket)...................I really envy people who don't care about such things.
Both elegant little birds, haven't seen either since I lived in penwortham. :-( As for the Sport, can't stand the thought of Chelski winning it again.
ReplyDeleteHi Derek, I don't think I ever saw Redpoll in Penwortham. I agree about Chelsea but then again I don't like any of the other 'big' teams except maybe Spurs.
DeleteI love all the shots. Those Siskins and Redpolls are lovely little birds
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Margaret..........
DeleteReally nice (arty) shots! Not seen any Redpoll this winter.
ReplyDeleteThanks Stuart, there seems to be a lot in Hokkaido this winter for some reason............
DeleteNice "Artistic" Redpoll and Siskin shots.....the weather sounds challenging, even though you were mostly in the car.
ReplyDeleteIt's calm and sunny outside this morning now I have to work again..................
DeleteThey are lovely - almost like watercolour paintings. Bad luck re the sports - become an honorary Aussie and barrack for us in the cricket since you lived her for a time!
ReplyDeleteActually I'm hoping New Zealand win it. Sorry!
DeleteNice shots of your Common Redpolls (Carduelis flammea) Stu. Looks like your spring passage time is identical to our own. No Siskins here this winter though.
ReplyDeleteHi Phil I tried in vain to find an Arctic but couldn't.................
DeleteSiskins and redpolls would put a smile on anyone's face. And.....I couldn't give a fig about sports. I quite literally never watch it. In fact, come to think about it, I don't watch much t.v. at all.
ReplyDeleteI never watch TV..................only a bit of sports. And Game of Thrones.
DeleteLovely to see those finches in a naturalistic setting, most of my shots are on garden feeders.
ReplyDeleteAt least you have a garden.................. I never seen them on my apartment balcony............!
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