Wildlife Photographic Diary by Alan Saunders: May 2010

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Sunday 2nd May - Connahs Quay Nature Reserve

A trip to Connahs Quay Nature Reserve was the order of the day to photograph Black Tailed Godwit. The tide was in when I got there and all the Godwit were on the fresh water pond over the banking, away from the Dee Estuary. There is a little island in the middle where what looks like 500 Black Tailed Godwit sit, as I know now, waiting for the tide to go out, and out it went. With approx 50m of the mud flats now showing, the Godwit's took flight and my god what site that is.How they new the tide had gone out to the distance it had, is beyond me. They put on a great aerial display before landing on the flats to feast.The way they all turn at once and at such great speed is amazing to watch. I took a series of shots during the day of the black tail's and various other birds and Rabbits which I thought you might like to see.

Black Tailed Godwit

Black Tailed Godwit

Wheatear

Rabbit

Whimbrel - as identified by Matt Latham

Male Chaffinch

Canada Goose

Saturday 1st May - Pott Shrigley

I went to photograph the Badgers during the day, but to no avail. Although one did come out and had a good scratch against a tree, but it was too far and covered by trees, so I couldn't get the shot. However, It was a lovely hot sunny day sat in my cam hide waiting with camera poised on my tripod, when a Speckled Wood butterfly landed just in front of me, spread its wings and sunbathed for quite some time. These butterflies love to just sit and spread their wings and sunbathe, that's what they like to do the most. This shot was taken at the 400mm end of my lens at f5.6.

Speckled Wood

Wednesday, 19 May 2010

Sunday 25th April

I had a trip to Burton and Leasowe on the Wirral for a few hours, to try and find the Short Eared Owl again, no show. However, I did see a Whitethroat at Burton and Leasowe. Also, a Goldfinch and Swallow. Not the most productive of days for the couple of hours I was there.

Whitethroat at Burton

Whitethroat at Leasowe

Goldfinch at Leasowe

Swallow at Leasowe - Who you looking at?

Monday, 10 May 2010

Saturday 24th April - Bempton Cliffs

Well, yet another 4 hour, 250 mile round trip to Bempton Cliffs and again, without falling asleep at the wheel. I did that on the edge of a 300 foot cliff instead.
The weather was great, but the lighting was awful. I couldn't get a decent shot of a gannet in flight as the whites were always burnt out, even after turning my exposure down by 2 or 3 stops, it was far too bright, some cloud would of been better for the whites. However, I did get some shots of the cliffs for people who have not been there yet and some birds on the way.

The white cliffs of Bempton