birdman
Орнитол&
...or how I've finally proven it's impossible to be both a birder and a photographer!!!
Took a trip over to Clumber Park today, as the weather was a bit more promising than forecast. It was overcast and cold... but no sign of the previously promised rain.
Arriving at noon, we parked close to the lake at the northern end of the eastern arm.
I had decided to take my camera "just in case" but as the number and proximity of birds was so good, I decided to leave it in the car, and concentrate on some watching with bins in the woods, before returning to the car to get the camera for some shots of the water.
Blue Tit and Carrion Crow were making themselves obvious as I put on my gloves and hat, then from the water's edge I was able to see Pochard, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen and Mute Swan - with Goosander in the distance and Cormorant and Grey Heron in the trees.
On the opposite side (the road crosses the water) were Tufted Duck and loads of Black-headed Gulls, with more Coots, Moorhens and Mallards and the first of what turned out to be very many Great Crested Grebes.
Walking down the lakeside, passing a Blackbird or two, we noticed a small cluster of birding types gathered at the water side, and as we approached, it occured to me that a Great Northern Diver had been reported on this very site as being present at Clumber a week ago.
Sure enough, it was still there, barely twenty feet from the bank, and showing really well, if looking somewhat bemused.
And my camera? In the car!
Well, this was an opportunity I had to try and take, so I took a brisk walk (5 mintues) back the the car, got out the camera and its accoutrements, and made my way back to the Diver. As I approached, a look through the binoculars from 100 yards away showed me it was still there.
A little closer, just close enough for a long range photo, I tried to set up the shot. Just as I adjusted the focus, the Diver, well... dived... never to be seen again (by me at least.)
The gaggle of birders dispersed in their various directions, while I waited in vain hope for a reappearance.
Carrying camera, camera bag, monopod, binoculars, field guide, note book, pen, and trying to sort out my gloves... well I'm not very co-ordinated at the best of times, so make up your own image... it'll be pretty close to the mark!
Suffice it to say that every small silhouette that flew by remained unidentified, as the messages from the brain as to which arm to raise with what to where just weren't getting through in time!
I got a few (what I hope will turn out to be) nice photos of the birds on the water, including one of the GCGrebes still/already in most of his finery, which will serve at least as record shots, but the Diver remains unphotographed.
Ah well...
Still, it's not all bad, as the Diver can now take it's rightful place on my life-list, have been promoted from my short but frustrating list of birds I think I saw but wasn't able to identify clearly. (My dubious GND record was of a bird overflying Covenham Reservoir about 8 or so years ago.)
Anyway, eventually, I tramped back to the car, checked out the Goosanders again, and noticed a male and two female Shovelers, before deciding to spend a short while in a wooded area on the park in a less burdened condition.
The light was pretty poor, and we didn't actually add a great deal, other than Great Tit and Robin, Woodpigeon and Pheasant, and as we were returning a second time to the car, a busy and noisy Wren.
The only one I've missed from that list as being a little more out of the ordinary was the sole bird from a flock of at least 2 dozen, that I was able to id as a Redwing.
Hey... you gotta smile... and the day wasn't so bad!
Took a trip over to Clumber Park today, as the weather was a bit more promising than forecast. It was overcast and cold... but no sign of the previously promised rain.
Arriving at noon, we parked close to the lake at the northern end of the eastern arm.
I had decided to take my camera "just in case" but as the number and proximity of birds was so good, I decided to leave it in the car, and concentrate on some watching with bins in the woods, before returning to the car to get the camera for some shots of the water.
Blue Tit and Carrion Crow were making themselves obvious as I put on my gloves and hat, then from the water's edge I was able to see Pochard, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen and Mute Swan - with Goosander in the distance and Cormorant and Grey Heron in the trees.
On the opposite side (the road crosses the water) were Tufted Duck and loads of Black-headed Gulls, with more Coots, Moorhens and Mallards and the first of what turned out to be very many Great Crested Grebes.
Walking down the lakeside, passing a Blackbird or two, we noticed a small cluster of birding types gathered at the water side, and as we approached, it occured to me that a Great Northern Diver had been reported on this very site as being present at Clumber a week ago.
Sure enough, it was still there, barely twenty feet from the bank, and showing really well, if looking somewhat bemused.
And my camera? In the car!
Well, this was an opportunity I had to try and take, so I took a brisk walk (5 mintues) back the the car, got out the camera and its accoutrements, and made my way back to the Diver. As I approached, a look through the binoculars from 100 yards away showed me it was still there.
A little closer, just close enough for a long range photo, I tried to set up the shot. Just as I adjusted the focus, the Diver, well... dived... never to be seen again (by me at least.)
The gaggle of birders dispersed in their various directions, while I waited in vain hope for a reappearance.
Carrying camera, camera bag, monopod, binoculars, field guide, note book, pen, and trying to sort out my gloves... well I'm not very co-ordinated at the best of times, so make up your own image... it'll be pretty close to the mark!
Suffice it to say that every small silhouette that flew by remained unidentified, as the messages from the brain as to which arm to raise with what to where just weren't getting through in time!
I got a few (what I hope will turn out to be) nice photos of the birds on the water, including one of the GCGrebes still/already in most of his finery, which will serve at least as record shots, but the Diver remains unphotographed.
Ah well...
Still, it's not all bad, as the Diver can now take it's rightful place on my life-list, have been promoted from my short but frustrating list of birds I think I saw but wasn't able to identify clearly. (My dubious GND record was of a bird overflying Covenham Reservoir about 8 or so years ago.)
Anyway, eventually, I tramped back to the car, checked out the Goosanders again, and noticed a male and two female Shovelers, before deciding to spend a short while in a wooded area on the park in a less burdened condition.
The light was pretty poor, and we didn't actually add a great deal, other than Great Tit and Robin, Woodpigeon and Pheasant, and as we were returning a second time to the car, a busy and noisy Wren.
The only one I've missed from that list as being a little more out of the ordinary was the sole bird from a flock of at least 2 dozen, that I was able to id as a Redwing.
Hey... you gotta smile... and the day wasn't so bad!
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