Been a funny old day.
When I went out into the garden to put up the camera, a collared dove was sitting on one of the bird tables, just watching me. I was setting the camera up some way away from him(or her), so I walked quietly so as not to disturb him. He still sat there.
I then realised I was going to have to retrieve the perch from behind the table, so walked slowly up and around the bird and retrieved the perch.
Still no sign of disturbing it.
I set the camera up and then felt that there might be something wrong with the dove and I might be able to "intervene" if it was unwell.
I approached it slowly - only to find out that it was dead!
It was sitting upright on the table with its eyes open - eyes that seemed to follow me as I moved.
I didn't have the heart to take a photo and didn't want to simply throw it away, so I buried it in the corner of the garden.
Anyway, I decided to carry on with the photography and did get one or two shots I was pleased with. One was of a chaffinch with its wings raised. This was a good result as I had set myself the challenge of getting such a shot. The other shot was also "planned" in that I wanted a photo that could go in the monthly competition, and I might just have got one!
I was stood out behind the camera, busily focussing on a branch, with my back to the main feeders, which were about eight feet behind me. When I came back inside, my wife said "Did you see them then?"
"See what?"I replied.
"Those three long-tailed tits on the feeders behind you!"
I have been waiting for the long-tailed tits to arrive for weeks (or months) and apart from a quick sighting a few days ago, have not seen one. Then they appear behind my back.
Are they trying to tell me something!
Ah, well.
I'm now working on a "new" method of ensuring that the birds sit on my perch in the correct place. It is amazing how they sit everywhere they are not supposed to, like on the camera or the flash, but will seldom oblige on the perch provided. I have a feeling it is because the feel exposed (pun intended), especially with the flash firing.
Watch this space - and keep an eye out behind you!
When I went out into the garden to put up the camera, a collared dove was sitting on one of the bird tables, just watching me. I was setting the camera up some way away from him(or her), so I walked quietly so as not to disturb him. He still sat there.
I then realised I was going to have to retrieve the perch from behind the table, so walked slowly up and around the bird and retrieved the perch.
Still no sign of disturbing it.
I set the camera up and then felt that there might be something wrong with the dove and I might be able to "intervene" if it was unwell.
I approached it slowly - only to find out that it was dead!
It was sitting upright on the table with its eyes open - eyes that seemed to follow me as I moved.
I didn't have the heart to take a photo and didn't want to simply throw it away, so I buried it in the corner of the garden.
Anyway, I decided to carry on with the photography and did get one or two shots I was pleased with. One was of a chaffinch with its wings raised. This was a good result as I had set myself the challenge of getting such a shot. The other shot was also "planned" in that I wanted a photo that could go in the monthly competition, and I might just have got one!
I was stood out behind the camera, busily focussing on a branch, with my back to the main feeders, which were about eight feet behind me. When I came back inside, my wife said "Did you see them then?"
"See what?"I replied.
"Those three long-tailed tits on the feeders behind you!"
I have been waiting for the long-tailed tits to arrive for weeks (or months) and apart from a quick sighting a few days ago, have not seen one. Then they appear behind my back.
Are they trying to tell me something!
Ah, well.
I'm now working on a "new" method of ensuring that the birds sit on my perch in the correct place. It is amazing how they sit everywhere they are not supposed to, like on the camera or the flash, but will seldom oblige on the perch provided. I have a feeling it is because the feel exposed (pun intended), especially with the flash firing.
Watch this space - and keep an eye out behind you!
