Gwent birding (1 Viewer)

[GaryH]

.Gary is the master Photoshop fiddler though.

Not sure about master but definately a fiddler!
Pop down anytime Luke and i'll show you the ropes, to be honest I thought your shots were very good anyway and Bill yours are superb too especially that Beraded tit!WOW!
Just wish I had more time to get out there, bl**dy DIY.|=(|

 

[GaryH]

Forgot to mention...

The Welsh Salon of Photography is being hosted by Ebbw Vale Camera Club at Big Pit for the next 3 weeks, well worth a look!
Its open daily from 12-4 pm, some good wildlife stuff there, no admission chage.

Gary

 

[mike from ebbw]

Forgot to mention...

The Welsh Salon of Photography is being hosted by Ebbw Vale Camera Club at Big Pit for the next 3 weeks, well worth a look!
Its open daily from 12-4 pm, some good wildlife stuff there, no admission chage.

Gary

I am over that way today so might just pop in.:t:

Got my first Whinchat of the year this morning over Newtown,Ebbw Vale.A cracking male singing from a treetop.

 

[WHIMBREL]

I knew you guys would come to the young whippersnappers aid, I'm pretty sure that once he gets the basics he will start producing masterpieces and probably leave us way behind!!!

Thanks for those kind words Gary, those bl**dy Beardies can drive you nuts, just as you think it's staying still for a split second off it goes or the reeds sway in the breeze, it means just hoping for the best and/or getting lucky.

I'll certainly make the effort to get over to Blaenavon and the Welsh Salon of Photography, are you showing any of your landscapes there? Should be an excellent display, we don't get enough photographic exhibitions locally...perhaps we should consider one of our own on wildlife...:t:

 

[WHIMBREL]

I am over that way today so might just pop in.:t:

Got my first Whinchat of the year this morning over Newtown,Ebbw Vale.A cracking male singing from a treetop.

Whinchat are superb little birds, very photographic, hope you get some great shots of them Mike.

Let us know what you think of the Welsh Salon of Photography exhibition at Big Pit if you over go.

 

[theMusicMan]

I am certainly no expert, but I have used it a fair bit and am happy to help with Photoshop stuff if anyone wants some. Having said that, now that Lightroom2 has some superb new features, most of my recent shots have been PP'ed in LR rather than in Photoshop CS3.

Mike seems to have nailed what is always good to do though, i.e. sharpening, file size, re-sharpening etc. If anyone wants a tutorial, please shout... happy to help.

 

[The Valley Walker]

No chance of getting the chiff in the garden unless it decides to come and sing from a tree in the garden?

Luke,

Just been on two week hols in Florida (more of that later) but as I was leaving the house to set off (Apr 10th) I went for a glass of water in the kitchen....as I was stood there a pile of birds came in to the tree and made their way to the feeder...then I noticed in the tree the bird that was not a siskin or a redpoll !! I called Deb into the kitchen just so I wasn't dreaming and she confirmed a new bird. Now, as you know I ain't any good at the id thing and as my camera was packed in the case for hols I didn't get chance to get a shot so my guess would be a chiff chaff - to me the colour seemed a little drab compared to the willow warblers I have seen and unfortunately didn't think to look at the legs. I called Mike as I was getting in the car to tell him and he asked abt the legs etc. Nice start to my hols for sure.

 

[The Valley Walker]

All quiet on the western front

...took Casper for a walk this afternoon, 1st time in a couple of weeks and as pointed out to me by Mike it's very quiet out there atm. I did though get good views of willow warbler singing not afr from the house. That apart, coal tit, chaffinch and a buzzard all that was abt over the cardi - hear a chiff chaff but not seen.

Best get to bed methinks, jet lag n work 2mrw, not a good combination.

:eek!:

PS Wonder if anyone can id this bird I saw last week whilst walking around the lake in Orlando, Florida?

 

[mike from ebbw]

...took Casper for a walk this afternoon, 1st time in a couple of weeks and as pointed out to me by Mike it's very quiet out there atm. I did though get good views of willow warbler singing not afr from the house. That apart, coal tit, chaffinch and a buzzard all that was abt over the cardi - hear a chiff chaff but not seen.

Best get to bed methinks, jet lag n work 2mrw, not a good combination.

:eek!:

PS Wonder if anyone can id this bird I saw last week whilst walking around the lake in Orlando, Florida?

Cracking shot Al.I wish the raptors over here were as obliging!

I am not good with overseas bird ID but it looks good for a male Coopers Hawk.

 

[luke]

Gwent turned into an ornithological paradise for the afternoon as a Male Subapline Warbler graced the bushes of the Newport Wetlands! A quick dash from work saw me running towards the copse hopeing to get a glimpse of gwent newest species edition on its growing list. Thankfully, after a nerveracking wait (a whole 45 mins!), this little cracker showed really well abeit for a few seconds. Really sorry for the rubbish pic!

 

[luke]

amazingly its still there this morning!

 

[Darryl]

You made it down there then Luke, I see Nathan's still ahead on the photography front.

Re the yankee raptor, it is Red-shouldered Hawk. Unsurprisingly, given the location, of the subspecies extimus which is why it looks quite pale and grey-headed. They can look, and behave, in a rather accipiter-like way which might explain the confusion with a Coop.

Darryl

 

[luke]

I decided that it was too good a bird to miss so i went straight from work. i standing next to nath when he took his pics, but i had a bush in the way. Hopefully there'll be some more pics today.

 

[The Valley Walker]

You made it down there then Luke, I see Nathan's still ahead on the photography front.

Re the yankee raptor, it is Red-shouldered Hawk. Unsurprisingly, given the location, of the subspecies extimus which is why it looks quite pale and grey-headed. They can look, and behave, in a rather accipiter-like way which might explain the confusion with a Coop.

Darryl

Cheers Darryl :t:

 

[luke]

As if the Subalp warbler wasn't, a White Stork was seen over Goldcliff pools today! What evers next??

 

[The Valley Walker]

Late Leavers or staying?

Yesterday had a couple of redpolls on the feeders and just noticed M&F Siskin around for breakfast, are they staying perhaps?

 

[Ceeege]

Yay! |:d|

I managed to briefly see the Subalpine Warbler at 6:40 this morning. I thought it had gone after no daytime reports of it yesterday but decided to get down there early and chance my arm after seeing it reported at 8pm last night. It showed for literally 20 seconds in the trees by the raised bench, gave a brief subsong and then headed straight into the copse, not to be seen again.

I've also managed to get a dodgy record shot and I'll post it up here later. We can compare whose is worst!

Bill - my Cuckoo shots were not very good - still not had a chance to play with them yet. Nice to meet you the other day!!!

*EDIT* Added the pic - only one was salvageable. It's not too bad considering the light and how quick and elusive the bird was. You can see what it is anyway|;|

 

[WHIMBREL]

Well done Chris, one tough species to photograph I imagine, you caught the characteristic red rim of the birds eye very nicely. A very pleasing shot of a first for Gwent that certainly merited your early morning efforts to get it.

Now all you need to do is practice your Cuckoo calls ;~)

Best Wishes

 

[mike from ebbw]

Chris thats a brilliant pic mate.I imagine it was pretty tough working with the light at that time of the morning but you pulled it off!

 

[luke]

fantastic Photo Chris!!!! Best so far. Worth keeping the original just in case we are struggling to find a good one for the 09 Gwent bird report. Well done!