Sunday 14 November 2010

Is this the best I can get?

A decision to shoot over to Sheffield this morning would have possibly been so much more rewarding had I not stayed in bed for fifteen minutes after the alarm had gone off.

Had I arrived at Sheffield 15 minutes earlier I would have seen no less than two dozen Waxwings, but instead there were a lot less and unfortunately for me they became very camera shy and shot off into the distance about ten minutes after I arrived.

I did manage to get two slightly different shots of the same bird, but they are merely record shots.



and,


I spent a further hour driving around other locations that they have been seen in Sheffield with no luck.
Just before I left the original site I saw and captured this female Bullfinch, very sweet.




 I was disappointed, but the Waxwings I saw bring my yearly total of different birds seen to 160, so far. My best ever year, and despite what Mr Grady and Mr Smith might say I am not a ticker, or lister. I have not shot over to Manchester for the Grebe, or to Hatfield Moor for the Rough legged Buzzard, or to any other nearby sightings such as the Great Grey Shrike. I merely record what I see. Travelling to Sheffield was a lot less than a trip to Slimbridge from Ross on Wye when I lived there, I merely wanted photographs of these beautiful birds.

I still have a couple of more targets but unless I'm very lucky they will probably remain just that, targets. (Barn Owl and Pink footed Geese).

I cannot believe how many Waxwings are being seen across the country, I am hopeful that they will call in somewhere in Barnsley, My sister saw at least 3 from our back door in the garden a fortnight ago, and tomorrow I am going to walk along a public footpath near Old Moor RSPB reserve that has a number of Rowan trees along its length. Wish me luck.

1 comment:

Bob Bushell said...

Your luck is with you, lovely shots of Waxwings, though I do love the Bullfinch.