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A walk around the oysterbeds, Hayling Island

PeterD-2009PeterD-2009 Registered Users Posts: 618 Major grins
edited February 4, 2011 in Wildlife
It was a very cold day, +1C with a sharp, biting easterly wind that pushed the temperature down to about -5C. I wrapped up well and took a walk around the Oysterbed site. > http://www.imageinuk.com/Landscapes/Nature-Reserves/The-Oysterbeds/14084085_2bd5Y

The E5 is a metal bodied camera and it was so cold that the heat was sucked out from my hands. Leather gloves were the order of the day.

I enjoyed the walk and I shall share some of the birds that I saw.

The Kestrel

When I arrived on site, I saw the Kestrel in the field that seperates the Hayling Billy Trail (named after a long gone railway alignment on which the trail is built) and the Oysterbeds.

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The bird was resting between hunting. Still very much alert though to what was around it.

Feeling the need for more food, the Kestrel took off again and used the headwind to allow it to hover over an area it had seen movement.

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I watched it hunting for several minutes then it was off, flying away from me and diving like a stone.
I followed it to see if it had caught prey and sure enough, it had caught a rodent which it took to a tree-top.

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Disturbed on seeing me approach, it took off again carrying the rodent, to a quiet spot to feed.

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The Blue and Long-tailed tits <hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> Walking along the Hayling Billy Trail, a mixed flock of Blue and long tailed tits were foraging in the shrubbery. At this time of the year, it is quite normal for this mixture of birds to be hunting together. They move very swiftly from branch to branch and it can be quite a challenge to capture images of them.

Long-tailed Tit

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Blue Tit

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At the lagoon <hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> Brent Goose

The lagoon area at the oysterbeds was relatively quiet as it was still low tide in the harbour. A group of four Brent geese were swimming in the lagoon. One of which is in the image below.

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Oystercatchers

I woke this bird from its slumbers on the sheltered side of South Island in the Oysterbed lagoon.

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Comments etc welcome as always.

Thanks for viewing

Comments

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    HarrybHarryb Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 22,708 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2011
    Looks like you had a productive day. Congrats on the kestrel captures.
    Harry
    http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
    How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
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    PeterD-2009PeterD-2009 Registered Users Posts: 618 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2011
    Harryb wrote: »
    Looks like you had a productive day. Congrats on the kestrel captures.

    Thanks Harry.
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    LindiweLindiwe Registered Users Posts: 606 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2011
    Very nice series there!
    That first image of the kestrel is a real winner. thumb.gif
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    PeterD-2009PeterD-2009 Registered Users Posts: 618 Major grins
    edited February 2, 2011
    Lindiwe wrote: »
    Very nice series there!
    That first image of the kestrel is a real winner. thumb.gif

    Thank you for your kind comments.
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    Osprey WhispererOsprey Whisperer Registered Users Posts: 3,803 Major grins
    edited February 4, 2011
    Quite the variety of birds. You seem to have had a productive shoot. Might suggest googling " composition rules". Might help improve visual impact of your shots.
    Mike McCarthy

    "Osprey Whisperer"

    OspreyWhisperer.com
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    PeterD-2009PeterD-2009 Registered Users Posts: 618 Major grins
    edited February 4, 2011
    Quite the variety of birds. You seem to have had a productive shoot. Might suggest googling " composition rules". Might help improve visual impact of your shots.

    Thank you for your reply Mike and also your suggestionthumb.gif. I have read through the short but interesting article. I shall have a look at my images again and see if I can improve the composition.
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    Dennis KaczorDennis Kaczor Registered Users Posts: 2,413 Major grins
    edited February 4, 2011
    Nice productive day, and my picks are 1 and 2. Nice cparures.
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    PeterD-2009PeterD-2009 Registered Users Posts: 618 Major grins
    edited February 4, 2011
    Nice productive day, and my picks are 1 and 2. Nice cparures.

    Thank you Dennis
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