Back at the Set-up
OM - 1 + 300mm f4 Pro, 1/400 sec, f5.0, ISO 1000
Yesterday I had my first session at the set-up for a very long time. I’ve still been visiting regularly to keep the feeders topped up, to check the camera trap and keep the place looking as nice as possible. After all the rain we have had, the area is quite squelchy under foot now. The pheasants have worn the grass away around the feeders to leave a rather unattractive mud patch. Even just popping up the hide and moving around in it turned the grass to mud. I hate it, but that’s just how it is at this time of year.
I didn’t get set-up until 11am which meant that because of the low sun and trees still holding on to their leaves, I had missed most of the good light. As a result, I was mostly shooting in the shade. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as it meant that it was easier to control the highlights on the white feathers of the birds. There’s nothing worse than seeing a nice picture of blue tit or great tit with its white cheeks completely over exposed 🤦♂️
The feeders have only recently just started to get busy, which is a result of the drop in temperature and the birds natural food becoming scarcer. The species that I can always rely on were about in good numbers – blue tits and great tits. A flock of long-tailed tits came in twice during the four-hour session. I couldn’t count all of them due to the restrictions of the hide, but I would guess that the flock is around a dozen strong at the moment. Back in January the most I saw together at the feeders was 18, so hopefully this flock will grow.
OM-1 + 300mm f4, 1/640 sec, f/5.0, ISO 1250
Both the male and female great spotted woodpeckers visited their perches and they have become another species that can be relied upon to put in at least one appearance during a session. As it was, the male came in once and the female came in three times during the 4 hours.
What is great about the woodpeckers is that they will quite often let you know they are coming. They usually start calling as they get closer to the area. So I pre-focus my camera on the perch that it will come to first - this is determined by which side of the set-up they are approaching from, the woods on the left, or the woods on the right. The male seems to have his favourite hole on the perch that he usually goes to first, which means I can be ready the instant he lands. I’ve got them reasonably well trained, but of course, there are times when I’m wrong. That’s the great thing about wildlife, it keeps you on your toes!
The resident pheasants spent a lot of time at the set-up, they always do. They get easy food by hoovering up what spills from the feeders. Bob and Mrs Bob (I’m open to suggestions for a name for her) know me well now and I can even feed them by hand. Last Wednesday Mrs Bob actually ran up to me as I was walking down the path to the set-up. I gave her some sunflower hearts and then she followed me the rest of the way down to the set-up! 😍 Both of the above pictures were taken as they were eating the food I had put out for the jays. Needless to say there was nothing left for the jays, especially when the squirrel turned up 😂
Just look at the gorgeous colours in Bob’s feathers!
I am happy with the pictures that I took but wish that I could have got a better picture of the long-tailed tits. I did have three long-tailed tits sat on a perch side by side for a couple of seconds but I couldn’t fit them all in the frame! That shot is at the top of my bucket list. As much as I love my Olympus 300mm f4 Pro, there are times when I really wish it was the 150-400mm f4.5 Pro! The zoom would have made all of the difference. I can but dream…
The best thing about those 4 hours at the set-up was simply being outside, surrounded by nature. I love using my camera and it really has helped me to get in touch with nature. When I’m in nature with my camera it’s pretty much the only time my head is completely clear and I am truly at my happiest. Thank you camera and thank you nature.
