When you take up wildlife photography there are certain bird species you want to photograph. Hoopoes are on most people’s lists, if hard to get in the UK. Bitterns are another and one, I’ve only photographed twice and not particularly well. Another is the bearded tit or reedling. I had seen them at Rainham before over 3 years ago and since then, other than a glimpse of some flying past and some captive ones at Pensthorpe, I hadn’t even seen, let alone photographed them. So when a few of my local wildlife photographer friends told me that Rainham had a cooperative pair (with nice photos to prove it!) I decided a visit was in order and with the good weather today I headed down there. It took until lunchtime for them to appear so I ordered lunch, ran down and saw them, but they were in the reeds. I then got a call to tell me lunch had arrived and I had to run back. I ate my lunch quickly and as I headed back they flew towards me along the ditch. And I got a few shots…..
Not the best shots ever, but I certainly think they were worth the wait to get!
But bearded tits were not the only photography duck I broke today. I have seen stonechats at Rainham and other reserves many times, but they never came close enough. But today a combination of the good weather, the slightly longer reach given by my Pentax DA*300mm and Pentax 1.7x convertor and most importantly, a cooperative stonchat, I finally got some shots I’m happy with.
I also got some nice reed bunting shots too.
Funny thing is over an hour into my visit having walked around most of the reserve I was starting to think these shots of displaying canada geese were all I was going to get.
Not a bad day out in the sunshine!
All shots taken with Pentax K5, Pentax DA*300mm and Pentax 1.7x convertor
Fabulous shots…I am so envious….
Glad you managed to get there Neil and see them. Some great shots – love the Stonechats. Lens combo seems to be working a treat!
Dave