Birds at Kew Gardens

I took advantage of a sunny afternoon when I arrived in Richmond to give a  talk toRichmond and Twickenham club in the evening and visited Kew Gardens. First some birds around the Lake. Coots as always were the dominant bird chasing off all other species including the Canada Geese. The reflection of the sky and trees on the water added to the fun for the afternoon. Flowers and general scenes to follow.

Hardwick Wood Spring Flowers

This year all the woodland flowers are out at the same time rather than the usual succession. I used my lightweight Fuji Macro kit of 50mm Zeiss macro and the 10-24mm wide angle. Need more practice getting the focus right but happy with some. It was a bright sunny morning and therefore lots of light and shade which the contrasty Zeiss lens accentuates while the 10-24mm lens works well with a wider contrast range, Here more and less contrasty images displayed as pairs. The Oxlips (image 5,6) are only just coming out and appear very thin stemmed so far.

Maldon Essex 2.Boats

The afternoon was spent on Thames Barge Kitty - a percentage of it attempting to get away from the Quay at Maldon as the incoming tide and strong wind took us back to the Quay many times before we eventually got away. The other boats including Hydrogen had similar problems. It was a very High tide as shown by the beach huts! Lots to photograph for participants, up, forward and down 

Maldon Essex 1.Birds

First a few birds from our RPS/CCC trip to Maldon today. I spent the morning walking along the estuary bank and enjoying the summer plumage of the Black-tailed Godwits together with various other species in tip-top plumage for the breeding season. Not as many large flocks of waders and Brent Geese as a visit in 2014 on a similar date (http://pin-sharp.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/blackwater-birds.html) but plenty to test the accuracy of my Fuji long lens.

Paxton Pits

A short visit to Paxton Pits this morning with fairly poor light but good to photograph two of the smaller birds on the reserve - the Treecreeper and Goldcrest. Nightingales had been heard on the 5th april but were silent today.

 

Wicken Fen

I used Phil's 400mm lens for a few shots at Wicken Fen of some very obliging Roe Deer, Little and Great Crested Grebes and a singing Chiffchaff. We think the last is a willow Warbler photographed on out lawn in Toft