The Dark Room

Thursday 28 December 2017

Hawfinch invasion

I may of arrived late for the party this year in seeing Hawfinch as the invasion started back in October but I did really try and find my own on the patch-but failed....

However this morning at Thorndon CP in my own home county of Essex at least 30 birds showed well, some on the deck which was a real treat as these birds are really shy. Obviously I had the normal view of a bird high in the tree in the distance but most views were excellent even through the bins. One male was about 30 feet away feeding on the ground amongst some Redwings-superb!

After parking up and paying 3 quid to Brentwood council it took just 30 mintues for my first view of a single bird in flight, they are so distinctive with a large white broad wing bar and short tail tipped in white, cracking birds and here them call was the icing on the cake.


In the past I've always visited Lyford Arboretum for my year fix, so it was a real bounus to just drive 20 minutes from the door step. Thorndon Cp is a 500 acre woodland so thanks to Dave Mo, Paulboy and Lee for the info as it was spot on.

Trying to photograph them- that wasn't so easy.....







Sunday 24 December 2017

Head to the Med

Despite the grey overcast conditions at Southend-on-Sea yesterday I used the poor light to my advantage for once. At the end of pier a few Mediterranean Gulls were sitting nicely on the handrails and nice and close to, so I set the camera up to overexpose the image and blow the whites so they bended into the background and up the ISO for a more artistic image.








Both images set at F5.6