BWKN0 ....

My second day working from home from 8am until 4pm sat at the computer with only an odd break away for a cuppa or to let Peggy out. During this time in some nice early spring weather I managged to add a few new species to the garden list.

I was a bit disappointed that there was no obvious overhead passage going on, but some of the locals appeared co-operatively.

First thing a Curlew flew south over the garden. This is not an unusual occurrence but by this time most have moved on inland or further north so I was pleased to get this one out of the way.

A Tractor ploughing a strip of the back field was a good sign and I felt sure it would add something like a Lesser black backed or Med Gull but no, only a few Herring Gulls attended but it did flush Skylark and Rook while a Stock Dove landed with 19 Woodpigeons on the fine tilth afterwards.

Around the feeders and garden itself were Song Thrush, Bullfinch, 2 Sparrowhawks, male and female and a Magpie. A loudly honking Greylag flew very low overhead this afternoon bringing my wildfowl list to one.

Bird list now stand at a respectable 33 species for the last few days.
Late edit - 3 Long tailed Tits over the feeders were forgotten and late last night a calling Redwing emigrating back home was pulled in by the light of the moth trap. Revised Total 35

This post is quite photo heavy to give readers an idea of my garden patch at the present time..

Two angles looking out of the kitchen window facing West. This is a good skyline to watch and the farmland is mainly rough grass and mixed. The hill you can see is the Hips Heugh, it is a cliff on the far side and is part of the Whin Sill geology.

The feeders will have a part to play providing I can get the seed! This is Tree Sparrow Tesco...

Another look facing NW. A Barn Owl sometimes hunts right along the wall edging the drive giving great views from inside the house. It hasn't shown yet...

Along the drive to the old pig sty sheds and copse on the N edge of the garden. It pulls in a few migrants mainly in autumn but you never know.

The main East garden. Viewing more resiricted here but is is sheltered and good for insects. That hedge along the wall top has had Barred Warbler.

Another bird table. This only gets a few bits of food for the shy species that dont want to be in the main flock. The sea is approx 300 mtrs that way.

This tractor was ploughing part of the back field but only these few were attracted. Photo from our drive.

Hen Blackie always arrives as I start feeding the birds.

The Bully returned to the cherry tree in a neighbours garden today.

This Magpie cleared the small birds from the feeders briefly.

Starling was late and had to make do with peanuts.

BFTE II

Just when we thought winter had gone out with a bang, it seems to be one of those prog rocking winters with an ending that goes on way beyond the allotted time span.

Yesterday and Today have been about as far from spring as you are likely to get in mid March with 50mph winds, freezing temps and a steady stream of snow blizzards.

Still, I popped out this morning checking the coast at Boulmer and Craster but there werent too many birds about.

At Boulmer, the mere has flooded half the field. A nice Lesser black backed Gull was the only spring arrival here amongst 80+ Curlew, 20+ Golden Plover, 38 Bar tailed Godwits and a Peregrine fly by.

Up at Craster, many hundred of gulls feeding in the frothing surf still failed to turn up any thing out of the ordinary though there were 500+ Black headeds, 50+ Herring, 50+ Common, 6+ Great black backed Gulls and a Kittiwake. A few Gannets ploughed into the wind, moving south, my first of the year.

We found our third dead, emaciated, Song Thrush in the village this morning. Three in about 2 weeks. This one had nothing left on its bones, just a wisp of skin and feather. The sooner 'the beast' is forced back east, the better.

The Swallows will be back in 4 weeks...

Another lesson learned, a day at the harbour.

 Another day, another lens borrowed. This time a kindly loan from Gary Woodburn of his Canon 300mm f4 with 1.4x extender, saw me and John down at Seahouses Harbour giving it the once over.

The light today was pretty useless when we were out, being overcast and quite windy, so the results aren't directly comparable to yesterdays photos, but here are a selection...

Eiders running up the ramp, thinking we had chips.

Is there a finer duck than this? I think not...

Calling and bubbling to females.

Various gulls got the paparazzi treatment.

   

Turnstone

Never has a Skemmie been so photographed! Lets call it a Rock Dove...

A Collared Dove, on a dull day on the north side of some pines with ISO1600.

John took this one of a Rock Pipit admiring its own reflection.

Very good results I think. Take into consideration that it is a new lens to me, the light was poor and these results are after an hour in the field.

So how do I decide what is best for me? Lets go through the pros and cons of each lens, not that there are many cons for either of them. Both are tremendous, and after being used to compact and bridge cameras, I would be very happy to use either of them to the exclusion of all else!

The 400...

Pros.
Compact and lighter than the 300 set up.
A single optic, with very bright images and fast focusing.
Cheaper, slightly, as it doesn't need an extender.
Only one item to buy so its easier to get hold of.

Cons.
My friend Roger has one. He says that he often leaves it at home during the winter as the lack of image stabilising needs better light than a Northumberland winter can provide.
3.5 mtr min focus distance, is ok for birds and mammals but not so good for butterflies etc.


The 300...

Pros.
IS. A boon in dull Northumberland winter light, means faster shutter speeds can be obtained.
Focus down to 1.5 mtrs tested today would enable insect photography.
Extender ups the 'mag' to 430mm.

Cons.
Quite long and heavy with IS and an extender.
Two pieces to buy makes it more expensive.

Summary.
These 'cons' above are nit picking really, but its difficult to choose which one to fork out cash on.
I want a lens to carry in the field when birding, but it has to be used all year round. Despite what people think, I didnt notice any appreciable reduction in quality when using an extender. Certainly not enough to detract from blog photos which is my main use after all.

I think I'll go for the......er.......mmmmmm, now hang on a minute.....

oh shite.

[Many thanks to Gary, Alan, Richard, Roger, John, Ian, Tom and everyone on t'internet for their help and advice.]