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Some pictures I took recently
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Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭
Join Date:Posts: 2995
Even when I go with groups it takes me a while to see them, when others spot them more quickly.Capercaille wrote: »The wader flocks will often get flushed when a raptor is around, especially with peregrine.
I think when looking for raptors, the best rule of thumb is to know that the prey species will see them first - so if you notice songbirds making themselves scarce, or waders etc flocking and moving very quickly, or crows seemingly following a bird in the sky, it's likely there's a raptor around!
Then you have to decide what raptor is most likely given the habitat you're in - if you're in a park like Stevens Green, or in your garden, then it's probably a Sparrowhawk - they'll fly in low, so take a quick scan at around head-height near any treelines it could have suddenly appeared from. After that check the sky, and any trees or fenceposts.
For something like a Peregrine - if you're at a wetland site in winter, or a seabird colony in summer, look up! They won't be chasing anything too close to the ground until the very end of their hunt, so look for something thats high in the sky.
Harriers and Short-Eared Owls like to hunt low to the ground along rough grassland, lakeshores and reedbeds - so if you're in those habitats, you want to be scanning a couple of feet along those linear features.
From my experience, Merlin tend to keep low and Kestrels high - but not as high as a Peregrine. Merlin, like Sparrowhawks etc are hoping to 'surprise' a small bird close to the ground and get a kill. Kestrels obviously want some distance from the ground so that they can scan it for rodents. Kestrels can be in most habitats, but if they're hunting will probably stick around in the area a bit longer than other BOPs. Buzzards probably hunt at a similar heigh to Kestrels, and fairly similar habitat, and will probably hang around a bit longer than the BOPs that exclusively hunt birds. Merlin, in winter, use similar habitat to HH and SEO.
So what BOPs are likely to be in the habitat you're in? Where in the sky (high, close to ground) or in the area (hunting along reedbeds etc.) is that BOP likely to be? And of course the other birds (i.e. prey species) will tend to sound the alarm in one way or another that there's a BOP in the area in the first place!
And the golden rule - spend as much time in the field, with your binoculars, as possible!
Experience is everything! 0 -
Souther Right Whale, Puerto Madryn - Argentinian Patagonia. Amazing place.
Right Whale by obrano, on Flickr 0 -
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You're so lucky to get a shot of one at all!:)
I know keps has got some great shots of Kingfishers in recent months too.
I've several ambitions this year and one is to get a half decent shot of one of these guys.I was walking along the canal yesterday and saw that unmistakable flash of blue brilliance dart along the bank,so at least I now know where I'll find one - it's a start!
By the way,is that an intentionally placed branch it's perched upon?0 -
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The Kingfisher and I
As Bonedigger mentioned I managed to get a few decent Kingfisher photos during 2014- and the background to that is a bit strange.
As most people here- especially OpenYour Eyes will realise, I know very little about birds !
But I got to learn a bit more about our feathered friends in 2014 – and not totally by my own choice.
In late 2013(aged 60), I went for a standard medical check-up to the VHI clinic in Harcourt St.
I had never felt better and was just back from 10 days climbing/ photographing holiday trip in Slovakia- so I was dumbfounded when the VHI doctor halted the medical halfway through while holding a stethoscope to my chest – and said I needed to be referred to a cardiologist immediately.
I was with a cardiologist within 48 hours and folllowing several not so pleasant tests in Dec 2013/January 2014 ,that cardiologist told me I had a genetic and serious Mitral Valve issue –which needed to be operated on( by open heart surgery) sooner or later( I could chose to postpone surgery for a few years as it was not life threatening- but delays could possibly result in heart damage).
Following a lot of consultation and worrying, I decided to get the operation over and done with as soon as possible.
I took that decision in February and a date for the operation was set initially for March- and then shoved back to April( with emergency cases taking precedence) .
The one mantra the Cardiologist kept repeating during the pre-op period was ‘Plenty Exercise’ .
And so in February of 2014 I started walking along the Liffey in Lucan Demesne most days with my camera and during that time occasionally spotted this blue flash ‘flying’ by and became intrigued by it!
The Kingfisher!
Could I photograph it? And thereby hangs the tale.
I have been a long time contributor to the Random Photo thread ( where I had seen and been intrigued by Bernard's kingfisher photos)– but must say that finding this thread from first going onto the Bird ID thread (thanks OpenYourEyes) was a special bonus this year!
BTW I am 100% fully fit again- and did 140k walk on the Camino route which involved going over the Pyrenees in September 2014
Anyway this has given me the idea to put together some of my favourite photos from Lucan Demesne from Feb 2014 to the end of the year( you will notice a 10 week gap due to operational issues) which I will do over the next few days.
Hope you all have a good 2015:)
Brian
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Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭ Join Date:Posts: 2995
Mod Note:
We have our 'Nature picture of the month' thread back up and running: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057260006
Octobers picture was a gorgeous Wheatear, taken by Bonedigger!
I'll be adding November, December and Januarys pictures over the coming days so keep an eye on the thread!
Apologies for the delay with updating that thread - it'll be business as usual once we catch up!0 -
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