Hampshire (UK) Hogs group & groupies ensemble

Madweasel wrote in post #11168414
Good shots at range Lester, especially the chiffchaff. I didn't even know we had spoonbills in UK - are they wild?

Thanks Mark, all are cropped, about half the 7D frame, the Chifchaff is a bit less cropped though. We were just walking around, so handheld.

First time I have see Spoonbills, but they are in the book http://www.rspb.org.uk …me/s/spoonbill/​index.aspx

Good work Lester - nice white balance on the egret.
I heard we have spoonbills down the west country before.
Here apparently we've been inundated with "twitchers" looking for a red flanked bluetail.
I'm hoping it may still be here & we have decent weather on thursday afternoon - would be fantastic to get a shot of it.

Pompey News link to article

http://www.portsmouth.​co.uk …-causes-a-flap.6598763.jp

Nice variety of birds nonetheless, looks like you could use some more length in the lens armoury department, mind you couldn't we all. Now shall I add that Sigma 300-800 to my Christmas List

Thanks folks.

Of course working with big lenses is a completely different ball game in terms of portability, couldn't use it whilst on a stroll with wife.

Anyway I'd have to get a proper job again to aford it.

I find photography with the wife isn't such a great idea in any case, complains that I keep stopping

artyman wrote in post #11173096
I find photography with the wife isn't such a great idea in any case, complains that I keep stopping

I know this issue - biggest problem is she is cold despite me being hot and she is wrapped up .

But she is an excellent bird and bug spotter and very handy photographic assistant (*hold this lens a mo" or "can you just hold the reflector there", very long suffering, decorative too)

We try and combine photography and time together at the moment, else we would have little out time as a couple.

The only thing this is really not practical for is high magnification macro with the MP-E as you tend to spend an hour in a 1 square metre area.

PS I hope she doesn't spot this post

Ok how much are you going to pay for my silence

Hmm, a degree of commercial awareness I detect.

Hark at you two.


I think the bluetail must have gone now, as I visited the site yesterday (nice & sunny) & not a twitcher in sight - or many birds for that matter!

Saw this guy when I went to London last week, severe crop from by 350D with the 17-55 kit lens, shows how much cleaner the Thames must be these days if this guy was about.

I spent a couple of hours this morning struggling to get some stock images of the arch "folly" currently in the Salisbury Concil office gardens but originally from The Cathedral grounds (fotolibre is asking, if any of you want to have a crack at it) without any masterpiece emerging. I was trying to get some of the autumn colour.

Just as I was packing up, this little bundle popped up. Shot at 400mm and a 1.4x converter, the AF hunted a fair bit, but these two seem OK-ish.

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Nice captures, the first looks a tad soft, slight camera shake perhaps.

Maybe, I've had a good look at the original full res images of both and both seem OK. I did certainly miss on another couple and he/she moved on another. Possibly the downsizing for posting that has knocked it back? I'm working without a tripod at the moment as Castle Cameras have been unable to come up with the one I ordered 4 weeks ago. It doesnt help!

I've just spent all evening on one image of that damned arch. At least I now have a better idea of whats involved, but whether I can get a good sky and the autumn colours before the winds blow them all away, who knows.

Bitterne is doing another run tomorrow morning, this time down to Exeter. She is due into Salisbury station (platform 4) at 1107 and departing for Warminster/Westbury at 1120.

Steam Dreams would have us believe Bitterne would steam as far as Yeovil, but the timetable I've just seen takes her the wrong direction, unless after Westbury she cuts back, but even then Yeovil is not mentioned.

I hope to try another spot on the Wilton-Warminster track.