So there I am in Holland being shown some of the natural history delights in the Utrecht area by Jeroen. Trouble is the there's no light, rain is threatening and he's sitting in the back, camera ready whilst I do the driving.
Now I'm heavy into Owls at the moment so of we go to see some Long Eared Owls. There they sit all eight of them buried deep in a conifer in the front garden of a semi in the middle of a housing estate in one of the biggest urban areas of Holland. Buried to deep so no images.
Off to see a Bluethroat. Now my companion who knows all about clothing chooses to wear a pair of basketball boots to wander around wetland. By the time we get to the site he's well a truly wet footed. Within ten minutes up pops a male Bluethroat. He gets the picture but I'm unable to locate the b-d through the lens and that's the last we see of it.
OK he says let's go and see some Black Tailed Godwits. Well I drive up to the site when Jeroen shouts stop, switch the engine off ( he doesn't have an image stabiliser) and he gets a nice shot of a Reed Bunting and by the time I've got myself organised it's long gone.
All is not lost. There's a LBJ sitting in front of me and I take a shot. My most interesting shot of the day although not the best one.
By my reckoning it's a female Redstart.
Advice to others who venture to the Netherlands. Get Jeroen to do the driving!
What a day we have had.....
Feel very sorry that we where not able to get some of those Owls etc..
But...i feel even worse to have to tell you i shot about 8 Gigabyte full of that same Bluethroat and 3 of it's friends today....
You did however get this Redstart wich i missed...
Well done and hope we'll have better luck next time you are over!
You cant get any better than being in a vehicle with it all to yourself Paul.
Great story I can relate to and a Black Redstart it is. Small consolation.
Discussion
7 repliesNow I'm heavy into Owls at the moment so of we go to see some Long Eared Owls. There they sit all eight of them buried deep in a conifer in the front garden of a semi in the middle of a housing estate in one of the biggest urban areas of Holland. Buried to deep so no images.
Off to see a Bluethroat. Now my companion who knows all about clothing chooses to wear a pair of basketball boots to wander around wetland. By the time we get to the site he's well a truly wet footed. Within ten minutes up pops a male Bluethroat. He gets the picture but I'm unable to locate the b-d through the lens and that's the last we see of it.
OK he says let's go and see some Black Tailed Godwits. Well I drive up to the site when Jeroen shouts stop, switch the engine off ( he doesn't have an image stabiliser) and he gets a nice shot of a Reed Bunting and by the time I've got myself organised it's long gone.
All is not lost. There's a LBJ sitting in front of me and I take a shot. My most interesting shot of the day although not the best one.
By my reckoning it's a female Redstart.
Advice to others who venture to the Netherlands. Get Jeroen to do the driving!
What a day we have had.....
Feel very sorry that we where not able to get some of those Owls etc..
But...i feel even worse to have to tell you i shot about 8 Gigabyte full of that same Bluethroat and 3 of it's friends today....
You did however get this Redstart wich i missed...
Well done and hope we'll have better luck next time you are over!
Greetings,
Jeroen Stel
Good photo to rescue your day. It is a female Black Redstart rather than Redstart though - and all the better for that!
Cheers
Matthew
Great story I can relate to and a Black Redstart it is. Small consolation.
Major.
Great story Paul, one we can all relate to!
Nice capture of a Black Redstart!
Hopefully the day when everything falls into place is just round the corner!!
Alan