Posted by Oscar Dewhurst on December 30, 2012 at 6:15 PM
I hope everyone had a good Christmas.
This will be my last post for the year, so I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year, and thank you for your advice and critique on my images of the last year. If I had one wish for next year, it would be better weather!
On to this image. I heard on Saturday morning that there was a large group of Waxwings in Mill Hill, so I persuaded my Dad to drive me the half an hour to get there. The light was shite though, so we didn't stay long. This morning I went again, and the light was much better, with even some sun! There must have been at least 80 of the birds. They would sit in the taller trees before descending onto three small Rowan (I think) trees for a feeding frenzy. This never lasted long as because we were beside the A1, the big lorries passing by would spook them back up into the taller trees. As well as this, there was a Mistle Thrush that did everything it could to see off the Waxwings once they'd landed in the Rowans.
This was taken when one landed on one of the lowest branches, with lots of other berries in the background.
Please view large, and thanks for looking. C&C welcome.
Oscar
Posted by Barry Southon on December 31, 2012 at 3:26 AM
Oscar
Well worth enduring the traffic for an hour really photogenic species. 80 in a flock sounds good to me. I've been on the same mission only 16 counted but had the same light problem improved yesterday but no birds.
Best wishes for 2013.
Posted by Andy Astbury on December 31, 2012 at 4:55 AM
Can't fault it in any way Oscar - very appealing image, one of the best Waxwing images I've seen in a while - grand job
Posted by David Sewell on December 31, 2012 at 6:31 AM
Good job, Oscar. My only (very minor) criticism is that, as far as I know, rowan berries are always red, so you have some other food source here. I'm sure someone on this site will be able to tell you what they are.
David
Posted by David Taylor on December 31, 2012 at 9:33 AM
Sorry David but there are white berried Rowans and other Sorbus species, this might be Sorbus cashmiriana but it is only an educated guess.
A good description of the Rowan and how it got its name is here.
Discussion
7 repliesThis will be my last post for the year, so I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year, and thank you for your advice and critique on my images of the last year. If I had one wish for next year, it would be better weather!
On to this image. I heard on Saturday morning that there was a large group of Waxwings in Mill Hill, so I persuaded my Dad to drive me the half an hour to get there. The light was shite though, so we didn't stay long. This morning I went again, and the light was much better, with even some sun! There must have been at least 80 of the birds. They would sit in the taller trees before descending onto three small Rowan (I think) trees for a feeding frenzy. This never lasted long as because we were beside the A1, the big lorries passing by would spook them back up into the taller trees. As well as this, there was a Mistle Thrush that did everything it could to see off the Waxwings once they'd landed in the Rowans.
This was taken when one landed on one of the lowest branches, with lots of other berries in the background.
Techs:
Nikon D300s
Nikon 600mm AFS-II
Tripod
F4
1/640s
ISO 500
Please view large, and thanks for looking. C&C welcome.
Oscar
Well worth enduring the traffic for an hour really photogenic species. 80 in a flock sounds good to me. I've been on the same mission only 16 counted but had the same light problem improved yesterday but no birds.
Best wishes for 2013.
David
A good description of the Rowan and how it got its name is here.
http://hedgerowmobile.com/rowan.html
Great timing Oscar, an excellent image.
Happy New Year
David
All the best for 2013 Oscar!
Nick.