B.Y. 2019. The Tortoise rules!

[PeterHG]

You can show me Puffin pictures like yours all day long! I can see why they are irresistable

[xelas]

Many many thanks, Dave, for those fabulous puffins photos!

[Towlersonsafari]

Bravo!   @Dave Williams

[Kitsafari]

stunning collection of photos, @Dave Williams and I'm all caught up with the BY threads, and so glad I kept yours for the last! I love puffins, so "too many" is still never enough. I hope I get to see at least one in person in the wild one day, soon!

 

 

[Zim Girl]

Completely forgiven and would happily see more!

[Soukous]

Irresistible indeed. 

[Peter Connan]

And another wow from me!

[Dave Williams]

267) Eurasian Jay

Another garden bird shot through the double glazing as they are very timid and fly as soon as you attempt to open a window or even appear behind one..

Eurasian Jay  Garrulus glandarius by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Soukous]

Cracking Jay Grommit.

 

The jay is certainly one of the more attractive of the corvids. I've been trying for ages to get a decent photo of one in our garden. 

[Dave Williams]

Not a new species but an update on growth. The Tawny Owlets (No240)have changed greatly over the past 6 weeks and more recently have been out and about right outside our house. In fact a few nights ago we were stood in a bedroom window and one actually landed on top of the window about 3 feet away from my head! Claire gasped in semi horror not knowing what it was intending but a quick look at us from close distance and it was off again.

This shot was taken nearly two weeks ago and it's also a turning point in my photo gear. I accepted an offer for my 600mm f4 lens yesterday, sending it off with a highly delighted new owner and me accepting that it was a sensible decision to stop carrying more weight than I need to. I'll miss the extra reach on occasion though and I accept I'll probably never own anything quite like it again.

Interesting though, I could still hand hold the lens and this one was taken at 1/100th of a second and is still pretty sharp!

Tawny Owlet by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[TonyQ]

Brilliant - it must be great to see 'your' owls growing up.

I am sure you will miss your 600 lens, but it sounds like a sensible decision - it is a heavy lens!

[Galana]

Great shot of the still downy Tawny Owlet. You will miss your big lens but I am sure your efforts won't suffer overall.

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful shot!

[xelas]

Beautifull "farewell to the gun" shot, @Dave Williams! I have no doubts you will miss the lens, but I also have no doubts that your back will not! 

Now, will you join @PeterHG and will spend all those bucks for a mirrorles system?!

[Dave Williams]

@Xelas No plans at the moment Alex. Keeping an eye out on developments which are coming thick and fast. I still have my 500mm f4 which is very handhold able and I'm more than satisfied with my camera bodies too. I certainly won't be doing anything this year but by selling my most expensive asset while there's still value in it I'm reducing my future losses should I consider switching to another manufacturer. 

Sony and Olympus have done us all a favour in innovating and providing needed competition for Canon and Nikon. 

The recently announced Sony A7r4 and the 200-600 lens look to be a very interesting proposition but I don't see many Sony users posting shots despite the hype that they are the way to go.

[PeterHG]

Great owlet shot with the 600mm @Dave Williams! And handheld at that. It seems like a wise decision to sell it now, while it still has considerable value. Since you have excellent gear left, there's no hurry and you can just wait and see how things are going with the mirrorless systems. I recently sold off all my Canon gear and I'm now fully committed to the Olympus system with all its pros and cons. I must say I felt a little strange and perhaps even difficult to part with the gear that has given me so many great shots, but for me the physical aspect was decisive (and I'm not even talking about a 500 or 600mm ), so I've decided not to look back. I'm sure whatever setup you'll own now or in the future, you are still going to show us excellent photos.

[Soukous]

I'm sorely tempted by some of the mirrorless systems. It is nothing to do with the quality of cameras & lenses just that reducing the weight I travel with (and I don't have anything as heavy as a 600mm f4 or even a 500mm f4) would be a real boon. However, I do like the feel of a large camera body and some of the mirrorless bodies feel just too small for comfort. I'll be playing with them all at Bird Fair next month. We'll see.

[Zim Girl]

Lovely Tawny owlet shot and fantastic that you have them so close to home.

[Towlersonsafari]

Obviously i ma not in your league @Dave Williams @Soukous and @PeterHG when it comes to photography but as an old arthritic now micro four thirds user I am so glad i made the switch-i really enjoy  photography-and my wife has even  stated I am not now the world worst

[Dave Williams]

268) Pied Avocet

In a desperate attempt to move on my score in my Big Photo Year I headed off to Burton Mere RSPB reserve about 40 miles from home. Two new birds for the year but it also made me appreciate how much better the viewing is at Conwy, my local reserve.

Pied Avocet  Recurvirostra avosetta by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

269) Western Marsh Harrier

Yes, it's come to this! August is my least favourite month here in the UK when it comes to birding as so many species seem to have disappeared already. No wonder most wildlife photographers start snapping Butterflies instead.

Western Marsh Harrier   Circus aeruginosus by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Galana]

45 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

Yes, it's come to this!

Indeed. But at least one can see the gender of the Marsh Harrier so hardly an EBC!

[xelas]

On 8/4/2019 at 3:10 PM, Galana said:

But at least one can see the gender of the Marsh Harrier

 

Says The Master; for me it is a very good EBC of a larger brown BIF ?

[Alex Rogers]

What an amazing set of photographs! Incredible to see what can be done - and just beautiful to see the results. Puffins are my favourites too, but you had me hooked from your #1 duck. 

[Dave Williams]

270) Wood Pigeon

They are regulars in the garden, I can't say I welcome them because they make a mess. What kind of animal defecates in the bath??

Wood Pigeon   Columba palumbus by Dave Williams, on Flickr