africapurohit's big year

[africapurohit]

I am now a fully converted birder since my last trip to Africa. I've been doing a lot UK birding this year, particularly in my garden, so I will try to add as much as I can. I'll start with the most impressive visitor to my garden - a Green Woodpecker. I had to take this photo from inside my house, through a double-glazed window, as this bird is easily spooked.

 

[Kitsafari]

that double glazed window sure didn't dull the beauty of the bird!

[africapurohit]

Fortunately it was one area of the windows that was free of children's fingerprints! I still had to increase the contrast in Photoshop to correct the photo.

[africapurohit]

Lots of Puffins from last month's visits to the Farne Islands, including the get-together with fellow Safaritalkers.........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[africapurohit]

Another new and surprising visitor to my garden - a male Lesser Spotted Woodpecker peeking over the fence. Despite being an insect eater, he seems to be attracted to the fat balls in one of the feeders. The photo was taken through the kitchen window.

 

[twaffle]

Love those puffins especially

[africapurohit]

Actually I think that last photo is a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

[africapurohit]

Here are some more photos of the new visitor to my garden and confirmation that it is a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker. My main feeding station is a large tree branch planted in the ground. The birds seem to love it as it provides lots of natural perches, it's easy to hang feeders off it and the young woodpecker seems to find some security in it. This woodpecker now favours the suet pellets (with added insects) and one photo shows it defending the feeder against a juvenile starling.

 

All of these photos were taken in my back garden through a closed kitchen window, but I'm slowly mastering the art of shooting through double glazing. The morning light (coming from the front of the house) and losing the lens hood definitely helped! The camera setup was a 300mm f2.8L II with a 2 x teleconverter on a 5D Mark iii.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

fabulous woodpeckers and what a difference a bit of sunshine makes to puffin photos. V envious.

[Tom Kellie]

~ @africapurohit:

 

What stunning bird photos!

Your lens and extender do wonders.

I use its ‘big brother’, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II, which is the mainstay of my safari photography.

Yet none of my bird photos even remotely are as finely composed and aesthetically pleasing as yours!

Thank you for posting them.

Tom K.