Peter's third attempt

[PeterHG]

210. Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Utrecht, Netherlands. Fairly common around here, but always a nice find.

 

[Galana]

8 hours ago, PeterHG said:

201 / Nam 183. Red-billed Hornbill. Feb. Waterberg. 

Just to be clear and so you can count others you may find are you saying this is Damara Hornbill damarensis or S.Red rufirostris?

I would hate for you to miss one!!

[PeterHG]

36 minutes ago, Galana said:

Just to be clear and so you can count others you may find are you saying this is Damara Hornbill damarensis or S.Red rufirostris?

I would hate for you to miss one!!

A Damara Hornbill! Strangely enough the thought never crossed my mind... In retrospect another lifer; you deserve a medal, thank you!

[Galana]

2 hours ago, PeterHG said:

Strangely enough the thought never crossed my mind.

Remember this when in The Gambia later this year and have another lifer on me!

You can hand me the medal when I pass through The Netherlands in September. You cannot miss me. I will be the only driver on the A ways between Europoort and Venlo wearing Binoculars.

[lmSA84]

Great update from the Netherlands. I’ve never seen any of them or even heard of three of them

[Kitsafari]

that violet starling is a stunner!

[michael-ibk]

Congratulations on #200, Peter, you have too many fantastic shots to single out stuff. Remarkable quality, really something to aspire to. Just wow for the Pel´s and all the Bee-Eaters. Especially jealous about your Black Woodpecker, a nemesis bird of mine. Seen them a couple of times but never ever in a position to even try for a photo. The Parrot Crossbills are also a very cool find.

[PeterHG]

Thanks @lmSA84 and @Kitsafari.. I’ve been away from the forum for a little while and then, when I tried ro return, the forum got away from me...;). 

Thanks also @michael-ibk. Namibia was such a geat country for photography and I nust loved the Bee-eaters. I do hope you’ll get your Black Woodpecker, but it too me a long tome, too...

[PeterHG]

211. Sedge Warbler. April, Utrecht. They are among the first to return to the reedbeds and their songs and song flights, where they parachute down after a few seconds' flight are always a true sign that spring has returned. I can never resist the annual challenge of catching them in their short flight. The rise and descend so quickly that most of  the times I fail to get my lens on them at all, but every now and then I succeed.

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2018 by PeterHG

[PeterHG]

212. Barn Swallow. April,  Utrecht. The Swallows are back too, if course. They returned from Africa after I did..

 

 

[Zim Girl]

Wow, @PeterHG - wonderful pictures, how do you even begin to capture a bird that small in flight? 

[PeterHG]

213. House Martin. April, Utrecht.

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Followed a little later by: 214. Common Swift. April, Utrecht.

 

[PeterHG]

215. Common Cuckoo. April, Utrecht.

 

[PeterHG]

216. Ruff. April, Utrecht. Unfortunately this beautiful bird no longer breeds in our country (well, very, very, rarely anyway) and that is a great loss. They can still be seen in fairly large numbers when they migrate, fortunately. And they do show the spectacular breeding plumage in late spring.

 

[PeterHG]

217. Yellow Wagtail. April, Utrecht.

 

 

[PeterHG]

218. Savi's Warbler. April, Utrecht. Unmistakable song, of course, but I've never been able to be close enough for a good shot.

 

[PeterHG]

219. Willow Warbler. April, Utrecht. Gathering nesting material.

 

[PeterHG]

Gadwall. April Utrecht. Already in the count, but this flight shot shows that in breeding plumage it has a lot more colour than in its the greyish winter outfit. Also the distinctive white speculum (always a sure sign it is a gadwall) shows clearly here.

 

[PeterHG]

220. Tufted Duck. April, Utrecht. Black and white is too simple a description for its appearance.

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2018 by PeterHG

[PeterHG]

22 minutes ago, Zim Girl said:

Wow, @PeterHG - wonderful pictures, how do you even begin to capture a bird that small in flight? 

Thanks, @Zim Girl! Mainly by keeping the few that were successful and throwing away the lot that weren't..;) Seriously though, if you take the time to stay with a singing bird you learn which cane it usually returns to and what is its most common flight pattern. As it always starts its flight into the wind you should not be facing the wind, or you'll only take shots of its back. And then, of course, the position of the sun is also important. It takes the right conditions and some patience, but it's worth it. A fast lens/camera helps a lot obviously...

[Galana]

1 minute ago, PeterHG said:

A fast lens/camera helps a lot obviously...

And faster reactions of the cameraman.

What a great collection you have posted.

And I too was impressed by your description of the Sedge Warblers display flight as well as the actual photo!

I never knew that and have certainly never seen it. Thanks!

[Zim Girl]

Thanks Peter, and as much as I would like to put those instructions into practice, I think I will have to stick to trying to just find them sitting on the branch (which is hard enough).

[TonyQ]

Excellent photos- you do take superb in flight shots. The Gadwall shows beautiful colouration that I have not seen before.

[Peter Connan]

Excellent in-flight shots. The Gadwall is a real beauty!