PeterHG's BY in whatever form it will take.

[PeterHG]

We'll see how this year evolves and whether or not I'm going to include all the doves and pigeons again. It's just so much fun travelling with many of you again and (re)visiting birds from all over the world. A pair of temporary glasses have solved the vision problems for the moment, so we'll be heading for Thailand in 10 days' time. A first-time visit, so I'm looking forward to see a lot of unfamiliar birds and a fair number of lifers. But let's start closer to home. At last some sunshine, so an opportunity to take a walk in my usual spot. Looking back to last year, I realized I'm starting with more or less the same species as in 2023. I still like them, though....

 

01. Eurasian Curlew. Arkemheen, January. We don't see them in summer, but in winter and autumn the can be quite common.

 

02. Barnacle Goose. Arkemheen, January. Hundreds of them among the Greylags

 

03. Greater White-fronted Goose. Arkemheen, January. Also present in large numbers. I often hear their disinctive call in the town where I live, even when they're so high up I can hardly see them.

 

When suddenly every duck and goose takes to the air, it's a sure sign danger is approaching. I was too slow to see them when they were flying towards me, so all I could manage were some butt shots. But impressive they were.

04. White-tailed Eagle. Arkemheen, January.

 

[PeterHG]

05. Common Goldeneye. Arkemheen, January. Always a few to be found in winter

 

06. Goosander. Arkemheen, January. The males kept their distance, but also this femaile is not to be ignored.

 

07. Smew. Arkemheen, January. Definitely one of my favourite winter visitors. Usually quite shy, but not this time.

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

Great start Peter and why not with the same species as last year and glad you will be heading for Thailand soon !

[TonyQ]

Great start!

I am pleased you will be able to go to Thailand. Have a great time

[Kitsafari]

I agree with you the handsome male Smew would be a favourite too. Glad your eye issues are temporarily addressed and pleased to hear you're coming to my side of the world. Hopefully you are going to pak thale area or at least to the salt pans - the critically endangered Spoonbill sandpiper may be seen there. I'll be 1001% jealous if you do see it. i've dipped on that twice.  

[xelas]

As expected, Peter started with a some great birds in flight photos. And before the winter ends, we will be treated to a number of Thai birds, with many bulbuls among them, I hope.

[Soukous]

18 hours ago, PeterHG said:

A pair of temporary glasses have solved the vision problems for the moment,

 

good to hear Peter. The great thing about modern cameras is that they will achieve focus, even if you can't. 

 

[PeterHG]

14 hours ago, BRACQUENE said:

glad you will be heading for Thailand soon !

Thank you. So are we!

 

13 hours ago, TonyQ said:

I am pleased you will be able to go to Thailand. Have a great time

Thanks, Tony. We're really looking forward to that!

 

10 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

the critically endangered Spoonbill sandpiper may be seen there. I'll be 1001% jealous if you do see it. i've dipped on that twice.  

We do plan to visit Pak Thale and of course it would be great to see such a rare bird. I'm sorry you missed it, but perhaps you'll get another chance....

 

2 hours ago, xelas said:

with many bulbuls among them, I hope.

I realize that, after your great effort, the bulbul presssure is high.

 

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

The great thing about modern cameras is that they will achieve focus, even if you can't.

That's very true, Martin. The photos of the geese and the eagle were taken before I had my replacement glasses. I was surprised to find  that there had been two eagles indeed. 

[Zim Girl]

Love the pictures of the Smew, that's a duck I have never seen.

So pleased you are able to go to Thailand.

[Peter Connan]

What a great start to the year Peter, especially the glasses!

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Peter Connan

 

08. Great Cormorant. Arkemheen, January. Very common in the area.

 

Like @BRACQUENE it took me quite a while to catch this beautiful bird last year, but due to the fact that a lot of the ditches and canals were frozen over, the kingfisher was limited to some open water near the locks to find some food. An unexpected, but very welcome encounter!

09. Common Kingfisher. Arkemheen, January.

 

I even managed a flight shot, but the quay got in the way.... 

 

[BRACQUENE]

Glad you found him also Peter and a very nice one !

[JimS]

6 hours ago, PeterHG said:

08. Great Cormorant. Arkemheen, January. Very common in the area.

 

A majestic pose there, very nice, as is the kingfisher.

[pedro maia]

Glad to see you´re solving your eye issues Peter, have a nice trip to Thailand, looking forward to see what you´ll bring from there.

[PeterHG]

Thank you @BRACQUENE @JimSand @pedro maia!

 

Just a few more from my favourite area:

 

10. European Golden Plover, Arkemheen, January. Usually they would only pass here in autumn and spring, but over the last few years small groups have stayed for the winter. Among them were two or three smaller waders (here is one in flight) that I might as well count now:

11. Dunlin, Arkemheen, January.

 

 

12. Western Great Egret. Arkemheen, January. In winter they are very common in the area.

 

Perhaps even more numerous than its cousin

13. Grey Heron. Arkemheen, January. In a few months' time, though, the egrets will have departed for their nesting grounds. 

 

And a duplicate, but I can never resist a flyby.... These were all taken with the OM-1 with the 1.4 converter attached, so 420mm (840mm full frame equivalent). This one was ata shutter speed of 1/2000 

 

[PeterHG]

I don't usually go into photographic details of the photos as this is primarily a birding thread, but since @xelasrecently experimented with digital converters I thought it might be nice to add the converter info as well. For the last few I not only had the 2.0 converter attached, but also applied the digital teleconverter, just like Alex tried. So 300 + 2.0 + 2.0 teleconverter makes for 1200 mm (2400mm full frame equivalent.). 

 

14: Eurasian Wigeon. Arkemheen, January.

 

 

And let's try a bird in flight with this set-up......

 

15. Tufted Duck. Arkemheen, January. Well, almost impossible to keep it in the viewfinder, but here it is. I won't be using this often as I still prefer to shoot in raw and then crop if necessary, but it was fun to try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

14 hours ago, PeterHG said:

So 300 + 2.0 + 2.0 teleconverter makes for 1200 mm (2400mm full frame equivalent.)

And I presume it was handheld?! Good enough results for me. Specially if there is a lifer in the sight!

[michael-ibk]

Very glad to hear that Thailand is a go, Peter, hooray! Have a great time over there, I'm looking forward to see what you'll find. Cracking shots to start your new year, especially like the Smew and the Kingfisher. 

[PeterHG]

21 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Very glad to hear that Thailand is a go, Peter, hooray! Have a great time over there, I'm looking forward to see what you'll find. Cracking shots to start your new year, especially like the Smew and the Kingfisher. 

Thank you, Michael, we are really looking forward to the trip!

[PeterHG]

Just two more, before we board the plane east tonight. I missed both last year.

 

16. Short-toed Treecreeper. Amersfoort, January

 

17. Goldcrest. Leusden, January

Edited January 22 by PeterHG

[xelas]

Enjoy the sun and the birds of Thailand! Have a safe trip there and back.

[Soukous]

terrific parting shots. I'd love a Treecreeper

[michael-ibk]

Excellent shots of two difficult tiny birds!

[Peter Connan]

Great photos.

 

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

[BRACQUENE]

Enjoy your Thailand trip Peter !