Poland- Penduline Tits.

Male Penduline Tit at nest

Male Penduline Tit nest building

Male Penduline Tit

We found a couple of Penduline Tits in the process of building thier nest ,which are a skillfully constructed, pouched shaped affair attached to the outer end of a twig usually hanging over the water, and made mostly of bulrush down, a joy to see.

Two more Polish Peckers

Woodpeckers were often encountered in Poland and although the Grey Headed eluded my lens, nice views were had of both Lesser Spotted  and Wryneck..

Female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

A very confiding Wryneck

A trip to Poland-Black Woodpecker.

Male Black Woodpecker

Male Black woodpecker

Female Black Woodpecker

Just got back from nine days in and around the Biebrza National Park in Poland, in the company of five other members of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust Photo Group, for the annual IFWP  congress.A good time was had along with the chance to see and photograph a range of species rarely seen or not found at home.
This Black Woodpecker at its nest hole was photographed from a hide in the forest,one of the highlights of the trip.

Whooper Swan

This long staying Whooper Swan was photographed at Helston boating lake , but it spent most of the time just sitting around on the path with a rubbish background, so I settled for some close up head shots with the 100-400 mm lens. Well I was here an adult Cormorant came very close, so I managed a couple of shots.

Whooper Swan

Whooper Swan

Cormorant

Common Scoter.

A f-f-freezing cold Easter Monday morning found me down at Swanpool in Falmouth at 8.00 am to see and hopefully get some photographs of the Drake Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra ) which has been here for a few days giving other photographers I know the chance of some super shots. Now envy is a terrible thing and  try as I may I just coud'nt shake off that jealously and just had to go before I became too bitter and twisted, and impossible to live with. Luckily the Scoter was still on site and at times coming very close, even taking most of one of  the sandwiches that my wife so lovingly made for me.

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Common Scoter

  The sun failed to come out to add some light to the photos but you cant have everything. For some shots I lay on my belly to get a low viewpoint with my brand new Canon 500mm f4 IS lens which I,m really happy with. (It would be a bad job if I was'nt at that price!).
To see a Common Scoter this close was a real treat, as my usual views of them are at a distance on a choppy sea.

Cock Pheasant

This Cock Pheasant ( Pickles as we have named him -sad I know ) visits the garden daily giving some great opportunities to get some nice  photographs.

Cock Pheasant

Cock Pheasant

Grebes & Goldeneye

The local Great Crested Grebes & Goldeneye have started to get a bit frisky, this pair of Grebes at Roadford were getting a bit loved up in the late afternoon light, and the drake Goldeneye started displaying allbeit a little too far away ,hence not being able to get sharp enough photos but nice to see anyway.

Great Crested Grebes

Great Crested Grebe courtship.

Displaying Drake Goldeneye

Displaying Drake Goldeneye.