local Marsh Harriers

took some rubbish shots of this pair yesterday; today an absolute gale so nearly didn't bother but light was good and you can never tell -- 7D2 with 300 2.8 and 2x converter -click to see difference in images; at this sort of magnification there is very little room for error with a bird jinking in the gale--- is there any wonder people get the age and sex of Marsh Harriers wrong! I suggest a 3cy male and adult female here

Chiffchaff

colour ringed Reeve

Guess no one recognises this bird -- reeve at Alkborough Flats os late; tibia appear to either pink or faded orange over blue, red on left tarsus and metal on right tarsus -- seems to fit a German scheme but no response so far

Woodlark

once my favourite but but I overdosed on them in the 80's and 90's -- still pretty special though -- Canon 7D2 and 400 5.6 -- nice light weight walk about set up

Cormorant and pike

a rapid catch and swallow

Icelandic Black-tails moulting

some of the Icelandic Black-tails starting to look quite smart

getting the light on the Avocets

you can sit all day and they only fly in the dull bits then just occasionally you get lucky

another pale Common Buzzard

these were all taken against the light and it has enhanced the contrast; sat in a bush at 800m it just looked all white from front on

Marsh Harriers out too late

no lens on the market seems to be able to cut through atmospheric distortion when you have a freezing cold wind and hot sunshine - it was wobble after the first 100m even by 08:00 -- moto get up earlier

just for info

deleted shots but a comparison of the two extremes - male Sparrowhawk mobbing a female Goshawk 

Black-bellied Dipper with 7D2

different