unexpected sunny encounters

at 13:30 on a sunny afternoon didn't expect to come across a foraging Badger, the White Ermine? was flushed by a grazing sheep

feeding Hobbies

Hairy and 4 spot

earlier in the week my first Hire Dragonfly of the spring and a couple of the 100's of Four-spotted Chasers from Thorne

Gib Point oddments

after a torrential downpour that lasted almost 3 hours in the morning Gib produced a few birds and butts -- a Mistle Thrush found the Long-eared Owl for me -Greenland Wheatear, - Green Hairstreaks were abundant in the afternoon, Brown Argus plus Common Blue, Wall Brown and the usual suspects -- 

Black Tern bonanza

thanks to Andy for the tip about this Black Tern on the pits today -- having been to the eye clinic earlier the eyes were still dropped out so focussing was even harder than normal! You soon appreciate just how fast Black Terns fly, how small they actually area and how inadequate camera AF systems are against cluttered backgrounds in dull light and heavy drizzle -- 4 hours later and a few shots -- I settled on a camera / lens system that is light and yet has good quality two years ago now and although I still spend a lot of time swearing at the auto-focus I think the compromise in speed, image quality and file size plus the bonus of excellent high ISO performance, all these are at 1600 to 2500 ISO, are acceptable -- all with Canon 5D4, at 30M Pixels per image lots of room for cropping, superb high dynamic range and high ISO performance plus a good AF system, light weight, small batteries and the Canon 400 DO2 with and without the 1.4x converter, no noticeable image difference with the is converter -- a really easily hand holdable lens at about 2Kg it packs easily for travel and I can carry the combo all day without too much shoulder trouble!