There is always one...

This was on BBC Nature's home page for a little while...

Common Scoter, female

For once, not flying past or distant.  The first half decent image that I have of a Scoter.  A certain well known birder of Bucks insinuated on a micro-blogging social media  site that it wasn't wild.  Pffft.

Cley, post flood.

A few views of variable quality of the Cley area taken this afternoon.  Lots of words already said in many media, but I think that the pictures (not necessarily mine I might add) are more powerful.  If you love this place like we do, try and get out there if you can.

The view from Salthouse Heath

A149 by NOA Watchpoint

The East Bank

Congestion on the A149 

A footbridge that used to be on the reserve

Beach Road, Cley

Unfamiliar view of Cley Mill

Starling on a post...

...a bit better than the previous one.

Starling

Glaucous Gull, Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft 24/11/2013

Grey Phalarope, Salthouse

Sun behind the bird all the time I connected with this a couple of weeks ago. Not the best image of the bird, but sure is the best I could get.  Thoroughly enjoyed bird, and stupidly close.

Another Pied Wagtail

I am aware that I have put a fair few photos of Pied Wagtails up recently, but if that is what is in front of the lens on a daily basis then I'm not complaining.

Testing something...

Brents at sundown

That funny looking bird (below) was with these not so funny looking birds.

Leucistic Brent?

Another day, another set of ropey goose pics...

Here is a funny looking Brent Goose that was at Cley this afternoon.  Leucism?

Grey Phalarope, Salthouse, 08/11/2013

Black Brant, Cley 08/11/2013

Wet Pied Wagtail

Rained all day today, but this one continued to feed so I snatched a couple of shots.

Herring Gull juvenile

More of my Gull photos here

Pied Wagtail

Managed to pull this little critter out of the gloom today...

Wren

I'm not sure if that is it's tongue or the tail end of lunch...

Turnstone head shot

Black-headed Gull.

Pallid Swift, Trimmingham

A couple of ropey pics... [Edited to add a third]

Starling x 2

Was trying to photograph Greenfinches yesterday, which was futile.  This Starling came close enough to make an effort in poor light.

Cormorant

Juvenile Ringed Plover

Haven't put a Ringed Plover up for a while, so here is a juvenile from the late summer.

Wren

Black Redstart

I like the background.  Not sure if I'm entirely happy with the finished image.  Might have another play about with it another day.  Comments welcome.

Is it really a photograph of a wild bird?

The latest issue of a general wildlife magazine that is overseen by a national broadcasting organisation has at least one photograph on the front cover that is not actually of a wild creature.  Noting my specific interest, it may not be that difficult to work out which one it is.  I find this disappointing.  If they are talking about and promoting wildlife, then the pictures that they publish shouldn't be of captive creatures.  This is not a criticism of those that take pictures of captive animals as in general the organisations that allow access, and indeed set up photography days, are honourable in their endeavours. They are also great places to give money to and take pictures.   I just think that photographs of captive animals (alright, birds) shouldn't even be submitted as wild.  A few searches will find plenty of pictures of raptors sitting in fields of lavender and snowdrops etc.  Nice photography, but not wild photography.  I also have my suspicions about award winning  pictures of Barn Owls but perhaps more of that another day.  Basically, anyone that tries to take pictures of birds in the wild knows that it is difficult enough and many of us would like a picture in a magazine but it doesn't help if the magazine doesn't seem that thorough in their choices.

As if to prove the point that it is much easier to capture a half decent photograph of a captive bird, here is a photograph of a captive bird that I have yet to replicate in the wild.  I love the image, but I just couldn't bring myself to pass it off as wild.

Starlings

The first, and not the last, image of Starlings from me this winter...

Another Shag Photo

This bird has a coloured ring on it, but despite flicking through all the images I have it remains ureadable.

Juvenile Shag

I tend not to tell non-birdy types when I see one of these.

Wigeon, Cley

Linnet

Linnets don't seem to like me.  Or rather they don't like me when I have any kind of photographic equipment in my hands.  This is known in bird photographer circles as 'flighty' (the opposite of 'confiding' in litt).

So this post bath individual is the best I've done over the last couple of months.  I aim, as ever to improve!

Wheatear with lunch

Hopefully not my last for the year.  Once this bird ate the bug it sat in the distance, preening.  For at least half an hour. ...

I do like Turnstones

Wren in the undergrowth

Took a lot of pictures of a Wren in the garden yesterday, many of which turned out alright.  This pic, however, is the most representative of the afternoon.

Over the top

Golden Plover

Can't say I was expecting to find this little cracker today, but I tried to make the most of it.

Common Tern

Black Redstart for BPN