With their gorgeous emerald green heads, surely male Mallard ducks must have more than a hint of the Irish about them.  That’s how they sound to me with their cheeky yet chivalrous lovely duck ways. 

In line with equipping ourselves for our retirement hobby hubby treated me to a new lens recently.  One we had lusted after for quite some time and then we just thought, you know what, you can’t take it with you, so we bought it.  When it arrived we both just stared at the box, looked at each other and I managed to say, ‘what have we done?!’ and hubby replied with something along the lines of ‘I know’ and then we managed to quickly get over the shock of what we had done and ripped the box open, carefully of course.

We took the lens out a few times and I loved the reach the lens was getting but was just a little bit grumpy about the focus, but kept thinking it was user error.  Then I managed to photograph the Goldcrest a few days ago and noticed that the lens was not quite in focus. Thanks for all the lovely comments btw, it was amazing to get that shot and I wouldn’t expect you to notice and at the time I still thought it was me, but the niggle in the back of my mind was getting louder.  One of my photography club said, its not quite in focus you know… and I thought I do know.

So I bought a piece of equipment to see where the lens was actually focussing. After much trial and error we think (we will need to test it again to make sure) the lens was front focussing by 12 points, which is considerable.  So we adjusted the lens, Nikon have this all set up in the camera, its not a problem and took the lens out again this evening about 4.00 p.m.

So as usual the light is fading and these are taken some distance away from the birds but even then with a tight crop I think you can see the difference – well I can.. Oyster Catcher, this one is just a small dot in the middle of the photo, so enlarged considerably. A great Crested Grebe.

And the light is started to fade so the ISO is starting to ramp up.

I can see the details though and am so much happier.

https://flic.kr/p/SDDydY

My first Goldcrest, the smallest of European birds, even smaller than a Wren!

I am so pleased to have got this shot as they are very fast, by the time one has focussed they have flitted away.

At the moment my days seem to be spent completely embraced in all things photographic. Today I just started a ten week course from the Open University/Royal Photographic Society on Digital Photography.  Yesterday I spent the day with my photography club doing Street photography so today has been spent processing a couple of images and starting my Open University course.  One of my fellow photographers very kindly sent me some information on his work flow in Lightroom, so I must read through all that as I desperately need to improve my system and he has kindly taken the time to write down 35 of the great and good photographers.  I am so happy he went to that trouble.  I have lots of homework to do now, as I will research them and make up an A3 book with them and their photographs, shades of sticking and gluing at college.  Sometimes the old fashioned ways of learning are the best, well they are for me. If I have to take the trouble to do that, it will go into the grey matter.  He is also going to write me a book list too – does happy dance.

Last week I completed a Photoshop course, I must find the time to practise, last week was also spent mostly sat in a hide and along with that we had a wonderful talk by Jeremy Walker a renowned Nikon Ambassador and I’ve also sorted out a photo for a UK Wildlife competition and my Still Life competition entry is well in hand.

So you’ll have to excuse me if all the blog gets is a quick pic of whatever I was photographing that week – trust me I’m having a blast.

Now I must get to bed as I believe hubby wants to go Otter hunting tomorrow and we have to get up nice and early for that. Strong Contrast Steps.

A pair of Teal ducks enjoying a quick spruce up. 

Hearing a whisper that there may be some Otters in a reserve some miles away, my gear and I was packed and ready to go by 7.00 a.m. the next morning. Hunkering down in a hide or two for six hours which was broken up by tramping from hide to hide on mostly good paths but some ankle deep in soggy mud that we were once again grateful for our comfy worn in and watertight walking boots. Walking allowed us to warm back up and to see some beautiful wildlife, but no Otters.

Dissapointed we headed home, cracked open the wine and cheese, the cold having made us ravenous, started a fire that was soon roaring to take the chill out of our bones and set to work on the photos we had taken and were immediately hooked. Even with bad winter light, ISO’s ramped right up to allow for speed of flying birds and grain so heavy you could feed a flock of starlings on, the beauty of the wildlife shone through.

Four long and cold days later sat in various hides – I am nothing if not determined – I got my first Otter.  She (my photography companion saw her two cubs) swam through the undergrowth on the opposite bank of the lake and was gone in less than 15 seconds. At the same time my camera focusing is bouncing of the twigs and branches but I did get the shot. My heart was pounding afterwards, and when I checked my camera I couldn’t believe I’d managed to capture her. It’s full of grain and heavily cropped, but it is very much a wild Otter, and I am very lucky indeed.

Taken in better light this time, although still a very long way away on the opposite side of the lake. I do need to find a Kingfisher that is a little nearer to a hide. 

My very first Kingfisher, taken from a very long way away, hence the blur from being enlarged.

Even though there is all sorts of crazy grain, they are sunshine smiley on a blue summers day happiness type pics and I love them.

Don’t Forget…and on a cold, wet and windy day. Nutella is the only way to go.