NEW LENS- some experimental pics

I took my new lens into work with me a couple of times this week, along with my Canon 7D. The lens is a Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS L USM mark ii. Quite a brute even though it features a very modest focal length at the long end. I'd hoped to take some pics of a Pied Wagtail out of my office window as there's frequently one nearby. Sure enough it didn't put in an appearance on either of the days that I took the kit in! I had to resort (desperate times call for desperate measures, sorry Gavin and Steve) to GULLS. Not 'interesting' ones unfortunately, but it's the sort of thing I'm intending to use the lens for (birds in flight) so it was worth a try. Here's a few of the pics. Please note that they were taken through a VERY dirty window. Thankfully I was quite close to it so it hasn't affected the image quality too much, but it would have been better without the dirty glass in the way. Still, I think the resolution is simply stunning, despite the sub-optimal circumstances.
The top three images are the same picture, cropped to different extents.

Un-cropped image

50% view cropped

100% view cropped

It's worth clicking on all of these to enlarge the pics. I think the detail is amazing!
Okay, so it's a short zoom and I'm into birds, so why did I buy it you may ask... Well I also like dragonflies and butterflies (as regular readers will know) and the super fast focussing, f2.8 wide aperture and 4-stops of image stabilisation are HOPEFULLY going to enable me to get some decent insect-in-flight shots. That's the plan anyway. Obviously it'll be okay for birds, but it'll be pretty restrictive. Just have to hope for some tame ones this year!

MAJOR Blog Makeover

I'm in the process of giving my blog a serious makeover! Please give feedback if you come across any problems. I'm aware that the pics on some of the posts have stacked next to each other; I'll sort that out in due course. The most recent posts have been adjusted to suit my new template and formatting.

A couple of in-progress changes are the pages which are click-able underneath the header to direct you to:

- Exhibition pics (not uploaded any yet)
- Artistic(ish) Photography (there's a link to my other blog on this page)

Enjoy :)

Spoonbill video and better Spotted Redshank pic

My new lens arrived yesterday! I'll put up some test pics from it soon; so far I am incredibly impressed with it. It's the Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS L USM mark II.
As the post title suggests, here's a short video clip of the Spoonbill which I took with my Lumix on Sunday, and also another Spotshank pic:

Spotted Redshank and Spoonbill, River Axe

Short post cos I'm knackered! After a tough week (more on this if I get time. 90+ hours of work in the last 6 days to give you an idea!) I was hoping for a nice lie in until at least 08:00 this morning. So much for that! I received a text yesterday about a Spotted Redshank viewable from Seaton Marshes, and as I was busy working at the time the only option was for an early start today. So 6am and I was up and biked over to have a look around. It wasn't a particularly appealing view of the River as it was still slightly dark and visibility was poor due to constant light rain. But nevermind!! The Spoonbill was asleep on one of the banks in front of the Seaton Marshes hide so it was worth the trip already. About 5 mins later I located the Spotted Redshank; all pics are naff because of the rain, 7am light and distance but it's recognisable and it was just stunning in its winter plumage. Here's a couple of pics of the Spotted Redshank, and also the Spoonbill after it moved onto the field near the park a bit later on:

It was a good job I did go down early; my sighting of the Spotted Redshank at approx 07:50 was the last (as far as I've heard). Hopefully it's still around and just moved off for the high tide and then hid...

Art, Birds & Environment EVENT

Just thought I'd advertise this on here in case people haven't seen the posters around town.
http://friendsofstandrews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/art-birds-environment.html
and
http://friendsofstandrews.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/fosta-talks-tim-white.html

It should be a fantastic event! My only input is photography but it won't be repeats of what I post on here; I keep my best works strictly OFF of the blog!

Saturday 16th March, 17:00, St. Andrews Church, Colyton.
Hope to see you there...

River Coly birding (primarily pics)

Here's a few pics to close out the birding for this week. I had a brief walk along the Coly after work yesterday and got some shots of a Grey Wagtail, Grey Heron and a Buzzard. I went for another walk there in the rain this afternoon, with a friend. Just a few pics from each day. Light was terrible again (raining both days etc) but the 7D handled the high ISO settings fairly well.

Against a small patch of blue sky! 

Female Grey Wagtail asking for the affections of a nearby male, but to no avail

3 Avocets on the River Axe

After yesterdays moderate success of taking pics of the single Avocet, I was rather excited by a text from Steve informing me that two more had turned up! So in 11 years of birding (wasn't in the communication loop until recently, and time has always been a problem) I see 0 Avocets, and then I get 3 in two days! Can't complain! :) Thanks to Steve for the tip off.
I looked over the estuary, Seaton marshes and Black Hole Marsh but didn't see the Avocets. It was fairly high tide on the river once I'd arrived after finishing work mid-afternoon. I decided to wait in Tower Hide in case the water level encouraged them to drop into Black Hole Marsh. It didn't; but they did do a distant fly by. Lucky I was looking up in the sky at the time otherwise I would have missed them! Here's a few shots. The image quality is far from amazing due to the distances involved, but who cares?! 3 patch Avocets in the same area of sky!! Gotta be chuffed with that.