Saturday, July 2, 2016
Friday, July 1, 2016
Mikepércs: Wishing The Pygmy Cormorant
I would like to catch the last time's pygmy cormorant, so yesterday I moved my hide a bit and placed two branches in front of it, in case the cormorant would come again.
It's not too dark when I get into the hide. Soon I can hear the voice of an approaching night heron which soon lands right on my branch for my greatest pleasure. I try to photograph it but it's too dark. Unfortunately it flies away after some time. The Sun rises slowly and starts to enlighten the water:
Coot
Coot
Nothing happens for long though the lights are beautiful. At last a grey heron lands:
Grey Heron
The coots don't come close, but I think I have managed to take some nice shots:
Coot
Coot
Then a whiskered tern is landing, unfortunately with back to me:
Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern
Whiskered Tern
Thin clouds start to hide the sun changing the colours completely:
Coots
The terns are taking turns at landing on and flying away from the branch:
Whiskered Tern
Suddenly another bird is willing to land on the same place ...:
Whiskered Terns
Whiskered Terns
Whiskered Terns
Whiskered Terns
... brushing off the first bird in the end:
Whiskered Terns
Some preening:
Whiskered Tern
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Mikepércs: Great White Egret, Coots and Ferruginous Ducks
Today I try to get some backlight photos at the pond again. I wake up at 3 so that I can set off early. There's no problem with starting but on my way to the pond my car gets stuck in a puddle on the dirt-road. It's because my silly mistake only. I try to get out for a while, but I have to realize that it's not a ten minutes' work, so I leave the car in the puddle and continue my way on foot. It takes me about half an hour to get to my hide, and by the time I get there it's getting light. I can see coots and a grey heron in the middle of the pond which get away quickly when seeing me. I get into the hide quickly and start to wait for the birds to appear. Soon the Sun appears when I notice a great white egret in the water. It must have arrived a few moments ago. It starts hunting at once:
Great White Egret
It' picking tadpoles out of the water:
Great White Egret
Great White Egret
Great White Egret
Great White Egret
A bit later I notice something interesting: First I think I can see a grebe, as it's plunging into the water, but I discover soon that it's a pygmy cormorant! I haven't seen it here before. Unfortunately it's far a bit. Soon it climbs on a dried stem to dry itself, but it's not visible enough because of the vegetation.
A ferruginous duck appears too:
Ferruginous Duck
I try to record the coots as well:
Coot
Coot
Other ferruginous ducks appear, bathing one after another:
Ferruginous Duck
Ferruginous Duck
The Sun is getting high quickly, lights are getting stronger and stronger, and my car annoys me too, so I don't stay long in the hide. But I think it's been worth coming.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Mikepércs: Shovelers
I didn't intend to photograph today but it appeared to be good lights in the morning, so I decided to visit the pond.
I bundle a few coots and ducks with my arrival, but I get into my hide quickly and start watching. Nothing happens for long, but later the coots start to come out slowly from the narrow reed strip. However they don't come close enough. I still record the threatening pose of a bird:
A pair of shovelers appear again, I think they are the same birds that I saw last time, they are floating to the place they were resting last week. This time they are a bit closer as I moved the hide a few meters forward last time:
They are resting for a long time, and when I suddenly hear the buzzing sound of an engine, they take off suddenly to land just in front of my hide! I miss their landing, but I try hard to get the most of the situation:
They make a semicircle then float back to their resting place:
Without them I wouldn't have been successful today, so I decide to move my hide near the opposite bank trying to make use of the morning backlights next time. I just can't wait ...
I bundle a few coots and ducks with my arrival, but I get into my hide quickly and start watching. Nothing happens for long, but later the coots start to come out slowly from the narrow reed strip. However they don't come close enough. I still record the threatening pose of a bird:
Coot
A pair of shovelers appear again, I think they are the same birds that I saw last time, they are floating to the place they were resting last week. This time they are a bit closer as I moved the hide a few meters forward last time:
Shoveler (male)
They are resting for a long time, and when I suddenly hear the buzzing sound of an engine, they take off suddenly to land just in front of my hide! I miss their landing, but I try hard to get the most of the situation:
Shoveler (female)
Shoveler (male)
They make a semicircle then float back to their resting place:
Shoveler (male)
Without them I wouldn't have been successful today, so I decide to move my hide near the opposite bank trying to make use of the morning backlights next time. I just can't wait ...
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Mikepércs: Little Grebes And Coots
At the end of last summer I took for granted that there wouldn't be any water at my favourite pond.
Few weeks ago however I discovered with pleasure that there is water in the bed, at least half a meter deep. Moreover, there were many ducks and coots on the pond.
Today I managed to get to my floating hide which I placed there a week ago.
Unfortunately the number of ducks has been decreased by these days, but I'm getting into the hide with high hopes at dawn. In the dimness I discover a grey heron in the vegetation.
I can hear the joyful "laughing" sound of the little grebes from different directions. I'm fond of these birds. It's a pity they rarely come close enough:
A pair of marsh harriers appear screaming above the pond, but they are far a bit.
Three shovelers appear, they are floating towards the vegetation. Two males and a female. They seem to have found a good resting place between the twigs of a young bush. They are too far as well.
Sometimes a coot or a little grebe comes closer:
The coots' territorial fights would be a good theme, they are chasing each other quite often, but not always close enough, here's a running bird:
Diving:
One can't see very often a flying coot, now I've managed to catch this one:
Few weeks ago however I discovered with pleasure that there is water in the bed, at least half a meter deep. Moreover, there were many ducks and coots on the pond.
Today I managed to get to my floating hide which I placed there a week ago.
Unfortunately the number of ducks has been decreased by these days, but I'm getting into the hide with high hopes at dawn. In the dimness I discover a grey heron in the vegetation.
I can hear the joyful "laughing" sound of the little grebes from different directions. I'm fond of these birds. It's a pity they rarely come close enough:
Little Grebe
A pair of marsh harriers appear screaming above the pond, but they are far a bit.
Three shovelers appear, they are floating towards the vegetation. Two males and a female. They seem to have found a good resting place between the twigs of a young bush. They are too far as well.
Sometimes a coot or a little grebe comes closer:
Coot
Little Grebe
Little Grebe
The coots' territorial fights would be a good theme, they are chasing each other quite often, but not always close enough, here's a running bird:
Coot
Diving:
Coot
Coots
Coots
One can't see very often a flying coot, now I've managed to catch this one:
Coot
Coot
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Debrecen: Marsh-marigold
This is the result of a short afternoon photography at Greatforest, Debrecen:
Marsh-marigold
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Mikepércs: At The Pool
After a long pause I've given a try again at the feeder/pool this morning.
The sky is bright, so I hope I catch the warm lights of the rising sun. Getting at the hide I don't see too much activity from the birds which surprises me, but the tits arrive soon. I'm already in the hide when I can hear the sounds of hawfinches and greenfinches. I placed the feeder in front of the hide, but the birds can find a lot of seed among the bushes where the feeder has been, so there's not much activity in front of me. Nvertheless a curious jay appears besides the tits:
The tits are coming more and more often:
This marsh tit tries to defend the newly found seeds:
A flock of siskins lands to the pool several time, but they can't get any water as the pool is completely frozen:
The sky is bright, so I hope I catch the warm lights of the rising sun. Getting at the hide I don't see too much activity from the birds which surprises me, but the tits arrive soon. I'm already in the hide when I can hear the sounds of hawfinches and greenfinches. I placed the feeder in front of the hide, but the birds can find a lot of seed among the bushes where the feeder has been, so there's not much activity in front of me. Nvertheless a curious jay appears besides the tits:
Jay
Jay
Jay
The tits are coming more and more often:
Great Tit
This marsh tit tries to defend the newly found seeds:
Marsh Tit
A flock of siskins lands to the pool several time, but they can't get any water as the pool is completely frozen:
Siskin
Great Tit
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