27 August 2014: Upton Warren Nature Reserve

I had a couple of hours to spare in the afternoon and decided to visit Upton Warren to try and catch the Kingfisher as the light was quite good when i left the house. However, by the time I got there the light had faded somewhat and it had got very windy but I decided to stick it out for a while anyway.

The real purpose of the visit had been to try a slightly different technique. When the Kingfisher appear in front of the Water Rail hide at Upton Warren, they are very close giving excellent views with the 400mm lens. That said, it is then very difficult to follow them as they dive and fly about etc. The plan was to try the 200mm f2.8 lensso that the Kinfisher perch and water surface would all be in frame and with some luck I might get some diving sequences. I would also have greater depth of field as well as a bigger range of setting variables becasue of the f2.8 aperture. Sad to say the Kingfisher never showed, well at least not long enough to setlle on a perch(-:).

There were still a few birds about to snap at. Greenfinch hogging the feeders

 but letting the odd visitor use the lower levels, like this Dunnock

 and this female Reed Bunting

Most entertainment was provided by a selection of Little Grebe. This adult was busy with one of a late (or second) brood.

 The juvenile was still showing its humbug stripes

 and  was being well provided for.

 This juvenile Little Grebe ( a different generation to the one above) was spooked by the adult swimming beneath it and ran off

 so fast

 that it ended up flying - first time I have seen a Little Grebe fly(-:).