Memory Card Full!

After a couple of days clutching at straws for photographs yesterday was amazing. It more or less started straight away as I was putting my boots on in the little parking area on Salt Marsh Lane (yes there is one in spite of the rumours!) when I noticed a Swallow roosting in one of the first trees, so I quickly took a shot and thought it would probably fly off by the time I had sorted my self out but it didn't move. I got closer, still no movement, closer still and plenty of time to focus and experiment with ISO settings etc. I quickly realised it was a juvenile and it's parents were in attendance in a nearby tree, so they occasionally flew back and fussed over it. That wasn't all as there were another couple of similar families as I moved down the lane, so took lots of shots.

Juvenile Swallow at rest.

Watchful adults.

I was amazed to see that the adult feeds the juvenile on the wing. This may be well-known amongst experienced birders but was a revelation to me!

A tasty mouthful for junior!

This female Reed Bunting was in the same tree so couldn't resist a few shots.

Later I saw a female Thick Legged Flower Beetle on a thistle and took a few more photos.

Rounding a bend in the lane that goes from the end of Salt Marsh Lane to the Visitors' centre I saw the Little Owl on a dead tree in a field - well who could resist taking a few shots of that?

A nice Wren, Meadow Brown Butterfly, Chiffchaff, Damselfly (not identified yet) and then I was up by the pontoon bridge when I saw a familiar figure - our very own Barman 58 with Scope, Binoculars and camera hoping for a good sighting of that elusive Beardie (and I don't mean me!)

We were around the bridge and screens for about an hour and I had a chance to try out Nigel's new binoculars - excellent quality and a really good price! when I had to head back and Nigel said he was going back to the visitors' centre for refreshments. I told him I was going to do a little diversion over the smaller pontoon bridge leading to the screen just past the lighthouse on the way. Well there was a Reed Warbler showing really well down there and I blasted away

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Then it really was time to go. On the way back across the bridge two Bearded Tits flew into plain view at the tops of the reeds between me and the lighthouse - I almost dropped the camera but got some shots (unfortunately not that good)

The male flew off and the female flew over the bridge and sat posing on the top of a reed about 15' away. (Actually thanks to Barman 58's post I now know that this isn't a female it's a juvenile male!)  Magic. I lined the camera up. Got perfect focus and went to take the shot......Nothing .....Memory Card Full!!!!  I quickly deleted some files and she (he) obligingly hung around for me to take three more shots then the card was full again and she (he)  was off. Isn't that just typical? opportunity of a lifetime and no chance of a few bracketing shots! although I think one was half-decent.

That's all folks! Thanks for your patience!  The quality might not be there, particularly in the Swallows in flight shots, as I was experimenting with a low ISO setting,  but I'm happy that I managed to capture the moment in some form.

  • Been there and done it John, so I feel for you!  Deeply disappointing and frustrating when it happens and it happens to most of us at some time or other but the opportunity will come again.  Onwards and upwards. :-)

  • Gutted to hear this John, but at least you managed to get some shots. and I can't wait to see the full size Owl and Swallow shots as well as the adult Beardies.

    I so wanted to call out to you, when the juvenile beardie appeared, just after we parted, and even grabbed my phone to let you know but didn't have your number, Doh!.

    So happy you did get some shots  

    ----

    I'm a bit OCD on things like cards and Batteries these days.

    For example, for the DSLR I carry two spare charged full batteries.

    As for Cards, I have a 16GB card in the camera, this gives me 900+ shots in RAW, plus I have spare cards in my bag, (another 16GB, an 8GB, plus various others).

    Also my back is suffering from the weight of the additional kit I carry, Other lenses, supports, and even a Flash unit, but although rarely used they are there "Just in case", (pun intended ;) )

  • Dai - thanks for the sentiments, i have got a feeling that there are quite a few Beardies around at the moment and it won't be quite as long until the next chance but I am so pleased that Nigel got that opportunity as he's waited far longer than me!

    Nigel - Just to reassure you it was exactly the same for me. I thought you might be in the bridge area and thought of calling out, but knew it would defeat the object as they would be spooked. Anyway what a day and what a result - you've got to be proud of that set - simply the best.

  • Thanks for the compliments John, but now I want more!! lol

    I've found that  when you try for a long time to photograph or even see a particular species, and finally succeed, you quite often find yourself seeing them everywhere.

    I hope so in this case, and I would like an adult male and female to complete the set.

  • Oh no, don't you just hate that. I always carry a spare now, since I went out with NO camera card in the camera DUH Looks like you both had a fabulous day Look forward to your photos

  • As you see from other replies your not alone. I have got into the habit of carrying a small compact camera in my pocket, doesn't take brilliant photos but has saved the day.

  • barman58 said:

    Gutted to hear this John, but at least you managed to get some shots. and I can't wait to see the full size Owl and Swallow shots as well as the adult Beardies.

    I so wanted to call out to you, when the juvenile beardie appeared, just after we parted, and even grabbed my phone to let you know but didn't have your number, Doh!.

    So happy you did get some shots  

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    (snipped)

    The funniest thing about this he rung me instead ... I was frustratingly slaving over a spreadsheet near Pontypridd! ;o)

    I am hoping the weather forecast is correct and I am on a beardy hunt on Wednesday! ;o)

    Ant

  • I am paranoid about not having spare memory cards or a flat battery, like Nigel I have pockets full of them!

    Of course the next thing you will do is change to manual focus to try and get something through the reeds and then walk on, see something, point and shoot .. and get a load of blurry pictures because you forgot to put it back on auto focus. ;o)

    Can't wait to see the pictures ...

    Ant

  • Ant I've done that manual/autofocus thing too many times! Thanks to all of you who have  contributed - I just hope the photos are not to much of a let down - I know that there's a fair bit of motion blur on the flying shots but at least they're a record!

  • John they are brilliant! ;o)

    We didn't see any Beardies on Wednesday, the wind was up, so the birds were down. In fact, it was a really quiet day there, so it was just Swan and Tufty photos for me! ;o)

    We still had a cracking walk around the reserve, and I had a look at the burned reed beds for the first time in months. I will stick a few photos up later. I was amazed how they have transformed in just a short space of time!

    Ant