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

.

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.