On my way back from a job this morning I called into RSPB Greylake with my new Sigma 150-600mm lens. I wrote on this blog yesterday that I was a little disappointed with it's sharpness. Maybe i held it steadier, maybe the tweaked settings made a difference, or maybe the light was more favourable, but I managed quite a lot of sharp images in my couple of hours at the reserve!
In the hide, the lenses longer reach really came into it's own when a Bittern walked out of the reeds and crossed the grassy area about 50 metres in front of me! It was the first time I'd seen a Bittern on the ground at Greylake and I was thrilled!
^Above^ - The Bittern! I wouldn't have been able to get these shots with my 70-300mm Nikon lens!
The reserve was quite overgown with weeds, especially in front of the hides, which made it quite difficult to see the birds and hence there were very few human visiters for the first hour I was there!
I managed to put the lens through it's paces photographing Little Grebe chicks, Sedge and Reed Warblers, Marsh Harriers that quartered the reedbeds and various other species.
I also saw Kingfishers, Sparrowhawks and Snipe, but didn't manage to photograph them. As usual a Cuckoo called at the back of the reserve, it's been here for the last few weeks!
Below are some of the other photos taken during my visit;
^Above^ - Sedge Warblers.
^Above^ - Reed Warblers.
^Above^ - Reed Buntings.
^Above^ - Marsh Harriers.
^Above^ - Young Coot.
^Above^ - Female Shovelers.
^Above^ - Goldfinches.
^Above^ - Mute Swan family.... the Cygnets are getting big!
^Above^ - Mallard Ducklings.
^Above^ - Little Grebe family.
^Above^ - At one stage the adult Little Grebe dived for food and spun one of it's chicks upside down as it did so!!
^Above^ - Little Grebe chicks.
^Above^ - Very distant Kestrel!
^Above^ - Young Blue Tits.
^Above^ - Young Great Tit.
^Above^ - House Martin.
^Above^ - Swift.
^Above^ - Robin.
^Above^ - Not sure what these weeds are, they're quite pretty, and dotted all over the reserve.
So all in all, I'm really coming around to this lens... all pictures were taken hand held!
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