I wanted to upgrade my D7200, and the D500 was the obvious choice, it's 10fps and massive buffer were attractive, as was it's swift focusing power and better performance in low light.
I had a few chances to try it out, but it's been rather cloudy recently, so wasn't able to test higher shutter speeds.
This morning it was sunny, so my other half Nick kindly woke me to let me know!
I decided to visit Westhay Nature Reserve on the Somerset Levels in search of Bearded Tits. These are reedland birds I had never ever seen! They've always eluded me, but people had recently been getting photos of them on the boardwalk to the Island hide, where grit had been put down for them.
Sure enough, on arrival there were Beardies on the boardwalk, and behind them 9 or 10 birders, their long lenses trained on them, the sun behind their backs, perfectly!
I waited til they flew into the reeds then made my way along the boardwalk to join the photographers so I'd be in a better position to get some shots. What gorgeous delightful little birds they are! They mostly stayed low, I only got a couple of shots of a female when she briefly landed on a branch above the reeds, all my other shots were on the boardwalk, but I was still absolutely thrilled!
A fly-past by a Bittern made it a perfect morning!
Yesterday I had paid a visit to the new reserve at Steart Marshes, in the shadow of Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station, with Nick and 2 of our daughters. The Bristol Channel tide was far out, so the reserve was a little quiet as a result, but we still saw a few birds and had a lovely walk in nature!
Looking from the Quantock Hide we watched bemused as a family took a short cut off the paths straight across the marsh, putting up Lapwings, Teal and Egrets! Mad.... they looked caked in mud!
Outside a Wheatear kept us entertained and let me get some close up shots, despite the poor light.
It's a fantastic nature reserve, it's going to be great this Winter.....but bloody cold no doubt!
Below are shots of the Bearded Tits, Bittern, Wheatear and lots of other bits and bobs taken since my last blog post a couple of weeks ago.... hope you enjoy!
^Above^ - The gorgeous Bearded Tits at Westhay!
^Above^ - Fly-past Bittern at Westhay.
^Above^ - Cormorant at Westhay.
^Above^ - Reed Buntings at Westhay.
^Above^ - Kestrel at Westhay.
^Above^ - Wheatear at Steart Marshes.
^Above^ - Stonechats at Steart Marshes.
^Above^ - Kestrel at Steart Marshes.
^Above^ - Shelduck at Steart.
^Above^ - Curlews at Steart.
^Above^ - Black Tailed Godwit at Steart.
^Above^ - Meadow Pipit at Steart.
^Above^ - Sparrowhawk at Wall Common, Steart.
^Above^ - Linnets at Steart.
^Above^ - Robin at Steart.
^Above^ - View across Steart Marshes to Brent Knoll and Crook Peak.
^Above^ - Little Egret at Steart.
^Above^ - Cute calf at Steart.
^Above^ - The marsh-crossing family!
^Above^ - Female Kestrel at Lympsham in Somerset.
^Above^ - Grey Heron at RSPB Greylake.
^Above^ - Dragonflies at Greylake.
^Above^ - House Sparrows in my home Somerset village.
^Above^ - Sunset shots from my home village.
^Above^ - Buzzards on Westonzoyland airfield in Somerset.
^Above^ - Great White Egret at Greylake.
^Above^ - Herons wait for tasty morsels to be exposed by a dredging digger near Greylake.
^Above^ - Jackdaw and nut!
^Above^ - Carrion Crows at Cheddar Reservoir.
^Above^ - Jay at Cheddar Reservoir.
^Above^ - Roe Deer near Somerton in Somerset.
^Above^ - Herons chased by a Crow near Greylake.
^Above^ - Female Kestrel at Somerton.
^Above^ - Buzzard near Westhay.
^Above^ - Mute Swan at Chard Reservoir.
^Above^ - Heron with an Eel at Greylake.
^Above^ - Cyclamen on the Quantock Hills in Somerset.
^Above^ - Frog at our local Somerset allotment.
^Above^ - Peacock Butterfly at the allotment.
^Above^ - Tortoiseshell Butterfly at the allotment.
^Above^ - Speckled Wood Butterfly at the allotment.
^Above^ - Red Admiral butterfly enjoying the blackberries at the allotment.
^Above^ - Flowers at the allotment.
^Above^ - Robin at the allotment.
^Above^ - Woodpigeons on the Quantock Hills.
^Above^ - Woodpigeons and Stock Doves on the Quantocks.
^Above^ - Male Kestrel at Greylake.
^Above^ - Ravens at Greylake.
^Above^ - Mallard at Greylake.
^Above^ - Lobg Tailed Tit at Westhay.
^Above^ - Hobby at Greylake.
^Above^ - Herons at Greylake.
^Above^ - Greylag Goose at Apex Park, Burnham on Sea.
^Above^ - Herring Gulls at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Kestrel at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Little Egret near Apex Park.
^Above^ - Magpie at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Mallards at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Redshanks on the muddy banks of the river outside Apex Park.
^Above^ - The Swan Man of Apex Park! :)
^Above^ - Wren at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Teazle on the riverbank outside Apex Park.
^Above^ - Mute Swans at Cheddar Reservoir.
^Above^ - Great White Egrets with Cormorants and a Heron at Durleigh Reservoir in Somerset.
^Above^ - Young Goldfinch at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Robins at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Sparrowhawk at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Woodpigeon at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Pied Wagtail at Cheddar Reservoir.
^Above^ - Coot at Apex Park.
^Above^ - Starlings in my home village....a House Sparrow says 'Hi' in the bottom pic! ;)
^Above^ - Cockerel near Taunton, Somerset.
^Above^ - Cat in my home village...watch out birds!!!!!
^Above^ - Dunnock on the Quantocks.
^Above^ - Raven on the Quantocks.
^Above^ - Finally.....sunrise on the Somerset Levels! There are Deer in the bottom pic, see if you can find them!
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