It appears to me that every one has been visiting the Egleton reserve and having good views of the Smew, that is except for me, so at last the sun was shining and I decided I would have another try for some images of these beautiful ducks. Having previously visited several times but entering to the reserve from the Volunteer Centre entrance, this time I decided to follow the normal route and walk in from Egleton.
So having booked in with David who told me he had seen a Smew earlier in the on Lagoon 4, so I got on my way {in the sun for a change} and firstly had a visit to Redshank Hide on Lagoon 2, nothing much to be seen from this hide, so onto Grebe Hide. I had a walk through the woodland walk which with the sun shining was delightful but a little muddy under foot. I arrived and was greeted by a gent already in the hide with his scope and camera who said we had a Smew Drake on the far side of the Lagoon. Having since checked the distance it was 220 metres plus away so not an easy image, its getting the camera to focus accurately over such a distance. I took some record shots and then on my way again heading for Sandpiper Hide on Lagoon 4.
On arrival I could see a few Mute Swans, some Coots and what I think were Scaup but no sign of the Smew. After waiting for about 15 minutes a small white bird appeared from behind an island, was it a duck or a gull? through the bins I could see it was a Smew Drake but this time farther away than previous, I would estimate about 250 metres away. As the wind was blowing towards me I decided to give it time and sure enough it gently swam and drifted my way. I started to take some images when it got 140 metres away and the results are all below.
After this I visited some other hides and took numerous images of other Ducks etc that will become part of my next post.
So having booked in with David who told me he had seen a Smew earlier in the on Lagoon 4, so I got on my way {in the sun for a change} and firstly had a visit to Redshank Hide on Lagoon 2, nothing much to be seen from this hide, so onto Grebe Hide. I had a walk through the woodland walk which with the sun shining was delightful but a little muddy under foot. I arrived and was greeted by a gent already in the hide with his scope and camera who said we had a Smew Drake on the far side of the Lagoon. Having since checked the distance it was 220 metres plus away so not an easy image, its getting the camera to focus accurately over such a distance. I took some record shots and then on my way again heading for Sandpiper Hide on Lagoon 4.
On arrival I could see a few Mute Swans, some Coots and what I think were Scaup but no sign of the Smew. After waiting for about 15 minutes a small white bird appeared from behind an island, was it a duck or a gull? through the bins I could see it was a Smew Drake but this time farther away than previous, I would estimate about 250 metres away. As the wind was blowing towards me I decided to give it time and sure enough it gently swam and drifted my way. I started to take some images when it got 140 metres away and the results are all below.
After this I visited some other hides and took numerous images of other Ducks etc that will become part of my next post.
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Smew Drake, Lagoon 2, Grebe Hide. Why do these birds stay on the far side of the Lagoon, these next images were taken purely as record shots, it's all well and good taking images at 220 metres when the bird is an Osprey or Buzzard but for a little Smew??? |
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Smew Drake, Lagoon 4, Sandpiper Hide.
Upon entering the Hide I had no site of any Smew, but after about 15 minutes a white looking bird appeared from behind one of the islands, so a quick check with the bins and it was a Drake Smew. The bird at this time was approximately 250 metres away from the hide and having just taken some silly distance images I thought as the wind was coming towards the hide and the bird was doing a mixture of swimming and drifting, give the bird some time and it should get closer. This image was me not being able to wait any longer, I'm always impatient to get an image but the bird was still 140 metres away.
By this time he had come a little closer to 100 metres away, trouble is you are never sure as to when or if they are going to fly.
Another swim and the bird was 80 metres away, praying everything would carry on in my favour!!
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It then seemed to speed up a little as this Mute Swan looked somewhat angry. Passed with a "How do you do, I'm a Smew." |
And at last the bird came within 50 metres but kept drifting behind some reeds on one of the islands on the Lagoon.
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A quick call, probably calling his mate, but I never saw a Red Head. |
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They really are such a handsome bird. |
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Unfortunately the stem of a reed has partially obscured the bird but still shows the markings fine.  Final image of what for me is one of my favourites amongst ducks.  Little Owl Site No 2. Had a drive through the Little Owl sites but this was the only bird I saw, mind still glad to see it appears to be taking up residence staying at the site, I just hope its got a mate. Thank you for your visit, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I did in the getting of the images. The next post will have some of the other birds I saw on this sunny afternoon. Barn Owl Update. I am still finding pellets under the large box but have not managed to put the cameras on to check what's in residence. |
