A Game of Firsts
JANUARY 18, 2024
A Game of Firsts. Well technically there were two firsts, but lets not get technical.
Last Friday I set off an adventure with two targets, the Bittern and the Waxwings from Scandinavia - two birds that I had not seen to date, never mind capturing them with my trusty Canon camera. So where and how to find them?
The Bittern had been on my list for while and when I had seen that they had been spotted at the London Wetland Centre - well let's not look any further ... chop to it Paul and get your skates on to the LWC in South West London!
As for the Waxwings, well my interest was peaked by Charlotte Rhodes, a wildlife photographer from 'up north' who had kindly let me know that they were about and where to look - thank you. She has also helped us with the Shorties too, maybe one will see you in Mara... back to the Waxwings - guess what - South West London too, only 3 miles away, what you waiting for Paul?
I set off around 8.30am as the Wetland Centre opens at 9.30, this provided opportunity for a lye in and to stop off on the way, after checking out the area, I scouted the local area on foot, eventually finding the bush believed Waxwings would love, the one with juicy white pinky berries outside a house, the only self doubt I had - the birds, the berries and its a bit to close to the people.
Wetland Centre was great, always a chilled place which is great to relax, wander round and observe nature. Focus Paul, the Bittern, what of it?
After walking round one side of the lagoon, I decided to follow my nose, no I couldn't smell one, but sometimes you just feel something, after trudging round to the other side to the tower, the excitement built when I heard some chatter amongst the birders ... a man with his scope had locked onto the Bittern, sure enough after paying £5 (an in joke) I caught my first glimpse of a Bittern as it cleaned its feathers, beautiful, what a glorious bird, can't wait to see it again and hopefully hear its bellow in Spring time. The only problem was its location on the opposite side of the LWC! - no chance of a photo, but what the heck, I had seen one, and yes I still took a photograph, or two ;) see if you can spot it in the picture below ...
On the way back I stopped off to take pictures of a beautiful male Sparrowhawk, who stopped by for a whole minute. So now it was time to head to the Waxwings before the light became too dark - the wicked witch for photographers, the good news the reports had been filed that they were at their location .... Go Go Go
I arrived to the location with a nice view, not to close, but close enough to see if they were around. After 10 minutes I got itchy feet and got out of the car. A minute later I was with another birder on a bike and walking birder and we were all staring up to the very tops of a tree at 15 or so Waxwings! Broad smile alert! I quickly run back to the car, by the time I get back, they're gone! but another birder of the walking variety had arrived - and full of knowledge!
Never fear, they soon returned to an even bigger tree, all sat pruning and cleaning their feathers, the light was poor due to the dark gloomy skies, but who cares, not this kid (ps I am way too old to be a kid, but at these moments I think we are all big kids) - fired off some pics to get a closer look. Eventually they flew off, circled round and settled in the berry bush in front of the house, they stayed for about 5-10 seconds, probably nibble on one berry max and flew off at maximum speed, did I get a pic? a very blurry one if that's what you could call it. Failure provides you information, process it and move on, not always easy to do. Approximatley 5 minutes later they returned, unfortunately I was looking in the other direction, the two chaps next to me, didn't mention their return, I just happened to turn and notice, fired off 1 decent shot, the other captured them fleeing and slightly blurry. You have less than Usain Bolt running the 100m to capture a shot. Thankfully my first one, is the one shown. They never returned. It was getting too dark and that means Sparrowhawk o'clock.
So, overall, the day was successful, A Game of Firsts. Tick.