Having been away for a long weekend (family not birding), it has taken me a few days to process some images I took last Thursday at the RSPB Ouse Washes reserve, near Manea Cambs. It not a reserve that features too heavily on my 'must visit' sites as the hides are too distant from the birds for anything other than record shot photography.

Anyway, I had heard that Common Cranes were around and my previous efforts at rolex replica photographing this species were poor, really limited to flight shots of one high overhead at Lakenheath RSPB except for a couple of really distant shots at Welney and Nene Washes.

Arriving at lunchtime for the afternoon light, I realised just how large the washes are and my only view of some cranes was from the bank near the railway bridge and the pair were about 200 metres away - too far for even record shots.

Moving back down the washes, a flight of 5 Cranes flew north, seen from Churchmans Hide but, once again, too distant for effective images but that was encouraging, at least.

I had heard that Cranes often congregate around the pools in front of Grosse or Stockdale hides late afternoon and, sure enough, there was a pair about 100 metres from the hide. The 2x converter came out but even then they were distant so I switched to live view to try to get sharper shots.

Seeing another pair flying south, I quickly switched to the 1.4 converter to track them in

They landed near the first pair so I change back to the 2x converter - and then the fighting started

resulting in the second pair departing

They flew north, passed the hide and close in but with insufficient time to change converters, I replica watches tracked them with the 2x which was not a success - missed opportunity.

The first pair then started to feed in a ditch, mostly out of site but an encouraging afternoon - I will return!!!