Garth Peacock
Ouse Washes RSPB, Cambridgeshire

Archive

Friday 4th October - North Norfolk

Monday 7th October 2024

Tanzania Day 8 - The Serengeti

Saturday 5th October 2024

Two trips out with little to show.

Wednesday 25th September 2024

Tanzania Day 7 - The Serengeti

Monday 23rd September 2024

Abberton Reservoir - again

Thursday 19th September 2024

Abberton Essex

Wednesday 11th September 2024

A morning at Grafham Water

Thursday 29th August 2024

After holiday blues

Thursday 22nd August 2024

Trying out a new lens

Monday 5th August 2024

Tanzania Day 5 - Ngorogoro Crater

Saturday 27th July 2024

Kevin Robson's Tawny Owl hide

Thursday 25th July 2024

Local stuff

Saturday 20th July 2024

More local stuff

Saturday 29th June 2024

Catching up with a local rarity

Friday 14th June 2024

Tanzania - Day 1 - Arusha

Monday 13th May 2024

View Blog Archive >>
Friday 1st November 2013

I was not really satisfied with the images I took of the Northern Harrier last week so I revisited last Wednesday 30th October for a second try. Knowing that the sun didn't get behind the hides until lunchtime, I arrived at 1.00pm to wait, this time in Churchman hide, one further up the site from Stockdales hide where I was last week.

Vey quiet initially but perfect for photography, light wind and plenty of sunshine so a game of patience was required. The Northern Harrier and a couple of Marsh Harriers were in view from about 2.30 onwards but very distant.

A Peregrine was feeding on the ground about 300 metres away so I watched for a time when it flew past the hide about 100 mtetres away so a flight shot was possible - just.

The the Northern Harrier started to quarter the river bank towards the hide but disappeared over the bank, reappearing much closer and still flying towardsthe hide rather quickly. Sods law, I had the 1.4x converter on so the gear would not focus quickly enough so one opportunity missed, even though it passed within 20/30 metres of the hide.

The a couple of Marsh Harriers took to the air, putting up the wildfowl and giving excellent opportunities for some flight shots.

Then a male Marsh Harrier came in very close and this time, I had the converter off.

And then the final shot when a juvenile male Hen Harrier came in close although the light was on the wane by then

Overall a very satisfying afternoon, even though I missed the target bird - better luck next time.

More images in the Recent Additions section.