1 December 2023 - Hollingworth Lake & Todmorden

« Newer   |   Older »

Goosander, Waxwings

Not too much at the lake this morning, apart from a drake Goosander, but at lunchtime I went to Todmorden where there'd been around 20 or so Waxwings.  When I arrived at the spot, there was nobody around, so I parked up and immediately could hear Waxwings in the vicinity though I couldn't see them.  Then I looked up and they were in the tree right above my head!  I took a few photos quickly but then was collared by some chap asking me what was going on, and before I knew it, they'd taken off, and disappeared.  I met a local chap (whose name I can't remember, sorry), and he said they'd been commuting between here and the market area, so I followed him and sure enough, they were in the same spot near Lidl that we'd seen them a few years ago.

Unfortunately by this point I was running short on time.  The Waxwings (around 30 at this point) were perched in the treetops and occasionally flying down to some yellow-berried Rowans before flying back up to the tops of the trees. I grabbed a couple of quick shots and then had to get back to work.

Goosander, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 200 (view full size image)

Waxwings, 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 250 (view full size image)

Waxwings , 1/500 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 250 (view full size image)

Waxwing, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 200 (view full size image)

Waxwing , 1/640 sec, f/7.1, 500 mm, ISO 160 (view full size image)