Waxwings at Ashcott Corner, Somerset
As the 2012 'waxwing invasion' rolls on, we have been lucky enough to get a group at Shapwick Heath NNR and specifically next to Ashcott Corner car park. Yesterday morning there were two birds, this morning seven and by this afternoon it was up to seventeen! Unfortunately, just as some other photographers arrived and I left, they were scared first by a sparrowhawk, then a crow put them up from their tree overlooking the best berries and then as they came in to settle again, they spotted a kestrel crossing the track about 50 yards further on and they set off again. I checked back at about 3.30pm but they hadn't reappeared. With luck they will tomorrow as they were feeding on at least three sorts of berries. I was reasonably lucky with my pictures given the conditions and even saw them drinking from a puddle which was a first for me.
Tech comment:
The light which had been great all morning was pretty dark by the afternoon and a lot of my shots were taken at ISO 1600. Had there not been a strong breeze I could have dropped the shutter speed and ISO together but there was a fair amount of bird and branch movement so the shutter speed had to stay up.
