Adrian Dancy
D20A5616 D20A6505 Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), juvenile, Holcombe Moor
Stonechat
1700.29.11.2023
As some of you may know I spend each day, during breeding season with black redstarts. This year in the late afternoons and every day I made my way up to Holcombe Hill to photograph the lives of a pair of Stonechats (no matter the weather). Along the stretch of moorland road 5 pairs attempted to breed and of the 5 only 1 pair was successful. Fortunately, I picked the right pair and they got used to me. The pair had two broods. Four chicks successfully fledged with the first brood and three for the second. Occasionly the adults would alight on top of flowering foxgloves. For some reason the R7 did not hit the bird's eye and would ping the background instead. I tried several lenses and all the R7 settings but nothing would give me an instant and reliable focus. I had to keep focusing on nearby grass and then hope I could nail the bird which might have flown...I don't think this would happen with a dedicated RF lens. It was incredibly frustrating but I am still happy with my gear of choice which has given me some stunning results. I certainly managed to nail 3 juveniles flying onto the foxglove which by then had dropped its petals...and it was raining! I really enjoyed this year doing the black redstarts and the stonechats. It was hard work and very tiring for me and I was doing sometimes 15 hour days but I would do it all again in a heartbeat for the same birds...always a joy! The image was made at only 188mm focal length. No hide used.
D20A5616 D20A6505 Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), juvenile, Holcombe Moor
Stonechat
1700.29.11.2023
As some of you may know I spend each day, during breeding season with black redstarts. This year in the late afternoons and every day I made my way up to Holcombe Hill to photograph the lives of a pair of Stonechats (no matter the weather). Along the stretch of moorland road 5 pairs attempted to breed and of the 5 only 1 pair was successful. Fortunately, I picked the right pair and they got used to me. The pair had two broods. Four chicks successfully fledged with the first brood and three for the second. Occasionly the adults would alight on top of flowering foxgloves. For some reason the R7 did not hit the bird's eye and would ping the background instead. I tried several lenses and all the R7 settings but nothing would give me an instant and reliable focus. I had to keep focusing on nearby grass and then hope I could nail the bird which might have flown...I don't think this would happen with a dedicated RF lens. It was incredibly frustrating but I am still happy with my gear of choice which has given me some stunning results. I certainly managed to nail 3 juveniles flying onto the foxglove which by then had dropped its petals...and it was raining! I really enjoyed this year doing the black redstarts and the stonechats. It was hard work and very tiring for me and I was doing sometimes 15 hour days but I would do it all again in a heartbeat for the same birds...always a joy! The image was made at only 188mm focal length. No hide used.