Getting closer!

[David Morison]

Time spent studying the habits and location of a couple of the UK's most skulking and elusive birds on my local patch has paid off. I've been working on this project for four years now and have had some success with one before - the Water Rail, but Cetti's Warbler has only given me a fleeting glimpse once or twice a year. Tuesday was exceptional in that I saw four Water Rail at the same time and one was closer than ever before, and the Cetti's made several appearances (but only for a couple of seconds each). The site requires standing motionless in the open for at least 15 minutes before the little beggars appear and even then being very lucky that they are out of the shadows and stay still for long enough to get a shot in. Both taken on E-M1 with 75-300mm and HDR1 enabled, the Water Rail was around 4 metres away and the Cetti's was around 10 metres away. Both initially processed in LR5 and further sharpened in Snapheal before resizing again in LR.

Water Rail:



Cetti's Warbler:



David

[mike_j]

Re: Getting closer!

Well done. I have managed a few shots of a Water Rail at Rutland Water but they are very uncooperative and camera shy and I appreciate how difficult such a shot as yours is. I dont think I have ever seen a Cetti's Warbler but if I have I probably put it in the LBJ category.

[Barr1e]

Re: Getting closer!

I like the first David.

Pleased your efforts paid off.

Regards. Barr1e

[Pops]

Re: Getting closer!

I admire your patience but it was well worth the wait.