I spent a pleasant but fairly quiet day at Barton Park. I was keen to look for the raptors that I had photographed on previous visits – but this time they mainly stayed away. Perhaps because someone es roaring around on a trail bike on the old sporting fields I had observed the raptors hunting.
I spent a bit of time on the day photographing the Welcome Swallows. They are nice birds and always challenging to photograph as they wiz around unpredictably, hunting for insects. But modern autofocus systems and the motors in lenses can track these birds as long as you can keep your camera aimed at them. But they are only worth photographing if the light is very good (a high shutter speed is needed – I use a 1/3200 of a second or shorter) and the background is not too confusing that it will trick the autofocus. And also – I try and get the Swallow in flight just as it is about to grab an insect. You can’t plan to do this – you need to “spray and pray” – and later be prepared to hunt through many images. But photographing Swallows in flight is also an indication that there are not many other birds around to photograph.
Anyway here are some photos from the day –
White-faced Heron
Welcome Swallows
The one above is just about to grab an insect – that you can see as a tiny black dot.
Pied Cormorant
Nankeen Kestrel
For a short time, the Kestrel was hunting in the old stadium. The lights it perches on here are very high and it is not as good photography as the old sporting fields to the north.
Pied Stilts
I counted about 14 in the Landing Lights Wetland.
More Welcome Swallows
Magpie Lark
The Nankeen Kestrel appeared again –
Back to the wetlands for more of the Pied Stilts –
They often seem to be squabbling.
And a Great Egret flew in –
With not too much going on, I left early. It was quite cold and windy day.