Testing of the canon 1d MKiv at WWT Slimbridge and the hide

Tested the Mk4 yesterday really happy with the results straight out of the camera images sharp really good results up to iso 1000 after that up to 2000 as long as muted backgrounds images fine, if blacks in it they showed noise. Iso 400 was an amazing iso really good results pin sharp throughout. Really impressed with the camera.

Happy with the results today, really impressed with camera got some different stuff today. Lighting really good.. Woodpecker got closer again however spooked really easily - I need to put the curtains down so that he cannot see me. Will try to visit in the week.

Weather forecast next couple of days. (double click on it to open in seperate window)

Day 5 at the hide and the results

Went up to the hide today left around 07.30. I decided to do this as the weather forecast is changing by the hour. I could not risk not having good weather next week so I went up today. Not sunny today although nuthatch again very active and very vocal. The woodpecker is getting more confident today and is coming closer, however he is spooked by the noise of the camera going off. If only I had the Nikon D3s that has a silent shutter setting - maybe I would get him.

Tomorrow I pick up the 1D Mk iV for trial. I can’t wait to try it as I have heard good reviews about it, and photographer Danny Green says it is really worth owning. I will test it on all isos to see what the noise is like. I wonder how it compares to the Nikon D3s. Tests will tell me.

It will be interesting to see how it reacts, as being able to use higher isos will give me higher shutter speeds hopefully giving me sharper images.

Surprising results today. New addition to the station very successful, nuthatch coming to it regularly he is rather quick though need to get the aperture right so that the image is sharp. Also need to prefocus on it so that I do not miss a shot.

Woodpecker got really close today managed to shoot two frames off before it flew off. Quite happy with the shots though as the one is different to what you normally see.

Flashes deployed today, not happy with what results it is giving now. Now that the light is good it seems too harsh with flash.

Fencing of the hide and why

Back up at the farm today to check the feeders, and with the aim to put the hide there on a semi permanent basis. This was achieved with a bit of effort and help from my wife. I was quite happy with how it turned out as there is room, if needed to put another hide there. The surprise of the day was to see the Goshawk fly over. I knew there were a couple in the area but had not seen one for about a year. The good things was Helen saw it too.

Feeders busy after I had refilled them and after we had stopped making noise.

Went for a walk after to see what else was about, nothing much disturbing however had a chat with Martin and his dad and they gave me a few locations to look for other wildlife on the farm. Also they have said that they have seen some of the young rabbits about. I still need to be there at first light either in the hide or on the farm looking for other wildlife.

Did notice that the light was staying on the feeders for longer today as before it had gone by 3 o'clock. This is good as it extends my time in the hide.

The next 2 weeks are going to be vital in what I see and are going to need a lot of time up on the farm to get more images to bolster my portfolio.

With the good weather, hopefully this will happen.

I have been in contact also with another friend who owns a couple of farms in Brecon to see what he has around there. The more the merrier in my opinion.

Filling of the feeders and the weather.

I went up to the farm today to refill the feeders and to check that every thing was ok. I wanted really to fence off the hide so that it could be left there. The new addition to the hide seems to be a success as the log was empty again of food. Refilled the feeders heavily so that I do not have to visit for a while as the weather is not very good for the next couple of days. However Sunday is good and I intend to fence off the hide with the help of my wife Helen. This also gives me the opportunity to show her what I have been up to.

See weather reports below. (Double click on them to open them in a new window).

For the weather reports I used the accuweather website I use this as I have it on my iphone. Also it allows you to see around 15 days in advance, which is great as this then allows to me to plan ahead when to go the hide.

Talk by Andy Rouse and Laurie Campbell

I went to WWT slimbridge today for a workshop with Andy Rouse and guest speaker Laurie Campbell. It was fantastic to be in a room with two people whose work really inspires me to do what I do.

From this workshop I found out a lot of information. Although the room did have the odd geek in there, it was really good and as per usual Andy was on form. Laurie as I knew was quite reserved and quietly spoken. Both of them had some beautiful work and you can see why they are in the industry. It was really nice to see Laurie's work- especially the Sea Eagles of which he was one of the first photographers to photograph them.

What I really like about these two photographers is their morals and ethics within the field of wildlife photography, I only wish some photographers were as honest as they were.

Day 4 a the hide and the results

Arrived at the farm around 08.30 today. Still cold around 3 degrees and the wind is still here as well. Today I have decided not to deploy the flash guns as it seems to be sunnier. Got some good results today however I think that If I had deployed the flashguns I would have had more as I would then have had more opportunity to take shots of the birds when they were in the shade. This time I concentrated on a particular spot on the branch and waited for the birds to come to me. I used both lenses 500 and the 300 and found that I was using the 300 more. The nuthatch very busy again today and also the woodpecker is getting closer still. I think he is getting used to me now. No sign of the sparrowhawk and the longtail tits. Why, I do not know. The light seemed to on the branches for longer today I put this down to the nights getting longer.

I used the sidekick and ballhead today. I wanted to try this as it seems more versatile that the normal Wimberley head. I found it very good and it is more flexible and you can lower the lens so much easier than with the Wimberley, where you would have to alter the legs.

I think in future I will deploy the flash guns as it allows me more flexibility and also allows me to use a shutter speed of 1/250 at iso 200 at f5.6 and f8 of a second. At times today the shutter speed went down to 1/100 of a second at f4. This was also at ISO 400 where as with the flash guns I could use ISO 200. Therefore allowing for better results and also if the subject is static the image will be sharp.

Considerations for the future. I am thinking of putting another log in place to try and bring in the woodpecker. I am thinking of getting some water and putting it on the logs as sell so that they look better. I am also going to look for another log to replace this one as it is looking a bit bashed now. No doubt down to the squirrel.

After talking to Martin I found at that there are hares on the farm. I think a early morning recce is called for to find them.

Day 3 at the hide and the results

Got up early this morning with aim to be at the farm for 8 o'clock. I wanted to be taking pictures by 9 so I had to be on the ball. I got there and it was minus 3, however it was sunny and it seemed that it was going to be a nice day.

Everything went like clockwork today. Instead of using two tripods I decided on using one. I have considered whether to make a platform which I can attach my two heads to via manfrotto superclamps this would also allow me to have more room in the hide, and maybe allow a second person to come into the hide at the same time. Ultimately I would like to put a permanent hide there which would be longer and house around 3 people at any one time. This I need to put to Martin. The trail camera had been set off around 100 times this time. However I could not see most of what that it had seen as the flash that goes off at night seems rather bright. I think I need to move it back so that I get a bigger picture view.

The weather today was really good but the wind was really cold, it felt more like minus 10 at times. I deployed flash guns again this time and had decided that they would only be used when the light was not good.

The nuthatch was very busy today and also the woodpecker seems to be getting closer every time I visit. I need to fence off the hide so that I can leave it there permanently. This I think will allow the woodpecker to get used to it so that it will then hopefully come to the feeders. Also need to consider maybe putting some peanut butter somewhere close by to draw him in.

Happy with images today got some good shots of nuthatches and chaffinches.