A very quiet last couple of weeks but I did get out briefly yesterday. There were several duck species around: the resident Spotbills and Goosander of course but also a lone Scaup, several Red-breasted Mergansers and this pair of very scruffy Harlequin Ducks. Not a bird I often see in summer: the latter 3 duck species are presumably non-breeding lingerers.
A quiet end to Golden Week saw us nearer town……………..
This injured Brent Goose was being hungrily eyed by crows. I chased them off but it wasn’t there today.
Most of the seaducks have left the ports and are either offshore or gone back north. There were a few Black Scoters close inshore and a few Stejneger’s always just out of camera range.
Most interesting duck was the above American Wigeon (in terrible light) and a flock of Falcated Duck (also out of camera range).
I was trying to get some Stejneger’s Scoter BIFs yesterday. Some would fly reasonably near the port wall and if you crop heavily and don’t pixel peep the results are not so awful.
Most of the winter ducks are either gone or well offshore now but there were a few Black Scoter in one of the ports near Yakumo.
They like these molluscs.
Yakumo was pretty quiet today, a few common ducks around, no passage waders yet and nothing interesting except a large flock of Rustic Buntings inland.
The Long-tailed Ducks had left the port (although I did see them in the distance way offshore). The Black Scoters were still around.
And this Gadwall were at Yakumo…………a heavy crop this one.
Some shots with the 2X teleconverter from yesterday. I was trying to photograph distant Red-necked Grebes (in summer plumage), Stejneger’s Scoters and (another?) White-billed Diver.
Most of the shots were crap but the above diver wasn’t too bad and was actually handheld.
These shots were on the monopod…………..
One thing I’ve noticed about the R5 is a lot of the monopod/teleconverter shots are soft. I usually use the monopod when I attach a T/C and handhold without. Is it the image stablization ‘fighting’ with the monopod? I know my lens (the 500 f4M2) can sense it’s on a tripod but can it sense it’s on a monopod?
I doubt they’ll be around this coming weekend………………
The Long-tailed Ducks were still present and a couple of males almost in full summer plumage.
I spent a couple of days at the port and by the end of the second afternoon it had got rather dark.
A drake Long-tailed Duck transitioning into summer plumage………………
There were 4 pairs of them in the harbour.
