4 Sept 2014

4 Sep 14 - Obliging Spotted Flycatchers

I wasn't overly happy about the Spotted Flycatcher photos in the Studland churchyard yesterday, as they were all a bit overexposed. With the focus point set to smallest point on the Canon 7D and the exposure set to normal, they were all coming out as over exposed. This was a combination of the bright sun reflecting off the white breast & the darker backgrounds. So I was glad to find 3 more Spotted Flycatchers on the walk out to Old Harry on the following morning, as well as finding the Studland church flock had increased to 7. So a chance to get some better photos and I came happy with some of these photos.
Spotted Flycatcher: One of 3 birds near the start of the track to Old Harry. Note, the long wings, narrow wing edgings & narrow wing bar. Also, note the long whiskers
Spotted Flycatcher: Yesterday, I wondered if the Spotted Flycatchers in the church had arrived on the Old Harry headland & then moved inland to the church or dropped in from the Vis Mig flyway which goes over the village. I guess this supports the former theory
Spotted Flycatcher: There was another fairly obliging bird in the churchyard, but it just wouldn't let me get as close as the Old Harry bird
Spotted Flycatcher: In a few weeks, this bird is likely to be on its Sub-Saharan wintering grounds, which lie South of a line from Senegal to Kenya. They can winter as far South as South Africa