Nearly but not quite

Someone very wise once said insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. It’s true, and that’s what we do as wildlife photographers. We visit the same spot again and again, hoping for that one moment when it all comes together. The light, the subject – we wait for that one moment. Well that’s what I’ve been doing for several weeks now. Waiting on the Fen, for a special subject. This morning was a beautiful frosty start to the day, the first thing I see slinking through the crystallised grass is a Fox, sleek and handsome he stares at me when I squeak, and then bounces away as I try to turn the camera towards him. The frozen ground crunches underfoot, and the first golden light pours over the glistening white frost. The hedge is full of chattering Fieldfares, a pair of Swans glide overhead and two of the resident Roe deer watch shyly as I walk by.

Great reedmace, Typha latifoli, Bulrush, frost, Winter, Suffolk, December

 

Bracken, Pteridium aquilinum, covered in frost, Winter, December, Suffolk

 

I reach the spot and wait, an hour or maybe two goes by with nothing but the most fleeting of glimpses. I move on, and then there,  a movement. Two more, quite close, a flutter, a whistle, they flit on the top of the reeds, the birds I’ve been trying to photograph for weeks.

 

Beardedtit061214DM1895

Bearded tits. Not very well named really, they’re not a member of the tit family, and the male wears a rather dapper moustache rather than a beard. Anyway, they are special little birds, a regular, though elusive Winter visitor to the Fen. So here’s my nearly but not quite photo, they decided to perch momentarily on the same reed, meaning I couldn’t get both in focus, then they moved down into the reeds to feed, not allowing any other chances to get a clear view. Nearly, but not quite. I’ll keep trying!

 

(Click images to view larger…)

If you like what you see, please consider sharing![social_share/]

BOB_Avatar

 

 

 

 

 

UK & Eire Natural History Bloggers

Current favourite books, click for more info:




 

Similar Posts

  • Beautiful Bees

    The warm June breeze gently stirs the long grass, and shivers softly through the leaves of the apple tree behind me. Peace rests lightly across the lush garden, and a male Blackbird flutes his signature melody into the clear air. He is perched above where I’m sitting, sharing space together as I wait for the…

  • Bunnies

    Well, not had very much time for photography of late due to work, but I’ve been trying to fit it in where I can. The last few evenings I’ve spent some time at the local rabbit warren, not too far from home. It’s a great location to take advantage of the evening light, but I’m…

  • Star Trails and Lizard Tails

    Breckland. At first glance, arid and inhospitable, with hot, dry sandy soil and prickly gorse, but look closer, and you’ll find that one of the driest areas in England is in fact, teeming with life. Tiny specialised plants creep aross the dusty ground, while twisted, spiny gorse shelters nesting birds. The sharpness of the landscape…

  • Fascinating Fritillaries

    Hello. I’m blogging again. Well, don’t expect regular updates, but I felt like writing again, and wanted to try and document some of my photo trips this year. I invited my lovely mum to join me for one of my first trips out with the camera, because I hoped this was a sight she would…

  • Shieldbug

    Not had much time for photography of late, which is a shame as there is so much to photograph! This interesting creature is a Forest Shieldbug, which hitched a ride on the outside of my car. When we arrived home he flew off onto the wooden fence, against which he was quite well camouflaged. I…

  • Happy New Year!

    Happy New Year to you all! Despite the grey weather today, I just had to get out with the camera – the reason? Well a lovely shiny new lens! Now the folks who know me will know I’m not that much of a ‘gear-head’ and I’m a firm believer in that it’s not what you’ve…

2 Comments

  1. Cracking photos Dawn, to get a pic of one bearded tit is pretty good, but two together, a double whammy! You must have been frozen it was certainly a hard frost on Saturday morning.

Leave a Reply