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

  • Bearded Tits

    Out in search of the Bearded tits again this morning. It was a frosty start and the fen was shrouded in mist. I walked along past the oaks, not a good year for acorns it seems and consequently there are very few Jay’s around. A small mottled brown bird darts silently out of a tree…

  • Here be Dragons

    Up at sunrise again this morning, I know it’s early at this time of year, but I urge you to do it at least once. Just be still and listen to the dawn chorus, a crescendo of song in the still, cool air. Each individual bird adding it’s voice, a melody from a Blackbird here,…

  • Redwing

    Off to the Fen this morning, after all, how could I resist after last time! Unfortunately I didn’t see the Bittern today, he was probably tucked up in the reeds somewhere given that the temperature was -13 degrees. The Fen was really quiet and still, the only bird singing was a lone Reed bunting. The…

  • 2026 Calendar

    Exciting news! A friend of mine encouraged me to get a calendar printed, so I did just that! Featuring my favourite images from recent projects, and printed on high quality recycled silk paper, I’m really pleased with how they came out. I only have a few available, so be quick if you’d like one! Available…

  • Gardener’s Delight

    Well, I wasn’t really planning any photography for today, just had some garden chores to get on with. So there I was, earthing up the spuds, I glanced up and what did I see? A pair of Turtle doves feeding underneath my new feeder at the end of the garden! The feeder’s only been set…

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