Tuesday 19 April 2011

The change of tactics to do an evening visit rather than an afternoon visit yesterday, didn't go too badly, and it was more comfortable than the mid-afternoon heat from the sun.


I visited the freshly harrowed Pub Field, and found about a dozen PIED WAGTAILS on it, along with the usual ROOKS, JACKDAWS and the odd CARRION CROW, two LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS circled low over, but didn't come down to feed.


I did a circuit of Migrant Alley, in some lovely evening sunshine, and manged to relocate the WHEATEAR that had been found earlier in the day, two SKYLARKS were up singing and the sheep pasture had at least 6 SWALLOWS zipping over it, whilst in the paddocks a dozen LINNETS were feeding on dandelion heads.


This Mallard was on the run off pool adjacent to the Pub Field, and also I found a MOORHEN nesting there, I'm not sure there will be any water left for the young when they hatch though!


Back to today, and what a shambles it turned out to be!! I had re-arranged my holiday and taken today off, as I was expecting a delivery between 9 and 5, that delivery was going to be a new extender lens for my camera :-)


I manged to get out for a short morning visit before, 9 O'clock, which didn't go too bad, I heard a YELLOW WAGTAIL go over Migrant Alley, as well as another MEADOW PIPIT, and also found yet another WHEATEAR, but the time went fast and I headed home.


I waited for the delivery, 10 o'clock.....11 o'clock.....midday....nothing, how frustrating, it was beautiful outside too! I kept an eye on the sky from the front of my house, 1 o'clock came and went, then 2 o'clock, but my spirits were lifted somewhat when I spied a RED KITE low over Migrant Alley, it flew right over my Sky watching seat!! This is probably the bird seen earlier in the month. 3 o'clock passed by, still no delivery, and I resigned myself to not getting out at all this afternoon, 4 o'clock came and I was getting annoyed now! All day wasted!!


Finally at 4:30 my delivery arrived, and I excitedly open up my new lens, I could fit it and still get a walk in :-) WRONG!! the bloody thing didn't fit the the Zoom lens I had already! It was physically impossible to connect it to my canon 70-300 IS lens, the extender was a 1x4 Canon, so you would think there would be some chance of it matching, but no, I read the instructions again and again, I looked at it from above, from below and from the side, but it wasn't going to fit, what a piece of expensive junk!! I now have all the trouble of returning the thing!


At half past six I finally gave up and went out for a walk round Migrant Alley, but I wasn't at all focused ( no pun intended!) and I only took a photo of the Wheatear that had hung around for me all day :-)

The Wheatear.




11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Waited for it all day Warren and then it didn`t fit. That is the proverbial kick in the B#######.

Swap you one of my 3 Groppers for your Red Kite.

Warren Baker said...

Gropper for Red Kite Dean, done! ( and you have been ! just like I was!)

ShySongbird said...

Oh what a pain! Parcel deliveries can be abysmal. Between 9 and 1 they say...when do they turn up? 3:30 if your lucky :( Then to find what you've ordered and were looking forward to is no good just puts the cherry on the cake!

I have looked at extenders and found that what they fit and what they won't is a bit of a mine field, I'll be interested to see how it performs when you get the right one though.

Well done on the Red Kite Warren :)

Greenie said...

Warren ,
Sounds like one of my delivery stories , last on the list .
As I understand it , the 1.4x and
2x extenders are only compatible with the L series EF lenses , which unfortunately the black 70-300 isn't , just the white L version .
Nice one with the Red Kite .

Warren Baker said...

I don't think there is a right one Songbird :-) Ive got a canon camera, a canon lens and a canon extender, and the extender is a physical mismatch!.... Canon can! No they bloody cant!!

FAB said...

A very frustrating day ... I hope you didn't take it out on the Mrs!!

BTW I have an EF 25 II Extender for my 70-300 but rarely use it!

Derek Faulkner said...

Now I know why I've kept my photography to a simple camera amd a simple level, that's all double dutch to me.

Greenie said...

Warren ,
I have just read Frank's comment re. EF 25 11 Extender , and whilst I'm sure it was mentioned in good faith , this piece of kit is an extension tube that literally moves the lens 25mm. further away and enables CLOSER shots with the original lens as opposed to the 1.4x or 2x Extender which increases the focal length of the lens by 40% or 100% , ie. a 200mm. lens would in effect become a 280mm. or 400mm. depending on which extender was used .
The only answer I see is to get an EF L series lens , but the price difference on the 70-300 is somewhere in the £1000 region .

Simon said...

Just noticed your post yesterday....RING OUZEL....you certainly know how to make a fellow patch watcher jealous! Haha, nice one! A bird of my patch-working dreams :-O ... please fly my way Mr Ouzel :-)

Marc Heath said...

What a nightmare with the converter. I sugggest you save your pennies for a Canon lens that will fit your converter. It took me ages to save but god it was worth it.

FAB said...

Warren. Greenie is quite correct about the EF 25 extender ... I certainly had no intention of trying to confuse you.