Sunday 23 January 2011

Brandon Marsh :: 23 January 2011

Got a new lens for Christmas and my birthday (combined), sourced from Ebay; a Sigma 120-400mm f/4.5-5.6 DG OS HSM.  It came with a Cokin UV filter on the front, there to protect the main lens.  Testing the filter in front of my birding scope it became obvious that the filter was affecting the performance. So yesterday, I received an 'extra' birthday present; a Hoya Pro1 Digital Lens Protection filter. What a family I have!

Today was my first chance to try it our so the family piled into the car and we headed off to Warwickshire Wildlife Trust's Brandon Marshes in Coventry.

We started with lunch but soon were hide hoping to see what was about - a reasonable amount as it turned out. In the end we observed 32 species: great tit, blue tit, dunnock, chaffinch, magpie, woodpigeon, bullfinch, robin, coal tit, greenfinch, moorhen, carrion crow, blackbird, coot, mute swan, canada goose, cormorant, pochard, shoveler, goldeneye, teal, tufted duck, gadwall, lapwing, mallard, black headed gull, common gull, pheasant, bittern, shelduck, buzzard, and heron.

BitternWe did however get a little stuck in the East Marsh Pool hide waiting for the return of our bird of the day.