Wild Wanderings

Diary

7th March 2018

Canada's

River Walk

A beautiful spring day today so a walk to the river was in order. I took the long way across the fields. When I’m walking I always have my camera at the ready. The ground was still boggy from all the snow, but you could sense a change was in the air. Plenty of birds singing and I am seeing more ‘pairs ‘now sometimes on the ground and sometimes flying. There is a copse on the way down full of brambles and old trees. Pheasants are always in there, so I approach it as quite as I can. I would like to get a good ‘in flight’ shot of these exotic birds. You don’t know whether they are tucked in the undergrowth until a sudden panic and they take to the air squawking and flapping. It always makes you jump although you are expecting it. Sure enough two cock Pheasants took off in a hurry followed by two hens running through the undergrowth at a great speed. As usual they were to quick for me. I tried to get a shot, but I couldn’t lock focus onto the bird and he was moving away from and not across my path as I would have liked. I fired the shutter, but I knew he had alluded me once again…. blurred photo. Oh Well!!

As I approach the river I am on higher ground and so can see the banks very well from a distance. Through my binoculars I could see a mix of Canada's and Greylags and intermingled with them three pairs of Mallards. Some on the water and some resting on the grassy banks. They are very aware of me and it is just a matter of time before they leave. I slowly walk forward trying to keep close to the hedge for concealment.

The Mallards were the first to ‘spook’ and they always are. On the Mallards departure a few Greylags take to the air and some Canada's slip into the river. I could see another group of Canada's tucked in beside a bush that didn’t seem to be aware of me. The hill rises and undulates so I can sometimes obscure my approach using the contours of the land. The risk is they will take off before I can fully see them again.

I use this brief time to check my camera setting, and just before I re-emerge I raise the camera to my eye. I can then lock onto the birds immediately while they are still on the ground. But I know as soon as I pop into sight they will be off. It all happened to plan so I got a few nice flight shots.

Flight shots are always the most satisfying to me as they are a challenge to get right. The last Canada's were gone and the river was quiet again. I stood there for about thirty minutes accompanied by a lone goose hooting away upstream.

The river had a lovey fresh green smell that you always get this time of year and it was very tranquil. The sun was reflecting in the rippling water with a hint of orange. It all felt very promising for the start of spring.

Till tomorrow.