Skomer with Talk Photography

Another trip to Skomer. This time with the good folk from Talk Photography

Flora

Little Owl

Andrew's favorite. Difficult to find because they blend so easily into the stonework. The parents have darker feathers and were watching with interest at the lighter fledgling was learning how to hunt and fly.

Landscape

Swallows

Taking a picture of a swallow in flight is non-trivial as they dart down the pathways to catch flies on the wing. Catching an insect with a beak is literally equivalent to catching a fly with chopsticks. The first picture below is a little soft but we nailed the final picture by using the 400mm f2.8 from Lenses For Hire in bright sunshine to give sufficient speed at ISO 200 to freeze the action with excellent colour and low noise whilst staying far enough away that the bird didn't pull up before reaching the point where we had pre-focused. The camera was supported by the rock solid Gitzo G1500 and Wimberley loaned by a very nice man and triggered by cable release as we judged that the bird had reached the right position.

Chicks

Note that a puffin chick does not have the marked bill of the parents. Indeed puffins have a plain beak for most of the year - they only gain the colours for coming back to land in the spring to nest.