Black-headed Gull

While playing havoc with image clarity, sometimes a grey day can provide interesting backdrops. This shot might look like a cut-out, but in fact the lack of definition in the background is simply a reflection of the absence of any discernible detail on a horribly dreary day on the coast.

Canon 1Ds MkII, Canon 100-400mm IS USM L lens, 1/320th sec, f/5.6, 400mm at ISO 500. Distance to subject: c 5m

Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)

I haven't been able to get out much recently, but did manage this ground-level shot of a Jackdaw, which I like because the perspective lends the bird the feel almost of a snake, its body drifting away into the long grass.

Canon 1DS MkII, Canon 100-400mm IS USM L lens, 1/320th sec, f/5.6, 400mm at ISO 500. Distance: < 4m

Norfolk flight

A simple enough shot, but included here because for me it sums up perfectly the natural serenity of the North Norfolk coast.

Kestrel

My apologies for the lengthy gap since my last post. The last few weeks have not been great – my father died after a long battle against cancer and my wife has been into hospital a couple of times, but is now much better. To get back into the swing of things, here's an interesting angle on one of my favourite birds. It was using the uppermost branch of a tree to scan for small mammals without the need to expend energy hovering in flight. Most of the time, its head was bowed, moving methodically from left to right in search of likely prey. Every once in a while, however, it would raise its head to the horizon, providing this unusual perspective on a beautiful little raptor. I only wish the light had been kinder; don't be fooled by the shutter speed – today on the North Norfolk coast it was a bleached out grey day offering little in the way of depth and contrast.

Canon 1Ds MkII, Canon 100-400mm IS L USM lens, 1/1,000th sec, f/5.6, 400mm at ISO 500