I had had OK views of this little stunner a couple of days earlier, but in quite harsh light and not very close. I was amazed to discover a few days later than some enterprising soul had put out a small tub of mealworms and erected a perch just the other side of a small stream. The bird was showing brilliantly, the sort of close you dream of if you carry a large white lens around for little reward day after day. I quickly texted Mick, another keen bird photographer up on Shetland, to tell him the good news. He turned up a little while later, not having received my text message, but clearly in the know about the perch and the worms, and began to set up. I gestured to the Stonechat, sat mere feet away, and said something like "Whoever did this deserves a medal!" He looked surprised. "It was me!" he said! "I did it this morning, and just popped back to see if it was working, looks like it is!". I showed him the texts I had sent....
Anyhow, a brilliant little bird, so full of character, and although not the best light, the four photographers present had an awesome time. I wish I could have stayed longer - Mick was there for another week so check out his webpage later for are bound to be fab images - but there were more birds to be seen.
All images with the Canon 800mm lens and 1D Mark IV body, wide open at f5.6, using ISO 400 with shutter speeds ranging between 1/800 and 1/2000. The final image is with the 1.4x converter attached (for f8), and all used a monopod or tripod bar the penultimate image of the bird perched in twigs. I thought it had gone and had packed up, only for it to suddenly reappear - no time for support, just grab and fire!
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