So there we were, Day 7 already and still some unfinished business, particularly for our Group. We were really keen to see Rock thrush and Crested Tit. Group 1 on the other hand had seen everything we had with the exception of Mistle Thrush and female Kestrel.
Our hide options however were now very limited, in fact so limited we were given a choice of one!
We were to go to the one I really didn't fancy, the one we renamed the Hunter's Hide which was the one Group 1 had abandoned on the very first day. It was good for Blackcaps they said but they didn't enthuse anymore than that. A Firecrest had been seen and photographed earlier in the week we were told, Group1 had heard it but not seen it. It had a lot of appeal so with no alternative to choose that's were we headed. Group 1 meanwhile were back to the Reflection hide.
The big problem was it was now very windy indeed. The upland hides would be useless because of the wind and they had even had rain and sleet where the Ring Ouzels where so they wouldn't be performing either.
The Hunters hide it was then!
And a Blackcapfest .
There's only so many shots you can take.
so I won't be trying for the ones that are in our garden this year!
I don't know what they were feeding on but as the day wore on, the more yellow their faces appeared.
It all got a bit boring if I'm honest.
My favourite was the shot in the rain.
Yes, we had wind and rain at one stage.
We'd had plenty of Blackcap opportunities the previous day too se we were desperate for something new.
On the whole that wasn't to be.
Just the usual suspects.
It's amazing how complacent you can become in just 7 days!
As time went on we began to realise we were not likely to see the Firecrest.
Small compensation was a visit by a pair of Chiffchaff
The bramble perch working well!
Although they were the only ones we saw all week they were not exactly high on our wish list.
We rang Yani and asked if we could move to the Goshawk hide for the rest of the afternoon to try for the Crested Tits. She told us it would be a lost cause, it was far too windy there, why didn't she ring Group 1 and ask if we could take their place in the Reflection Hide?
We were unanimous in that it was Crested Tit or nothing! It had become a shared amusement that every time Yani said something was a certainty through bad luck it hadn't happened. Think Bonelli's and the Rock Thrush! She didn't make rash predictions, it was based on experience.
We decided that if she said it wouldn't happen there was a better chance it might!
So it was back to the Goshawk hide we went, and yes, she was correct, there was a fierce wind blowing. We asked was it possible to bait the Goshawk hide too but her answer was that there were clients using the hide the next day so if it was fed the day before it might not turn up as it wouldn't be hungry. Oh well, so be it.
Things didn't look good for 90 minutes or more then suddenly we had a visit!
Despite the wind, a single bird appeared at the baited pine cones.
The size of the cone brings home how small the bird is but isn't the best for photos! The wind flattened the crest too.
We weren't sure if that was our lot but luckily the bird returned . Only once, but enough to grab a better shot than on the first visit.
That was it then, job done!
Along with Group 1 we headed back to the hotel in Yani's People Carrier. The day at the Reflection Hide had't brought any Cresties in there so our decision not to try and swop was vindicated too.
So that was it, our 7 days of hide photography was over but we still had a day left to our own devices which would end up back in Alicante.
Yani had provided us some ideas to work on so we had something to mull over a beer before dinner.
TBC
Our hide options however were now very limited, in fact so limited we were given a choice of one!
We were to go to the one I really didn't fancy, the one we renamed the Hunter's Hide which was the one Group 1 had abandoned on the very first day. It was good for Blackcaps they said but they didn't enthuse anymore than that. A Firecrest had been seen and photographed earlier in the week we were told, Group1 had heard it but not seen it. It had a lot of appeal so with no alternative to choose that's were we headed. Group 1 meanwhile were back to the Reflection hide.
The big problem was it was now very windy indeed. The upland hides would be useless because of the wind and they had even had rain and sleet where the Ring Ouzels where so they wouldn't be performing either.
The Hunters hide it was then!
And a Blackcapfest .
There's only so many shots you can take.
so I won't be trying for the ones that are in our garden this year!
I don't know what they were feeding on but as the day wore on, the more yellow their faces appeared.
It all got a bit boring if I'm honest.
My favourite was the shot in the rain.
Yes, we had wind and rain at one stage.
We'd had plenty of Blackcap opportunities the previous day too se we were desperate for something new.
On the whole that wasn't to be.
Just the usual suspects.
It's amazing how complacent you can become in just 7 days!
As time went on we began to realise we were not likely to see the Firecrest.
Small compensation was a visit by a pair of Chiffchaff
The bramble perch working well!
Although they were the only ones we saw all week they were not exactly high on our wish list.
We rang Yani and asked if we could move to the Goshawk hide for the rest of the afternoon to try for the Crested Tits. She told us it would be a lost cause, it was far too windy there, why didn't she ring Group 1 and ask if we could take their place in the Reflection Hide?
We were unanimous in that it was Crested Tit or nothing! It had become a shared amusement that every time Yani said something was a certainty through bad luck it hadn't happened. Think Bonelli's and the Rock Thrush! She didn't make rash predictions, it was based on experience.
We decided that if she said it wouldn't happen there was a better chance it might!
So it was back to the Goshawk hide we went, and yes, she was correct, there was a fierce wind blowing. We asked was it possible to bait the Goshawk hide too but her answer was that there were clients using the hide the next day so if it was fed the day before it might not turn up as it wouldn't be hungry. Oh well, so be it.
Things didn't look good for 90 minutes or more then suddenly we had a visit!
Despite the wind, a single bird appeared at the baited pine cones.
The size of the cone brings home how small the bird is but isn't the best for photos! The wind flattened the crest too.
We weren't sure if that was our lot but luckily the bird returned . Only once, but enough to grab a better shot than on the first visit.
That was it then, job done!
Along with Group 1 we headed back to the hotel in Yani's People Carrier. The day at the Reflection Hide had't brought any Cresties in there so our decision not to try and swop was vindicated too.
So that was it, our 7 days of hide photography was over but we still had a day left to our own devices which would end up back in Alicante.
Yani had provided us some ideas to work on so we had something to mull over a beer before dinner.
TBC
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