ShowcaseWinter on the Ouse Washes

Spent most of the last fortnight on the Washes between Welney and Sutton Gault, mainly from the hides, with a few mornings on the bank at first light.

Water's high this year, which keeps the whooper swans close in front of the Welney hide and spreads the wigeon right across the floods. The best mornings were the frosty ones. Flat calm, swans coming in low against a pink sky with their breath showing. I have one frame I'm pleased with of three whoopers landing in a line, feet out, the water still mirror-flat in front of them.

The harder subject was a barn owl quartering the bank near Sutton Gault at dusk. Twice I had it, and twice it was too dark to hold anything sharp at 600mm equivalent, stabilisation or not. Third evening it came out early in better light and I got it banking with the low sun through the wing feathers.

Nothing remarkable, just a fortnight of patience. Short-eared owls next, if they turn up.

Owl on the third evening. That's the job. Nice.

fen_and_field said:

three whoopers landing in a line, feet out

that sounds class mate, Welney's on my list every winter and I never get there, Rutland's been dead this year tbf, couple of goldeneye and a smew that turned up for one day while I was at work, typical. was the owl from the bank or from one of the hides

andyp_1974 said:

was the owl from the bank or from one of the hides

From the bank, sat against a fence post with the camera on a beanbag on my knee. The hides face the wrong way for the evening light at that end. Go in a frosty spell, Andy. It's a different place. The swan feed at Welney gets busy but the floods beyond are all yours.