Fingringhoe Wick EWT

At last a sunny day for photographing dragonflies.  Female Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) observed ovipositing it was later joined by a male in an apparently unwelcome attempt to mate during which the female became somewhat waterlogged.

Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) female ovipositing. Olympus75-300 @ 300mm 1/320 @ f7.1 ISO-320

Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) male and female. Olympus75-300 @ 194mm 1/400 @ f8 ISO-500

Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) female. Olympus75-300 @ 194mm 1/320 @ f8 ISO-400

Mating Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis). Olympus 60mm macro 1/250 @ f4 ISO-200

Westleton Heath

Female Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) on heather. Olympus 60mm macro 1/200 @ f5.6 ISO-200

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata). Olympus75-300 @ 156mm plus extension tube 1/160 @ f7.1 ISO-200

Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis). Olympus 60mm macro 1/160 @ f9 ISO-200

East Bergholt

Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula). Olympus 60mm macro 1/250 @ f5.6 ISO-200

Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). Olympus 60mm macro 1/125 @ f8 ISO-1250

Light Brocade (Lacanobia w-latinum). Olympus 60mm macro 1/200 @ f5.6 ISO-200

Grass Snake (Natrix natrix). Olympus 75-300 at 215mm 1/500 @ f6.2 ISO-200

Grass Snake (Natrix natrix). Olympus 75-300 at 300mm 1/400 @ f6.7 ISO-250

East Bergholt

Speckled Bush Cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) nymph.  Olympus 60mm macro 1/200 @ f8 ISO-400

Hoverfly possibly Helophilus pendulus.  Olympus 60mm macro 1/250 @ f8 ISO-400

East Bergholt

Several breeding pairs of Large Red Damselfly at our pond today.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).  Olympus 60mm macro 1/160 @ f8 ISO-200

We currently have a nest of Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) in the vent of our tumble dryer!

Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum).  Olympus 75-300mm at 300mm with extension tubes 1/320 @ f7.1 ISO-200

Cley NNT

More attempts at bird photography with and Olympus Olympus OM-D-E-M1 and the M-Zuiko 75-300 zoom, all shots handheld.

Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) Olympus OM-D-E-M1 M-Zuiko 75-300 @ 300mm  1/1000 f7.1 ISO-200

Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) Olympus OM-D-E-M1 M-Zuiko 75-300 @ 300mm  1/800 f6.7 ISO-200

Gadwall (Anas strepera) Olympus OM-D-E-M1 M-Zuiko 75-300 @ 275mm  1/640 f8 ISO-320

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) Olympus OM-D-E-M1 M-Zuiko 75-300 @ 300mm 1/640 f7.1 ISO-200

Olympus OM-D-E-M1 Trial The Decision

I have had great fun playing with the Olympus it is a very nice camera to use, light and very portable.  This system will come in very handy for macro work and general walkabout landscapes etc.  For birds it is more problematic, I have only been able to achieve adequate results for fairly static subjects in good light.  I do not see this system as suitable for high quality bird photography in most situations.

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor).  Olympus 75-300 at 300mm 1/800 @ f8 ISO-200

Western Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula).  Olympus 75-300 at 246mm 1/320 @ f6.4 ISO-1000

Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda).  Olympus 60mm macro 1/15 @ f8 ISO-200

Olympus OM-D-E-M1 Trial Day 4

A couple of pictures of moths from last nights trap plus a big bonus; while emptying the trap a pair of Grass Snakes appeared and commenced mating by the pond.  This gave a great opportunity to try out the much maligned video capabilities of the Olympus.  See the video clip here http://youtu.be/AlZLr8dMfaE

Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica).  Olympus 60mm macro 1/250 @ f5.6 ISO-200

Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi).  Olympus 60mm macro 1/250 @ f7.1 ISO-200

Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix) mating.  Olympus 75-300 at 75mm 1/50 @ f11 ISO-100

Olympus OM-D-E-M1 Trial Day 3

Some more shots from my micro 4/3 test.  So far pretty impressed with the versatility of the camera and the quality of the optics.  As expected the image quality is not as good as that of my Canon gear especially if you pixel peep having said that it is more than acceptable.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) adult.  Olympus 60mm macro 1/160 @ f8 ISO-400

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) exuvia.  Olympus 60mm macro 1/200 @ f8 ISO-200

Garden Flowers.  Olympus 60mm macro 1/125 @ f8 ISO-800

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) in bloom.  Olympus 14-40mm f2.8 at 21mm 1/400 @ f6.3 ISO-200

Olympus OM-D-E-M1 Trial Day 2

Second day assessing suitability of the Olympus OM-D-E-M1 as a small lightweight alternative to a DSLR for general nature photography.

A couple of images from today:

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) larva.  Olympus 60mm macro 1/50 @ f8 ISO-400

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula).  Olympus 75-300 at 281mm 1/1000 @ f6.7 ISO-800 

Common Frog (Rana temporaria) Olympus 75-300 at 286mm with 10mm extension tube1/60 @ f8 ISO-400

Olympus OM-D-E-M1 Trial Day 1

After many years carrying heavy cameras, lenses and tripods my shoulders and back are no longer up to long days out in the field photographing wildlife.  I am on the look out for a lightweight alternative to my heavy Canon gear which will still give me the opportunity to do macro and some bird photography with adequate quality.

I know a few photographers who have recently tried out the micro 4/3 system and decided to give it a try myself.  London Camera Exchange in Colchester kindly offered to let me try out an Olympus OM-D E-M1 with the Olympus 12-40 f2.8 zoom, Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro and Olympus 75-300 lenses.

Here are a couple of shots (both handheld).  Obviously the quality of images from a micro 4/3 camera is never going to be as good as that I get from my Canon 1DX but they are much better than I expected and perfectly acceptable.   Let's face it a picture of slightly less quality is much better than no image at all because you left all your heavy equipment in the camera bag!

Grey Squirrel. Olympus 75-300 at 240mm 1/500 at f8 ISO 800

Bee on flowers Olympus 60mm Macro 1/1250 at f4 ISO 400

The Snake Returns

The Grass Snake (Natrix natrix) has returned to our garden.

Short-eared Owls, Shingle Street

Finally caught up with the Short-eared Owls today, two to three performing well close to the road.

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)