How to photograph Bearded Tits at RSPB Leighton Moss
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- Опубликовано: 7 окт 2023
- Title: " Photographing Bearded Tits at RSPB Leighton Moss"
Description:
Welcome to my wildlife photography adventure at RSPB Leighton Moss! In this video, I'll take you on a journey through the breathtaking wetlands of Leighton Moss and show you how to capture stunning photographs of the elusive and captivating Bearded Tits.
RSPB Leighton Moss, located in Lancashire, UK, is a haven for birdwatchers and photographers alike, offering a unique opportunity to observe these stunning birds in their natural habitat. With their distinctive "moustache" and vibrant plumage, Bearded Tits are a favourite subject for wildlife photographers, but they can be quite challenging to photograph due to their shy and secretive nature.
In this comprehensive guide, I'll cover:
1. *Planning Your Visit:* Learn the best times and seasons to visit RSPB Leighton Moss for Bearded Tit photography. I'll also discuss essential equipment and camera settings to ensure you're well-prepared.
2. *Location Scouting:* Explore the various hides and spots within the reserve where Bearded Tits are commonly spotted. I'll share my tips on positioning and timing to increase your chances of getting that perfect shot.
3. *Techniques for Capturing Bearded Tits:* Discover the patience and techniques required to photograph these delicate birds without disturbing them. I'll discuss approaches such as using hides, tripod setups, and understanding their behaviour.
4. *Composition and Creative Tips:* Learn how to compose your shots creatively to make the most of your Bearded Tit encounters.
5. *Respecting Wildlife:* It's crucial to prioritise the welfare of the birds and the environment. I'll emphasise the importance of responsible wildlife photography and respecting the natural world.
Join me on this incredible journey as I venture into the heart of RSPB Leighton Moss to capture the magic of Bearded Tits in their habitat. Whether you're an experienced wildlife photographer or just starting, this video will provide valuable insights and inspiration for your next photography expedition. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on my future wildlife photography adventures! Happy shooting! 📸🌿🐦
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#BeardedTits #WildlifePhotography #RSPBLeightonMoss #BirdPhotography #NaturePhotography #WildlifeAdventures
Bearded Reedlings, beautiful birds. I was lucky enough during a trip to UK earlier in the year to visit Pensthorpe Nature reserve, where I photographed the Bearded Reedlings, they are stunning and very fast through the air.
Thank you, they really are a highlight for me and I look forward to seeing them each year in the autumn. They are really are fast through the air and a challenge to photograph.
Take care and all the best 👍🏻
The 57 year old, 13 year old idiot that is still in my mind laughed out loud when I first saw the video title. Then the adult me enjoyed the video. Thanks for sharing.
😂😂😂😂 that made me giggle and must admit I too have had a little chuckle about this.
All the best mate 👍🏻
So cool! We need places like that here in the southern US. Thanks for showing me what is possible!
Cheers Jon, the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) have reserves up and down the country which are a fantastic place to visit for photographers.
I would imagine that you have some incredible wildlife in the Southern US 👍🏻
@@danwillis_photography We do, but we don't really have so many preserves to visit like this. I used to live near a State Park that was great like that, but we moved and I haven't found a good one near me here.
Good stuff! I'm slowly working my way through your videos and making notes as to where to visit in July. Keep them coming! 👍
Cheers John, I appreciate your support. Glad you are finding them useful 👍🏻
Another great video.
Thanks very much Richard 👍🏻
Great video, Dan. Stunning images of the Common Hawker and the Bearded Tits/Reedlings... I'm really enjoying your videos having discovered them only recently.
Thanks very much Andrew I really appreciate that.
All the best 👍🏻
Great video stunning birds have you ever heard of rodley nature reserve seems to have changed a bit since I last visited look forward to your next video
Thanks very much, I haven’t heard of Rodley nature reserve but will certainly look into it 👍🏻
Stunning images as usual , the beardies are stunning little birds
Thanks very much Stephen, really appreciate it 👍🏻
This is great
Thanks very much 👍🏻
Great video. Given me the kick up the backside to get back up to Leighton Moss and to instill more patience for the Reedlings!
I’m really glad it’s inspired you. Thanks very much for your comment, all the best 👍🏻
Great images Dan! It was great seeing the Bearded Reedling and the bonus footage of the otters as well was amazing.
Thanks very much mate, always appreciated 👍🏻
Great video Dan, the new lens seems to be working great, fab shots of the Bearded Reedling
Thanks very much Derek, always appreciated 👍🏻
Thanks again Dan for a great video…! Cracking images of the Bearded Reedlings, nice to see the Marsh Harrier and the Otters… haven’t managed to see any Bearded Reedlings yet so it’s definitely a place to look at visiting, thanks again and please keep up the quality and informative content 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks very much Karl for your kind words it’s really appreciated.
Can definitely recommend Leighton Moss if it’s not too far from you 👍🏻
Great stuff Dan, congrats on the new lens , it’s a beauty! Love the Reedling images and video footage of the otter too! 👏👍😀
Thanks very much Anton, always appreciated.
All the best mate 👍🏻
Great pics...been there about 12 times in the past year and still to see them...though did get my first sighting ever last weekend up on Cambus in Scotland.
Thanks very much Paul, I find that the Bearded Tits tend to visit the grit trays between 9:30am and 11. That’s not an exact science but it’s been pretty effective for me over the years. The Grizedale grit trays seems to be more productive but the light isn’t as good. The causeway trays are good for light but a bit more hit and miss.
All the best 👍🏻
Stunning Shots and your passion for the subject shines through Well Done Dan.
Thank you David I really appreciate that 👍🏻
Great captures Dan another great video am up Liverpool in half term and will visit Leighton Moss for the first time! Enjoy the new lens!!
Thanks very much Ian, I can definitely recommend the reserve it’s a cracker.
All the best 👍🏻
Beautiful video and some stunning images of the Bearded Tits. Great to see the Marsh Harrier and the Otters. I saw the Bearded Tits last autumn at Leighton Moss and you've got me wanting to go back and see them again. I'll be there soon, great work. Keep inspiring us!
Many thanks Tony I really appreciate your comment and support.
All the best mate 👍🏻
Really lovely Dan. I’m very envious of your dragonfly images having failed to get anything so good this summer.
Thanks very much Raymond I really appreciate your comment.
All the best 👍🏻
great video once again Dan.
Thanks very much Paul, I appreciate it 👍🏻
Some cracking shots Dan. Great video
Thanks very much, I really appreciate it.
All the best 👍🏻
Brilliant mate.
Thanks very much Craig 👍🏻
Fantastic images
Thanks very much Charles, really appreciate it mate.
All the best 👍🏻
Great video Dan, one of the prettiest birds you can photograph. Had a play with a Z 400mm 2.8 last week, a fantastic lens.
Thanks very much. I totally agree with you they are stunning little birds.
So far so good in terms of enjoying the lens, just need to get out and use it more 😁
All the best
Hey, Dan. Great video as usual. Congrats on the new lens. To say I’m envious is an understatement. On my Z9/8 I’ve been using memory set and memory recall. It works amazingly well for instant refocusing. Keep up the awesome work.
Thanks very much Randy, I’ve not yet really used the memory recall but you’ve certainly peaked my interest to experiment with it.
All the best 👍🏻
Your new lens looks like it did not disappoint!! Awesome images!!
Thanks very much Patty, I’m over the moon with the new lens 👍🏻
Thanks Dan. Great help as i am out in Suffolk reedbeds on thursday to photograph the Bearded Tits. Cheers
I’m glad the video was helpful and I really appreciate your comment. All the best 👍🏻
Been there a few times, great place👍🏻
P.S. photos were great!
Cheers John 👍🏻
Nice images
Thanks very much Waldo 👍🏻
Thank you Dan as ever a very informative video, you mentioned using single Point I agree, since customizing WC-1 to single point 1x1 it has made such a difference *Single point does not use subject detection* *WC-1 / WC-2 @ 1x1 does*
Thanks very much Gerald I really appreciate your comment. I’m glad the suggestion of using single point has helped.
All the best 👍🏻
Nice vid Dan. Firmware 4.10 will work great with your new lens ..
Thanks very much Ted, new firmware certainly seems like an improvement and I’m hoping to get out and test it over the next few weeks to feedback on it 👍🏻
hello Dan, a good video as usual and good pictures of moustache chickadees, the 400 stings well and your wife was nice although you left a kidney there, but you'll see we live well with only one kidney😍
It’s well worth the kidney 😂😂😂 thanks very much for your kind words I very much appreciate it 👍🏻
They are certainly a beautiful bird. How about a trip down to the New Forest, which is on my doorstep?
Thanks very much Sue, I’ve only been to the New Forest once and loved it. Is there any particular hotspots that you could recommend around the forest? Feel free to message me on my instagram account if you’d rather not say on here 👍🏻
Sorry, not on instagram😪 but in the southern section. And then further down onto the solent nature reserves are nice.😁
@@littlesue2633 thank you Sue 😊
Great video Dan and it looks like you’re enjoying your new lens. What you might find when shooting BIF, some of your images might display slight motion blur. I noticed this after I upgraded to the 500mm PF compared to my Sigma 50-500mm. It was probably due to the lens being lighter than I was used to and and I was over panning. Other people have mentioned it too and it took many hours of practice before I started getting sharp BIF images again.
When the light is right at Leighton Moss, the Lower Hide is the best hide to be at especially in the morning.
You did well to get some clear shots of the Bearded Tits, it can be difficult and every time I’ve been they have never obliged doing the spread legged routine for me.
Keep up the good work.
I had not considered the impact of moving to a lighter lens when photographing birds in flight. I will monitor that and feed back in a future video so thank you for the heads up.
The Lower Hide was definitely the most productive hide I went into and a destination I will be heading back to on my next visit.
Thanks for the comment, all the best 👍🏻
@@danwillis_photography Steve Perry mentioned it in one of his videos and at the time he thought it may have been down to the VR. The discussion continued on the Back Country Gallery Forum and users started putting it down to it being so light. A bit of change if used to panning with the old 500mm f4.
I ave been to Leighton today for the 1st time, very busy being a Weekend but I saw the tits and the Marsh Harriers so I was happy, great video :)
I’m glad you had a good trip and got to see some fantastic wildlife.
All the best 👍🏻
Another great video Dan with some superb images. Have you tried the 4.10 firmware yet. I tested it on my z9 and got some reasonably good images of a pallid harrier at Wallasea island in Essex. Think you will find it makes life a lot easier. Keep up the good work mate.
Thanks very much David I really appreciate it.
I have tried the new firmware and agree it certainly is an improvement. The AF seems more sticky on the Birds Eye rather than it’s body which is fantastic. Definitely need to do more testing though.
All the best 👍🏻
Great video, have you updated the Z9 with the AF settings you could do a video on that. Argaty Red Kites in Stirling is a great place to visit.
I have updated the Z9 to firmware 4.10 and agree that would make a good video so thanks for sharing that idea.
Thanks very much for your comment Mark, all the best 👍🏻
Hi Dan I bet you're enjoying that lens, have you tried it with the 2x ? I notice you don't let your wife carry it . Have you been to Horn Mill we got some great photos of Osprey, Red Kite, and Heron catching Trout. Definitely worth a visit you have to pay but it's worth it. You could take pops with you i'am sure he would like it . Also have you installed the latest firmware?
I am really enjoying it Malcolm. I’ve experimented with the 2x tc but need to get some test shots so I can give an honest opinion on it.
I intend on visiting Horn Mill next season as a number of people have suggested it.
All the best mate 👍🏻
Super duper, that's a saying from back when I was a young lad, but that was my reaction to last night's video. The Kingfisher is an iconic and colourful bird and your Goshawks and Sparrowhawk images are breathtaking but those charismatic Bearded Reedling images and videos were wonderful, I've seen them many many times at Titchwell but before having a camera. loved Leighton Moss haven't been for some years. Thanks for another magical episode. Is there a way I could send you a couple clips from my garden trailcam .Cheers Derek
Thank you so much Derek, what a fabulous comment to read. I really appreciate it.
If you use Instagram you can send me your trail camera footage on there through direct messaging. Let me know if not and I will figure out another way, would love to see your footage.
All the best 👍🏻
Hello dude great video as always! Could you tell me where you got your camera neck sling from please buddy? It looks a good strong trustworthy one that’s not gonna snap like some of them after a little use lol 😂
Thanks for the comment James, appreciate it.
The strap is a Peak Design - Slide. You can get them directly from Peak Design, I think I got mine from Wex. Amazon also sells them 👍🏻
Fantastic thank you
Great video again Dan. I’m hoping to purchase the 400 2.8 early next year. Would be interested in hearing if you were tempted by the 600 f4 at all, especially as you do a lot of bird photography. What made you go with the 400? Would also be good to see how the 400 goes with the 2x TC.
Thanks for your comment Paul. I was really tempted by the 600mm but I will explain why I went 400mm. I spend a lot of time photographing from hides and find the optimal range is 300-400mm, the 600mm whilst giving me great reach for small birds would make it limited for my hide work. I’ve used the lens with my 2x tc but need to do more test shots to say whether it’s worth it. The reviews I’ve read suggest it’s okay but not as sharp as the 800mm pf lens.
Hope that answers your question, all the best 👍🏻
Thanks for your reply Dan. Always good to get opinions from other photographers when it comes to making a decision on gear… especially when it’s a lot of money, and an investment. All the very best. 👍🏼
Great images Dan, good to see you again at Leighton Moss this time. Did you managed to go and see the Hoopoe? How you finding the new firmware, improved bird eye tracking?
Always a pleasure to bump into you mate. We didn’t go to see the Hoopoe in the end, which was a mistake and I’m now kicking myself for 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
I’m loving the new firmware, it’s certainly more sticky on the Birds Eye instead of the body.
All the best 👍🏻
Great stuff Dan as always. Those beardies are just fantastic. Tried to photograph dragonflies but just found focusing so difficult. What point auto focus would you normally use for them if you don’t mind me asking? Cheers Ian
Thanks very much Ian really appreciate it. For the dragonflies I pre focus on a spot that the dragonflies repeatedly visit, they are a creature of habit and after watching them for about 10 minutes you can pick out a spot. I then use either animal recognition in the camera or wide area small to lock on. Trying to do this without the pre focus though is really difficult.
Hope that answers your question Ian, all the best 👍🏻
@@danwillis_photography thanks Dan defo think I need to work on my photography field craft. 👍
Brilliant Dan as per usual, not envious of the lens at all 🤣 fingers crossed for one next year!
Looks a great place for the tits I did try at Titchwell last week but they weren’t playing ball!
Thanks Andy, always appreciated mate. I can thoroughly recommend Leighton Moss it’s a fabulous reserve to visit. I’ve not been to Titchwell so might pop that on my list.
All the best 👍🏻
Hi Dan what time did you shot them at?
They arrived at around 11am, from speaking to regular visitors they tend to appear from 9:30-11:30. Hope that’s useful 👍🏻
Awesome and thanks. When I go up to Tayside thats when they roughly appear as well@@danwillis_photography
How did you achieve 600 mm f/2.8 and 840 mm f/4?!
DX mode puts a crop factor of 1.5 onto the images in the same way that a DX sensor does. 400x1.5=600mm but does not change the aperture, same at 560 with the 1.4tc engaged 👍🏻
15:33. 560mm f/2.8. Lol. 🤣😂🤦🏻
Oh dear should be f4
No worries, just a simple oversight. 12:05, 840mm f4 is also incorrect. I wish there is a 560mm f2.8 in the size of a 400mm f2.8. 😅. Regardless, very nice images. Keep up the good work! Take care.
@@rbob4931 840 f4 is the lens used with the TC and in DX mode which gives 840mm focal length when you take in the crop factor. I think that is correct 👍🏻
560mm on 2.8 ? ;) 11:20
Great video, but Im confused about the focal length and F numbers. How do you get 840 mm F4 11:34 or 600mm F2.8 14:09 😉 Oh i got it. Its on DX 😊
Typo, my apologies 👍🏻
You are absolutely right, I’m switching between FX and DX and using the TC. I find that DX at times can support the AF system.
All the best 👍🏻
@@danwillis_photography ahhh DX-Mode .. ok thx