Shetland Purple Sandpiper

Purple Sandpiper and one Turntone

                                                              Purple Sandpiper

 

Shetland Red Necked Grebe

Having seen a summer plumage Red Necked Grebe in the north mainland towards the end of last year it was good to see the contrast of a winter plumage bird

The summer bird stayed around 8-10 weeks but this one disappeared after a day or so.

This winter bird was down among the boats at Virkie marina and gave close views unlike the summer plumaged bird which was always distant.

The light was perfect for most of the time. I used the OM1-2 with the 150-400mm lens a great combination.

The one below is a massive crop may be 80% so i am please with the result from this 4/3 camera

 

sea and coastal birds - shetland

All taken on OM1-2 with 150-400mm + built in teleconverter 

                                                                            Long Tailed Duck

                                                                    Red Throated Diver

Long Tailed Duck

Turnstone

Barnacle and Greylag Geese

                                                                   Red Throated Diver
  

Olympus 150-400mm

With a 4/3 system you get a smaller sensor than a full frame so there are disadvantages and advantages. With the 150-400 mm lens you actual get more reach so the lens works as a 300-800mm lens

But the lens has a built in teleconverter so now it works as a 1000mm lens, coupled with the amazing 8.5 stops of stabilisation you have no problem handholding the set up. Also it is completely sealed

so again no problems using it in rain and extreme conditions. It is also super sharp.

Managed to capture this Shetland Starling with this lens and pro capture, no chance before with the last couple of systems

 It is a pro lens so does cost a bit but i will score it a 9.5/10

Shetland Greeland White Fronts - silent shooting

The is about 50 Greenland White front  geese, soon to be known as USA white Fronts if Donald duck gets his way in Shetland at the moment.

I check several flocks of Greylag before finding 12 GWF opposite the boat shed at Tingwall. They were happily feeding and moving south.

It has a distinct white forehead and dark bars across its breast & orange legs. more obvious than picking out Bean geese, one Pinkfoot was with this flock.

The GWF is considered one of the rarest geese in Europe with around 7,800 individuals. 

It migrates south to Iceland and also Western Scotland , Wales and Ireland, with only the odd bird recorded from Eastern parts.

As well as the geese at least 50 Fieldfare feeding with 100 Starling. In a field a bit further south to the boats shed a good number of waders congregated.

Curlew (108), Redshank (17), Turnstone (6), Oystercatcher (56), Lapwing (75) Golden Plover (128) along with 50 Starling and 6 Blackbirds.

With the OM1-2 it is good to know that you can use silent shooting on a high resolution (50mp) shot. This takes away any mechanical use and reduces the strain on the mechanical shutter (so better when it comes to selling or exchanging- as they always look at how many shutter activations have taken place.

A silent shutter is far better when shooting wildlife as any noise would normally scare a bird or mammal. I was stood next to a Canon user and found the noise of the mechanical shutter to be very disturbing. He turned to me and asked why I wasn't taking any photos- I was using a silent shutter.

A benefit of using the OM1-2 silent shutter is that it also reduces camera shake and you can use higher shutter speeds. They can be found in most mirrorless and a few DSLR cameras.

On the sea in Shetland

Red throated divers have started to return to Shetland having been south for the winter

Still lots of Long Tailed ducks around, these at Grutness, having a dispute

A lot of chasing about be good to see. At Grutness 6 birds but over 80 at Westvoe

Lerwick Snow Bunting

Finally caught up with the snow buntings that have been -present in Lerwick for about a month. These have been feeding on seed put out by birders at the quarry above Clickimin.

The conditions were sunny but cold with ice and snow on the ground. At first the buntings didn't show, then a tractor came for a hay bale just as the snow buntings arrived, peering over the edge of a rock.

As usual for this species they were noisy and chattered until the tractor left then flew down to feed for a short time before taking off and flying off

Ten minutes later they were back and came to feed again for a short time then flew up to the highest point in the quarry.

The OM1-2 150-400mm was good at tracking using the settings previously showed.