Sand martins

Sand martin, Riparia riparia, two birds mating, Worcestershire, June 2017. From a portable hide.

Olympus EM1 Mk2. 300mm f4 lens. 1/4000th at f6.3. 1600 iso. Taken using the Pro-capture mode at 60 fps. This means holding the release button half way down so the camera is taking pictures at 60 fps, but not writting them to the SD card. When the button is fully depressed it starts writting to the card and includes the 14 images prior to you pressing the button. Means you can sleep on the job and still get the moment.

Reed bunting

Common reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus, single male singing, on reed, Warwickshire, June 2017

One of the easist birds to do in song. In this wet meadow there are no high bushes. They can only sing from low vegetation and if you see a Reed bunting on a perch singing three times then put up a hide and within minutes it will be back and ignore the hide. I choose a two tone backgrownd as I prefer two colours to one. Canon 1dx. 800mm lens. 800 iso/ 1/800th at f9. Hide and tripod.

Brown hare

European brown hare, Lepus europaeus, single hare running, Warwickshire, June 2017

I have tried the hares backlit before on the same field and always enjoy doing so. Canon 1dx. 800mm. 1/2500th at f14. 800 iso.

With the Canon gear they do react to the sound of the shutter and turn away from me. I am sitting on a stool in the open, but with my back against long grass. When I use the Olympus Em1 Mk2 they come much closer as it is totally silent. So far with the Olympus I have always been flat on the floor and am amazed how close they will come.