Photo ticks

Following a recent recount, it turns out that the Paddyfield Warbler (below) I saw in Sussex earlier in the year was the 400th species of bird I've photographed in Britain. My British list is 428 so there are quite a few that I have seen but not photographed. Most, but not all, of the 400 are on my website, and only shame prevents me from uploading those that aren't.


Paddyfield Warbler - my 400th UK photo tick

Which raises an interesting question - when is a photo tick not a photo tick? The normal rule for seeing a bird - 'if you can't ID it, you can't tick it' - could be applied. But there are one or two among the 400 which I have seen perfectly well enough to identify, but of which I only have a crap photo. As a statement of fact, rather than aesthetic judgement, I have photos of them whether I like it or not, even if its a blurry dot. Take my recent Greater Yellowsmudge pictures (below). It was the Greater Yellowlegs (it called, flew around to reveal a square white rump and stood next to a Greenshank for size comparison), but could you rule out Lesser (or, indeed, bumfluff on the lens) on the strength of this photo?

Is it a (i) Greater Yellowlegs (ii) Lesser Yellowegs (iii) Daddy Longlegs. FIIK.

Or should the rule be, if a stranger could identify it, then that's OK? But then which stranger? And how competent would they have to be? Take this Goshawk (below). 'Pigeon', my mum would say. But I bet Goshwak worshippers could tell what it is. The best birders could probably identify some of my blurry dots which I couldn't if I was the stranger being shown the same photo. So what does that make me? [Ed: a bit too neurotic perhaps?] Ok, ok, perhaps I'm over-analysing it. It's my list. I make the rules. And right now it's a whopping 400.

Is it (i) Goshawk (ii) Sparrowhawk (iii) lint on the sensor?

Acro-batics

A day off rarely combines with a good forecast and a lack of other commitments, so today was an opportunity to indulge in some rare bird photography. I had seen most of the south coast's collection of long-staying rarities earlier in the winter, but not photographed any of them well, and the Paddyfield Warbler not at all. So, in my dreams, I'm thinking: Paddyfield Warbler at 0800, Spanish Sparrow at 1100, Dark-eyed Junco at 1300, bacon sandwich at 1400 and back home in time for the Carling Cup Final at 1600.

Initially very elusive, the Paddyfield Warbler seemed to be getting seen more regularly from the north wall of Pagham Harbour in recent days, and soon after my arrival (slightly behind schedule at 0815) it was indeed refound there by one of the surprisingly large number of birders looking, given how long the bird has been around. It was very active. mobile and acrobatic, and showed well but a little distantly for my 400mm lens. Fortunately the light was sufficiently good to allow some robust cropping of the shots below.

Tail-cocked - characteristic of the species

Strikingly pale underparts and distinctive head pattern

A fortunate shot as the Warbler flew between reeds - more often than not it was obscured



Coming into land just after the previous shot was taken



The camera seemed to cope better with the bird in flight -greater surface area for the auto-focus to lock onto perhaps?