Back again

Wow has it really been 5 years?  Well I’m off to Cley spy on Sunday to get some more kit, notably the new Swarovski BTX with 95mm glass.
Have missed the bird scene and with my list at only 181 feel there is a lot of work to be done.
Watch this space, Matty is back.

Well i finally did it, the big Canon glass i used to lug around has gone and i am now firmly dipping my toes into the Digiscoping pool. I will soon be looking at the new Sony RX100 mk2 to go onto the Swaro ATX 95 along with a DCB adapter. There are some interesting photos from this set up and seeing as i only need reference photos i will be more than happy with this equipment.

The Swarovski ATX 95 is an amazing spotting scope. The video above was a snippet of me using it in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. I had actually just had a confirmed sighting of a Pilot whale offshore.

Sea watching is amazing and it's not only about the birds (feathered kind), marine animals figure highly too.

Swarovski ATX 95

Stil doing the rounds with my 800mm F5.6 but really starting to enjoy looking at birds through a spotting scope. Got this Swaro ATX 95 and have been putting it through it's paces. Really impressive piece of glass but no desires to digiscope. It would be a different story if i did not have a Canon long lens though as i'm sure this scope is more than capable especially with the new attachments that allow digiscoping brought out by Swarovski.
The tripod is a Manfrotto 055 carbon jobbie with a Manfrotto 128RC fluid head.

Lesser grey shrike

After a bit of a lay off with bird photography i decided to start again and nothing tempts me more than Shrikes.  The bird was a bit distant but very very active.
Was nice to get the 800 out again and once the dust and the cobwebs were cleaned off it performed well.

Honneman's arctic redpoll

It was a great time and a first for Suffolk as a Honneman's arctic redpoll put an appearance in. Colin the finder of this fantastic bird originally put it in as a Lapland bunting but Lee from Bins soon realised it was something far more exciting and the word was out.

I think Aldeburgh fish n chip sales must have reached their end of year target this week as loads of twitchers and photographers descended on the normally peaceful town of Aldeburgh to catch a glimpse of this gorgeous bird.

It was an obliging creature too and did not mind in the least to the hoards of people who came to view it.

Special thanks to Colin as without him this bird may have gone unnoticed.

Minsmere today.

Went to Minsmere today with my new Canon 800mm F5.6 to give it a test run. Performed really well but the birds didn't play their part all that well. Managed to get some snow bunting shots but there were a lot of spotting scopes behind me so i could not get too close for fear of upsetting the birdwatchers.

Back in the game

Well it has been a funny year especially as i sold my 600mm F4 to Sparky and decided to take up street photography. What a mistake that was and now the Leica M9 and lens is sold and i sit here tonight the proud owner of a new Canon 800mm F5.6. She is a beast and i hope to be taking her out to Mins or Shingle street on Monday weather permitting for a test drive. It will also be nice to meet some old friends from my bird photography days. 

Great to be back!!!!