Birds in the nest

[Ndukes]

Not the cleanest shot by any means but I did not want to disturb the four young Song Thrushes in a nest roughly 5 metres from the house. I thought I would share this magic moment anyhow. Only three are visible in this shot.
Two days later they had all fledged.


Nikon Df with Nikkor 70-300 f4.5-5.6 VR at 300mm. 1/320 at f5.6, iso 2500. Cropped from original

Right now our garden is 'alive' with small garden birds nesting and feeding frantically.

This is a shot from last Spring of two Robins courtship feeding outside our kitchen window.


Nikon D7100 with Nikkor 18-200 f3.5-5.6 VR at 200mm. 1/200 at f8, iso 400.

[deetheturk]

Very nice Neville, love the Robin's!

[Ndukes]

Thank you David. Yes the Robins are very special, frantic for food here at the moment with nice bright weather but colder than normal for Ireland at this time of year. They come close but stop short of feeding from my hand. Can't say I blame them!

[JohnRostron]

The thrushes must have been hard to photograph given all the cover, but you have got the eye of the middle one right in focus. Well done.

John

[Krawuntzel]

Hi Neville
lucky you - making the good picture of robins in your "backyard".
To watch nesting birds from a decent distance is always kind of magic. I can sit there and admire, even without a camera.
Erwin

[Shadowman]

Nice series, I like the camouflaged image as well.

[Ndukes]

Thank you John. I didn't want to hang around too long but, having said that, I drove the lawn mower alongside the hedge within inches of the nest several times while they must have been nesting.

[Ndukes]

Thank you Erwin. We could watch them all day. Better than TV! On the subject of birds nesting you might be interested in the following link to a live cam on a family of Peregrin Falcons nesting high up the spire of Norwich Cathedral (in Norfolk, UK). As of earlier today three of four eggs had hatched and the parents are feeding the young.

http://upp.hawkandowl.org/norwich-pe...-web-cam-2015/

[bnnrcn]

I like both of them Neville, very nice

[Ndukes]

Thank you John. It was tempting to try to clear a couple of branches and leaves but common sense prevailed.

[Ndukes]

Thank you Binnur. We are fortunate to have many species of small birds nesting in hedgerows around our garden. We feed them and ensure a supply of drinking water is maintained, especially in sub-freezing conditions. After a career in financial services (up to 2002) it's nice to enjoy the simple things in life.

[IzzieK]

I would have put the first image of the courting robins, then followed by the babies...small nit, but it is logical...don't you think? Allright...modern birds aside with cell phones and tablets, babies comes first before a-courtin' birds... No nits on your images, they are both very nice but the story would have been more easily understandable if the images are arse about in placement....got it?

[Ndukes]

Thank you Izzie.