with Canon 2x convertor = 1200mm
Thanks to DF via the grapevine this a.m. of a drake Common Scoter on Ogden.
Working till midday then the dogs to take for grooming which gave me 2 hour spare before I picked them up, ideal. Photographing Scoters is no easy task as they always stay in the middle of the water and are usually resting with their head tucked in so it was go there well equipped . On arrival I could see a black dot in the centre of the water which I was pleased about, I,d have felt daft loaded to the hilt with tripod, camera, lenses , bins etc and no bird there.
Luckily grey clouds had blanked out the sun so no real problems with reflections on the water although rain was starting which soon blew over.
Finding the best position on the west bank with the light behind me I got a few record shots at 600mm but the bird remained hard and fast asleep. About half an hour of patiently waiting the bird started to move spending time preening but still well out.
If the bird was,nt going to come to me Id have to go to that so on with the 2x converter giving me 1200 mm but 2 stops less light and down to manual focus which was difficult on rough water and no focal point on an all black bird other than its eye and bill.
Anyway, the results were acceptable given the range and worth the effort even though I got some strange looks when people passing asked what I was looking at and I pointed to a black dot way out on the water.
Well spotted to Dave Franz whos on a run now with a Little Egret at EGP and todays Scoter.
I later checked Mixenden with no results.
BS