Another bright and sunny morning at Ogden after a thin covering of overnight snow and icy temperatures.
A light NW>2 at minus 1 degree with perfect visibility.
Birding at the moment is enjoying a good dog walk and, in the unlikely event of coming across a decent bird, that is an added bonus.
Nothing down the west bank trees, a few Long Tailed Tits at the north end by Skircoat Clough, and a pair of Bullfinch by Passerine Alley plus the usual common species.
Only around 30 Black Headed gull along with 8 Common and a single adult LBB and that was as good as it got .
The first time I got a chance of using the camera this morning, only to take the usual gull shots, I found that the Canon 300mm lens, which I use daily, refused to focus on auto or manual but putting it down to the low temperature I dismissed it with a hope that nothing half rare turned up where a photo was necessary.
On inspection of the lens at home I found the internal printed circuit board cracked and the wiring loom parted. This is a mega expensive repair so yet another big lens has bit the dust. I,m down now to my last lens with a Canon 70-200mm 1.28 L zoom which I will have to make do with. This means I've gone from
600mm to 300mm and now 200mm. This is a decent lens but one of the first series with no image stabilizer and not enough mags to pull anything in at distance.
Not looking good for morning with a strong to gale force southerly wind and heavy snow turning to rain later, and throughout the day.
BS