I spent a couple of hours at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in Arundel today giving my new lens a good workout. I spent a long time in the woodland hide photographing the tits and other small birds there. They have lots of feeders in this area to attract the birds and plenty of natural perches too so it’s relatively easy to capture natural looking portraits. Light levels were pretty low in the shade so I had to crank up my ISO quite a lot but the extra reach of my lens was very helpful for capturing such tiny creatures. There were lots of young, slightly scruffy looking, blue tits around but I was most pleased to finally capture a nuthatch on camera. I’ve often seen them at Arundel but they’re rather skittish and have always flown away before I’ve managed to focus in the past – today I manage to catch two different poses before the bird escaped!

Great, wonderful shots!! I like it very much AllieOska · 2011-08-08: 16:00

Wonderful shots! RedJasmin · 2011-08-08: 16:45

Lovely set MoMac · 2011-08-08: 16:58

fantastic - #4 looks just like our black capped chickadee... but I think we may have already had this conversation McMommy · 2011-08-08: 18:37

Helen - and perfectly shot! These are extraordinary my friend! The background colors and DOF are fantastic. They are real cuties!! Speaking of cuties and birds hopefully not caught - how is my dear Lucy??? danrav · 2011-08-08: 19:09

Oh....what lovely captures of these little birds, Helen! I just LOVE the first one....so cute!!! lookagain · 2011-08-08: 22:50

Just beautiful Helen! liveandletlive · 2011-08-08: 23:53

That little bluetit in No 1 is adorable, and you were so lucky to be able to photograph the nuthatch, in my experience they are never still and impossible to capture on film... Annbramwell · 2011-08-09: 02:44

Very simply and delicately beautiful ! josy63 · 2011-08-09: 03:48

Love the nuthatch - I've not seen one of those for years. Sharon · 2011-08-09: 04:05

great set Lynda · 2011-08-09: 05:57

Little birdies are a blast to capture! #4 looks like a Black Capped Chickadee and a #7 Rose Breasted Pygmy Nut Hatch? What is the Yellow Bird #6 looks like some kind of finch with a beak like that? #3?? Well done!! SheriJ · 2011-08-09: 14:26

Bright and beautiful little birds! I love the way he posed for you in #7! djnana · 2011-08-09: 20:51

lovely bird set slowpete · 2011-08-10: 02:18

wow! superb!!!! tomie · 2011-08-10: 05:14

So sweet! wildduck · 2011-08-19: 15:01

Tagged: bird bluetit nuthatch tit greattit greenfinch finch arundel wwt