Firecrests have played a strong part in the tours we’ve taken this last week.
You can’t fail to be impressed by them. Such a strong sweet song deserves to come from something so richly coloured. Wearing a saddle fashioned from bronze, eyebrows of silver and a crown of gold you would be forgiven if you thought this creature had been fashioned by Faberge. This incredibly tiny member of the Kinglet family is nothing short of a small miracle of design.
The weather was set to improve last Friday afternoon so I took an hour out to go and take a few photographs of Firecrest at my leisure. They can be difficult to photograph when they are high in the canopy so I was looking for a bird feeding at around head height. When I eventually found a foraging bird in low vegetation the break in the clouds had passed over; however it behaved itself, came close, and despite the low light I was able to get a few shots.
It has to be said though no photograph can do a Firecrest justice.
Letter From Norfolk 
Beautiful, sharp image.
Thank you Mona – these little Firecrest (near enough the smallest British bird) are quick movers so I was lucky to get this shot.
Two years ago, I thought that all I needed was the 70-300 mm lens in order to get the fabulous bird shots I want. Wow! Was I naive! I now have a greater appreciation of the skill and artistry involved in “shooting” wildlife. They don’t sit still and pose, do they?
What a shame you live so far away Mona. I’d love to show you some of the wildlife we have here and you are right they don’t sit still. It’s all about being quiet and still and moving at the right time. There’s a book by Chris Ferris called ‘Out of the Darkness’ that’s worth a read; although it may be out of print now. She follows Badgers but learns to become inconspicuous. A model for us all wanting to see and photograph wild things.
This is not the 1st time I’ve heard the advice to be quiet, be still, and watch, but I haven’t followed the advice. My inner clock urges me to move on because “there’s so much to do.” Thank you for reminding me, and I will check into that book.
An intensity pervades the expression on this diminutive birds portrait. Beautifully captured, Sally
Thank you Sally they are indeed beautiful birds.