It appears to be true: the later spring comes, the longer it lasts. I was made aware of this possibility several months ago, when the rest of the country was still wondering if we weren't going to go straight into summer from winter. We didn't, and the season's arrival is the best I have experienced for a long time.
Of course, this is the time of year that a lot of species produce their young, so equipped with a telephoto lens I set off to see what I can photograph. The weather is not at its best - strong, directional sunlight - but I decide to shoot a series of images of a family of Greylag geese (Anser anser) anyway. I'm often given odd looks when I tell people that this type of light is not particularly good for wildlife photography. Most people think that sunny conditions are best for snapping away. Maybe for the family picnic and fond memories of distant summers, but for feather and fur detail - no! Colour saturation is also at its best in overcast conditions
There were several goose families with goslings on the lake of Poole Park, Dorset (one such clan had eleven) and it's this one that I spend most time shooting, under the watchful eye of the parents. It is important not to stress the birds in any way, especially when they have young, so I also use a tele-converter on the lens to allow me to keep a greater, more respectful distance.
It's worth noting that the term "goose" applies to the birds in general, and the female in particular. The word "gander" applies to the male bird in particular. Young birds are goslings until they become fledgelings.
300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII. 1/2500 second at f/5.6. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod
© 2010
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