It has been three weeks since my last blog. After the family Mediterranean cruise, I came down with Covid. My wife was the first to suffer and, being a generous soul, she made sure that I caught it as well. Two weeks of doing, well, not very much!!!

I did manage a visit to Frampton Marsh on the Tuesday before Covid really hit. Result, not one photo worth keeping. Very disappointing.

So I was looking forward to excercising my trigger finger with the camera, although, still rather delicate, not too far to travel.. So, on Monday, I headed for Grafham Water. I decide to experiment. As a back up camera for my trip to Hungary earlier in the year, I had bought a Canon R7 but never really used it. This was an opportunity to try it out.

First was a walk along the dam. Nothing showing as there were too many fishing boats around. The only photo worth taking was of a bathing Wood Pigeon.

Visiting the lagoons, the hide door was damaged and it was not possible to get in, so off to Mander car park. Nothing of real interest in the harbour so it was a case of making the best of it. Head shot of Cormorant on the boom

and a couple of Great Crested Grebes.

Then onto the hide. Nothing again of real interest and what was there was distant so I experimented again. The CanonR7 on the Canon RF 100-500 zoom with a 2x RF converter. Effectively shooting at 1600mm. A shy Teal

Black-headed Gulls

a distant odd drake Gadwall that could have been a hybrid.

and the usual Mute Swans.

Quite frankly, I am delighted with these images, bearing in mind the experimantal set-up. In the right conditions, very usable.

In the afternoon, I moved on to Dernford Reservoir, south of Cambridge. I had not visited there for several weeks and this visit ended up to be nothing to get excited about. Fly by Mute Swans

and LesserBlack-backed Gull

That was it. Disappointing in some ways but, after the enforced interlude, it was really enjoyable to get out and experiment. Isn't it all about enjoyment after all.