~/misc/photography/birding

Birding and photography are two hobbies that I picked up around the same time in late 2024. My wife and I married in the summer and I wanted to purchase a decent mirrorless camera to capture photos on our honeymoon in Japan. Ironically, I ended up just sticking with my smartphone camera as I wanted to pack light, but the thought of a proper camera didn't escape my mind and I ended up buying my Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and a couple of lenses a short while later.

Originally I had just wanted to take pictures at family holidays but I captured a few good shots of birds in my garden and ended up really enjoying watching them. Since then I've got more into birding as a hobby. I have a busy lifestyle and spend long hours working and commuting so it's difficult to find the time to get out in nature. As a result, birding is more of an "opportunistic" hobby for me which I enjoy in bursts when it's convenient. For example, if we're on a UK "staycation" then I'll always try and find a local nature reserve or RSPB.

This page catalogues the different birds I've photographed, when and where I took them, and with which gear and settings.

B

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Date 2025.01.21
Location Burgess Hill
West Sussex, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 3200
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/5.6
Shutter Speed 1/500s

C

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
Date 2025.08.13
Location South Milton Ley Nature Reserve
Kingsbridge
Devon, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 1000
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/2500s

D

Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
Date 2025.08.16
Location Batchelor's Farm Nature Conservation Site
Burgess Hill
West Sussex, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 1600
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/500s

G

Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
Date 2026.01.01
Location Grassmere Meadow
Burgess Hill
West Sussex, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 640
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/250s

H

Female House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Date 2025.06.03
Location Burgess Hill
West Sussex, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 1600
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/3200s
Male House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Date 2025.08.13
Location Thurlestone Golf Club
Kingsbridge
Devon, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 800
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/2500s
House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)
Date 2025.08.10
Location Thurlestone Golf Club
Kingsbridge
Devon, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 200
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/640s

K

Kestrel (Falco Alopex)
Date 2025.08.12
Location South Milton Sands
Kingsbridge
Devon, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 250
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/4000s

R

Robin (Erithacus rubecula)
Date 2024.10.29
Location Hawkstone Park Follies
Shropshire, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0
ISO 800
Focal Length 60mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/125s

S

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Date 2025.08.16
Location South Milton Ley Nature Reserve
Kingsbridge
Devon, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 500
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/4000s
Juvenile Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)
Date 2025.08.15
Location Berry Head
Devon, UK
Body Panasonic Lumix DC-G9
Lens Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200m f/2.8
+ 1.4x teleconverter
ISO 400
Focal Length 280mm
Aperture f/4.0
Shutter Speed 1/4000s