The twelve birds of Christmas - part one

Each day for the next six days I will be posting two of my own favourite bird photographs taken during 2012.
They're in no particular order, just a random selection of my favourite shots with a short description and some technical blurb added for good measure.

The first bird

I'll start with one I took out on Ardmore Head last March. I had headed out to Co. Waterford to see an early Woodchat Shrike found by Daniel Weldon (I think) along the Goat Island Road. The bird was gone so I decided to walk Ardmore Head and this fine male Reed Bunting was singing from some brambles in full view. A reminder not to disregard the everyday stuff!

Reed Bunting, Ardmore Head, Co. Waterford

Taken with Canon 5D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f4 IS, ISO200, f4, 1/600 sec using tripod

The second bird

Today's second bird is a first winter / female type Pied Flycatcher. Taken along Hurley's Lane on Knockadoon Head. This bird was part of a significant movement of the species that took place over a few days across both the UK and Ireland in late August. It seemed at the time to herald the start of the autumn migration but little else followed in what was one of the most disappointing autumns in Cork for a long time.

Pied Flycatcher, Hurley's Lane, Knockadoon Head, Cork

Focal length - 700mm,  aperture - f7.1, ISO400, shutter speed - 1/500 sec and handheld (well, resting on the car roof to be exact).

More tomorrow!