Assignment of the week: 'Birds'

I have decided that I will start a new photography project from today, 1 April, which will involve a set challenge per week from the Digital Photography School. The assignment this week was 'birds' which made me happy as I really enjoy watching and photographing birds.

For me, the best place to photography garden birds is at Wallington Hall in Northumberland. Belonging to the National Trust, the estate has large grounds with a wood to the east and west of the House as well as a walk along the river. In the West Wood, once you get past the children's playground, is a wildlife hide where a variety of species of birds can be seen and if you are very lucky, a red squirrel.

When I arrived at 10am, there were no birds at the hide and so I took a walk along the river and stopped for a tea and fruit scone at the clockwork tower cafe. Returning to the hide in the early afternoon I spent a happy hour and a half photographing and watching the birds that came to feast on the nuts and seeds put out for them. I was also delighted to see a red squirrel which stopped by for several minutes, helping himself to the nuts before scampering back up the tree.

During the course of the day I saw numerous chaffinches, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, nuthatches, a greater spotted woodpecker, sparrows, a robin, blackbird, brambling, long-tailed tit, a wren and down by the river I also saw a grey wagtail. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to capture all of these but I was pleased with the result nevertheless.