Reed Bunting by Nigel Kiteley
Nothing announces early spring in a reedbed more succinctly than the sound of a singing Reed Bunting, with this male caught beautifully by Nigel Kiteley.
Captured in a classic pose with head back, bill wide open and chest puffed out as it sings from a favoured perch, this is a cracking photo. It's well exposed and also has a nice, diffuse background which blends in perfectly with the bird.
Congratulations to Nigel on his top shot taken with a 500 mm lens, shooting at 1/1000th second, f7.1 on ISO400.
Many thanks for all your postings during the second week of lockdown, there have been plenty of beauties (as this week's long list of Notables shows!). Fingers crossed we will all be back out and about in the near future, but for now I look forward to seeing more of your favourite shots from both home and abroad.
Other notable images
Bluethroat, spiere, Belgium (Christian Vandeputte).
Grey Heron, Jæren, Norway (Christopher Brinklow).
Black-headed Gull, Summer Leys LNR, Northamptonshire (Dave Jackson).
White-tailed Eagle, Mull, Argyll (Peter Kemp).
European Bee-eater, Anarita Park, Cyprus (Jackie Moreton).
Red Kite, Chesham, Buckinghamshire (Martin Webb).
Eurasian Woodcock, North Yorkshire Moors (Malcolm Jones).
Yellow Bittern, Tissamaharama, Sri Lanka (Keith Barnes).
Eurasian Nuthatch, Hawick, Borders (Ron Mccombe).
Burrowing Owl, Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR California, United States (M S Cotgrove).
Lesser Kestrel, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly (Joe Pender).
Goldfinch, Whitrigg, Cumbria (Sam Northwood).
Rook, undisclosed site, Norfolk (Andy Thompson).
Common Buzzard, Old Gore, Herefordshire (Mick Colquhoun).
Mediterranean Gull, Fareham, Hampshire (Mark Francis).
Willet, Los Angeles, California (Alexander Viduetsky).
Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (Carol Hughes).
Little Egret, Christchurch, Dorset (Clinton Whale).
Emperor Moth, Seaford, East Sussex (Bob Eade).
Black Redstart, Wenhaston, Suffolk (Andrew Moon).
Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Bidnija, Malta (Natalino Fenech).
Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Llandrindod Wells, Powys (Kev Joynes).
Corn Bunting, Reculver, Kent (Alex Perry).
