Chasing Shadows and Songs: A Sedge Warbler Evening in a Sunny Lancashire Meadow
They say patience is a virtue, and I reckon the one who said it first must have been a wildlife photographer. On a sunny Friday evening in early July, I found myself tucked under a bush in a wild meadow near my Lancashire home, waiting for the spectacle of the local wildlife to unfold. Spoiler alert: the barn owl stood me up. Again. Clearly, it didn’t get the memo about it being Friday night.
The evening, however, was not to be wasted. Around seven grasshopper warblers were playing hide-and-seek with me. A bit late in the season for them to be singing their heart out, and their bashful nature had them nestled deep within the meadow. A horde of dragonflies, those little aerial acrobats, were a fun distraction, filling the evening air with their iridescent dance.
Enter the star of the show, the Sedge Warbler, fond of reed beds and marshy territories, but this cheeky chap decided to give me a solo performance. Repeatedly returning to the same spot, it seemed to be conducting an evening chorus of its own. Camera at the ready, my wait under the bush, shielded from the setting sun, began to pay dividends.
Camera Settings:
Shooting Mode: Aperture Priority
ISO: Auto, capped at 8000
Aperture: Started at F8, decreased to around F6 as the sun set
Focal Length: Between 400-500mm
Shutter Speed: Auto, started at 1/4000s and ended at 1/800s as the evening wore on
AF: Small Area, Continuous
5 Interesting Facts about the Sedge Warbler:
- Sedge Warblers are not year-round residents. They fly thousands of miles to winter in Africa, probably to avoid our lousy British weather.
- If you ever wondered who’s causing a ruckus at night, it’s likely a Sedge Warbler. These little creatures love to sing, even in the middle of the night.
- They are not the greatest fans of monogamy. Male Sedge Warblers often have multiple partners, the cheeky devils!
- Their song is a bit of a mishmash. They don’t have a set melody, and often imitate other birds. Call them the DJs of the bird world.
- Despite their small size, they’re avid flyers. Upon leaving the UK, some fly non-stop for over 40 hours!
As I pack up my Nikon Z50 and bid goodbye to my warbler friend, I invite you to bookmark this page, maybe even pop it into your favourites?
If you enjoyed this journey, there’s plenty more to come from the undergrowth and over the treetops of Lancashire and beyond.
Remember, there’s always magic in the meadow, even when the barn owl doesn’t show up!
