Very successful day, Mike. Thanks for posting. Seeing you standing out in all those weeds makes my skin crawl. If I did that around here I would be covered in ticks and chiggers. :))
The Garden Warbler is my absolute favourite songbird! I used to live very close to an area where there were plenty of them. This was around 1993, and I didn't yet own a camera, but I'd often take night walks in the area, and in the season I'd always hear them. Once one of them landed in a bush maybe five meters from me and started warbling, so I stopped to listen. Very soon another landed in another bush also about five meters away, and the two bushes were also about five meters apart. And the two birds gave each other a song battle; they were really making efforts to outdo each other! They were both very good and very evenly matched, so the singing went on for quite a long time, and I was so impressed with their virtuosity. This was music indeed!
Thanks very much Mike, that was a lesson I will remember, with that knowledge I will try for Blackcaps. As usual high quality and very practicable tips.
Mike thank you for passing on techniques on how to locate a bird and ways to get into a position to show itself infront of the lens, a real treat. The images as always terrific. Thanks again.
great video with good advice, i have had a hide in my car for about six months and never used it, but that might change now after watching this thanks Mike 👍
Mike, You continue to inform and entertain thank you once more for making these videos and posting so regularly. What I have learned today is that I must get out more and spend time without a camera in order to find a suitable location ... and also spend a lot more time trying to identify birdsong. Something I always knew I guess - "Location location location" is the key - I'm definitely going to search for places in my local area which don't attract a lot of people. Great stuff!
Worth looking at one of the apps to ID bird song. I've been birding nearly all my 60+ years but don't mind admitting I'm rubbish at song/call recognition, despite concerted efforts to learn more. I now regularly supplement my meagre ability with an app with the proviso they are not 100%. Having said that they are much better now than even a couple of years ago. I use Merlin at the moment, it's more accurate than the one I used before, has a good interface and the big advantage for those of us wondering around the countryside, doesn't require a signal to work.
Great video of the blackcap. As you say, I've only ever seen them high up in a tree, which doesn't make for good footage when you film from below through the branches.
Always look forward to my Saturday fix of Mike Lane video. Always educational and entertaining. Could I just ask what the small hide is that you are using these days please ? I have just got a Simon King hide and I am not impressed, despite using bricks on the corners plus the supplied pegs, it blows over in a puff of wind as the panel bottoms are round instead of square so it wont stand up unless pegged.
thanks for the great video for two of my favorite. the blackcaps sing when they are here (jeddah) in spring, the garden warblers don't. those who come early in September they leave very soon and usually not interested in fruits i put in the garden. but those who come mid to end of October they would stay for several weeks and garden warblers love pomegranates while blackcaps prefer oranges or apples. some blackcaps would stay for the winter but leave early Febuary. then by mid March they come back and then females cling to dates while males like black or red grapes. garden warblers come mid April both may stay till mid June and make me a very happy girl 💃🏽 btw the borin ones are very friendly here. far from being shy 😅.
I always look forward to your weekly videos. I am a keen follower of birders who have an intimate knowledge of different species. The Garden warbler that you described looks very similar to what we in Australia call the, "Grey shrike thrush", formerly commonly known as grey thrush, is a songbird of Australasia although I don't know if this is relevant. I have never heard of a Blackcap but after seeing this footage I understand how the name arrived.
The video of the blackcap was beautiful.. why don’t you just grap stills from the 4K video footage which in my humble opinion was better than the stills. Can you grab stills from video with the OM-1? Maybe can be a subject for anew video… keep on the great work👍👍👍😀👌
Thank you for the video! Question: how do you approach recording sound? Do you place a wireless microphone in vicinity of the nest for black caps, or do you use a separate audio recorder? Thanks!
Thank you. I am at a loss with social media, I have accounts with both those, but hardly use them and I cant see where the ID is. Does it not work by searching both for mike lane wildlife photography. Sorry to be unhelpful. Computers I am okay with but not social media.
Very successful day, Mike. Thanks for posting. Seeing you standing out in all those weeds makes my skin crawl. If I did that around here I would be covered in ticks and chiggers. :))
Horse flies are bad in the area. They leave a nasty itch
Cracking video. Your fieldcraft / knowledge of bird behaviour, is on a different level to us `mere mortals` !
Thanks Roger. Currently in Spain getting roasted.
Great knowledge, stunning photos and great video . Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
The Garden Warbler is my absolute favourite songbird! I used to live very close to an area where there were plenty of them. This was around 1993, and I didn't yet own a camera, but I'd often take night walks in the area, and in the season I'd always hear them. Once one of them landed in a bush maybe five meters from me and started warbling, so I stopped to listen. Very soon another landed in another bush also about five meters away, and the two bushes were also about five meters apart. And the two birds gave each other a song battle; they were really making efforts to outdo each other! They were both very good and very evenly matched, so the singing went on for quite a long time, and I was so impressed with their virtuosity. This was music indeed!
Sounds wonderful
Beautiful bird my friend
Great work
Many thanks
Great video with some nice footage and stills. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! 👍
My pleasure
Thanks very much Mike, that was a lesson I will remember, with that knowledge I will try for Blackcaps. As usual high quality and very practicable tips.
Glad it was helpful!
I enjoyed the video and appreciate the pointers.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Mike thank you for passing on techniques on how to locate a bird and ways to get into a position to show itself infront of the lens, a real treat. The images as always terrific. Thanks again.
Very welcome
great video with good advice, i have had a hide in my car for about six months and never used it, but that might change now after watching this thanks Mike 👍
Sitting in hides is my favourite way of photographing
Thanks... 👌🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻
👋🏻🙋🏻♂️
Welcome 👍
Your skills in understanding and describing bird behavior are formidable. Thank you for sharing these great videos and stills.
Glad you like them!
Mike, You continue to inform and entertain thank you once more for making these videos and posting so regularly. What I have learned today is that I must get out more and spend time without a camera in order to find a suitable location ... and also spend a lot more time trying to identify birdsong. Something I always knew I guess - "Location location location" is the key - I'm definitely going to search for places in my local area which don't attract a lot of people. Great stuff!
Worth looking at one of the apps to ID bird song. I've been birding nearly all my 60+ years but don't mind admitting I'm rubbish at song/call recognition, despite concerted efforts to learn more. I now regularly supplement my meagre ability with an app with the proviso they are not 100%. Having said that they are much better now than even a couple of years ago. I use Merlin at the moment, it's more accurate than the one I used before, has a good interface and the big advantage for those of us wondering around the countryside, doesn't require a signal to work.
The Merlin app is very good for identifying bird song.
Love the video!!!
Thank you!!
You patience is amazing, lovely video with great explanations, thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video of the blackcap.
As you say, I've only ever seen them high up in a tree, which doesn't make for good footage when you film from below through the branches.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing Mike, I was looking for a Garden Warbler the other day, and could hear him put could see him.
Common with this skulking species
Nice one Mike - you really should write a book on birds and their various habits as you have such knowledge. Great video
I wrote it during the covid lockdown, but just for me not to publish. It keep me busy while indoors
Always look forward to my Saturday fix of Mike Lane video. Always educational and entertaining.
Could I just ask what the small hide is that you are using these days please ? I have just got a Simon King hide and I am not impressed, despite using bricks on the corners plus the supplied pegs, it blows over in a puff of wind as the panel bottoms are round instead of square so it wont stand up unless pegged.
It should be in the description under the video
Great work Mike two difficult subjects, good tips and video in a high ISO environment 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, you got some great shots and video. There both lovely birds! Have a good day!😀
Many thanks
thanks for the great video for two of my favorite. the blackcaps sing when they are here (jeddah) in spring, the garden warblers don't.
those who come early in September they leave very soon and usually not interested in fruits i put in the garden. but those who come mid to end of October they would stay for several weeks and garden warblers love pomegranates while blackcaps prefer oranges or apples. some blackcaps would stay for the winter but leave early Febuary.
then by mid March they come back and then females cling to dates while males like black or red grapes.
garden warblers come mid April both may stay till mid June and make me a very happy girl 💃🏽
btw the borin ones are very friendly here. far from being shy 😅.
Thank you.
I had a similar shot about 10 years ago, Springwatch used it on their webpage to illustrate birds singing in the springtime.
I always look forward to your weekly videos. I am a keen follower of birders who have an intimate knowledge of different species. The Garden warbler that you described looks very similar to what we in Australia call the, "Grey shrike thrush", formerly commonly known as grey thrush, is a songbird of Australasia although I don't know if this is relevant. I have never heard of a Blackcap but after seeing this footage I understand how the name arrived.
Funnily enough the female has a chestnut brown ’cap’
The video of the blackcap was beautiful.. why don’t you just grap stills from the 4K video footage which in my humble opinion was better than the stills. Can you grab stills from video with the OM-1? Maybe can be a subject for anew video… keep on the great work👍👍👍😀👌
I talk about it in this film. ua-cam.com/video/jJLpU4W5L8M/v-deo.html
Thank you for the video! Question: how do you approach recording sound? Do you place a wireless microphone in vicinity of the nest for black caps, or do you use a separate audio recorder? Thanks!
Rifle mic on the camera.
When you said several hours stalking the blackcap, how many are we talking exactly?
I was maybe 2-3 hours in the hide watching.
Mike, your hide link is broken.
A few Blackcaps near me, but oh so shy and will not break cover ! Frustrating ;-)
Usually are.
I didn’t know there were fake cards. Makes sense though that was why yours didn’t work.
Very common in the CF card days
Beautiful video and usual awesome narration. May I know your instagram/facebook ID? I want to follow you there.
Thank you. I am at a loss with social media, I have accounts with both those, but hardly use them and I cant see where the ID is. Does it not work by searching both for mike lane wildlife photography.
Sorry to be unhelpful. Computers I am okay with but not social media.