Critique required XenosElaine's Panel of 5 Project

[XenosElaine]

I'm posting this in the Challenges forum, because that's where the idea started, but if Admin feel it's better suited to the Personal Projects and Themes section, please feel free to move it.

I'm extremely lucky to live next door to a 70 acre public park that consists of woodlands, ponds, streams, landscaped gardens and a timber-framed manor house - parts of which go back to the 14th century. Whenever the weather allows, I try to spend as much time as I can taking my camera for walks there and my favourite subjects are the different varieties of birds that I meet along the way. I've got files dating back to 2005, so literally thousands of images, but I can't stop taking them because I'm always hoping to get something better! I know my camera - a Lumix FZ200 bridge - can't produce the best photos ever seen, but my challenge for this project is to compile a panel of 5 images of 5 different varieties of birds that I've encountered in Bramhall Park, which I hope will be the best I've ever taken.

Starting off with some from the archives:-

Grey Heron - out of all my hundreds of photos of herons, this has to be my favourite, because of the way its feathers are all fluffed up




Crow - normally spots me before I spot him and flies down from the trees to wait for me to feed him




Robin - everybody's favourite




Female Mallard - probably the most common bird in the park

 

[gramps]

Well done on the project, the Robin with the nesting material is very appealing.

 

[XenosElaine]

A few more:-

Mute Swan - technically not a particularly good shot, but I've included it because it only appeared in the park at the beginning of December; it was the first I've ever seen there and I'm not sure whether it will stay around much longer




Goosanders - a regular winter visitor




Canada Goose - another common sight




Male Mandarin Duck - the most flamboyant bird in the park

 

[Gav.]

Good to see you having a go at a personal challenge, I look forward to following this, best of luck, off to a good start

 

[lindsay]

@XenosElaine Well done Elaine for grabbing this idea and running with it. Lovely images, the camera doesn't seem to be holding you back at all. I've moved it to the Personal Projects area, but I've left a redirect from where you placed it so that it stays more visible and as a reminder in case anyone else picks up on the idea. Thanks for taking up the challenge.

 

[XenosElaine]

Thanks to Gramps, Gav and Lindsay. I'll try to start shooting some new stuff in the next week or so - provided we aren't snowed in

 

[XenosElaine]

A few shots that I've taken during the last week or two, which could be alternatives to my original batch -

The mute swan seems to have become a permanent fixture, so I'm hoping to get some better shots over the coming weeks, but I think this is probably a better one than my original




I prefer the angle of this goose's head




and I rather like the reflection of this mandarin duck in the water