LETM5 



" WAIT AND SEE " PHOTOGRAPHY. 



To the Editors of British Birds. 



Sirs, — Miss E. L. Turner's diverting article on " Wait and See " 

 Photography in the October issue of British Birds induces me to 

 send the two enclosed prints. 



When home on my last leave in November I spent a day on a large 

 niaivsh in Bedfordshire, a favourite resort for Wild Duck. It has a 

 luoad stream running through it, and several temporary ponds in 

 winter. Here I followed ^[iss Turner's advice and "sat in a tent 



Fia-. 1. A PAIR OF MALLARDS. 



Fia-. 2. TLFTEl) KICK. 



with a reflex." Bird-photographers are continually grumbling about 

 their bad luck, but once in a while one has a stroke of real good luck, 

 and such was the case with me that day. First of all, the sky was 

 cloudless. Secondly, there were Wild Duck there, any number. 

 I put up my tent on a hillock looking dcjwn on to one of the small 

 lakes, and there 1 waited for thi'ee hours. 



Some of the ducks came into the neighboiahootl of the tent, and 

 soon I was able to make the exposvu'e (Fig. I). 1 had almost decided 

 to go, foi- the noise of the focal plane shutter had frightened the birds 

 up, but the weather was so fine and the life around so interesting 

 that I changed my mind, and upon that followed the best stroke of 

 luck that I ha\e ever experienced in bird-work. I was watching some 

 Lapwings and Rooks in a field beliind me when 1 heard the arrival 

 of a small flight of Duck on my pond. I turned carefully, and there 

 saw some Tufted Duck, the first I have ever seen on this marsh. One 

 of them actually came within two feet of me, taking a suspicious 

 survey of my hide. My excitement was great when I i-eleased the 

 shutter and saw the flock rise, and then, thankful for having secured 

 a photograph, I decamped. Wm. Rowan. 



St. Albans, February dtJi, 1U1(>. 



