No sooner did I get the Mavic Mini aloft to get some snow scenes in the sunshine yesterday, than a mob of Lapwings began to circle the drone, and I was forced to retreat.
They had been invisible before take-off, and are an unusual sight here in northern France at this time of year.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/where-have-all-the-lapwings-gone

They nearly got you,   the white balance looked good in that clip.

DAFlys Posted at 2-13 01:41
They nearly got you,   the white balance looked good in that clip.

  In all honesty I didn't see them until it was too late.  And the white balance was just AWB with the settings on AUTO.  Lovely sunny weather was the key.

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 01:49
In all honesty I didn't see them until it was too late.  And the white balance was just AWB with the settings on AUTO.  Lovely sunny weather was the key.

I had lots of fun trying to get a white balance that felt right the other day,  some blue sky would have helped.

DAFlys Posted at 2-13 02:11
I had lots of fun trying to get a white balance that felt right the other day,  some blue sky would have helped.

Lifts the spirit as well

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 02:16
Lifts the spirit as well

40 mph gusts here with blue sky, and -3c so I think I'll wimp out today.

Bet they didn't have a flight clearance Blériot53.  Great backdrop though.

DAFlys Posted at 2-13 02:35
40 mph gusts here with blue sky, and -3c so I think I'll wimp out today.

I'm dithering between a bracing walk, and slippers and coffee-with-calva infront of the TV.

sky wombat Posted at 2-13 02:50
Bet they didn't have a flight clearance Blériot53.  Great backdrop though.

Hi there!  Thanks. It was a lovely day, and I reckon they had a little more right-of-way than me

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 02:50
I'm dithering between a bracing walk, and slippers and coffee-with-calva infront of the TV.

Next job is to fix a seized handle on a wood burner

DAFlys Posted at 2-13 03:21
Next job is to fix a seized handle on a wood burner

Well at least  you won't be cold

The Air, belongs to the Birds. They just wanted to point that out!

You win some, you lose some.  Appears the lapwings won this one.  

ebea Posted at 2-13 08:49
The Air, belongs to the Birds. They just wanted to point that out!

It was the wisest course, to back down

DowntownRDB Posted at 2-13 09:32
You win some, you lose some.  Appears the lapwings won this one.

Yeah they had me outnumbered and surrounded

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 09:48
Yeah they had me outnumbered and surrounded

Not much else you can do in that scenario but land and try again another day.  Where I anchor my boat and fly I'm always seeing seagulls and they tend to be very aggressive in going after a drone, regardless of size.

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 09:47
It was the wisest course, to back down

I did upload a Photo, a while ago, with Gooses, who came even closer. I could see, on the Video, that they discovered the Noise, when they was very close, and then they very fast changed the direction.
So when the Drone is out of sight, and you (I do) live near a Bird nature reserve, it sometimes with a kind of risk, to fly ;-)

DowntownRDB Posted at 2-13 09:57
Not much else you can do in that scenario but land and try again another day.  Where I anchor my boat and fly I'm always seeing seagulls and they tend to be very aggressive in going after a drone, regardless of size.

Seagulls are a definite risk, I could imagine them actively attacking a drone.
The smaller birds tend to circle round without actually moving in - they keep a wary distance.

ebea Posted at 2-13 10:46
I did upload a Photo, a while ago, with Gooses, who came even closer. I could see, on the Video, that they discovered the Noise, when they was very close, and then they very fast changed the direction.
So when the Drone is out of sight, and you (I do) live near a Bird nature reserve, it sometimes with a kind of risk, to fly ;-)

It could be great to capture them on film, but there's always the risk, both of damage to the drone and injury to the birds.

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 10:49
It could be great to capture them on film, but there's always the risk, both of damage to the drone and injury to the birds.

I did try more times with the Drone, but the Noise keep them away, unless they come unexpected for them self, in same direction as the Drone.
I have another shot, made with the Drone, out over the Water near teh Coast, where I could get closer and closer on a Cormorant, sitting on a pole for fishing nets. So it became a little "game" who goes on for maybe 5 minutes, on how close I could come, before it get on the wings, and I have to take the Photo.
But I got the Photo, and was around 20 meter from the Cormorant.

ebea Posted at 2-13 13:33
I did try more times with the Drone, but the Noise keep them away, unless they come unexpected for them self, in same direction as the Drone.
I have another shot, made with the Drone, out over the Water near teh Coast, where I could get closer and closer on a Cormorant, sitting on a pole for fishing nets. So it became a little "game" who goes on for maybe 5 minutes, on how close I could come, before it get on the wings, and I have to take the Photo.
But I got the Photo, and was around 20 meter from the Cormorant.[view_image]

That's a fantastic shot!

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 05:13
Well at least  you won't be cold

Not mine, MIL's.

Blériot53 Posted at 2-13 14:10
That's a fantastic shot!

Thank you.

ebea Posted at 2-14 04:04
Thank you.

You should put that up in a New Thread of your own

Blériot53 Posted at 2-14 04:55
You should put that up in a New Thread of your own

It was only just to show a photo, now we did talks about Birds, and be carefull not to be hit by these, and that they normally will move away, because of the noise from the Drone.

ebea Posted at 2-14 09:13
It was only just to show a photo, now we did talks about Birds, and be carefull not to be hit by these, and that they normally will move away, because of the noise from the Drone.

I think your excellent picture deserves wider acclaim - that was the reason for my suggestion that you might like to start your own "Nature" thread with it

Blériot53 Posted at 2-14 09:30
I think your excellent picture deserves wider acclaim - that was the reason for my suggestion that you might like to start your own "Nature" thread with it

I know what you mean ;-)  I actually have a lot more of that types of photo, so maybe one day, i will upload some of these.
The biggest "problem" sometimes, is to get cleaned up in all the Photos, and sort those to the right placement.

ebea Posted at 2-14 10:41
I know what you mean ;-)  I actually have a lot more of that types of photo, so maybe one day, i will upload some of these.
The biggest "problem" sometimes, is to get cleaned up in all the Photos, and sort those to the right placement.

"Lockdown" quarantine would be an ideal time to do that, keeping you occupied

Lovely shot.
I was hoping for some movement and more footage

Montfrooij Posted at 2-14 23:20
Lovely shot.
I was hoping for some movement and more footage

I tried to get them back in view, but they were gone

Blériot53 Posted at 2-14 23:48
I tried to get them back in view, but they were gone

The lovely surroundings deserved a bit more attention too

Montfrooij Posted at 2-14 23:50
The lovely surroundings deserved a bit more attention too

OK OK You win

Blériot53 Posted at 2-15 01:02
OK OK You win

Blériot53 Posted at 2-15 01:02
OK OK You win

Ghegheghe.
I will lose the snow today.....

Blériot53 Posted at 2-15 01:04
[view_image]

Looks great!

Blériot53 Posted at 2-15 01:02
[view_image]

Is that your car?