Camera chaos

As some of you will recall, a few weeks ago on a wee tour, I had a mishap with my camera, the lens ended up getting condensation in it and it kinda curtailed my wee trip. On getting home my young lad helped unscrew the lens from the main lens body (god those wee screws are totty and difficult to see with aging eyes). Anyway, between us we got it apart, dried out and reassembled, or so we thought!!!!!! For those of you who are as daft as me in taking a camera lens to bits without instructions or prior knowledge, will feel my pain. Once you screw of the 6 wee screws, there are a multitude of gaskets that lie between the two main pieces. The totty screws go through all the components and the gaskets are meant to keep stoor and stuff from getting in the lens. Anyhoo, between us both, the last gasket went on wrong and this stopped the screws from getting a proper hold, all unknown to me.

So, a fortnight later after a good hike at Glenesk, Kinnordy, Montreathmont with camera swinging happily from my shoulder, we alighted at Balgavies. After having a very enjoyable blether with Adam Caird, I thought I should take a few pics. Camera wasn't getting in focus though, I looked at lens to be amazed it was hanging by one screw, 4 still in the body, just, and one falling as if in slow motion through the air and bouncing about the floor of the hide!!!!!!! I never swore though, well, not much anyway. Thankfully it was found by Mr Caird and stuffed safely in my pocket. I did giggle when Adam, ever the optimist, declared, "it's still usable". Anyway, another excursion cut short but it got home and was repaired.

Last night I was on the moor trying to get Black Grouse again, No signs but as I was away to take a picture of a Short Eared Owl, the camera didn't kick in. Ah, I'd picked up a dead battery, What else could go wrong? I decided to visit the river just to cheer me up, but the beavers were not playing game and sightings were limited with the typical slap on the face in the form of a tailsplash as I left the river. I did see a few kingfishers though . So, after a rather poor showing by the beavers last night, I saw more kingfishers than beavers, I decided to go and try again. Imagine my face on lifting the camera, half the lens landed on the floor!!!! I did get a proper repair on it this time though, I think/hope! God, I hope!!!!

So after what seemed like waiting an age, I eventually got multiple sightings of the beavers, at least 3 individuals plus a couple sightings of a kingfisher.

It turned out to be a decent nights viewing in all honesty but the camera issues didn't quite disappear. I had this beaver swimming straight at me and I reverted back to my normal camera skills.

However things did improve as the light faded and I managed to get this adult very close to me. However as I was photographing her, I didn't realise there was one on the bank beside me!!!