The dreaded black dot...

De - de - derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The dreaded dust on the sensor and with a bridge camera it would need taking apart to sort it out.  Bashing the camera about a bit has done something... moved the dot closer to the middle of the frame.

This is all slightly disappointing as the SX50 had seemingly got over its sticky zoom and shutter issues. One suspects that these are related problems though and that gunk has got inside.

So what to do? Repair will be expensive as the camera would need to be taken apart, cleaned and reassembled, at £60 an hour tech costs that is going to be £120 at the least and time without a camera. My Nikon (P7800) only has a 200mm equivalent lens and is no good for bird photos, I'd be taking some good dots. The new Nikon larger sensor camera (DL-500) or the B series are not out yet and anyway I'm not sure I'm up for spending quite so much on unproven technology, especially after I've just bought new bins. Comparing likely possibilities (Canon SX60, Nikon P610 and Sony HX400) TechRadar gives the Canon the best image quality through the range, and its currently the cheapest, £270 including the Canon £30 cashback. I've read in places that the image is not as good as the SX50 but maybe that's marginal, I seem to recall that was one comment somewhere. John Lewis may be getting an order this afternoon (extra year on the guarantee free).

Comment from a seadog (well that's what the hound thinks they are)

The SX50 was a Christmas present from the family Xmas 2013, I guess it's not done so badly, two and a bit years of constant carting around and out in every weather. I will say it's tough, it has been dropped any number of times and I've been quite rough with it trying to shift the dot, it still works.

So here are the last few pictures I suspect...

 Me again

 Ringed Plover, Evie

 Mutes on the sea at Palace, some of the 19, there were 2 at Evie also

 Brown Rat in our garden. Putting a cage over the area below the feeder to stop the pigeons scoffing everything on the ground has led to a perhaps not entirely unexpected consequence.... The cage has now been removed, I'd rather we had pigeons scoffing the excess than ratty and her family.

Also this weekend my first proper "summer" migrants included a pair of Wheatear in the sleet and hail at Palace and at least four Sand martins this morning at Howaback.

At Evie this afternoon bumped into these interesting Jackdaws, monedula I think.

These are of the first one monedula I suspect, it looks pretty dark below and very well marked fine, white collar

 A different one, seems much paler on the head and nape and also paler under parts, not sure what this is.

 2nd bird top right of the flock

Of interest was an adult Jackdaw still appearing to care for it's offspring, apparently giving food to a 2cy.

Also on the beach at Evie north of the toilets a Wheatear or two.

 Not a Wheatear - Brown Hare (slightly damp)