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Hello and welcome
I have always had a keen interest in wildlife and the great outdoors;
I was an Angler for over 30 years but gave it up a few years ago to
concentrate on photographing wildlife. I lived in Runcorn; Cheshire a
short distance from the M56 that gave me great access to the Wirral,
Northwales and Lancashire, with some great countryside on my doorstep
I didn't have to travel too far in search of wildlife and photographic
opportunities.
Some of my wildlife photographs range from as far afield as Cuba,
Antigua, Saint Martin, Saint Lucia, Dominican Republic, Tuscany ,
Corfu, Turkey, Spain, Portugal.
I now live in the Charente area of western France.
Sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk
Day at home today doing some small jobs around the house, one of them being to fill up the feeders
and do some re-arranging.
Redpoll, Blackcap and Goldcrest have been in the garden but the photographs I have of them are nothing
to write home about. They will never see the light of day.
I am still trying to get the best out of my flash, that's one of the reasons for the re-arrangements of the bird feeders,
so the birds are in the best position.
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I had just moved the feeders and returned to the house. The birds also returned to feed and not long after that so did a Sparrowhawk.
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It plucked a Goldfinch from out of the tree and landed on the lawn but before I could swing my camera into position it flew off.
Long eared Owl at Burton Mere RSPB site
Long-eared Owl at Burton Mere RSPB
After last week's sunshine this week is set to be a bit disappointing.
I photographed the Laughing Gull and some Snow Bunting in some good light, but this week's weather is set to be dull.
I've been keeping an eye on the Long Eared Owl at Burton Mere to see if it is still showing.
If so it could be worth a trip to get a head shot.
On Tuesday I made the trip and was able to photograph the Long eared Owl even though it was very low light conditions
and the Long eared Owl was partially obscured by Hawthorn branches.
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The shots are not disappointing as I didn't expect to get a full view of one, I was lucky to even get the shots that I have.
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I managed a few shots before the Twitchers arrived and sent the bird deeper into the Hawthorn and that was the end of that.
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Long eared Owl shots from nine years ago
Long eared Owl
Latin name Asio otus
Family Owls (Strigidae)
Overview
The long-eared owl is medium-sized owl, smaller in size than a woodpigeon. It often looks long and thin, with head feathers (known as ear tufts even though they are not ears) which it raises when alarmed. It is buff-brown with darker brown streaks, and deep orange eyes. It breeds thinly across the UK with fewer birds in the south-west and Wales. Northern birds migrate southwards, including birds from Europe coming to spend the winter in the UK, while southern birds are residents and only move short distances to find food.
At midday I decided to leave and see if I could Photograph the Water Pipit at Neston Sewage Works.
More shots in the folder
Cormorant
Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
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More Snow Forecast
Some more photographs of Snow Buntings
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More in the folder
Snow Buntings
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
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More later
Laughing Gull
when I said I going to photograph a Gull, they all laughed. Well they're not laughing now.
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Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
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The Laughing Gull first winter photographed at New Brighton.
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It wasn't a bird that excited me but as the weather was so good I decided make the journey.
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I arrived late morning to find lots of photographers had been filling their boots.
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I only managed a few shots before the bird took to the wing and disappeared.
Flyby
Yesterday's session with the Owls.
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It was very late in the afternoon when the Short eared owls turned up all were at some distance, only one came within range before disappearing from view.
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Later
Interlude
A short break from the Short-eared Owls
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on my way to photograph the SEO's I spotted a group of Long-tailed Tits.
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It's a nice distraction in-between long wait for the Owls put in an appearance.
E&O
Errors and Omissions apply.
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I am not the only one that makes mistakes, this Owl makes them too.
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Another session with the Short-eared Owls.
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Still too far away, had to over sharpen them, not very good.
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SEO
Short-eared Owl
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Caribbean 2010
In 2010 I went on a Caribbean cruise taking in Antigua, Dominica, Saint Martin, Saint Lucia.
Whilst on the Cruise ship hundreds of miles from land this Peregrine Falcon joined us.
After eating an unfortunate Storm Petrel it was intent on catching flying Fish.
Peregrine
Latin name Falco peregrinus
Family Falcons and allies (Falconidae)
Overview
The peregrine is a large and powerful falcon. It has long, broad, pointed wings and a relatively short tail. It is blue-grey above, with a blackish top of the head and an obvious black 'moustache' that contrasts with its white face. Its breast is finely spotted. It is swift and agile in flight, chasing prey. The strongholds of the breeding birds in the UK are the uplands of the north and west and rocky seacoasts. Peregrines have suffered illegal killing from gamekeepers and landowners, and been a target for egg collectors, but better legal protection and control of pesticides (which indirectly poisoned birds) have helped the population to recover considerably from a low in the 1960s. Some birds, particularly females and juveniles, move away from the uplands in autumn.
Magnificent Frigatebird
Green-throated Crib Hummingbird
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Cattle Egret
Grey Kingbird
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
More later
Spoke too Soon
Spoke too soon
The recent snow covering has attracted lots more birds to the garden as expected and the two species
that I have been waiting for.
Redpoll and Siskin have turned up at last, all I need to do now is set up my camera in the best position and that means
photographing from the garden shed which I haven't been doing.
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Redpoll
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I have been using an open window with some camouflage netting in the warmth of the house.
I know its lazy but it works for me.
I still struggle with the light and have been using some fill flash, sometimes is ok other times its crap( mainly crap).
I am not a great fan of it but sometimes needs must.
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Goldfinch.
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Nuthatch