Saturday 4 December 2010

Top Shots 2010 (part 2)

Time for a few more of my favourites from this last year. I hope you like them.

I want to start with this Tree Sparrow, I remember there being lots of these around Guilden Sutton in Cheshire when I was a child, yet now I dont think they are seen in the village at all.



The Tree sparrow was taken at Fairburn Ings RSPB reserve West Yorkshire, this next shot was a Kingfisher also taken at Fairburn, Its the only Kingfisher I've photographed this year so thats why its here.


It was a very grey day and he only made a few fleeting visits, but I was so pleased to get him at all.

The next shots are two birds that are very similar, infact they are cousins. I love both of these pictures.

This first is the Meadow Pipit.


and its cousin the Tree Pipit.


Two lovely birds I hope you would agree. The first was taken on Anglesey Island, North Wales, near to the cafe at South Stack. The second was taken near Abergavenny in Gwent, South Wales. It was taken earlier this year whilst I was trying to get the Mamora's Warbler.

I haven't got many mammals this year, but I did manage a shot of a poorly hedgehog, It has to be one of the smallest hedgehogs I've ever seen and despite the fact that it was obviously poorly it was nice to see him.


I was really chuffed to get this next shot, the first I had of this little wader. A Curlew Sandpiper captured at Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve.


I still have a few more shots to go through so there may be a part 3. Come back and see.

Thursday 2 December 2010

Thats Snow business.

What a week, snow,snow and more snow. We've got well over a foot of snow here in Barnsley, and my car hasn't moved off the drive for days.

Unfortunately I've run out of bird seed to so the sparrows and Collared Doves that visit my garden are down to starvation rations.














But the kids love it dont they? My little great neice has been off school all week as her school has been closed, she has enjoyed sledging with her mum and Nanny.















Its given me the opportunity to try out some of my foul weather gear.














the fleece lined trousers are a godsend.

The streets have been very quiet too, with only the odd vehicle (mostly 4x4) using them.


But my sister was all for making a path to our door, the foolish child.

There's more to come, allegedly, so I will look forward to that.....not.

Monday 29 November 2010

Top shots 2010 (part 1).

I have decided to share again with you some of my favourite shots from 2010. They are not in chronological order but I hope you will enjoy them with me.

This first is a simple shot, taken with my nikon compact I think, its not technically brilliant but I love the simplicity of it.


This was taken on Hergest ridge, North Herefordshire, the day that Chris G and I went a searching for Dotterell, didn't see them but got my closest ever, and first confirmed view of a cuckoo.  Again not technically brilliant but isn't it so lovely to see a foal with its mother?


Highland Cattle, so characterful and impressive with those horns. This one was at Fairburn Ings, RSPB reserve.


This was last winter, it was around the time that we got all the snow, I was living in Ross on Wye and this was the view from my back door.


Wild Boar piglets, this was an opportunity I didn't want to miss. I got up close and personal with these little fellows and 7 or 8 of their brothers and sisters with two adult sows whilst driving through the Forest of Dean. A chance encounter and one which I now have a photographic record of forever. I hope they dont eradicate them from the forest completely.



A simple shot of a Blue Tit, but I really like it.


Macro photography is something I would love to get better at. This was one of my attempts to capture the smaller things that lurk in our gardens.


 
Lastly for this post is a picture that I absolutely love. I have had a fascination with the Moon since I was a small child. I was really pleased to get this almost full moon.


These may not be the best shots I've taken this year, but they are amongst my favourites. I will post another selection soon.