Another award winning shot.

Dave Slater has had his work recognised again and has won first place in yet another competition. Its a Photojournalism award in a competition run by the NPPA (National Press Photographers association)

For the exact details check out his website from my links www.djsphotography.co.uk
Its a great picture of Ground Squirrels fighting, and it featured in some newspapers earlier in the year.

Well done Dave.

On a personal level I've done nil photography since my last post, I'm back up North at my mothers, having my motorhome M.O.T'd tomorrow, and hoping to spend some time at Conwy on wednesday, weather permitting.

I've been staying on a little Caravan club CL site at 7.00 pounds a night with electric hook up and shower room /toilet. Its in the village of Guilden Sutton and on a small farm. It's quite quaint.

House sitting and nest watching.

The family commitments continued this last week, I had to house sit for my son as he was having work done whilst at work. The weather has been bad so I don't feel as if I missed a lot.

I left Newport on sunday afternoon, hoping to escape the rain. It didn't happen, the rain was already waiting for me in Ross on Wye. I should explain that I can't move too far from the Forest of Dean this week as my dog is in the vets tomorow (weds), and my van brakes are being done at the same time.

Yesterday I moved to a little site on the outskirts of Ross on Wye at Sellack, it's a Caravan Club certified location and has a small shower room and toilet, and of course the electric hook up. I must get round to trying my Generator out at some point. It's a little expensive for a CL at fifteen pounds a night, but I've spent less than 140.00 pounds this month on sites so I can afford it.

Photgraphy wise I have been at a loss, I have struggled with the weather and the drive to do anything. That changed when I saw Chris Grady's Swallow and House Martin shots on the net today. I was so inspired I took the following.

Swallows are nesting in a stable at this location, so I asked for permission and went to see what I could get. One hundred and fifty shots laater I could not get a flight shot but I got some nice ones of the nest and chicks.

Four chicks to feed meant mum and dad were in and out at a fantastic rate of knots. I could hardly keep up. I tried lots of different shuttter speeds and settings, but again I shied away from using the external flash opting instead for the 50D's built in flash. I MUST get to grips with learning about my kit. I'm happy with the results especially in bigger size.

The only other pictures I've taken this last week were this painted lady at Newport Wetlands on saturday.

So with another week of commitments and a trip up to Chester to collect mail and tax the van this coming weekend its gonna be another dry week for photography. I'll keep you appraised of developments.

Moths, bugs and butterflies

This time of year is somewhat quiet for bird pics so there is a tendency to shift attention to other things. I've been busy with family activities and a friends wedding, I have only managed to get a few shots.

I do not know the name of this beetle but I'm guessing someone out there does and can let me know. I'm guessing its a long horn of some kind.


This is a gate keeper butterfly, There were lots of them.

Flies have always caused me concern, I guess it was watching the movie as a youngster that first made me dislike them.

Okay here's another query, can anyone help me with this. I don't think it's meant to be this colour, I think its one of the blues? Am i right? I'm guessing it was newly emerged.

Another long horn I don't doubt, I'm being lazy aren't I? I should find out for myself. Okay I'll set myself a challenge.

I've got commitments again this week for my son so not much will get photographed this week either, I'll update asap.

Hi, Just a few random shots from Leighton Moss and my camp site.

Greenshank:
Rabbit:

Red Deer fawn:

Red Deer Hind and Fawn:

Red Deer Fawn:

Hope you like them.

Leighton Moss, A farm yard and Mere Sands wood.

Firstly i want to apologise for this posting. For some unknown reason I cannot move the pictures around as I would normally so they are as uploaded and thus the story around them is disjointed. I am not a technical whizz so there you go.


I went to Leighton Moss as you know and intended to stay in the area for a day or two at Carnforth. However I felt that there were great opportunities for photography there and I ended up staying for 5 days. I was amazed by some of the sightings of the Marsh Harriers that I'd had. I'd seen red deer in the wild, something that I'd only seen in Scotland before. I also had seen, albeit distantly, a hobby and really wanted to try and get a decent close picture of that too.

Having spent the first three nights on an expensive and far too large site I went to the opposite extreme. A site with electric hook up and nothing else. Had I known how much wildlife there was going to be there I'd have booked for the whole five nights. Red deer, Goldfinch, Rabbit, Green Woodpecker, Swallow, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Sparrowhawk. I was in my element. I could only wish that the weather had been better.

I have posted the pictures of the Harrier to show the best that I got, I wish I could have acheived better. The Green Woodpecker was taken at the second site I stayed at, the Sedge Warbler was also from Leighton Moss.

The Corn Bunting was a bird I'd not seen until recently. I had fleeting glimpses of them at a site near Martin mere a week or so before, but on leaving Leighton Moss I went back there. I believe that I have some cracking shots of the bird. I'm amazed by this little brown job, its got a beautiful song.

I also saw and photographed a Yellow Wagtail at the same spot. I will go back and get better shots soon, but again I'm happy with what I have for a first attempt. A Hare was a bonus. It's always the way isn't it? I'd driven onto the lane in question and was sitting with the camera out of the window of my motorhome waiting for the CB. My dog started to whine and I could see that she was interested in something at the front of the van, I couldn't see it at first but bugger me if a Hare didn't come almost all the way up to the front of the van. I tried to shoot it through the front windscreen but I couldn't. I did get a shot of another from the side of the van. I'll post it next time.

From another site near to Martin mere called Mere Sands wood I got shots of a Kingfisher and Heron, I also got shots of Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe too.

I hope you like the following shots.

I hope I have them better on my website, I know that they are good shots.

The Yellow Wagtail is a bit of a crop.

I just love the Corn Bunting.

The Green Woodpecker was a bonus too, I was amazed when I looked out of my van window and saw it on the rocks about 40 yds from me.

Sedge Warbler:

This picture is so much better in larger format, You can see the eyes are sharp it gives a good contrast with the blurred wings.


This Harrier is a real killer, it took four Moorhen chicks from a nest opposite the Griesdale hide at Leighton Moss while myself and a group of people were watching, then it sat in this bush about 20 feet from the nest and slept.

Here is a poor shot of it carrying one chick away.

I also went to Wharton Cragg and saw the peregrines I have some very distant shots of an adult and two Juveniles which I may post next time. The thing that struck me about this place though was that there were four people who I hope wont mind me saying were all very senior citizens who were there purely to watch over the birds. They, and others, had watched the nest since its conception and seen the three eggs lain and two chicks hatch. Why? Because they care. No financial reward, no thanks from the majority of people, only because they care.

These are the type of people I admire the most, I only wish I could devote myself like they do.