Keeping it ticking over.

Chris Grady used to say that Herefordshire was not a good county for photography. I used to doubt him. Now I agree wholeheartedly. It's a great place for nature, but photography is a different matter.
I have joined Herefordshire Nature Trust, and have visited a half dozen of their sites in the last few weeks.Not a one is ideal for photography. I have also been to Wellington Gravel pits and the old landfill site at Stretton Sugwas. Both great for seeing things but not for photography.
Ok I can hear you saying, that can't be right, but unless you have a lot of time and opportunity to put stuff in to place then you are going to struggle.

I have spent more time driving from one place to another than with my camera out. It's not good. Ask yourselves a question. Why has Herefordshire, with all its rural beauty, not got a single RSPB reserve anywhere in it? Does it not seem odd to you that the Forest of Dean has one, Gloucestershire has at least two, but Herefordshire a huge county has none.

That said I have made the best of what I have, and thrown in a trip or two to the Elan Valley and here is what little I have to show for it.

Elan Valley,

Wheatear. Of which there were only half a dozen.

and Meadow Pipit, of which there were plenty.

Thats it, still a bit early I think. No Ring Ouzel, no Winchat, one solitary Stonechat too far away to photograph, but surprisingly 3 pairs of Curlew. One pair by the farm, another by the rickety bridge, and another on the road to Aberyswyth.
Great news is that the Red Kite are nesting in their old spot. The one was sitting and the other was circling overhead.

A trip to Gilfach as mentioned in my last post revealed no Pied Flycatchers or Redstarts in at that time. But the Dippers were busy up and down the river with nest material, and taking a break in between.

Back in Herefordshire, a Heron at the local pond has been a source of annoyance. Whenever I'm out with the dog, I can get much closer than you would think before it lifts up and sits in the trees, But when I don't have the dog it seems to sense it immediately. It is going to be a work in progress as I am assured that he was around all last summer and that there are ample opportunities to get good shots of him if you are patient.

I have witnessed two amazing things this week, both in Herefordshire, surprisingly. Firstly whilst at Wellington one day and in the little hide I saw a Kingfisher land on one of the small bushes some 60 feet or so away. I watched it, with another chap who was also in the hide, dive into a small pool that the receeding water had left on the sand scrape, and catch a fish or newt I can't be sure. It flew back into the bush and then off into the distance.
Secondly, whilst out walking the dog and approaching a tree where I know Tawny owls have nested before, an owl dropped from the tree to the ground some 50 metres in front of me. I immediately stood still, but then inched a little closer as I could see it was struggling with something in the grass and not aware of me. I was about 30 metres away when it rose up with a vole or similar clutched in it's talons and flew back up to the hole it usually nests in. Absolutely amazing, nature at its best on both occasions.

I've also done some small stuff this week, the best of which you can see in my galleries.

One bit of nature I could have lived without has been visiting my garden regularly this week, driving Roxy, my Westie, to her wits end as she cannot catch it, and me to mine as she sits at the patio doors whining if it is not open.

I think I've said before that I don't dislike rats in the right environment, but my garden is not such a place. Poison it will have to be then.

A Word to the Wise.

I went to the Élan Valley yesterday (sun 13th) and as is always the way I made a trip over to Gilfach too. I was chatting to Pip in the centre yard and he advised me that the trust have introduced a few changes.

Photographers are NOT allowed to use tripods or monopods in the yard area anymore.
No one is allowed to bring food for the birds, including mealworms.
No one must get too near the birds as to cause disturbance.

Pip assures me that he tried to fight the photographers corner, he pointed out that the photographers that attend increase the funds raised dramatically and that the birds are ensured a good food supply for the chicks. Unfortunately even the suggestion of a permit for photographers did not help.

Of course photographers are still welcome at the reserve, and welcome to use Tripods etc in other areas.

I wonder if this is the first stand by Nature trusts against photographers. I hope not.

Spring cometh.

There have been a few days of good weather and Spring is definately underway. I have Blue tits taking nesting material into the box in my garden. There is a Moorhen sitting on a nest at the nearby pool and the Swans have started to do the same.

Trips to the FOD have given me some nice images.

and also the opportunity to search for, and find the Great Grey Shrike, albeit from a distance on possibly the worst day I have had in the Forest recently.]

Nice to see it all the same.

I've spent a bit of time trying to improve on my previous Pheasant shots.

and I have done a  bit of small stuff, this Bee Fly (Bombylius Major) was a challenge.

I have added some stuff to the Gallery page, see links.

Hoping for better weather than is predicted this week. come back soon.

Sunshine at last!!

So finally a bit of good weather and the opportunity to make the most of it. It wasn't wasted.
Trips to the Forest were very productive.

A trip to the Elan Valley was also great. I was up there at 7am and some of the views were amazing.

Didn't see any Merlin, or many raptors for that matter, just a Buzzard and a few Kite, didn't see Wheatear yet, and if I'm honest didn't expect too. Did see Meadow Pipits though.

Then having done a quick trip to Gilfach to look for dipper,

successfully, it was off to Gigrin for more practice on the Kite and Co, the Rooks came pretty close.

Back nearer to home some Pheasants proved to be interesting.

I have decided to go with Smugmug for my gallery page. I have added some shots too it, and removed some others over the last 24 hrs so please have a look. It's to the right in my links.

I want to once again thank Chris G, for his help with some technical stuff relating to the gallery and Lightroom, I know it's not easy for you mate guiding me through it, but with your help I am able to save myself a lot of time and effort and we both know that left alone I'd have just continued to struggle with the long winded way. I very much appreciate your help. Also with the advice re the lenses etc.

Looking forward to a warm spring, come back soon.

Something New

I believe that my photography has come on in the last year or two, I'm not at the stage where I want to be just yet, there are still things that I need to learn.

With this in mind I have been looking at either changing the way I post my pictures, changing the blog or incorporating a gallery. I do have issues with the blog, which I've voiced before, but on the whole it serves a purpose, which is recording where, when and how I've got my pictures, usually in the format of a story with pics.

Therefore I have decided to trial gallery websites. One that I have often heard of is Smug Mug. I am currently trialing it and have attached a link to it in my links, (Brians Gallery). The pictures are not necessarily ones that will end up in there if I take it up, I merely wanted to upload a good number to see how it sits. I would also envisage having more galleries in it when I have insects or landscapes, for instance, to show.

I would be grateful if you would all take a look and see what you think, I have identified one problem myself so far and that is that there doesn't appear to be a way of returning back to the blog direct from the gallery once you've finished having a look, I am sure that there probably is, it's just that I haven't worked it out yet. The template I am using is one of many and I quite like it but that too is not set in stone.

If you have any strong views please let me know, if no-one comments then I will presume it's okay. Thank you for your anticipated assistance.