Show us your great photos 2021

[Winsford Soul]

Greylag Goslings

 

[Soulandy]

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Screen shot of Tenby lifeboat Station with Wally the Walrus clearly visible on the lifeboat slipway.  Taken two minutes ago.  Please still be there four weeks tomorrow when I can hopefully see him instead of photographs and videos 

Here's hoping mate

[Mal C]

13 hours ago, Tattoodave said:

The sad thing is Mal, she's down to 5 now

thats the reality this time of year isn't it, allot of road kill, and dead young for many reasons. We got otters in our local lake last week, mother and two pups, they killed 15 carp between them, I like otters but those carp were upto 25lb in weight, very old ones too...      just nature I guess..

[Winsford Soul]

Male Northern Wheatear

 

 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Winsford Soul

[Winsford Soul]

Have to share this. At 9.42pm  Someone cut down the nesting pole / nest platform at Lyn  Brenig Osprey project in North Wales. the Osprey had actually laid her first egg on Thursday . The nest itself was been monitored 24 hrs by cameras but not the surrounding area.  The area can only be reached by boat as its so inaccessible.  

I hope the SCUM that did this gets a good slap before they get banged up for a good few years.  

There are only five breeding pairs of Osprey in Wales which makes it so much more heartbreaking.  

 

[Davenpete]

Quite pleased with myself having done a proper fell today - Blake Fell as part of the Cogra Horseshoe. I'm not really up for doing the tops (more inerested in lakesides and woodland) but in this case the views are staggering - well over 50 miles north to the tip of Galloway and south to the Fylde coast and across to the Isle of Man. Also an obliging Wheatear from only about 20 feet just for you Steve! Dx 

Edited May 1, 2021 by Davenpete

[Amsterdam Russ]

24 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Have to share this. At 9.42pm  Someone cut down the nesting pole / nest platform at Lyn  Brenig Osprey project in North Wales. the Osprey had actually laid her first egg on Thursday . The nest itself was been monitored 24 hrs by cameras but not the surrounding area.  The area can only be reached by boat as its so inaccessible.  

I hope the SCUM that did this gets a good slap before they get banged up for a good few years.  

There are only five breeding pairs of Osprey in Wales which makes it so much more heartbreaking.  

 

Read this on the news earlier today. Absolutely awful, heartless and stupidly selfish. I really do hope those responsible are caught and punished severely.

[Tattoodave]

7 hours ago, Mal C said:

thats the reality this time of year isn't it, allot of road kill, and dead young for many reasons. We got otters in our local lake last week, mother and two pups, they killed 15 carp between them, I like otters but those carp were upto 25lb in weight, very old ones too...      just nature I guess..

Nature raw in tooth and claw

[Davenpete]

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Have to share this. At 9.42pm  Someone cut down the nesting pole / nest platform at Lyn  Brenig Osprey project in North Wales. the Osprey had actually laid her first egg on Thursday . The nest itself was been monitored 24 hrs by cameras but not the surrounding area.  The area can only be reached by boat as its so inaccessible.  

I hope the SCUM that did this gets a good slap before they get banged up for a good few years.  

There are only five breeding pairs of Osprey in Wales which makes it so much more heartbreaking.  

 

Utter scum - it's probably some knobend fisherman thinks the risk they'll eat his pike outways their value - I hear guys up here moaning about otters taking salmon when I'm out fishing - something in reality they rarely do, preferring eels and chub of course. The c**ts up here ragged Red Kite nests to protect their shooting (perhaps it's just as well their reintroduction didn't work in Cumbria). Dx

[Winsford Soul]

7 hours ago, Mal C said:

thats the reality this time of year isn't it, allot of road kill, and dead young for many reasons. We got otters in our local lake last week, mother and two pups, they killed 15 carp between them, I like otters but those carp were upto 25lb in weight, very old ones too...      just nature I guess..

Only just seen this Mal. Unfortunately nature is a unforgiving beast.  Somethings die so others can live. But I do feel for you mate. I know the price of Otter proof fencing is astronomical and most small clubs and commercial venues simply cannot afford it.  I'm all for re-wilding and introducing creatures that we annihilated but there needs to be proper thoughts.  I love Otters but we have raped and pillaged the Eel supply   which is its main food source so introducing them back into areas where the Eel is almost extinct is just asking for conflict between Otters and fisheries and there owners and as the Otters are totally protected,  what can they do to protect their livelihoods and stop them going bankrupt ? 

[Winsford Soul]

26 minutes ago, Davenpete said:

Utter scum - it's probably some knobend fisherman thinks the risk they'll eat his pike outways their value - I hear guys up here moaning about otters taking salmon when I'm out fishing - something in reality they rarely do, preferring eels and chub of course. The c**ts up here ragged Red Kite nests to protect their shooting (perhaps it's just as well their reintroduction didn't work in Cumbria). Dx

Dave. The suspicions are falling on Anglers as the nest site was on a Trout reservoir and the nest was only accessible via a boat. Which are moored ironically near the visitor centre which houses the cameras watching the nest. And more irony the visitor centre and the surrounding  amenities actually brings in more money than the trout fishing does . 

Ste. 

PS thanks for the Wheatear mention

[Davenpete]

9 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Dave. The suspicions are falling on Anglers as the nest site was on a Trout reservoir and the nest was only accessible via a boat. Which are moored ironically near the visitor centre which houses the cameras watching the nest. And more irony the visitor centre and the surrounding  amenities actually brings in more money than the trout fishing does . 

Ste. 

PS thanks for the Wheatear mention

Just pathetic over poxy stocked fish.

[Winsford Soul]

3 minutes ago, Davenpete said:

Just pathetic over poxy stocked fish.

I know mate. So fcuking angry .  But if and its a big if when they catch the scum that did this he will get a slapped wrist because he comes from a broken home and he has issues.  

[Neil Austin]

15 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Have to share this. At 9.42pm  Someone cut down the nesting pole / nest platform at Lyn  Brenig Osprey project in North Wales. the Osprey had actually laid her first egg on Thursday . The nest itself was been monitored 24 hrs by cameras but not the surrounding area.  The area can only be reached by boat as its so inaccessible.  

I hope the SCUM that did this gets a good slap before they get banged up for a good few years.  

There are only five breeding pairs of Osprey in Wales which makes it so much more heartbreaking.  

 

Shocking and cruel, some people just

cant love nature and destroy what they

cant appreciate.

so sad  

[Neil Austin]

15 hours ago, Davenpete said:

Quite pleased with myself having done a proper fell today - Blake Fell as part of the Cogra Horseshoe. I'm not really up for doing the tops (more inerested in lakesides and woodland) but in this case the views are staggering - well over 50 miles north to the tip of Galloway and south to the Fylde coast and across to the Isle of Man. Also an obliging Wheatear from only about 20 feet just for you Steve! Dx 

Wow , great pictures, reminds me of my

youth and all the fell walking with my dad.

thanks for sharing 

[Neil Austin]

On 30/04/2021 at 22:11, Soulandy said:

Here's hoping mate

 

4 minutes ago, Neil Austin said:

Wow , great pictures, reminds me of my

youth and all the fell walking with my dad.

thanks for sharing 

Fingers crossed for you Steve 

[Davenpete]

Stayed close to home today at Wedholme Flow a couple of miles from my home in Kirkbride. The skies were wonderful today. Dx

Edited May 3, 2021 by Davenpete

[Martyn Pitt]

At last ... first time this year out with the 500mm, was trying out a Z6ii mirrorless body, the Long Tailed Tits were attending a brood, but they had this habit of hovering near to the nest site. 

 

 

[Winsford Soul]

1 hour ago, Martyn Pitt said:

At last ... first time this year out with the 500mm, was trying out a Z6ii mirrorless body, the Long Tailed Tits were attending a brood, but they had this habit of hovering near to the nest site. 

 

 

Stunning Martyn.  Glad to see you back out and about mate. How long have you been using the Z6ii ? How are you feeling about it ?

I was looking at  a Canon R6 mirrorless camera last week. Will be getting one when I return from Pembrokeshire next month. 

[Martyn Pitt]

I bought it to use for photographing the grand children, and to take on holidays, mainly because they make using manual focus lenses simple, and I have a few of those. Face and eye detect using the A/F lenses is brilliant. But for wildlife give me an optical viewfinder over a TV screen every time. 

I was happy how it grabbed focus on the Long Tailed Tits, but will stick to taking out the DSLR for the birding stuff for the near future. I may even grab a cropped sensor body again, unless the next batch of Nikon mirrorless get close to the Sony focus abilities. 

I like the size of the mirrorless stuff, the number of focus sensors, and the stunning new lenses Nikon are putting out for them. Mine came with a "kit lens" 24-70 f4, razor sharp wide open, ridiculous quality for what it is.

 

[Winsford Soul]

10 minutes ago, Martyn Pitt said:

I bought it to use for photographing the grand children, and to take on holidays, mainly because they make using manual focus lenses simple, and I have a few of those. Face and eye detect using the A/F lenses is brilliant. But for wildlife give me an optical viewfinder over a TV screen every time. 

I was happy how it grabbed focus on the Long Tailed Tits, but will stick to taking out the DSLR for the birding stuff for the near future. I may even grab a cropped sensor body again, unless the next batch of Nikon mirrorless get close to the Sony focus abilities. 

I like the size of the mirrorless stuff, the number of focus sensors, and the stunning new lenses Nikon are putting out for them. Mine came with a "kit lens" 24-70 f4, razor sharp wide open, ridiculous quality for what it is.

 

Martyn.  I believe the Sony has been bettered by the new Canon AF system on the R5 and R6  and that's from a camera shop owner who actually uses a Sony A7iii and A9 as her go to cameras. The eye focus of birds in flight and moving animals is supposed to be almost cheating its that good. and there's supposed to be no lag on the evf compared to a normal viewfinder.  But at £2600 R6 and £4500 R5 plus grip. Not cheap.  Fortunately they have brought out a adapter for the EF lens to RF without any loss of optical quality, the new bodies has upto 5 stops of stabilisation and 3 stops in my lens.  So I don't need to spend £15 k on 3 new lens to suit the new bodies .

 

 

 

[Martyn Pitt]

Steve, I had heard that as well, waiting to see what the Z9 brings in the way of technology.

 

[Soulandy]

Back out in Snowdonia on Saturday, a great 13 miles around the less populated Northern Carneddau where I heard my first Cuckoo of the year, saw my first swallow of the year and a few of the Carneddau Ponies. A snow shower over the Ogwen Valley area and a not so full Aber Falls. A great day

[Winsford Soul]

10 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

Back out in Snowdonia on Saturday, a great 13 miles around the less populated Northern Carneddau where I heard my first Cuckoo of the year, saw my first swallow of the year and a few of the Carneddau Ponies. A snow shower over the Ogwen Valley area and a not so full Aber Falls. A great day

Brilliant Andy.  Not heard a Cuckoo for a couple of years and not seen one for about five year's .  The iconic sounds of late spring/ early summer 

[Davenpete]

Disgruntled wet doves on my balcony...

[Soulandy]

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Brilliant Andy.  Not heard a Cuckoo for a couple of years and not seen one for about five year's .  The iconic sounds of late spring/ early summer 

Steve, I always hear them and sometimes see them in Wales around this time of year. Also in Scotland where I hope to spot one or two in a couple of weeks As you say, an iconic sound

[Winsford Soul]

39 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

Steve, I always hear them and sometimes see them in Wales around this time of year. Also in Scotland where I hope to spot one or two in a couple of weeks As you say, an iconic sound

Andy. Good job I have a few pictures of them to keep me going until I get the chance to see them again 

 

[Soulandy]

1 minute ago, Winsford Soul said:

Andy. Good job I have a few pictures of them to keep me going until I get the chance to see them again 

 

Quality. I have a few but nothing like that, nice one

 

[Winsford Soul]

Just now, Soulandy said:

Quality. I have a few but nothing like that, nice one

 

Andy.  They where taken at Burton mere and with the 70mm-200mm f2.8 lens before I got the 500mm.  Shows how close they where.  Two males chasing a female but unfortunately I couldn't get a picture of the female and she was the brown coloured type which you don't see often 

[Soulandy]

12 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Andy.  They where taken at Burton mere and with the 70mm-200mm f2.8 lens before I got the 500mm.  Shows how close they where.  Two males chasing a female but unfortunately I couldn't get a picture of the female and she was the brown coloured type which you don't see often 

We'll have to compare cameras over a pint in Tenby, a bit like comparing your records to mine

[Winsford Soul]

6 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

We'll have to compare cameras over a pint in Tenby, a bit like comparing your records to mine

Sounds like a good plan

[Winsford Soul]

Garden Goldfinch. Bullfinch ( female )

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by Winsford Soul

[Davenpete]

Sunset tonight from the balcony. Dx

[Neil Austin]

On 04/05/2021 at 13:33, Winsford Soul said:

Garden Goldfinch. Bullfinch ( female )

 

Steve great picture of the gold finch 

lucky to get a bull finch , not common 

sight in my neck of the woods 

[Winsford Soul]

Just now, Neil Austin said:

Steve great picture of the gold finch 

lucky to get a bull finch , not common 

sight in my neck of the woods 

Thanks Neil ☺.  I get daily visits from all the common finches.  Goldfinch,  Greenfinch,  Chaffinch and Bullfinch.  Think the most  numbers at anyone  time are GF 16. GF 6 CF 6 and BF 9. Unfortunately not all at the same time but quite often I will have all 4 species together in small groups.  

[Winsford Soul]

This is absolutely stunning 

 

[Smudger]

Just got back from a few days in Derbyshire ,Youlgreave to be precise.All photos taken in Bradford Dale ,a pair of dippers were building a nest behind the waterfall if you can zoom in one is sat at the end having just emerged after taking a piece of grass in(watched them for about half and hour.) you can just about see it white breast sat on a twig (mobile phone photo)

the iron monger y is just about same age as me

,the large pool is river dammed to make the local swimming pool

then just a couple of interesting tree stumps.

Edited May 6, 2021 by Smudger

[Winsford Soul]

17 minutes ago, Smudger said:

Just got back from a few days in Derbyshire ,Youlgreave to be precise.All photos taken in Bradford Dale ,a pair of dippers were building a nest behind the waterfall if you can zoom in one is sat at the end having just emerged after taking a piece of grass in(watched them for about half and hour.) you can just about see it white breast sat on a twig (mobile phone photo)

the iron monger y is just about same age as me

,the large pool is river dammed to make the local swimming pool

then just a couple of interesting tree stumps.

Looks a Nice place. Is that the dipper sat on the edge of the water where its calm.? Only on my mobile  sorry. Hope you had better weather than we have had here in Manchester today.  Snow and hailstones and 5 'C 

[Wally Francis]

Sun going down in Persian Gulf.

[Winsford Soul]

Mum. Ive had my lunch

but  I,m tired now 

Can i get on your back 

and  snuggle in please 

 

Edited May 7, 2021 by Winsford Soul

[Winsford Soul]

After the English bluebell woodland is  there anything better than a wild  Garlic woodland 

 

[Neil Austin]

On 06/05/2021 at 14:59, Winsford Soul said:

This is absolutely stunning 

 

Wow Steve ,

just speechless , incredible

[Winsford Soul]

11 minutes ago, Neil Austin said:

Wow Steve ,

just speechless , incredible

Neil. When I first saw it I was just like you, speechless and as most people that know me will tell you.  That doesn't happen often

[Winsford Soul]

On 03/05/2021 at 14:58, Soulandy said:

We'll have to compare cameras over a pint in Tenby, a bit like comparing your records to mine

Andy. Sent you a PM mate

[Davenpete]

Shot out after work and did another hike. This one at the back of Thirlmere up to Harrop Tarn and then on up to Blea Tarn. An amazing water fall draining Harrop Tarn that must fall at least 200m (in total - this is just a little bit of it) - though much of it is hidden in the forest. Dx

Edited May 8, 2021 by Davenpete

[Davenpete]

This last shot didn't load for some reason. Dx

[Soulandy]

A sneak preview and a bit of a suprise as I put the trail cam out to see if the badgers had any cubs only to find fox cubs at the badger sett!! No sign of any adult fox and only a small sighting of the badger. 4 fox cubs (only 3 on this clip) but it seems odd not seeing any adult. Fingers crossed all is well

Edited May 7, 2021 by Soulandy

[Neil Austin]

12 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Neil. When I first saw it I was just like you, speechless and as most people that know me will tell you.  That doesn't happen often

thank goodness  for the internet 

Just now, Neil Austin said:

thank goodness  for the internet 

 

Just now, Neil Austin said:

thank goodness  for the internet 

Can’t wait to show the kids

[Soulandy]

OK, here is the latest installment from the Badger Sett, only it appears to be taken over by a family of Foxes. I say family, as there are four cubs, but most of the time only three seem to be present and there is no sign of any adults, which seems a bit worrying. Also one cub seems to have hurt it's leg near the end of the video as it's limping so hoping it's going to be OK. I'm not sure where the Den entrance's are as they seem to be playing/exploring around the Badger Sett without using them other than a play area. Also, the Badgers seem to be keeping a very low profile as only one makes an appeareance for a short time. This was filmed over a couple of days/nights earlier this week and I was hoping to see Badger cubs after I'd put a few grapes and nuts down so was quite suprised to see all the foxes.

 

[Neil Austin]

27 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

OK, here is the latest installment from the Badger Sett, only it appears to be taken over by a family of Foxes. I say family, as there are four cubs, but most of the time only three seem to be present and there is no sign of any adults, which seems a bit worrying. Also one cub seems to have hurt it's leg near the end of the video as it's limping so hoping it's going to be OK. I'm not sure where the Den entrance's are as they seem to be playing/exploring around the Badger Sett without using them other than a play area. Also, the Badgers seem to be keeping a very low profile as only one makes an appeareance for a short time. This was filmed over a couple of days/nights earlier this week and I was hoping to see Badger cubs after I'd put a few grapes and nuts down so was quite suprised to see all the foxes.

 

Andy , lovely video , thanks for sharing 

teally enjoyed it

neil