Amsterdam Russ

Thanks for the info, Bob. Turner appears to be alive and well, and - presuming it is him and not a family member who is airing their late relative's more recent musical offerings - has a channel on Soundlcloudthat's aptly named Spinning Top Records. https://soundcloud.com/willie-turner-15 My interest in Turner comes about because I just picked up an acetate that has 'Baby sitter' on one side and a seemingly uncatalogued uptempo track on the other. The acetate is blank, but it seems pretty certain the track is called 'Friendship or friends'. I'd like to find out more about it, so might look to contact whoever is behind the Soundlcoud channel. If it is unreleased, it would be interesting to learn why it was dropped in favour of an instrumental of the A side.

Still no stopping you on your adventures then, Steve? Had hoped the swifts might have brought just a little of that Saharan weather with them. No chance judging by our forecast for the week!

Just remembered that I was going to post up another photo of the starling as it arrived at its nest. This is it, and well chuffed I was with it, too.

Happy to report that they arrived here in our little corner of the Netherlands about a week ago.

Duke Turner had a couple of releases on Spinning Top c.1974 (I think). - (Let me be your) Baby sitter (Vocal/Instr) - Give me some sugar baby pt1/2 As far as I can tell from looking online, they were the only releases on the label, which appears to have been owned by Turner himself. Anyone got any info on the man or the label? Thanks...

That's Dutch.

One more from me. This was taken a couple of years ago when we had starlings nesting under the eaves of shed that was very close to us. I noticed that the birds were like clockwork in feeding their young, so set up the camera on a tripod and fired off shots using a remote. The birds were coming in to land so fast that it took a good number of attempts over quite a long while to get just a couple of decent shots. Even better, it was turning to evening and the birds were being silhouetted by the sinking sun. I got this one and another that I'll post in a bit. In the end it was well worth all the failed shots. Well, I think so, anyway!

Famous bird/wildlife photographer Eric Kosking lost an eye to a Tawny Owl that he was trying to get pictures of. That was very early on in his career, too. Didn't stop him though. Apparently he went back to the same place soon after to finish what he'd started!

Really like that warbler shot, Martyn. Very nice indeed.

Serious question, are they all legitimate, ie, properly licensed, releases?

Rare or not, it sounds to me like something I might have heard on Top of the Pops in the early-mid 70s when I was a kid.

Very well observed, Suz. Dunnocks also go by the name of Hedge Sparrows (and Hedge Accentors), so you're absolutely spot on!

Lovely looking garden, I must say!

Also released as Loma 2040 - April 1966. Credits on the label read as follows... Time: 2.35. Catalogue: JX70116. Writers: Freeman - King - Hughes. Jan Cris Pub. Co. BMI. Produced by G & G Productions. Arranged by Art Wright. Engineered by James Hilton. Source: https://www.lomarecords.com/loma2040-autographs.html

Come on then, show us. This is a photo thread, so get the camera out

Just got these... Argentina (think this might have been posted already. Apologies if so). Argentina Argentina Argentina Turkey

It was sent registered mail about 2 weeks ago, and I've provided you with a copy of all the details. The sooner the refund comes, the sooner we can close this situation that began with me buying a 20 euro 45 from you at the end of January.

I'd go for white, green and yellow in order of 'hardest', although with so many copies about of all three it's hardly hard at all. Now if someone can find me a green label copy of Loma 2087...

Very nice way to spend a sabbatical, Steve, and your bird count must be going through the roof!

Sometimes I wonder why, but I'm still an optimist at heart, Pete.

Cool pics all round, Steve. You're lucky to be able to get out and about so often.

Sorry to hear that your having problems, Chris. Postal delays because of Easter? As for me, I should be getting my refund any day now.

Yes and no! Text books mainly preach that there should be a focus point; it makes for a good nature photo. Professional photographers also teach that the image as a whole should tell a story. In my case (as I perceive it) the image captures the idea of how fast birds fly past us human observers; how we sometimes just catch fleeting glimpses of shapes and sounds, and how, although they blur across our vision, we can still fill in what we don't see with our imagination and know it's still a specific tyrpe of bird.

Brilliant idea. Wish I was closer - & vice versa. - especially having seen what's potentially on offer!

Not sure, but are you working on the basis that motion shots have to be crisp and clear? If so, that's not the case. The point is to show motion/action/speed relative to the subject matter. I've caught loads of birds in flight that are motionlessly/frozen 'mid-flight'. It's trying to portray the scene as you observed it - the speed, sense of movement and action - that's the challenge. Apologies if I've misunderstood you!