Fowlmere Vigil

 We visited Fowlmere RSPB reserve this afternoon and waited to supposedly see the Hen Harrier come in to roost in the late afternoon. Well we waited and waited and got colder and colder but no Hen Harrier. Here is a selection of birds that kept us company including the rare Four-Winged Greylag. Only one ChiffChaff heard - a late spring indeed and the Fieldfares are obviously waiting for the Easterly wind to turn around before returning home.

Spring Markers 2013

Each year I record what is out in the garden on around 21-22nd March but that proved a bit difficult this year as there was several inches of snow. It has melted mainly now though still present in the shelter of hedges etc, Difficult to record what isn't out but compared with previous years the daffodils and Forsythia are in bud,  there are no flowers yet on the Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Japonica or Red Nettle so it is definitely as late spring!!

Burghley House Interior

 The inside of Burghley House is as 'over-the-top' as the crenelated exterior. There are sumptuous dining rooms, bedrooms, sitting rooms and a huge kitchen culminating for me in the Heaven Room. This was designed by Antonio Verrio. Although only painted in two dimensions onto the flat surfaces of the walls, the optical illusions created by foreshortening, perspective and very expert painting is entirely convincing, transforming the drama into three dimensions, filled with movement.

Thanks Jo and Ruth for financing the trip - I enjoyed the company and look forward to entertaining you this time in Cambridge.

Burghley House Stamford

 Visited Burghley House today - looked very impressive with the lying snow, moody sky and glimpses of sunshine.

Wicken in the Snow

 It was very cold and snowy at Wicken this afternoon and the birds were very argumentitive on the feeders.

Coin Photography

I was asked to photograph a couple of coins, one a Roman copper coin where the surface is so worn that it is difficult to make out the detailsand the other a George IV coin from 1828 where the details are very well preserved. I used a 50mm Macro lens and a Ringflash.

Wimpole farm

 Very cold wet visit toWimpole Farm today partly to see the Daffodils, which are not out properly yet, and the lambs.The pigs and donkey somehow got in on the act.

Focus Fixer Software

This is the first time I have used the focus Fixer on a portrait as it isn't my usual genre but this portrait of Meredith was a bit soft so I used the programme to sharpen the eyes. I am not sure which colour balance I prefer - the lower one is corrected for the white background.

Mill at Anglesey Abbey

 I took some images yesterday in the Water Mill at Anglesey Abbey using the HDR setting on my Sony. It worked surprisingly well. The monochrome image shows how shadows can be lost by choosing the right channel mix in the Raw converter.

Butterflies from Stratford

 A few pictorial images from my visit to the Stratford Butterfly House. I am still chasing that elusive Swallowtail in flight image!