Windy Morning at Paxton Pits

Due mostly to the high winds, I only managed a headless Nightingale photo at Paxton today but the Whitethroats are now in full display mode. I also managed to catch a Reed Bunting in flight. I liked the way the wing feathers cast a shadow on the body of the Black Headed Gulls. Two damselfly images just to show it isn't only the birds that are active.

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A Touch of Spring fever

A few images from Devon of Redshanks, Ruffs and Mute Swans gettingthat Spring feeling.

Smoke Aliens

A couple of smoke patterns from a creative evening with our Freshers' Group at the Camera Club. The focus is not quite right but love the swirls and colours

Ink Droplets for Thursday's Freshers

I am sure everyone will see different things in these droplets but for me the first one looks like a sleeping dog, the second two, skull and thorax X-rays, the fourth a strange exotic flower and the last an foetal horse.

Early Light in the Bluebells

Thame Travelodge provided a very atmospheric sunrise on Monday. I then went on to Ashridge Estate and photographed the Bluebells, which were at their best.

Dartmoor at Dawn

Managed to leave the Travelodge near Plymouth in time to record the dawn on Dartmoor. There was a bit of mist around but not enough for an atmospheric picture. Still worth recording.

The River Dart was very photogenic as the light gradually lit the banks and water. I used a neutral density filter to slow the shutterspeed. Looking forward to printing these.

Red Kites yet again

Visited Watlington Hill as staying overnight in Thame. Kites very busy clearing up remnants of picnics. One appeared to have an egg or golf ball. Liked the last picture as it shows how the kite uses the secondary feathers as flaps to manouevre in the dive.

Ayrmer Cove and Burgh Island

I visited Ayrmer Cove this morning to look for adders and photograph flowers. The adders were difficult to photograph among the brambles but I did find a mating pair. The Sea Campion and Sea Thrift are at their best on the cliffs. Also Spring Squills.
There was a good view of Bigbury Sands and Burgh Island, which is reached by a causeway at low tide and a sea tractor at other times. It also has the Art Deco Hotel , which served as the setting for the Agatha Christie films Then There Were None and Evil Under the Sun.

Birds from Burgh Island

The Wren, Linnet and Fulmars were photographed on Burgh Island.

Devon Woods

I spent a very enjoyable day photographing in various woods today. Thanks to Susan Brown for showing me round and lunch. I was practising with my Shift lens ready for a trip to Wengen for the alpine flowers later. The first picture is taken with the 24mm end of the 24-70mm lens; the second with the shift lens showing the relative shift of the fern compared to the background. The other images are also using 24mm Shift lens except for image 6, which is the 200mm end of the 70-200mm lens, and the last two taken with 50mm macro.

Redshank Pirouette

Paignton Early Morning Walk

A few images from an early morning stroll along Preston Beach, Paignton. The obliging dog was called Nelson and gave me a complete facial wash from his advantage position on the wall.