Damselflies

Spent a couple of hours photographing Red and Azure Damselflies as respite from too much computer work. Used 300mm lens with extension ring - gives great separation from background but difficult to get enough depth of field. The 'naughty' pond skaters is my favourite with the muted colours and the indentations on the surface from the feet.

Flying Rods

The surface of the River Wensum on Wednesday was a mass of flying 'gnats' and as they changed speed they appeared as flying rods with lots of rotating wings. I have never seen this with the naked eye before. The photos are taken at 1/1000th (not quite enough to freeze wing movement, 1/40th (about what my eye saw) and 1/15th both up wind where they moved slower and downwind with very fast movement. Has anyone else witnessed this - the multiple images seen without the camera were quite new to me.

Superb Light at Pensthorpe

Lots to photograph at Pensthorpe today including Bearded Tit with its lunch and Reed Warbler. The colours on the Ruff and Mandarin Drake were amazingly vibrant in the late afternoon sun.

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.