From the Window in Elveden Forest

Selection of wildlife seen from our villa window.

Center Parcs Wildlife

I am spending a few days at Elveden Forest with Sadie and El. The birds and squirrels are very used to people and visit our patio. Here are the best of today's effort. The Jay came much closer but I wasn't ready with the camera. I was trying for birds in flight so am pleased with the Bluetit and Marsh tit (or is it Willow?). The Coal tit perched obligingly on the branch I had erected for it.

Toft Golf Course

Four images from a walk around our local golf course. I liked the second image of the semi-frozen Bourn Brook for the juxtaposition of the bird footprints, tree reflection, snow and ice.

Dog Walking in Snow

Phil walking the dogs when the snow arrived yesterday evening.

Chippenham Park

The snowdrops are not quite at their best at Chippenham Park so I spent a bit of time with the frost on leaves and ice patterns including bubbles frozen into the ice.

Tattersalls February Sale

Some images from the visit to the Frebruary Sales at Tattersalls.

Tattersalls February Stallion Parade

Geoff wanted some pictures of himself with the stallion, Notnowcato, that he looks after for the Stanley House stables so we went off to the Tattersalls Stallion Parade and February Sales. I particularly like the one below where Geoff and Notnowcato are obviously sharing a great joke.

Contrasty light in Cambridge

Very contrasty light today made interesting shadow images. It also lit the interior of King's College Chapel sufficiently to balance the outside light through the windows. I keep trying to get a good image of the St John's spiral staircase.

Pochard at Welney

After a very grey dull start the sky cleared a bit at Welney and gave some lovely light on the male Pochards. Apparently most of the females have the right idea and winter in the south of France or Spain leaving the males to freeze at Welney etc.

Photographing Rugby

One of my first attempt at photographing the game with the odd-shaped ball. Not easy as the game alternates between very static scrums, line outs,which need a vertical format, and sudden dashes with the ball. I will certainly give it another go - thanks for inviting me, Chris.

Trip to Wicken

It was such a beautiful bright afternoon, I couldn't resist a trip to Wicken for the bird feeders and Burwell Fen for the Owls. The Woodpecker and Goldfinch are from the Roger Clarke Hide. There were still 6 Short-eared Owls in all on Burwell Fen that I counted, one of which flew so close to where I was sat in a ditch that it frightened itself as well as me. This is the first image and it is not cropped!! After that it hunted a bit away from me giving a wary look every time it passed.

Moscow Night Shots

I am slowly processing the shots from Moscow. I took a lot of night shots and many of these really come alive with a bit of Lightroom and Viveza magic. These were taken with the G12 and, except for strong birefringence, compare well with the 5D that I used for most shots.