Tea for Two

One of a series on traditional cafes

Two spiders from Wicken Fen

Araneus marmoreus and Araneus

quadratus

Red Kite in Chilterns

We did a detour en route to Bath to photograph the red kites around the Stokenchurch area. Amazing birds - sometimes a dozen in the sky at once - well worth a visit.

This is from one of the small jpeg file so will post the best of the conversions later.

Hard winter to come?

If the old adage is true, with the hedgerows full of berries this autumn, we are in for a harsh winter.

Good news for those like me that like winter frosts and snows, but not so good for the wildlife.

Iceberg beach Jokusarlon

Started looking back on the many photos I took in Iceland in February and have never processed or printed.

I remember being so overawed by this beach that found it very difficult to settle and compose pictures.

Puffin on the Farne Islands

Everyone else's puffins seem to be able to get their sand eels in a tidy row while mine had them all in a mess - some heads towards me and some tails but I did like the bit of movement on the wings and the glancing light.

Pink and purple staircase

Even brighter staircase from Lowry Centre at Salford.

Blue staircase

I have quite a collection of coloured staircases. This one was taken recently in Edinburgh at their discovery centre near the Scottish Parliament.

Pumpkin time coming

With all this year's rain, should be some giant pumpkin's around for Halloween.

Rufous-tailed hummungbird

Last one from Ecuador - the complete catalogue of birds is now accessible from my website but this is my favourite - mainly because I have knipofias growing outside my study window in Cambridge but the most exotic species I have seen on them here are goldfinches

Green Thorntail

Spider from Ecuador

Can anyone identify this orb-spinning spider seen in Ecuador - in open land west of Quito.

Cloud Rain Forest

It was the wet season on the east of Quito and we certainly saw a lot of clouds and rain.

View of Antisana Volcano Ecuador

Taken from nearly 15,000 feet on a beautiful sunny but icy morning. Good day for a brisk walk but at that altitude everything had to be done more slowly.

Back from Ecuador

Back from a week photographing birds - mainly hummingbirds in Ecuador.

This one is called Shining sunbeam which seems a reasonable name for a bright orange bird.

Wedding Photographs

Two 'anonymous' images from recent wedding at Downing College Cambridge - great location

Abandonned Cemetery

Found this old cemetery near Kings Lynn - hoping to get back in winter when easier to see all the old graves

Dragonflies from Fen Drayton Pits

Picture taken on CCC Nature Group outing to Fen Drayton Pits.
Liked the colours but impossible to get front wings in focus.

They liked the metal rails and I got very close to the one below

Harvest Time in Toft

Wonderful sunset tonight as storm clouds approached from the Southeast. Combine harvester worked continuously into the night to get the wheat cut before the rain comes. Rainbow appeared opposite the sun as it approached the horizon.

Great Spotted Woodpeckers

A young great spotted woodpecker being fed peanuts by its parent.

Only the young woodpeckers have the red head.

Study of Swan Take Off

Seven frames taken as Mute Swan took off - all it needs is the sound track.

Two Gannet Images

These are two images from a recent trip to Bass Rock in Scotland to observe the Gannet Colony. There are 50,000 breeding pairs on the rock and almost as many non-breeding pairs.

This is one of my favourites as it shows all the stages of gannets diving for fish. It was taken from the fishing boat taking us to the island after fish had been thrown overboard.

It was a windy day so the gannets coming into land hovered in the updraft allowing some good shots of their flying techniques.

I am in the process of revamping my website and these and more images from the trip will appear in due course!

Two Enthusiasts

Taken at Steam and Crafts Fair at the Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket.

Great trade in bottles of Brasso.

This man is obviously contemplating the enormous task ahead of getting all the brasses polished.

Here the job on another machine is nearly done and ready for the parade

Rocks, seaweed and feather

The rocks were taken in the rain on Dunbar beach, Scotland. I was attracted by the purple, ochre and grey colours that became vibrant in the wet conditions.

Recalling the Beatles Abbey Road

Taken in the snow on Silver Street Cambridge not Abbey Road and they didn't get the strides quite right


Kids in Dublin having fun

Like Mother Like Son

Two images today of race horses trying to capture their incredible movement. The first taken at a Stud in Newmarket and the second at Huntingdon Races.

Hoof-Eye View of the Race

Windy Day at Southwold

Signs of Summer

Three young swallows who were raised in our garage and decided the old cricket bat was a perfect perch.

Is it my turn in the ring?