Blue Moon

Tamron SP150-600 mm F/5-6.3    ISO2500 F10 600mm 1/4000s

So I will admit to a bit of post production trickery in the first of these images.  Given that this is the second full moon within this calendar month it is called a Blue Moon, there won't be another until 2018.  It has nothing to do with the colour but I thought I would play around and create a blue image for a bit of fun.  

The second picture is more or less as shot with just a minor adjustment for contrast and highlights.  If you look at the bottom edge of the moon you can make out the contours of hills and valleys on the moon's surface.  

At these settings there is still a bit of noise so I will keep practicing to get a sharper, clearer image.

#OnceInABlueMoon #TTMAB #FullMoon 

Caterpillar

Today I was lucky enough to visit the National Trust reserve at Formby. This used to be home to a large number of Red Squirrel but a few years ago the population was decimated by disease and it has been some time since I saw any squirrels there. Today I saw two which was really exciting and so I will go back with my camera before the summer is out.

I hadn't gone prepared for taking pictures today but managed to get these shots of a brightly coloured caterpillar using my smartphone camera. There were lots of them, in different sizes.  I wonder what type of butterfly or moth it will develop into.

#caterpillar #woodlandwalk #nationaltrust

Creepy Crawlies

I really do not like spiders, so getting up close with the one above really took some doing.  I know not everyone will appreciate being confronted by these little monsters but I am sure you will agree the detail in these images is really good.

I thought I would post a less scary picture to finish things off today.  This female damsel fly was taking a moment to rest on the reed while all the more colourful males were flitting around busily.

I Give You The Moon

I've tried taking pictures of the moon before but now with my new lens I will be able to get some much better images than previously.  The picture above was taken on Saturday evening, the last time we had a cloud free sky.  It was taken hand held too so perhaps isn't as sharp as it could have been but its good enough.  I am sure that I will take a few more in the weeks and months ahead, as long as we have some clear skies.

#TTMAB #TheMoon

Graceful Swan

I really like swans, they are so graceful and serene (when they're not hissing at you).  They will often pose obligingly for a photo as in the first of today's pictures and then they swim away so gently leaving barely a ripple.  I am really pleased with the second picture because it captures the reflecting well.  A few moments later a strengthening wind broke up the water's surface and there was no chance of getting another reflection. As always timing is the key.

Hungry Birds

Yesterday I headed out to Mere Sands Nature reserve but was really disappointed because there were so few birds around.  I did have a very pleasant walk and it was nice having some quiet time in the hides.

For a little while I hung around a feeding station for the wild birds and watched as various birds flew in and out to grab a quick snack.  It was really difficult to get a decent shot because they all came and went so quickly. I did however manage a few and the four pictures above of the Coal Tit and Robin are the best of the bunch. 

I like the contrast between the tit which was alert and watchful, ready to take flight at the slightest movement and the robin which was curious yet confident.

On a rock

Black Backed Gull

Common Sandpiper

Common Gull

After the difficult birds in flight yesterday I have picked some much easier shots for today. 

You could think that these three birds were actually posing for these photos.

#Seabirds #Waders #DeeEstuary #WirralCoast

In Flight

I thought I would try my hand at photographing birds in flight with my new lens and I knew it would be tricky so decided to start with something large and I figured that seagulls would be a good place to start.  

I have often seen the birds along the prom hovering or making slow passes and it seemed to me that it would be quite straightforward to get some decent shots.

Of course it wasn't straightforward at all and more often than not the birds had shot past before I could focus properly. I can see that I am going to need to practice a lot more however I think these are not bad for a first attempt.

#Seagulls #BirdsInFlight #OnTheSeashore

At rest

More pictures from by the shore. Again I have chosen to shoot in black and white because I think the sun reflecting off the silt is more effective in black and white than in colour.

I Iove boats and I love being by the sea.  I have been lucky because nearly all my life I have lived close to the sea and I love the smell of sea air in the morning.

#Sunset #BoatsAtRest #Wirral #NorthWales 

At Low Tide

I don't normally post pictures of people on my blog, in fact this might be the first time. 

I had gone down to the sea shore to take pictures of the sea birds and waders however as the tide was going out most of the birds were a long way out following the receding waterline. 

As it was a nice evening there were a number of people out walking dogs or playing on the beach (its not much of a beach to be honest, its mostly silt) and I took these shots of a few random people.  I chose to shoot in black and white to add a bit of atmosphere.

#B&W #StuckInTheMud #WalkingTheDog #OnTheSeashore

Renewable Landscape

Today's pictures are from last nights first outing with my new lens.  I was primarily interested in the wading birds along the seashore but it was getting late and the light was fading and I was impressed with the view out towards the horizon.

The first image shows the Flintshire coast and in the far distance the Great Orme.

In the second image my eye was drawn to what I thought was a seabird perched atop the wooden post but as you can see it is actually a small metal sculpture

The final picture shows part of the vast wind farm out in Liverpool Bay which stretches around the coast of North Wales. With the sun sending rays of late evening light through the clouds it looks quite impressive.

#Windfarm #RenewableEnergy #EveningLight #SurpriseSculpture #Flintshire

March into the sea

So today I got a new lens.  A Tamron 150 - 600mm zoom so in future I am going to be experimenting with it taking wildlife shots and hopefully some action shots too.

It is quite a hefty piece of kit but even hand held in low light as these pictures show it is possible to get sharp images.

The first picture is of a Redshank and the next two are of a Curlew.  For a first attempt I'm happy with these but I will be getting some more practice soon.

The title of the blog was inspired by the Curlew wading through the shallows but is a reference to a song by Modest Mouse have a listen.

#zoom lens #wading birds #Redshank #Curlew #bird in flight

Predator

This beautiful Heron was busy hunting/fishing in the River Glaslyn at Beddgelert.  It moved from rock to rock searching in the small pools out of the main flow of the river.

At the same time it was keeping a very watchful eye on the Buzzard which was flying just overhead.

#Fishing #Heron #Beddgelert #NorthWales

Mini Forest and the Ivy League

So its a mass of green and  texture today.

The first of today's images is moss growing on the trunk of a tree.  The whole trunk was covered from roots to branches.  I took this picture because with the contours of the bark the mossy covering looks almost like a forest canopy over hills and valleys.  I like the texture and the different areas of light and shade.

The second shot of the ivy, growing on a stone wall caught my eye because of the way the leaves had caught the sun through the shade of the trees.  I like the waxy appearance of the leaves and the shapes and colours.


#Moss #Ivy #Woodland Walk

A prickly subject

Just one picture again today.  This thistle is a good specimen and the colours are as sharp as the thorns...

Another of nature's hearts

Just one picture for today.  

I get really excited when I find a heart in nature.  They can appear in some really unexpected places, like this one.  This is a very small succulent which was growing in a gap on a slate wall in Beddgelert.  Although it is quite large in this picture in reality it is just a few milimetres across.  It would have been so easy to miss.  I am so glad I didn't.

#nature's hearts #succulent #Beddgelert #Macro photos

It's a Mystery

It really is a mystery, to me at least.It was growing in a hedgerow in Betws y Coed, I have tried to identify this flower but without success.  I know that someone who sees it will know so please tell me in the comments below.

#YellowFlower #MacroPhotos #BetwsYCoed

Weed or Wildflower?

When I first saw these flowers I thought they were an unusual variety of Dandelion but after a little bit of research I discovered that they are Orange Hawkweed.  I found these growing on a slate wall alongside the river Glaslyn in Beddgelert.  I don't actually like the name of this plant because the "weed" part makes it sound unwelcome but it looks fantastic adding a splash of rich warm colour.  What do you think, weed, or wildflower???

I think it is a really beautiful flower and the pollen at the heart of the flower is so intricate... I love macro photography.

If you like this come back tomorrow for another different flower.

Bugs and Bees

Having posted a selection of butterflies yesterday I decided to continue with a bug theme today.

As with the butterflies getting a good image of flying insects is a real challenge as they seldom stay still for more than a few seconds at a time as they are always so busily engaged in their search for food.  So I am especially pleased with the third of today's pictures which is nice and sharp, and its wings look crystal clear.

In the fourth picture of a different honey bee you can see that it has extended its proboscis to feed on the nectar.  

I don't know what the beetle in the fifth picture is, it was creeping on a stone at Gelert's Grave at Beddgelert near the River Glaslyn in North Wales. It looks almost prehistoric.

I was really excited about the last two images.  This is the larva of a cream streaked ladybird.  It had hitched ride on the window of my car and I had expected it to crawl away. But as you can see from the final picture it didn't, it hung on and metamorphosed into the adult bug.  It held on for the whole journey to and from Wales even at speeds of XX MPH.

I am pleased to report that it has now completely hatched and the fully formed ladybird is now doing whatever ladybirds do...