I thought that I had run out of new pictures to share and was about to delve into some old files when I realised I had one recent folder that I hadn't been through.
I recently went to Delamere Forest for a short walk, it is always nice to visit because it is always changing and there is always something different to see. On this particular occasion I was taken with the fresh greens and soaring trunks of the trees. But for today I have chosen a couple of pictures of dandelion seed heads. I didn't post these at the time because there were lots of dandelion pictures on Instagram and other sites and so I decided to save them for a bit, and then almost forgot I had taken them.
For the first picture I was assisted by my daughter who blew the seeds. I think a faster shutter speed would have improved the shot but its still quite cool. I also really like the close up with the shimmering seeds.
I love the colour of the flower on this thistle but I especially love the contrast between the spiky exterior and the soft wavy flower on top. It's so cool!
I'm late posting tonight, because I was playing with trains, so I've only got time for one picture. However I think it's a pretty good shot of a sea cave, or the entrance to one, at Sandsend near Whitby.
The beach here is great with a mixture of sand and Rick's, where you can have fun in the rock pools looking for crabs etc, and in the rocks you can find food ammonites and other aquatic creatures.
If you get the chance to visit, you will have lots of fun. I know I did.
and a pigeon
and a great grey owl
And while we're at it... a red breasted goose
I may be wrong but of all the blog posts I have done so far I don't think I have posted pictures of fish previously and so this is a first...
I hadn't intended to take any pictures of fish but as we sheltered in the aquarium while the rain came down in sheets I took the opportunity to get a few good shots. While there were a few beautiful, colourful fish as you can see, but there were also some interesting corals too.
It was funny, if a little predictable that everyone, without fail, called the final fish... Nemo!
... wink wink.
When we got to the zoo the Red Panda was the first stop on my itinerary however when it started to rain I had to change my plans and we sheltered in the aquarium for a while, then when the rains stopped and the sun came out again we had just enough time to go and see what is one of the most delightful little creatures in the zoo. We were lucky to see him/her but getting a clear shot was difficult as it was always on the move until finally settling down to munch on some bamboo up in the branches of a tree. It was quite well hidden so I had to maneuver myself to get the best view.
Whenever I visit the zoo I will be sure to check out the red pandas and so you can be sure that I will be posting more pictures in the future but for today I hope you enjoy these.
My favourite character from The Jungle Book was Bagheera the panther and my favourite big cat is the Jaguar (Pantera Onca). At Chester Zoo they have a great enclosure for the Jaguars as part of their conservation program.
The black panther was outdoors, sheltering in a small cave and at first it was quite difficult to see and this picture was taken using my 150 - 600 mm lens fully extended. I like the fact that s/he was looking directly at the camera.
The other one was indoors looking very regal and relaxed and although in full view I had to shoot these pictures through the glass. It was difficult to get a clear shot without reflection but I think I did OK, in fact the final crop is better than OK and I am very pleased with this portrait of one of my favourite animals.
For my birthday I was given a 12 month membership for Chester Zoo and today I went to collect my membership card with my daughter and we popped in to take a few pictures (well it would have been rude not to). It was the end of the day and it rained really heavily so lots of visitors had left. It was nice and quiet and after the rain passed I was able to get good view of some of the animals. Obviously we didn't get to see everything but there's no hurry, after all I have all year.
I wanted to see my two favourite creatures, the Jaguar and the Red Pandas and I was lucky to see both but as we were looking for the exit we walked past these little critters, Dwarf Mongoose. I have been to the zoo many times and I had never seen these before today, they have always been underground so it was a real treat. They are so flippin' cute and they have become one of my favourites. I hope you like them too.
With my zoo pass I will be visiting from time to time so be prepared for lots more animal pictures. In the coming days I will share some of my other favourites from my brief visit today... enjoy!
Yesterday there was a brilliant full moon and a clear sky (apart from a few wispy clouds) and so I thought I would try out a few shots. In the past when I have taken pictures of the moon I have never quite got the settings right and when I enlarge the images they appear grainy. This time however I think I have got it just about right and I think these are the best moon shots I have taken and definitely worth sharing. I love the detail in these pictures and I think the wispy clouds add some atmosphere (pun intended!).
...not always red.
Even though I can't accurately say what colour these roses are I love the rich warm tones and highlights and shadows.
From a distance flowers are wonderful but look closer and there's even more beauty to see with the curls and folds as the petals open.
So on Sunday I posted a few shots of some beautiful lavender and I decided to post a couple more today because I really like them a lot, almost as much as the bumblebee in the first picture that was busily collecting pollen.
It was very difficult capturing the bee because it was moving around such a lot, I particularly like the sheen, and the clarity of the veins in the wings which look so crisp.
I love the different shades of purple in this beautiful clematis which was also tempting for the tiny little beetle which in the first shot is climbing up one of the tendrils and then in the second shot is walking away from the centre.
I hope you love it too.
For one reason or another I haven't been able to post anything for a few days and I have really missed being able to share something with you. On Friday I had planned a night camping and even though the weather was awful I was really looking forward to it and I was so disappointed when my plans fell through at the last minute.
I haven't had much opportunity to get out and get some fresh pictures so this morning I went into my mother-in-laws' garden and took a few shots of the flowers in bloom. Here then are a few really lovely pictures of the lavender which was in full fragrant bloom. I love the rich colour, so evocative of the heady scent and also reminiscent of pictures I have seen in hotel rooms when I have had to stay away.
A closer look at the shoreline shows some of the tiny creatures which colonise the rock pools and help to build up the coast.
As well as these two macro images the other shots show different views of Hilbre Island looking across the seaweed covered rocks and pools.
One of the nice things about visiting the island is the fact that invariably it is possible to see some of the common seals which live in a large colony on a sand bank out in the bay. I tried to get some pictures of the colony but due to poor light and with the distance I wasn't able to get a good shot. However as the tide went out and the seals came to rest on the sand they were incredibly noisy and the sound carried clearly across the water. It was a nice bonus on my early morning walk.
These pictures are still from Little Eye looking towards Hilbre Island. The islands are at the point where the River Dee flows into Liverpool Bay. To the left is the North Wales coast and then there is the Irish Sea.
In most places across to the islands the sand is firm and quite safe but in places there are patches of quick sand so great care is needed. As the tide was just going out the sand and the silt beneath it was still waterlogged. As I made my way towards the main island I stayed close to the rocks expecting this to be the firmer ground but at one point I sank into the mud almost to my knees which was a bit of a shock.
On Saturday I got up at the crack of dawn (04:45am) and set off across the sands to Hilbre Island, a wonderful nature reserve off the coast of Wirral. I followed the tide out as the sun was rising behind me. Unfortunately the sky was very overcast and so I didn't get the best of the sunrise however the early morning sky was quite dramatic.
I was completely alone apart from the flocks of seabirds and waders and I really enjoyed some moments of quiet reflection. I am so lucky to live so close to such a beautiful place.
The first shot shows Hilbre Island itself which is the largest of a group of three islands with Middle Eye just to the left.
The final two images show different views of Little Eye, the first and smallest of the group and it is the point that you head towards following the safest route across the sands.
I have some more nice views from my brief visit which was cut short by the rain and I will share these and a few more details of the trip over the next few days.
This selection is the last of my pictures from the butterfly house.
I have already posted a couple of shots of the first butterfly but I couldn't resist posting this one because I love the eyes.
I can tell you that the first butterfly is an Owl Butterfly, the second and fifth is a Clipper, the third is a White Tree Nymph and the fourth one is a Blue Morpho. I only know this because there was a helpful identification chart in the butterfly house and I very sensibly took a picture of the chart for reference.
There is something about each of these beautiful bugs that I like but my favourite is the White Tree Nymph with its neat clean lines, the shiny black leading edge of its wings and the barely perceptible flash of yellow, adding a touch of contrast. It really is a beauty.
