Heart Of Stone

I received some unwelcome news today which has left me feeling flat and out of sorts. I know that other people have been having a tough time recently too and so I thought I would post this picture of one of nature's hearts to send out some love to everyone who needs it.

On The Rocks

I missed blogging yesterday, I was enjoying the musical magic of Spoon (the band) and so was unable to post anything as a result today I am posting two pictures.

These are also from my fun on the beach stacking stones from earlier in the week and as you can see these are a little more adventurous than the stacks I posted on Monday. Practice certainly pays off and I am really pleased with the second shot today alternating dark and light layers matching the layers of sand, sea, land and sky in the background.

All Stacked Up

I should have had hundreds of photos from the past five days but sadly I had to cancel my holiday and all of the photo opportunities with it. So today I popped out for an hour and went down to the beach at Caldy looking out onto the Dee Estuary.

My youngest son joined me and together we built a number of stacks using pebbles from the beach. We started off quite simple and gradually got a little more adventurous. The first image is my first stack which I have lined up against the rotting stumps in the background, the second is my son's first which I think is really cool; sadly it was knocked down (twice) by inquisitive dogs

Fuschia

There are so many different varieties of fuschia; I don't know specifically what this one is called. I love the shape of these flowers, there is so much going on with the umbrella shade, the bell flowers and the long tendrils. They look a bit like ballerinas or fairies. So if you like fairies you will love these flowers.

Dog Rose

Here's a dog rose, isn't it pretty...

The stamen look a bit like bean sprouts too.

Peaceful Purple

I'm not sure what to say about today's flower, I'm not sure what it is although I think it may be a species of Cornflower (if anybody knows please feel free to leave a comment and let me know). It was growing against a backdrop of dark green foliage so the soft purple shades in the strong sunlight made it really stand out. The way the petals spread out like fireworks make this quite a spectacular specimen.

Watching and Waiting

I was supposed to be down in the New Forest this evening starting a short camping holiday and so I was expecting to post some shots of the forest using my phone but sadly my plans have changed and my holiday has had to be cancelled so I am sharing another shot taken on Saturday of this beautiful fledgling kestrel that was hiding in the foliage watching everything in the garden very intently.

To be honest I feel pretty rotten today but looking at this gorgeous bird my spirits have lifted somewhat. I hope that it will give you a lift too.

Golden Marguerite

In the centre of the walled garden there is a small area that is like a wild flower meadow and one of the standout flowers is the yellow daisy. It was like a carpet of tiny suns lighting up the garden; really beautiful. Of course it helps because it is my favourite colour.

And then when you get close in and look at the detail the surface is like another world...

It's In The Details

I had gone to Royden Parks' walled garden looking for flowers and flying things and I managed to get a decent selection of shots to share. Most are quite beautiful like the kestrel or the various flowers but this fly is a bit of a surprise with its shiny back and colourful eyes.

Also something that is not normally noticeable are the tiny hairs or the black spikes on the edge of the leaf.

We often miss the finer details and where insects are concerned (particularly flies) we brush them aside without a closer look but if we take the time they are quite spectacular, even if they have filthy habits.

Shimmering

At first glance the first of today's images could easily be mistaken for a butterfly's wing but actually it is the shimmering petal of a Perennial Geranium.

It was because of the strong colour that I took these shots but it was only when I looked closer when I was processing the pictures that I realised how the surface of the petals reflected the sunlight so beautifully.

Getting in close to see the central components of the flower you can see how delicate it is and the fine hairs on the inner petals and on the stamen which I presume are use for capturing pollen.

 I love these pictures and I hope you do too.

Flowers and Flying Things

Just after lunch I announced that I would be going out to the walled garden at Royden Park as I needed some new pictures for my blog. It was really hot and sunny and I thought I would get some nice close up shots of flowers. What I didn't expect was to see some fledgling Kestrels taking their first foray into the big wide world.

I had heard some screeching in the background and thought I would check it out, then while I was taking a picture of a lovely flower a young girl timidly approached and said that she had seen a kestrel in the tree and pointed me in the right direction. 

It wasn't one but three young kestrels two of which you can see in the shots above. They are so beautiful and it was a genuine thrill and a privilege to see them up close like this.

Bird Table Bandit

I don't know whether this is a male or female grey squirrel but it was sat for ages feasting on the tasty seeds laid out for the birds. While it was busy munching seeds four young squirrels, presumably this one's offspring, were feeding off the scraps on the floor and chasing each other round the clearing and up and down the trees. Whenever one tried to get up onto the table to join in the banquet it was hurriedly chased away  by the greedy parent.

It was great fun watching the scene as it played out which was just as well because the light wasn't good enough for photographing the birds that were moving far too quickly and nervously.

But even though it wasn't the most productive trip from a photography point of view I still had a great time and I am sure that I will be back again in the not too distant future.

Not Gloves for Foxes

So for today I wanted to share this picture of a woodland glade with a mass of beautiful foxgloves. It was really nice walking along the edge of the woodland and looking out across the open fields and farmland and then as I turned back into the woods I spotted this lovely quiet and secluded spot which provided a nice splash of colour in contrast to the varied greens.

Then just as I got back to the car park I used the last space on my memory card for the second of today's images. Again this is a beautiful purple foxglove. I have had another go at choosing a monochrome background and highlighting the colour in the flowers, it was quite fiddly given the shape of the flowers and my limited skill with this technique but after several attempts I don't think this is too bad. Let me know what you think.

Bandit

The Nuthatch is one of my favourite bird table visitors. Perhaps that is unfair because I like so many of our native and migrant species but there is something special about the nuthatch with its sleek lines and the mask around its eyes, I also really like the way it clings and creeps around the trunks of trees.

Fledgling

My recent posts of songbirds have proved quite popular and on Saturday I set out to capture some more wildlife shots. The forecast was for rain so my original plans had to change, I was keen to get out but didn't want to get wet so I settled upon Mere Sands Wood where I knew I would be able to shelter in one of the lake side hides.

On arrival I noticed a sign stating that a pair of kingfishers have been spotted around my favourite hide and so I went there first and set up ready with my finger excitedly on the button. Sadly I didn't spot any kingfishers, in fact from that hide there was very little to be seen so I moved onto a different hide in the hope of seeing some kingfishers or a bittern but after a rather long time with nothing much to see I set off for a walk in the woods.

It wasn't a total washout and I did manage to get a few decent shots. Today's selection was one of the last pictures I took on the day and I have to say it is one of my favourites (I may well share another view of this bird in a day or two). At first I wasn't sure what it is but it is of course a juvenile robin. It really is a beauty isn't it. 

I have learned that when robins fledge they stay on their parent's territory for a while and because the adult birds are so fiercely territorial they retain this lovely speckled brown plumage until they are old enough to fend for themselves and defend a territory of their own, otherwise they would be driven off by their parents and their chance of survival would be slim. 

Sweet Songbird

Another soft focus today for this shot of a male Linnet(Linaria cannabina)  in breeding plumage. These birds have a beautiful song and were once very popular as cage birds. Apparently they derive their scientific name from the fact that they like to feed on hemp and their English name from another favourite food which is Flax from which linen is made.

There was a 57% decline in numbers in the UK between the 1970's and 2008 but happily in some parts of the UK they are seeing an increase and I was pleased to see this little beauty helping to brighten up a wet morning at Brockholes. I recall reading a novel in school many years ago where one of the characters had a linnet on her hat, sadly I can't remember which book so actually that was quite a useless bit of trivia, never mind .

Morning Madness

Some people might think that getting up at 3 am on a cold and wet Monday is madness but actually it was totally worth it, I had a great time and I had no trouble getting up and I didn't mind how wet it was at times. 

I had hoped to see deer (which I did) but I was also hoping to see some Brown Hares (and I did). They are normally quite shy and if you visit Brockholes during the day you are unlikely to see them but at dawn they seem to be totally at ease as you can see from these shots. They were full of life and energy and although I didn't see them boxing (something they do in March/April) they seemed to be having fun chasing each other around.

Whitethroat

I know this isn't the sharpest picture I have ever posted that is because it was shot in very poor light and has a high ISO so it is a bit soft and grainy but it is still a nice image and if I printed it onto a photorag paper it would look a bit like a watercolour so the softness would work well.

This little song bird is a whitethroat and it flits about over hedges and scrub land and it will perch on low branches or thickets and sing its little head off. 

It also has a really interesting song flight in that it seems to bob through the air whilst in full song. It flies upwards and then drops down as if it has stalled mid-air and then it flies up again and drops again and then it will find a perch to settle on before resuming this bouncing musical display.

The bird in this picture is a male, the female is more brown in colour but equally as beautiful.

Young Buck

About ten days ago I got up at 3am and headed off to Brockholes in Lancashire for a dawn photo shoot in the hope of capturing some shots of the deer and hares that are known to visit the area in the early hours before visitors arrive.

Unfortunately it was a really cloudy morning so I didn't see the sunrise just a slow transition from dark grey to a lighter shade of grey and for much of the morning it rained heavily some from a photography perspective it was a bit of a washout.

From a nature watching viewpoint it was anything but. There were a few  Roe deer like this handsome young buck  which was foraging on the far bank of the river Ribble and several beautiful brown hares. There were also lots of birds around so I actually had a great time. The early morning birdsong was wonderful and because of the bad weather I practically had the whole place to myself. There were a couple of hides where I was able to make the most of the quiet time and I think there is a good chance I would go back and do it all again.

Inside and Out

So today here is a selection of other shots of the architecture project to carry on from yesterday's post.

As with yesterday the focus is on the angles and lines within the the interior space and the features on the outside. In all of the pictures (bar one) only natural light is used and I think this really works well.

In the one picture of the hallway where there is artificial lighting as well as the lines of the flooring creating perspective I really like the effect of the light fixture on the ceiling.

Just a reminder these architects responsible for this magnificent design are SDA Architecture and Surveying and you can see more of their work by clicking on this link

Angles and Perspectives

Today I am doing something different to my usual landscape and wildlife shots so I hope you will bear with me. I have actually been wanting to share these images for a little while and now I am free to do so.

I recently did a photo shoot for a local firm of architects at the completion of part of one project. It was the first of such projects that I have done but I got some great shots of what is a magnificent house. Some of my pictures will soon be posted on the company website so you can always have a look at SDA Architecture & Surveying to see them and some of the other cool projects they are working on. They were great guys to work with and I am looking forward to working on some more projects with them in future.

So for today's selection I have chosen one external view. I love the gables and the timber cladding and I love the large balcony overlooking the extensive gardens.

The second image is of the main room on the second floor and I love the different angles in the ceiling.

The next shot is of the en suite bathroom also on the second floor which captilises on the angles of the roof beams . I like the lines in this shot which is taken from a very low angle drawing the viewer into the picture.

The final image is of the dining room which is so light and airy with the massive windows looking out onto the gardens.

Tomorrow I will post a few more external views so come back then and have a look.

Bolton Abbey Village

So today I am repeating the theme from yesterday with these shots of dusk and dawn in the village. It was really quiet and peaceful, the sounds of sheep in the fields and birdsong complete the picture but you will have to use your imagination for that.

From Night to Day

Today I have two pictures for you, the first was taken just after sunset looking along the valley to the River Wharfe and the second was taken just before sunrise the following day looking down the lane from my campsite to the mist shrouded valley. It was a nice walk down to the priory but the walk back up was fairly tiring as the hill is deceptively steep.

This is a lovely spot however and I have some fond memories from the various times I have camped here.

Misty Morning Reflection

I have been lucky enough to get out for some early morning photo shoots recently and I have been excited to share some of my pictures from those trips so I have taken a break from the flowers at Bodnant and today's shot is one of my favourite pictures for a long time.

Here is Bolton Priory beautifully reflected in the calm waters of the  River Wharfe in the Yorkshire Dales. It was early morning and the sun was rising behind me and the mist was slowly lifting from the fields giving a softness to this image.

This is a site that is often photographed but in the harsher light of the day it is nowhere near as atmospheric as in the dawn light and I am really happy with this picture and so glad I made the effort to get up early.

Sausage Vine

This plant is called Holboellia coriacea which is a vigorous evergreen climbing shrub which originates from China.

Holoboellia coriacea is a bit of a mouthful and not very easy to remember so it is a good thing that it has some other more common names such as blue china vine. It also earns the name sausage vine not because of the flowers but because of the greenish/purple sausage shaped fruit that it produces after the flowers mature. The flowers themselves are very small and really quite interesting. 

For those who have been following my daily posts you will know that there was a draw yesterday and I am pleased to say that Chris from Provo in Utah will soon be receiving the print of his choice. I was pleased by the response over recent weeks so I will plan another draw in the near future so please keep following my blog and who knows next time it could be you.

Whiskers...

Today's post is a close up on the Bearded Iris hence the title "Whiskers". These are beautiful flowers with really strong colours and lots of different textures. Enjoy.

Also today is the day that my total blog posts reach 50,000. As I write this there are just 32 to go. So if you have been onto my facebook page to like or share tonight is when I will draw the winner of the free print. I have been really pleased with the response to my blog and I am pleased to be able to give something back for the support that I have received.