Walking up to the top of Mam Tor you get spectacular views all around. This view shows the winding road into Edale cutting through Mam Tor and looking across to Rushup Edge.
Getting this shot took some nerve on my part as I had to inch close to the edge in order to get the road in full without being cut off by the ground in front of me. I was even more nervous when another photographer a little further down slipped while trying to get a similar shot so I had to be careful to maintain a sure footing on the slope. It was worth the effort though, I love this image with the low winter sun lighting one slope of the hill and the black snake of road following the contour of the hill down into the valley.
This is the churchyard of St Mary's church in Kirkby Lonsdale at the end of a rainy day. The clouds look like they are still laden with rain but fortunately it passed by and I was able to enjoy a really nice evening.
I imagine that a photograph of a grain elevator might not be such an interesting image for everyone but I rather like this shot.
Thunder Bay is on the north shore of Lake Superior and has been an important trading post for centuries as trade goods are brought from the remote parts of western Canada and then shipped across the Great Lakes and exported around the world, from fur, timber, Iron and Silver and of course grain from the great prairies.
This shot was taken from the marina and shows a view of one of the remaining grain elevators and one of the grain ships being loaded. The pontoon in the foreground is a protective barrier for the expensive boats in the lagoon and a popular perch for the seagulls that live and fish along the shore.
Yesterday I posted a selection of shots of a beautiful male Kestrel at Brockholes, if you missed them take a few minutes to have a look because I am really pleased with them and think you will be too. I have lots more so at some point I will most likely post a few more of my favourites.
For today I have selected a couple of shots of a wonderful Song Thrush, and in the first image he is in full song. He was quite a way off but his song was so clear and loud it was impossible to ignore him. Sadly we don't see as many of these lovely birds as we once did so it was a nice treat to be able to stand for a while listening as he filled the air with his beautiful song (click the link to listen)
These were shot at 600 mm and with the low light and the crop factor these pictures are a little grainy but nevertheless they are really nice. The third shot is of a different bird and he was a little closer but in his search for food he was still keeping a safe distance from me.
These three shots were taken along the impressive Whinlatter Pass which after a drive through the Honister Pass was actually quite refreshingly easy. I didn't stop to take pictures along the Honister pass as the conditions were quite scary and when I reached the end of the pass there were signs warning that from that direction (the Buttermere end) the road was closed.
Along the Whinlatter pass however it was a bit clearer and while snowy and icy in places it was nowhere near as difficult and the views as you can see were spectacular.
Last week I posted some black and white images of the stone circle at Castlerigg. They were taken in the morning, before the sun had broken through the clouds and they are dramatic and powerful images of a truly amazing place.
After I left I went down to Keswick and then drove in a loop taking in the Honister and Whinlatter Passes stopping to get some great landscape shots before heading back to Castlerigg where I was blessed with another chance to photograph this magical and inspiring spot before heading home.
The light in the early afternoon was perfect and the snow covered fells look superb, the sunlight on the stones gives them a warm, almost golden glow in stark contrast to the cold grey of the morning.
When I was a child growing up in the south of England I had seen pictures of the lake district but it seemed so far away and it always seemed unlikely that I would ever get the chance to visit. Now I live just a couple of hours away and so I can visit pretty much whenever I want. Even though it is no longer "out of reach" it still remains a place of wonder and I have lots of great memories from days out walking in the forests and fells or camping trips, memories that I will treasure.
So I will be swapping and changing themes over the next few days, after all I have been busy in recent weeks and I want to share the best of those days out.
Today I have gone back to Dunham Massey for this shot of a magnificent stag. It was wonderful getting so close to this wonderful creature but as calm as he appeared to be he never let his guard down and I knew that he was always keeping a close eye on where I was and what I was doing. Every now and then he would lift his head and sniff the air as in this shot. I could sense that he was warning me not to get too close and I had to remind myself that this is a wild animal and it was best to keep at a safe distance.
I have had a great day today.
I set out early this morning intent on a spot of landscape photography and with the hope that I would catch a beautiful sunrise across the Trough of Bowland but sadly the sky stayed grey and overcast all day. So I quickly gave up on the idea of landscape photography and I almost decided to head back home.
However after a delicious bacon butty and mug of hot chocolate I reassessed my options and following a quick search on the internet I decided to go to the Turbary Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary.
I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest as it was tucked away behind a garden centre and my first impression wasn't too promising. However it was actually a great place to spend a couple of hours on a cold, cloudy Saturday. It was well worth the £5 entrance fee and I didn't mind paying the suggested additional donation for taking Hi Res photos because all of the money goes to the upkeep of the centre which is run by enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers.
There were lots of birds to see and get up close to, there was also a really good flying display with opportunities to get hands on with many of the birds. I had Bob the Barn Owl land on my head at one point and later I got to hold two other beautiful owls. It was such a thrill to hold them but also to see the looks of joy and wonder on the faces of the other visitors who also got to handle these precious birds.
I have to admit I went for it today taking close to 300 images and so there will be plenty to share with you. Today I have chosen a few shots of the magnificent Long Eared Owl. In these pictures he is settled on a perch where he is looking very regal.
In the third shot I think it looks rather feline the way it is hunkered down. I have shared two variants of the third image with the second one having a monochrome background in order to make the owl stand out. I think it is very effective but I also like the full colour version so why not let me know in the comments which of the two versions you like most.
Today I have gone back to the pictures of deer at Dunham Massey rather than the buildings and reflections that I shared over the past two days.
These three deer are all Fallow Deer but these shots perfectly show some of the different colourings that are quite common from the fairly even brown tones of the stag in the first picture to the almost black backed doe in the second shot and then at the most extreme end the white in the third shot. This is not an albino deer but a genuine white variety. A fourth variety is almost totally black but I haven't got a shot of one to share today.
It didn't matter how quietly I approached the deer they were always on the alert and while they didn't all run off they kept a watchful eye on me.
It is always a privilege to be able to get close to animals in the wild and I love to share the pictures I capture.
I didn't post anything yesterday because I was out with friends having a good time and I just didn't have an opportunity to choose anything to share.
So today although it is late I have picked another image from my wintry walk in Betws Y Coed last Saturday.
On a fallen tree with frozen branches this curious looking moss was growing. It was rather dull so with the help of a pocket torch I was able to brighten things up for this shot. I think it makes a good image.
It has been snowing here today and the cold wet weather made me think back to the warmer summer days so I have picked some shots from a trip to Dunham Massey when the weather was much kinder.
I love the first shot with the stag resting in the long grass, he was totally relaxed and I'm sure he didn't want to be spotted. He really was blending in nicely.
The second shot is lovely too, I think it is a great portrait of a handsome beast.
These two fine creatures were pacing around the edge of a wooded glade keeping a respectful distance from the dominant stag who was strutting his stuff and bellowing with gusto to declare his superiority and stake his claim. While he was spectacular these two were a bit easier to photograph and I particularly like the second shot. I hope you will agree.
