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

Watery Fowls

The theme for my posts recently has been watery to say the least with boats and ripples and reflections and today it continues with a couple of water birds and a reference to a famous comedy show from the 1970's, if you spot the reference leave a comment...

The first picture is a Redshank, captured down on the Dee Estuary.

If you saw my blog yesterday you might recognise the second picture as the big reveal of the mystery reflection.  Yes it's a Mallard Drake its not the sharpest picture but when I took it I was more interested in the motion and reflection.

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

Over the Dee

So a real feast of photos today in this the last in the current series of shots from Hilbre Island.  

I picked these pictures for the dramatic sky and the depth of colours on the rocks. I also love the reflections in the creeks and pools of the light coming through the clouds.  All of these pictures show how wonderful this area is and how lucky I am to have this on my doorstep. 

On the beach

Today's pictures were taken back in 2009 during a walk across to Hilbre Island. 
The first picture shows one of the many buoys that dot the beach on the way across to the islands.  I think that from this angle what is a fairly mundane object becomes quite interesting.

The second picture is of the the first in the small group of islands called Little Eye which almost completely disappears when the tide is high.  It is the point at which walkers from the mainland turn left and follow the rock pools and shoreline towards the other islands.

The third picture shows a view between the islands and the mainland looking towards Liverpool in the far distance.  You can see from this shot how oppressive the sky was on this particular day  but even when the sun isn't out "cracking the flags" Hilbre Island is a fantastic place to visit.

Low Tide #2

Three more pictures from the beach at low tide.  I have more to share over the next couple of days.

These are more of the posts exposed by the receding waters with a view across the Dee to North Wales.  You can also see the weather front approaching from the right bringing sleet and rain.

I think these pictures work well in either colour or black and white but I think picture two is more atmospheric.  Let me know what you think...

Dee Estuary at dawn

Yesterday's early morning shots of the marine lake at West Kirby were all in colour but today I have chosen mostly monochrome images of the lake and the Dee Estuary. I loved the rich warm colours in yesterdays pictures but I think the images above show that the scenes work as well in black and white. I hope you agree.

On Hilbre Island

I'm really quite lucky to live so close to Hilbre Island nature reserve off the Wirral Coast. Hilbre is one of three small islands at the mouth to the Dee Estuary, a site of special scientific interest.  It is home to an observatory and weather station and many different species of seabirds.  The islands have been inhabited in one form or another since the Stone Age and there is evidence of occupation in different parts of the islands.  It is a lovely place to visit and for 5 hours in every 12 the islands are cut off by the high tide.  Every now and then I like to walk across to the islands and stay out there surrounded by the sea, exploring the shore line, watching the birds, looking at the seals which come in close and of course taking photos.

It's some time since I have done that, and today's pictures were taken in July 2013 when I went across to the islands with my youngest son who joined me on a photographic expedition.  

It was a hot and sunny day with a beautiful clear blue sky but although it was bright and clear I chose to take several pictures in black and white some of which I have posted today. I may select some of the colour images for tomorrow.

On Thurstaston Hill

I was looking forward to getting out today and taking some photos of the changing woodland colours but heavy rain and overcast skies put paid to that idea.  I did get out for about an hour mid afternoon when the weather improved for a short while, but I was a bit rushed and so didn't get to go very far.  

I headed off to Thurstaston Hill overlooking the Dee Estuary and North Wales.  The area is covered in Gorse and there is  distinctive red sandstone over a wide area, there are even dinosaur footprints to be seen in a few places.

It was very windy and as can be seen from the pictures below the cloud was starting to build up again.  For the views of the estuary a grey graduated ND8 filter was used...

The Dee Estuary, looking towards Point of Ayr,  Great Orme is slightly visible in the distance.
Canon EOS 6D, 24 -105mm f4 @ 40mm f18 ISO100

Thurstaston Common looking towards Liverpool Bay
Canon EOS 6D 24 - 105 f4 @ 24mm f13 ISO 100

The Dee Estuary, Point of Ayr and Great Orme
Canon EOS 6D 24 - 105 mm @ 104mm f13 ISO 100