Old Masters

 

So I may have gone a little over the top with the number of pictures for today's offering but I couldn't help myself. To be honest I could have shared loads more images of these beautiful flying machines.

This is the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight performing a flying display at Rhyl in August. I have been privileged to see these fly on many occasions because I used to live very close to where they are stationed at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. I would hear the sound of the Merlin engines and rush out of the house to see them overhead, it was always a joy.

Of course the history of these aircraft is sad as many pilots were lost and it is a fitting tribute to see these planes preserved. The Lancaster is the only flying example of the plane in the world.

I remember stories that my dad told of watching these planes in action above the south coast of England where he lived during WWII which were exciting and frightening at the same time. 

A Real Head Turner

 I had to look twice at this bald eagle that was looking intently at me as I was preparing to take his portrait.

He is sat on a perch with his back towards me but with his head swivelled through 180 degrees to look at me. 

He has such an intense stare but part of me cant help thinking he looks a bit like Sam Eagle from The Muppet Show and he is about to lecture me on good manners...

Red Kite

 

Looking at these shots can you see why I love these birds so much?

They have such striking plumage and a piercing gaze, and in flight they are the most agile acrobats.

Watching them as they flew in over the hill tops they were performing somersaults and aerobatics.

Capturing images of these birds in flight is quite tricky as they move with such speed, it is hard to track them but even to get a few decent pictures is a good reward and enough to entice me to visit this wonderful location again.

Hairy Beast

 Highland Cattle are magnificent creatures. I know they're just cows but they are more than "just cows" they have a real presence and they evoke strong feelings.

These specimens are part of a small herd that are often found on Whitefield Moor just outside of Brockenhurst, these were making the most of a little shade from the afternoon sun at Whitemoor Pond. Along with the New Forest Ponies they are quite the tourist attraction, with lots of people stopping to take photographs.

Despite the small swarm of flies attached to its nose the cow in the first image looks quite serene, and is happily ignoring me.

I like the second image, when I look at it I think it has the bearding of a Roman Emperor, all it needs is a Laurel crown to finish the look.

The third and fourth images are the same except for the fact one is colour and the other is black and white. I can't decide which I lime best. I like the image because the cow is slowly ambling towards me. It looks purposeful but despite its size and those formidable horns it does not feel threatening at all. Nevertheless I got out of its way once I had got the shot, it was definitely not going to change course on my account.

Regal

Tamron 150mm - 600mm f/5:6.3

ISO250   552mm  f/6.3  1/320 sec

ISO 160  400mm  f/5.6   1/320 sec

The swan is such a majestic bird and always look so serene. Even when having a stretch as in the first shot or when chasing away a goose as in the second image. 

This bird was one of a pair that was nesting on a small island at the far end of the pond and s/he was very protective of the nest chasing away any potential threats. 

After a little while I watched the changing of the guard on the nest and was treated to a nice view of the clutch of eggs (more of that another day). But I wanted to share these pictures because they are really good and I love the reflections.

Grey Heron

Tamron 150mm- 600mm F/5 - 6.3

ISO 400   600mm   F/6.3    1/320 sec

I have really liked the black and white pictures that I shared over the past few days and I think this grey heron looks really good in black and white too.

It was actually sat overlooking the penguin pool at Chester Zoo, perhaps in the hope of stealing a free meal. He really is a handsome fellow

Patient Hunter

I was really lucky a few weeks ago as I was able to get out with my camera several times during a week off work and I got loads of great shots. I then had a bit of a lull until today when I went out to Formby and the National Trust reserve there to photograph the red squirrels. I had a lovely time and I can hardly wait to share some of the pictures because I can promise there are some really good ones.

However I still have lots from my week in March to share so I will have to wait, and therefore so will you.

I still have some good shots from my last visit to the zoo as well but for today I am mixing things up with a couple of shots of this magnificent Little Egret who was using the utmost stealth in his search for a tasty meal at the RSPB reserve at Burton Mere.

I like both of these images but I really like the second shot because of the birds' pose and also the warm colouring which has been achieved by shooting through the reeds which reflect some of the morning sunlight.

I was able to watch the bird for several minutes and I can say that he was a very successful hunter.

Reptiles

Just a quick post tonight with a couple of mobile phone pictures taken at the zoo last week.

I don't have much to say about these images, I can't remember what species the lizard is. The python is an impressive specimen, over 20ft long.

Mystery No More

I promised yesterday that if someone guessed the identity of the spotty coat in yesterday's image I would post a shot of the creature in full.

So true to my word here is a picture of the majestic and powerful Jaguar. I love big cats so much and so I was thrilled to get this shot, it was worth the wait.

Rhinoceros unicornis

I said yesterday that I would be posting more images from my brief visit this week  to Aberaeron, however today I had an opportunity to use my membership of Chester Zoo (thanks kids for my birthday gift) and spend a couple of hours taking photos. It was cold and grey so fortunately (for me) the zoo wasn't very busy which meant I had time to watch some of my favourite animals without lots of distractions. 

I didn't tour the whole zoo, I will have plenty of opportunities to go back, but I spent some time watching the Red Pandas and some of the big cats. For today however I have chosen a shot of an animal I haven't photographed before; the Indian Rhinoceros also known as the greater one horned rhino. The zoo has some Black Rhino, a baby was born there in January this year but this is the Indian Rhino and it looks quite prehistoric with its heavy armoured hide. It's not pretty but I think it is magnificent.

Here's Looking At You

When I went to Canada getting a shot of a Bald Eagle was at the top of my wish list (alongside Bears, Otters and Hummingbirds) and I have to say I was really happy to be able to get up close enough to get this shot. 

My first attempts were unsuccessful due to the birds being spooked by my lens which was not camouflaged so I experimented by covering the lens with a t shirt and it seemed t do the trick 

Beware The Bear

From the very first moment the trip to Canada was planned I was excited about the different wildlife I would get to see. I was pretty certain that I would see eagles and I knew if we picked the right time of year Hummingbirds were a safe bet, and there was no doubt about deer, skunks and chipmunks but a bear, as much as I hoped I didn't really expect to see one. However on day two of the trip on the long drive across country a huge Black Bear crossed the road ahead of the car. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a shot of it but it was such a thrill to see its great bulk lumbering across the highway.

A day or so later our friends took us to the Fort William Reservation (First Nation) and a short stop at the dump was rewarded with an opportunity to get close up with a beautiful bear. It was a little sad to see this majestic beast rummaging through the trash but it was also a genuine thrill and we sat for a while until he slowly walked off into the forest. I have more pictures of the bear which no doubt I will come back to in time but for now enjoy... 

Majestic

Majestic really is the perfect adjective for these Magnolia flowers. I love these flowers they emerge from a beautiful furry bud and they bloom for just a short time. I love the colour and the shapes in these pictures and in the third shot we have one of nature's hearts which I always love to find and share. These flowers were also particularly fragrant adding to the beauty something which can't be shared in the image.

One thing which has always puzzled me is the colour "magnolia" and I remember as a child my parents picking magnolia paint when they were doing a spot of decorating at home. It just looked white to me, I thought it was just  a fancy name and I didn't realise then that there was a plant which had given the paint its name. But then when I look at the different varieties of Magnolia I see a whole variety of colours and shades and it bothers me that "Magnolia" isn't a colour. It's like saying "Rose" or "Peach" are colours, they're not. Perhaps it's just me, because I don't see colours the way other people do, maybe I'm just being pedantic because I can deal with precise colours like red, green, pink, yellow etc or even shades of those colours (even if my perception of them is different) but if someone describes a colour to me in terms of Magnolia or Rose it means nothing to me because I can't visualise it. 

Anyway I'm not quite sure why I went into that since the purpose of the blog is to share my photos but you have more than you bargained for with a little insight into my mind. If that freaks you out just scroll back to the images and normal service will be resumed.

King of Beasts

I wasn't able to post anything yesterday due to not having access to an internet connection but I am back with a great post today, at least I think so.  I have been waiting all week to share these photos of these wonderful lions. 

In the first shot the male was just letting out a magnificent roar that literally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It is a shame that the picture doesn't really capture that but all the same I like this shot.

I also like the second picture of the female at rest, and you can see how thick and soft its fur is.

By far the best image is the third one. I am really happy with this one, it captures the concentration in the lion's eyes and it says "Don't mess with me, I'm the Boss!". I am really happy with the clarity of this picture given that it was shot through the chain link fence of the lion's enclosure. I am usually quite self critical, and that's no bad thing as it drives me to improve, but I'm really chuffed with this picture. 

Jaguar

This is possibly my favourite of the big cats, and in the past when I have visited Chester Zoo I have never caught a glimpse of the Jaguars as they always seem to be hiding out of sight.

I was really pleased this time round because I got the first shot outside just as this beauty climbed up onto a tree stump before turning quickly and made off to the back of the enclosure.

The second shot was taken indoors through glass as this cat was grooming himself.

I hope you will agree the Jaguar is truly a majestic cat.

Top Cat

These really are magnificent cats, they're quite literally Grrrrrrrrrreat!

Sorry about that, I couldn't resist it.

Like the lions in yesterdays pictures these Siberian Tigers were relaxing in the afternoon sun.  In spite of the bright colours and striking pattern of stripes the orange and black are a superb camouflage.  Earlier in the day it had been really difficult to spot these cats because they were hidden in the undergrowth, it wasn't until later in the day that they came out and it was possible to get these shots.