Goose

 This was one of the first images I captured on my morning visit to Brockholes. I had been watching a couple of Brown Hares nearby when I spotted this greylag goose through the reeds, enjoying the early  morning sun. It was sitting so calm and serene and I think this image sums up how I felt in that moment with the sun on my back and total calm all around me.

Looking at in now I am also drawn in by the warm layers of colour (which actually are misleading because it was pretty cold at just 3C or 37F).

On An Island

 Looking across the pond to this small island I noticed a tumbledown shack which on its own, at first glance was not particularly interesting but taking a ,moment to really look I noticed the reflection in the calm water and the variety of colours illuminated by the sun.

These shots were taken from different vantage points and used 4 second exposures to enhance the reflections. 

The Dell

 There is going to be a decidedly watery feel to my next few posts as well as some long exposures.

Today's lone image is from Bodnant Garden. I had been watching a pair of Goldcrests and a pair of treecreepers in the trees along the banks of the stream when I noticed the way the sunlight was playing through these trees and I took a little time to set up this shot. I had to wait for visitors to step away from the small bridge, and as I was on a narrow path I had to ensure I was not causing an obstruction as I set up my tripod. 

I used a 10 second exposure here at f22 and I used a variable ND filter to compensate for the long exposure (I can't recall what setting I used for the filter) I think the overall effect with the "frozen" waterfall and the sunlight through the trees creates a really tranquil scene. The sound of the water as it flowed by was so relaxing, it was easy to get lost in the beauty of this place.

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.

Swimming In The Mist

These two shots of the same swan were taken firstly in the mist of a dusky evening and secondly in the golden light of the early morning sun on Colemere.

Swans are so elegant and beautiful and they always look their best in the soft light at either end of the day. I think the mist rising off the mere adds something extra to these images.

So Serene

I don't think anyone can deny these are truly beautiful birds. They are so elegant in the water, they glide along seemingly without effort and then they power themselves into a dive without a splash before surfacing in a distant spot usually with a minnow or small fish in their powerful dagger like bill.

The diving also forms part of the courtship ritual that can be observed at this time of year but instead of fish they come to the surface with weed in their bills which they offer to each other.

I really enjoyed watching these birds as they serenely cruised past bringing a splash of colour and beauty.

Hawthorn Sunset

On a recent short camping trip near Scorton in Lancashire I was fortunate with the weather and some excellent light during the evening. As I was watching the sun setting over Morecombe Bay  I noticed that this single sprig of Hawthorne was silhouetted beautifully against the sky and I couldn't resist getting the shot.

I snapped some similar images on my phone on the second night of the trip but this is by far the best. I hope that you like it as much as I do, it is one of my favourite shots for a while. I love the warm colours and the serene atmosphere.

Striking Birds

I have had a hard time in the past getting half decent shots of these birds because the places where I have seen them they tend to swim too far out or they seldom stay still for long and they will dive for ages and come up in a completely different place.

In the spring they perform beautiful courtship rituals using their elegant ruff to show off and attract a mate, and they dive down and collect nest materials also in an effort to prove that they have good breeding potential. I hope one day to be able to photograph that behaviour because it really is spectacular.

For now here are a couple of shots of a pair that were serenely swimming at Longton Brick Croft in Lancashire. I have been there a few times in the past and while I have always enjoyed my visits there has never been very much to photograph so I was pleased on this occasion to capture these images to share today. They were a fair way off so I have had to crop these pictures a bit but I'm fairly pleased with them.

It's A Hoot

I have always loved owls and these two specimens at Chester Zoo are quite stunning. I love the serene pose of the Ural Owl in the first image but my favourite of the two is the Northern Hawk Owl with its piercing gaze. While the Ural Owl sat serenely watching the world go by the Hawk Owl was always alert, keeping its eyes on me at all times.