These are Hideous!

 I am not going to try to pretend that these are anything but hideous. On a hot day out in the countryside I am always plagued by flies and biting insects which  drive me mad, but that doesn't stop me from finding them fascinating. They are quite ugly too, but again that doesn't stop me from finding them interesting as subjects to photograph. I think it is because up close there is so much more to these pesky things. They are really quite complex and when we brush them away as they buzz past we don't ever see the detail.

So every now and then I do like to pause for a moment and take a closer look. It doesn't make them look any better and I still get annoyed every time they buzz around me but I do try to appreciate them a little more, as part of the complexity of nature and the fact that annoying as they are they still have a role to play.

Garden Beauties

 The beautiful blackbird in the first image stopped by to feed on some seed that had been put out on a tree stump. Blackbirds are easily overlooked because they are a common species and they lack the bright plumage that many other garden birds have. However they really are quite beautiful and their feathers have a gorgeous sheen so every now and then they deserve to be noticed.

The robin appeared in the window of the hide where I was sat, he was a fearless little chap and happily took a mealworm from my fingers and ate seed from the palm of my hand. I think you will agree he is a handsome specimen and although they are a very familiar sight I couldn't resist sharing these lovely shots.

Cardoons

 Thistles can be pretty. I love the pinky purple tones of the flower head which viewed close up has a multitude of little tendrils; black, plum and mulberry coloured fingers reaching upwards from a spiky ball.

I like the colour images but I also really like the black and white image because it highlights the structure of the flower

Elegance

 This was a lovely magnolia with the most amazing display of flowers but unlike many other varieties this one didn't have any fragrance. It really is quite elegant though.

Not So Pretty!

One of my favourite songbirds is the Dipper, it is an amazing bird and I have often enjoyed watching them from a river bank as they dart past or sit on a rock bobbing up and down searching for insect larvae on the river bed before swooping down to catch a tasty meal.

At the start of the year I set myself a goal of photographing one but here we are just over 6 months into the year and I haven't had an opportunity to get out and as time is slipping by I worry that I won't meet my goal.

Yesterday was the first opportunity I have had in such a long time to go out beyond my local area and I headed down to Miller's dale in the Peak District in search of a dipper. It was a nice day and great to be out and about and I did spot what I had gone to see, one dipper flying past at high speed close to the waters surface and off into the distance. While I was thrilled to see it I was frustrated that it was my only sighting of the day.

However never one to waste an opportunity I put my various lenses to use and got a nice selection of landscape shots, some macro shots of flowers and a few close ups of a fly. Now I know its not the most beautiful thing you will see today but it is amazing what you can see when you get this close.

Sunbathing

This hover fly was taking a moment to rest on the wooden handrail of a bridge across a small stream. With the sun beating down it was a good opportunity to warm up.

If you can, zoom in to enjoy the detail in this shot; those wonderful shiny compound eyes and the soft fur. There is so much to appreciate when you look closely at these fascinating insects. They're great pollinators and they don't sting or bite so they're great little critters.

Mini Beasts

I know that many people will give a little shudder when they see these shots of garden spiders, after all they're pretty beastly little critters but I hope you will all agree they are decent shots all the same.

I recently had my macro lens fixed and so I wanted to get more use out of it. Over the past week I have been sharing some of the flower and bug pictures I had captures at Bodnant garden in North Wales all shot using my 100mm macro lens.

Then on the recent bank holiday I went into my own garden on a hunt for mini beasts and I spotted these spiders. I was lucky with the light especially in the last shot which gives a great view of the spiders beady little eyes.

Black and White in Colour (and black and white)

I love black and white photography and so when I spotted this beautiful black and white bumblebee i thought he was a perfect subject .

I thought however that i should show him off in colour against the flowers that he was feeding on. I think he looks lovely but actually I think it looks more stunning in black and white.

Let me know what you think.

This was shot hand held with my 100mm macro lens.

Lavender Blue Dilly Dilly

One of my favourite lenses is my Canon 100mm 2.8 USM Macro lens but for a while it had been out of action so I sent it off for repair. The day I got it back I couldn't wait to try it out again so went out to the front garden and took these shots of a lavender plant we have growing in an old chimney pot.

Lavender is such a wonderful plant, such vibrant colour and heady perfume that has relaxing properties. Close up you can see the delicate little buds with their furry covering.

I am so glad to have my lens back so I can get up close once more.

The Grass Is Greener

So you can see the theme of today's selection is dewdrops on grass. 

In the first image which is a cropped image from the original you can see the veins in the blade of grass magnified by the large drop of water.

And as with yesterdays pictures you can, if you look closely, see the fine "hairs" which give the water droplets purchase on what otherwise appears to be a smooth surface.

The third image is the colour version of the shot I shared yesterday in Black & White because I know that some people prefer to see grass "au naturelle".

You Don't Get Much Cuter...

...Than this!

A little while ago I shared a few pictures of this beautiful fox that had trotted across the road to say hello. In the fading light and the rain the conditions weren't perfect but the occasion itself was absolutely perfect. I couldn't resist sharing a few more shots because as I say s/he is so cute and I am sure that you will like them just as much as me.

By Jiminy!!!

So I know this isn't a Cricket but I thought the title of the post works well. 

I had been taking pictures of a tiny web with dew drops hidden away in a clump of grass and this little grasshopper jumped in front of me. I waited for him to settle and then positioned myself so that I could get a couple of shots.

I am super pleased with these because they were hand held and the stalk of grass was moving so I didn't expect them to be quite as sharp. Add to that the light was perfect. 

Fabulous Fledgling

Whilst taking a few quiet moments in the courtyard at Colditz castle I spotted this fledgling blackbird perched on the downpipe of some guttering. 

I was able to get pretty close as you can see and s/he was as curious about me as I was about him/her. 

I managed to get these few pictures but I could tell it was preparing to fly away in the final picture because it pooped so I stepped back to give it space and as expected s/he flew away.

All Day Breakfast

A few weeks ago I shared a series of photos taken at an owl and bird of prey sanctuary and while it was a thrill to see so many beautiful birds of prey up close it cannot match the thrill of seeing one of these birds close up in the wild.

Today was my first chance to get out with my camera for a while and I was hoping for some good photo opportunities. I went to the Lancashire Wildlife Trust reserve at Brockholes near Preston. 

Top of my list of species I hoped to see was the Kestrel and so I was really excited to see this male Kestrel as I pulled into the car park. The bird in all four pictures is the same one, the first image though was taken at the start of the day when it was very dull, the other shots were taken about an hour later when the bird was tempted back by a handful of tasty mealworms put out by another visitor.

As you can see from the second shot he didn't waste any time at all snatching his first mouthful before he had even settled on the post and then in the third shot that expression seems to say "stay back, these worms are mine!"

These pictures were shot at 300mm (or thereabouts) but with fairly low shutter speeds and high ISO because of the poor light meaning they are a little grainy. I was able to get really close though so I haven't needed to crop these pictures at all.

Beauty and the Beast

I know that it is not very pretty but a close up look at the fly on this flower reveals some really good details (if you can bear to look) such as the speckled grey body and its spiky hairs. 

It also reveals details in the centre of the flower, for example who knew that the yellow segments at the heart of a daisy actually have black tips?

Having shown the beast I had to balance that with the beauty of the daisy which seems to shine in the sunlight. Often thought of as weed, like Dandelions, Daisies are really beautiful and deserve some recognition.

Remember there is a chance to win a limited edition print by visiting my facebook page just like and share the page to be in with a chance to win. The draw will be at the end of this week.

Cards? I don't think so!

Well you wouldn't play cards with a cheetah...

Sorry I know it is a dreadful joke. 

I love cats, even though I won't have a pet one (so nobody ask) and I love big cats even more. My favourite is a close tie between a Jaguar and a Snow Leopard but not far behind is the cheetah, It is so beautiful, it has such poise and bearing. It is so powerful and ready to leap into action to chase down its prey. At the zoo the cheetahs enclosure is being refurbished and improved so they have been moved to a smaller temporary enclosure which meant I could get really close, it was amazing. It was always on the move so I was thrilled to get such a good clear shot, even through the wire.

Just For You, Deer

I am sticking with a wildlife shot for today and I hope you will agree this is a great shot of a female white tailed deer. 

As we drove through the Mission Marsh area of Thunder Bay we had been promised we would see some deer and sure enough we spotted a couple taking shelter from the rain under a few trees. We stopped the car and with the help of a few apples we managed to coax one a little closer, then before we knew it about eight more approached from their places hidden in the long grass. Although they came close they were appropriately wary but I was able to get some good shots. They have such gentle faces, beautiful eyes and lovely long lashes.

P p p pick up a Penguin

and a pigeon

and a great grey owl

And while we're at it... a red breasted goose

Swallowtail plus One

Here are two more beautiful butterflies from the butterfly house at Williamson Park. The first is a variety of Swallow Tail Butterfly, it is easy to see why they are called that.

The plus one is less colourful but it has a beautiful pattern nonetheless.