Living on the Edge

 I don't think I can say much about these shots, other than it was so exciting to be able to get close to these beautiful creatures. They really are such special birds. I am always amazed at how hardy they are given how small they are and the life they lead, 8 months out at sea, 4 months on a rocky island in a burrow underground.

In a few weeks when their eggs hatch these birds will be on a constant round of fishing and feeding the little pufflings, who when they have fledged effectively just hurl themselves off the cliff into the air and they too will very soon head off out into the wild ocean.

A Cute Couple

 

I still have some other great pictures from my trip to share but I couldn't wait to get to the puffin pics and so I have jumped right in with this cute little couple.

There are over 42,000 pairs of puffins on Skomer at this time of year. At the moment many of them are inside their burrows sitting on eggs or out on the water feeding so while I got to see lots of birds there were not as many on display as at other times of the breeding season. In fact this was the only pair I saw together the whole time I was on the island. It was so cool to catch them preening each other and making gentle "growling" sounds before one went back underground to their egg. I figured it was a changing of the guard situation, perhaps one is relaying information about the best fishing spots while the other is giving an update on the egg.

Did you know that the average lifespan for a puffin is 30 years but the oldest recorded age is 41 years although it is thought likely that birds could live longer than that it is just that the bands used to tag the birds don't last as long as the birds do. They reach maturity and start breeding from 5 - 6 years old and remain with their mate for the rest of their lives. Outside of the breeding season they spend about 8 months apart out at sea, they return to the same nesting sites each spring and somehow from among the thousand of other birds they manage to find each other to raise the next generation of their family.

Cat and Mouse

Yesterday I shared a couple of the first pictures taken using my newest lens and today I am sharing two of the very last pictures taken with the old 150-600 mm Tamron lens that I traded in...

I had been doing some washing up and looking out into the garden I spotted a little mouse scurrying around beneath the bird feeders helping himself to a tasty meal from the seeds that had fallen to the ground. What he didn't realise was that as well as me watching his every move was being followed by the neighbour's cat Rosie who was poised on top of our shed. I went for my camera never really expecting to get a clear shot and as I opened the door to the garden the little mouse shot into this crack in the wall leaping straight up and disappearing inside. I realised there was a pile of soil at the base of the wall indicating that the mouse has probably made a nest in a hollow behind the wall.

I figured that it would have to come out eventually so I waited a few minutes as quietly and still as I could and then I was rewarded as it slowly popped its head out and then came out to go feed some more allowing me just enough time to get this cute portrait. 

All the while Rosie watched intently but couldn't muster the energy or enthusiasm to make a move so the little mouse was safe for another day. 

Hubba Bubba

I recently experienced something that I had never heard or seen before, a frog chorus. 

These shots were taken in the grounds of the Domaine de Marie Antoinette at the Palace of Versailles.  I heard the sound from a way off and as I approached the small bridge across a stream the sound stopped. Looking down I spotted a few frogs resting in the cool water and then after a while my patience was rewarded as they started  "singing" again.

They are such cute little creatures but as they puff out their cheeks they look slightly comical.

They seem to grow to a decent size too, plenty of meat on those thighs, if that's what you are into.

Long Tailed Tit

Long Tailed Tits are so cute and they are often seen in small chattering flocks and as the evening sets in they will huddle together in small groups to keep warm.

I love this shot especially as you can see that spring has arrived with the blossoming pussy willow.

Creepy Little Fella

Maybe it is unkind to call this cute little bird "creepy" but he is a Tree Creeper so it is an accurate description. I have only photographed one once before and it was a lousy shot, low light, quick moving subject so grainy and blurry. On this particular occasion although the light wasn't great I did manage to get three quick shots. Using a high ISO the pictures are still quite grainy  but with a little bit of work I have been able to reduce some of the "noise" and produce soft but usable images.

He didn't stay still for long and quickly made its way around and up the tree trunk out of sight but it was a genuine thrill to see it and capture these pictures. You have to agree he is pretty cute. You may be able to make out his long claws/toes perfectly adapted to clinging to the bark enabling him to move nimbly and quickly up and down in his search for insects in every crevice. Hie curved beak is also perfectly adapted for the task of winkling out food from the tightest spots.

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.

AReal Treat

Here is a little teaser of what I have to share in future posts after my day out on Skomer in Pembrokeshire.

I have been before and shared pictures of Puffins before but I really wanted to go back and experience this wonderful island reserve again.

Puffins are not the main inhabitants of the island, that honour goes to the Manx Shearwater of which there are 300,000 breeding pairs, but since they're mostly nocturnal we didn't get to see any. Puffins however have a special charm and I absolutely love them so here is just one for today as a treat and I will get round to sharing more shortly.

I did also get some nice pictures of other birds across the island and some grey seals too so I am definitely a happy man.

Now I have to get planning my next trip...

Just two More

Tamron 150mm - 600mm f/5 -6.3

ISO 1000   213mm    f/6.3    1/250sec

ISO 1000    329mm     f/6.3     1/250sec

So tomorrow I will post something other than squirrels but I wanted to share just a couple more before moving on, after all they are so lovely.

In the first picture the squirrel had found something tasty on the forest floor but in the second I had tempted him down with a handful of seeds. 

I just love being outdoors and spotting these little fellas was a real treat.

Reed Bunting

The first of today's pictures is of a cute little male Reed Bunting with a beak full of seed, he really is a handsome chap but I think the female in the next two images is actually a much prettier bird.

They are so delicate and light and I love the way they cling to the reeds. I like the way they use their long tails to keep their balance and love the expression on the face, particularly in the third picture as the bird is looking directly at the camera.

Oh Deer!!!

I have been to Dunham Massey a few times in the last three or four months, the last time was during the rutting season when there was lots of action but the light was rubbish and so I didn't really get the shots I had hoped for. All the same I got some nice pictures that I shared at the time.

With the promise of better weather today I got up early and set off with my camera and high hopes. It was pretty cold so I wrapped up warm and donned my wellies and I walked several  miles, some of it through very muddy conditions but I enjoyed every minute of it. I would have stayed longer if I could and although I took lots of pictures I will definitely go back.

I think the shots I have shared today are proof that my early start was not in vain. I have lots of other, even better shots than these so please come back over the next few days to see some of those.

A is for...

Adorable!

So I was going to say how cute this bear cub is but I used Cute yesterday so I settled on adorable and I think it is quite clear to see the Andean Bear Cub is totally adorable whether stuck up a tree (as in my post on Christmas Eve) or with all four feet firmly on the ground.

I love to photograph animals in their natural surroundings but sadly I don't get the opportunity to travel to exotic places so sometimes only the zoo will do. I will be heading back to the zoo tomorrow so all being well I will be able to see how this little chap is getting along and get some good shots of some of the other specimens.

I know that some people will dislike the idea of zoos and animals like this in captivity but I have seen how the zoo at Chester has changed over the years and the conservation work they do is of immense importance so going to the zoo supports this work and helps preserve seriously endangered species.

Fluffy Invader

Having spent a few hours wandering and watching the birds around Burton Mere I was heading back to my car and I spotted this lovely Grey Squirrel. Although they are an invasive species they are really cute and this little chap was very curious while keeping at a safe distance.

So Cute, So Cuddly

I have chosen a couple of black and white images for today.  

Both of these adorable creatures are red or reddish brown but I think that even in monochrome they look great.

That's A Long Tail

Today I spent about 20 minutes taking pictures of some of the wasps and bees on the Lavender and Fuschia in my front garden and I am looking forward to seeing how they turn out. 

For today however how about this shot of a Long-Tailed Tit? I love these little birds, they're so cute and they fly around in noisy little groups. This one was part of a lively group that was feeding on the bright berries in this Hawthorn tree. It was quite difficult to get the shot because it didn't stay still for very long and I had to keep changing position to get a clear line of sight. It was worth the effort though and it was a nice reward during my evening walk.

The Joys Of Spring

Last weekend couldn't have been more different to the weekend before when I was in Paris and Versailles. Instead of a quaint apartment and cafe culture I spent much of last weekend under canvas in a field in the Yorkshire Dales eating a delicious burger and nursing a toothache following the extraction of a wisdom tooth.

Although there was less in the way of luxury and I certainly got less sleep I enjoyed every minute of my camping trip at one of my favourite camp sites. I didn't do as much photography as I had intended as I was feeling less than 100% so I spent a lot of time snuggled in the tent out of the very blustery wind.

The few pictures that I did capture were taken either as the light was going or after dark down at Bolton Abbey.

Today's selection is a cuteness overload with these lovely spring lambs. I caught these first two sitting tight together enjoying that last of the evening sunshine.

There were lots of lambs and many of them were running and skipping around, I tried to follow them with my long lens and catch the moment. In the failing light it wasn't easy but I managed to get a few just at the right moment. The second of today's pictures is just one of them. It's a fairly grainy image but it fills me with joy and brings back some happy memories of a weekend full of the joys of spring.

Courtship

Ok so I know this isn't the sharpest image but I was so pleased to capture this moment that I wanted to share it. It is after all undeniably cute.

I had been watching the bird on the right flying about collecting seeds and stuff and then noticed the other fly up to this high branch where the other bird joined it and offered tasty morsels of food. I was puzzled to see this as clearly the birds are both adults and anyway it is a little early for Blue Tits to be fledging. I wondered if perhaps the bird on the left was from an earlier brood but of course it is only April so again that would not explain this behaviour.

I spoke about this to a friend who regularly has Blue Tits nesting in their garden and they reported having recently witnessed similar behaviour so I decided to do a little research. I found an old research article which discusses this behaviour in detail and if your are interested it might be worth a look. 

It makes sense that while birds are nesting one adult bird will gather food and feed the partner who is sitting on the nest but here feeding behaviour away from the nest is part of the courtship rituals and is regarded as an important step in strengthening the bond between the adult birds. Perhaps it is the Tit version of taking your love out to a fancy restaurant.

We Are Family...

Yesterday I said I had wanted to share something cute and cuddly and I think I have delivered. Every time I visit Chester Zoo I walk past Lemur island looking for these fantastic creatures but I obviously have never timed it right as they always seem to be hidden away. Until yesterday that is, when for just a few minutes this family group was sat huddled together while a few others were playing around in the trees. 

It wasn't too long however before they scattered and disappeared from view. I'm so glad I got to see them and glad also to share thsi shot with you. 

Mini Wookie

Meet Dash. 

The eagle eyed among you will notice that it is not actually a wookie, not even a mini one but a West Highland Terrier or Westie.

I don't normally share pet photos, because I don't have any pets but this little chap is so cute and very photogenic so I couldn't resist putting him up for you to enjoy. Perhaps I should get into doing pet shots for family and friends...

Cheeky Chipmunk

This little chap was a regular visitor to our camp but always kept a respectful distance because of Sammy and Dash the two dogs who completed our camping party. He was always on the move too making it incredibly difficult to get a clear shot. On our last day however half of our party had returned to the city taking the dogs with them and so the chipmunk and the red squirrels that had previously been wary suddenly lost all fear and came to join us near the camp fire picking through the vegetation for tasty snacks.

I guess for the locals seeing a chipmunk, even up close like this can be an everyday occurrence but for a tourist like me it was completely magical.