Spawnography

Its that time of year again, and my pond is filling with wonderful frogs. Come night I go out and there are over 30 of the little fellas doing...well doing whatever frogs do this time of year. Not everyone likes frogs, they're slimy and jump, enough to put them on my mother's hit list! Still, they appeal to me. However, I doubt this works both ways. As I approach they dive, going under and sneakily coming up deep in vegetation well out of camera range. So i'm clever, I crawl at them. They can't see me over the pond rim, until its too late! Then they just accept me, getting on with the rather physical side of their task to create tadpoles (and feed my dunnocks in the process!). I've had fun over the past few days, here are the results...

...Don't think I can't see you...

I'm sure its just a piggy back...!

Just peeking up...!

A lovely little session with some wonderful animals!

Pearl Before Swine

Thats what my father says, anyway! I spent some time of late in a nameless European city (but for the sake or Realism i'll call it Venice) and had to go a WHOLE WEEK without 'proper' wildlife photography! Well, after I went cold turkey in the first day, I knew that my 400mm which i'd brought but swore not to use in anger, had to come out. Its not that I don't appriciate the lovely architecture and general feel of the city, but my attention span's too small for art galleries and the like! A couple of choice shots...









But of course Venice offers some different photos...





An enjoyable Holiday, all in all!

Short Eared Owl, Round III- Undisclosed site, Cheshire

With shorties I feel i've almost 'made it' with Owls, and yesterday I got my best shots yet. I could never tire of doing shorties, they're just such wonderfully dynamic birds. I have seen a fair few birds now, but these ones were by far and away the most obliging, although these shots took five gruelling hours in the wind, rain and without gloves too! The oportunity can be attributed to Mike Nesbitt, and these are really 'his' owls, he's worked so hard with them since november and I've just piggybacked on the back of that. Still, here are my offerings...

Off he went, quartering the field looking for any unfortunate rodents in his path...

...and in for a closer look right in front of me, stooping in on his prey...!

...and a composite of the owl going in for the kill...

...and onto a post! Right in front of me, looking for where the shutter sound came from...



...Found you...!                                                                                                                                            



What an awesome bird, completely brilliant experience!                                                                                



Short Eared Owl, Round II- I said I'd be back...

First day out since my break. Wanted to visit my site in North Wales (well I say 'my' site..) but Arriva decided that sunday was the best day to pospone all trains in that direction. Great. I love public transport. Turns out this wasn't as bad as first thought, nor was the ensuing snow. I got up Saturday to find the stuff falling thick and fast around me. Trains were cancelled nationwide, I almost lost heart! However, a kind offer from a certain Mr Cookson (who's website can be found on the right of the page) saw me heading out Lancashire-bound, admittedly in pea-soup fog! Still, as I got out this cleared slightly. This continued until I had a clear sky. Things were looking up. As I arrived an owl was hunting, but soon perched. A stealthy approach revealed this rather interesting looking individual...



But soon he/she was off on the hunt, so was I...



...but with a bit of photoshop this looks relatively good...



A rather enjoyable session, bring on Round III!