As an extension to the ongoing "I saw my first kingfisher today" thread, I thought it might be interesting if people wanted to post and share any wildlife pics that they've taken. As I said on the other thread, that way instead of just talking about what birds and other wildlife we've seen, we can also show photos of them. 

 

Hope you think it's a good idea.

 

As the current topic in the "kingfisher" thread is herons, I thought I'd start with a couple of pics of them that I've taken...

 

Juvenile heron (looking very interested in a dragonfly)

 

Heron in sunset silhouette

 

Next up, a couple of pics of blackbird chicks, which I was lucky enough to get while looking out through a window at home.

 

 

 

Come on then, show us what you've got. The only condition is that the photos are ones you've taken yourself.

 

filmed this a month ago (below MP4), had a lovely time taking images of our first Butterfly of the season, then it landed on the carpet and the cat jumped on it...!!

 

couple of other critters in there, and a very nice bloom..

 

 

Malcolm

IMG_0973.mov

Edited April 8, 201411 yr by Mal C

filmed this a month ago (below MP4), had a lovely time taking images of our first Butterfly of the season, then it landed on the carpet and the cat jumped on it...!!

 

couple of other critters in there, and a very nice bloom..

 

 

Malcolm

Nice one Mal . Steve

 

Watch the birdies, watching you. Dogging natural history style

 

Steve

The one at the rear has quite the expression on his face! 

 

 

 

Marsh Harriers quartering the reed beds looking for smaller birds

 

Steve

The one at the rear has quite the expression on his face! 

Russell. Is it I didn't see that coming sort of look. 

 

Steve

 

 

 

This Peregrine was hunting jackdaws as they where returning to roost at Warton crag, were the peregrines nest

 

Steve

More of the same, nice bloom, may Bug, and the Lambs are out!!

 

Malcolm

 

late editions, my mother-in-laws dog, looks like those little chaps of 'Return of the Jedi'

 

Peacock feels free to roam, and a landscape from the Avebury Stones in Wiltshire.. entitled' Black Man's Bluff'

 

Some very old roots in there and a shrimp from Brighton sea Life Center..

Edited April 9, 201411 yr by Mal C

Lots of really good pics coming out. Great! 

Excellent pics, everyone! Here in southern BC, Canada, spring has fully sprung. The trees are now in full bud and the orchards are just starting to bloom. I need to take some pictures. Even had a Robin singing away this morning for the first time:-) 

Excellent pics, everyone! Here in southern BC, Canada, spring has fully sprung. The trees are now in full bud and the orchards are just starting to bloom. I need to take some pictures. Even had a Robin singing away this morning for the first time:-) 

Be nice to get some Canadian wildlife picture's posted, you have set yourself up now for getting out with a camera. Look forward to seeing the results. Steve

Be nice to get some Canadian wildlife picture's posted, you have set yourself up now for getting out with a camera. Look forward to seeing the results. Steve

 

 

Sounds like a plan, Steve. Luckily my girl is photo-happy, so I'll see what we (more like she) can come up with, hah!  She may have some good ones already in a folder on the computer, too. 

No swallows yet in the Durham Dales, it is gonna be cold again this weekend, maximum of 4 degrees. The swallows should be arriving in the next few weeks

Suz x

I managed to round up a few older pics. These were taken in Alberta and BC over the last few years.  More to come if we happen to see some more critters in our travels:-)

 

 

 

 

 

Just down loaded latest pictures from my camera to pc ready for posting on here. Some to make you go all soft and cuddly in your cynical old ages. 

 

Steve

Have reposted pictures

 

Steve

Edited April 18, 201411 yr by Winsford Soul

Oops double post

 

Steve

Edited April 18, 201411 yr by Winsford Soul

IMG_7196.JPG

 

This mallard duckling was lost and piping for its parents, hope it made it

 

IMG_7236.JPG

 

Greylag goose chick just managed to get picture without parents.

 

IMG_7181.JPG

 

Greylag goose and gosling's, different family and a lot smaller than the single picture above.

 

 

Will post more later

 

Steve

Don't know where the pictures have gone. will repost

 

Steve

 

 

 

Don't know what happened to previous post and pictures

 

Steve

This must now count as a Wildlife photo, the amazing Voyager 1. Launched in 1977 and still going strong, is now some 19 billion kilometres from Earth and entered interstellar space, the 1st man-made object to ever do so, now that's wild ! 

Voyager1.jpg

 

I think that's pretty wild and mind blowing too!  I take it you also know about the Golden Records that were sent out with the probes containing representations of music from Earth.  The most touching story is that of Blind Willie Johnson. He was reportedly blinded as a child when his stepmother threw lye in his face. He died penniless and alone sleeping in the ruins of his burned down house from malaria, after being refused medical treatment for being black. One of his blues recordings Dark Was The Night was chosen to go on the record, long after his death, to represent humanity's expression of loneliness and as you say is floating up there 19 billion km from Earth.  

 

Wonder if any of those 2 known copies will ever show up on Manships someday?   

 

 

 

Sorry for the thread hijack. Some great photos on here btw.

Edited April 18, 201411 yr by eulalie

Wonder if any of those 2 known copies will ever show up on Manships someday?   

 

 

Sorry for the thread hijack. Some great photos on here btw.

 

We have to be glad it's not been pressed..........

 

 

These pictures were taken about three weeks ago. I went hoping to capture the grebes doing there courtship dance and they had already nested

 

Steve

IMG_7082.JPG

 

Watch the birdies, watching you. Dogging natural history style

 

Steve

 

IMG_7082.JPG

 

Watch the birdies, watching you. Dogging natural history style

 

Steve

Just been informed by the RSPB that they have used my picture of the black headed gulls mating on there Leighton Moss web page ( recent sightings ) I,m so chuffed

 

Steve

Winsford Soul, on 18 Apr 2014 - 8:09 PM, said:

Just been informed by the RSPB that they have used my picture of the black headed gulls mating on there Leighton Moss web page ( recent sightings ) I,m so chuffed

 

Steve

Well done Steve

 

Peter

Thanks Peter

 

Steve

Will post some Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest pictures next few days

 

Steve

No swallows yet in the Durham Dales, it is gonna be cold again this weekend, maximum of 4 degrees. The swallows should be arriving in the next few weeks

Suz x

Suz. Any signs of the swallows yet ? Seen a few more last Tuesday ,5  I think there was.

 

Steve

We've just got one arrived this weekend, we are still getting nightly frosts

Suz x

I went down my favourite woods where I live on Good Friday, the woods were looking lovely a sea of yellow (lesser celandine) and white (wood anemones) they're in full bloom, everywhere else in the country they flower much earlier, we won't get our bluebells until May/June

Here are a few pics of the lesser celandines, wood anemones and milk maid sorry at the quality of some of them

Suz x

Orange tipped butterfly

Steve

Europe smallest bird. The Goldcrest

Steve

Chiffchaff

Willow Warbler

Had a nice day out on the Wirral at Burton mere RSPB reserve. Managed a few pictures. Will post later. Blackcap, male & female reed buntings, baby Coots, Bluebells and a very special  bird. A little Teal. It's a South American bird that has probably escaped from a private collection.

 

Steve

As this brilliant thread runs over 10 pages because of everyone's great pics, I'm not sure if I've posted these already, but here goes...

 

 

 

Peacock close-up

 

 

Starling - summer plummage

 

 

Geese flying past (really fast)!

 

 

 

 

 

As this brilliant thread runs over 10 pages because of everyone's great pics, I'm not sure if I've posted these already, but here goes...

 

 

image.jpg

 

Peacock close-up

 

image.jpg

 

Starling - summer plummage

 

image.jpg

 

Geese flying past (really fast)!

Russell. I can't remember you posting them before. .trying to photograph any birds flying is difficult.  Like the peacock picture. Will have to find the only decent one that I have taken, it was at bodnant gardens up in Snowdonia .

 

Steve

Edited April 22, 201411 yr by Winsford Soul

Russell. I can't remember you posting them before. .trying to photograph any birds flying is difficult.  Like the peacock picture. Will have to find the only decent one that I have taken, it was at bodnant gardens up in Snowdonia .

 

Steve

Cheers, Steve. The shot of the geese flying past is one of my faves as it has that great sense of blurred motion about it. It was taken one evening in the late autumn, in the Amsterdamse Bos ( the Amsterdam woods), in an area once under water that was drained and reclaimed about 100 years ago by the Dutch. They call it a Polder. It's marshland by any other name.

 

It's a feeding ground for 100s of geese and I was there that evening trying to get some dusky flying shots. As it turned out, the conditions were too dull all round for anything taken without a tripod.

 

But, just before it got too dark, I heard a low whistling of goose wings in rapid flight. I could tell that they were close, but couldn't pinpoint them exactly. Realising then that they were flying super fast behind the trees directly in front of me, I panned the camera as quickly as I could across the trees in the split second available in the hope of catching the birds as they emerged from the other side. I got off just one shot - the one here. 

 

While I'm sure the result doesn't convay it, it was one of the most exciting and stirring photographic moments I've ever had. Now if only I was skilled enough to do such things at will! 

Edited April 22, 201411 yr by Russell Gilbert

Cheers, Steve. The shot of the geese flying past is one of my faves as it has that great sense of blurred motion about it. It was taken one evening in the late autumn, in the Amsterdamse Bos ( the Amsterdam woods), in an area once under water that was drained and reclaimed about 100 years ago by the Dutch. They call it a Polder. It's marshland by any other name.

 

It's a feeding ground for 100s of geese and I was there that evening trying to get some dusky flying shots. As it turned out, the conditions were too dull all round for anything taken without a tripod.

 

But, just before it got too dark, I heard a low whistling of goose wings in rapid flight. I could tell that they were close, but couldn't pinpoint them exactly. Realising then that they were flying super fast behind the trees directly in front of me, I panned the camera as quickly as I could across the trees in the split second available in the hope of catching the birds as they emerged from the other side. I got off just one shot - the one here. 

 

While I'm sure the result doesn't convay it, it was one of the most exciting and stirring photographic moments I've ever had. Now if only I was skilled enough to do such things at will! 

Russell. I'm just starting to practice panning shots. I've been advised to practice on car's as they travel past. Hope that little bit of advice helps you. We will have to post up our results to see how we're getting on.

 

Steve

Edited April 22, 201411 yr by Winsford Soul

Russell Gilbert, on 22 Apr 2014 - 9:43 PM, said:Russell Gilbert, on 22 Apr 2014 - 9:43 PM, said:

As this brilliant thread runs over 10 pages because of everyone's great pics, I'm not sure if I've posted these already, but here goes...

 

 

image.jpg

 

Peacock close-up

 

image.jpg

 

Starling - summer plummage

 

image.jpg

 

Geese flying past (really fast)!

Not seen them before Russell.

 

Great stuff.

 

I'd really like a day out with some of the posters on this thread. I really do need to sort my mentalist stuff out!

 

Edit - Starlings maybe quite common - but what a handsome bird they are. I am blessed with the numbers that feed in my garden.

Edited April 22, 201411 yr by Peter99

Not seen them before Russell.

 

Great stuff.

 

I'd really like a day out with some of the posters on this thread. I really do need to sort my mentalist stuff out!

 

Edit - Starlings maybe quite common - but what a handsome bird they are. I am blessed with the numbers that feed in my garden.

Peter. What's stopping us organising something. As you say there's plenty of people posting on this thread. I'm only two hour's from you. 

 

Steve

Russell. I'm just starting to practice panning shots. I've been advised to practice on car's as they travel past. Hope that little bit of advice helps you. We will have to post up our results to see how we're getting on.

 

Steve

Not sure, but are you working on the basis that motion shots have to be crisp and clear? If so, that's not the case. The point is to show motion/action/speed relative to the subject matter. I've caught loads of birds in flight that are motionlessly/frozen 'mid-flight'. It's trying to portray the scene as you observed it - the speed, sense of movement and action - that's the challenge.

 

Apologies if I've misunderstood you!

Peter. What's stopping us organising something. As you say there's plenty of people posting on this thread. I'm only two hour's from you. 

 

Steve

Brilliant idea. Wish I was closer - & vice versa. - especially having seen what's potentially on offer!

Not sure, but are you working on the basis that motion shots have to be crisp and clear? If so, that's not the case. The point is to show motion/action/speed relative to the subject matter. I've caught loads of birds in flight that are motionlessly/frozen 'mid-flight'. It's trying to portray the scene as you observed it - the speed, sense of movement and action - that's the challenge.

 

Apologies if I've misunderstood you!

Russell. I've no experience of panning . I know what your saying and I'm with you but I've been led to believe that part of the picture needs to be sharp . normally the eye is the focus point.and the rest can then portray the movement, speed ,action etc etc and that's the difficulty or so I'm lead to understand

 

Steve

Russell. I've no experience of panning . I know what your saying and I'm with you but I've been led to believe that part of the picture needs to be sharp . normally the eye is the focus point.and the rest can then portray the movement, speed ,action etc etc and that's the difficulty or so I'm lead to understand

 

Steve

Yes and no! Text books mainly preach that there should be a focus point; it makes for a good nature photo.

 

Professional photographers also teach that the image as a whole should tell a story. In my case (as I perceive it) the image captures the idea of how fast birds fly past us human observers; how we sometimes just catch fleeting glimpses of shapes and sounds, and how, although they blur across our vision, we can still fill in what we don't see with our imagination and know it's still a specific tyrpe of bird.

Russell. As promised the only picture I have of a Peacock

Steve

Blackcap

Male Chaffinch

Female Reed bunting. taken through through the window of the hide hence the tint on the picture

Male Reed bunting

Steve

Little Teal. The South American visitor to Burton Mere

Steve

Coot and Chicks

Steve

Adding a touch of moodiness

Steve

Is there a better sight than a English bluebell woodland in spring

Steve

Edited April 23, 201411 yr by Winsford Soul