A new year and a new beginning for the fabulous Soul Source photography thread. We've had so many fantastic contributions from so many members over two very long-running and very lengthy threads now, so it makes sense to start afresh.

For people who perhaps haven't contributed before, the idea is very simple: although the emphasis has been on nature/wildlife/flowers and scenic views, just post up and share pics you've taken of, well, just about anything.

Here's three from me, which were taken today in a small nature reserve behind Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Although it started out as a very clear and sunny afternoon, conditions changed very quickly and it became very overcast - and, I have to say, there was very little in the way of birdlife to see. Perhaps they'd all cleared off elsewhere as the place was pretty busy with people out burning off the Christmas calories.

 

Happy New Year!

A few taken today at Pennington Flash. I went to see / hear a Cuckoo but as of recent years it  evaded me. Got to see a Black necked Grebe amongst others for the first time but no pictures

A male Chaffinch, Song Thrush and a Little ringed Plover

Steve

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

A few taken today at Pennington Flash. I went to see / hear a Cuckoo but as of recent years it  evaded me. Got to see a Black necked Grebe amongst others for the first time but no pictures

A male Chaffinch, Song Thrush and a Little ringed Plover

Steve

Evening Steve

Hope yer well mate. Lovely pictures - beautiful.

Peter

8 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Evening Steve

Hope yer well mate. Lovely pictures - beautiful.

Peter

Good evening my friend. All well in Manchester thank you. Hope your keeping good.

Thank you for the nice comments always appreciated. It seems like ages ago since I posted any wildlife pictures, so I thought it needed to be sorted.

Only five weeks before my annual trip down to the gorgeous county of  Pembrokeshire. Cant wait, hope to get some decent Red Kite, Otter and Chough pictures while I,m there.

Steve

Grandson latest

Steve

 

Cladanthus arabicus, rather diminutive this year as we've had so little rain

Orchis papilionacea, the only ones I've seen this year.

Orchis morio subsp. champagneuxii, don't blame me for the name, essentially it's a folded lipped subspecies of the green winged orchid.

The exquisite flower of the milk thistle, Silybum marianum.  a lovely plant that I used to grow in the herbaceous border because of it's white veined leaves, capable of reaching 1.5m tall. 

12 hours ago, TattooDave said:

Orchis morio subsp. champagneuxii, don't blame me for the name, essentially it's a folded lipped subspecies of the green winged orchid.

Dave . Hope you've well my friend. Don't know how but I've given you a negative feedback, after I had left a positive one. tried restoring it to positive but it's not happening. Sorry about that. I clicked on who had liked it and it just happened.

Steve

10 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Dave . Hope you've well my friend. Don't know how but I've given you a negative feedback, after I had left a positive one. tried restoring it to positive but it's not happening. Sorry about that. I clicked on who had liked it and it just happened.

Steve

No problem Steve, as a technophobe I do things that are irreversible all the time.  Thankfully not often when I'm tattooing.  Taking a trip to Gibraltar today as I'm off to a 50th birthday party later, thought I might lay on some champers.

Dave

A few more photos of the local heron, this time taken by my daughter, Laura, so better than mine 

Rick

2 hours ago, Rick Cooper said:

A few more photos of the local heron, this time taken by my daughter, Laura, so better than mine 

Rick

Nice pictures Rick. 

I always like to see a Heron - they're a big old bird! They may not be rare but they always get a wow from me. I love to see them take off - one, perhaps two, flaps of those mighty wings and away. Almost in slow motion. There are a couple on the Grantham canal near where I live and they have become quite comfortable when being approached. Rode past one on my bike last week - really close up on the tow path and it didn't flinch.

Here's one for Steve, ... the Grasshopper Warbler, it has one of the weirdest calls of any bird, the whole bird vibrates whilst it emits a clicking noise similar to the noise a grasshopper makes, great to watch them when they are calling, they really give it their all.

Thanks Martyn. Stunning photos, not that I expect anything less from you mate. As you say they sound just like a grasshopper, don't get many in my neck of the woods unfortunately.

Steve

All is well at the moment - all chicks are feeding and growing.

Well the Swifts have finally turned up. Seen four on Tuesday when I was fishing. Hopefully will have some nice bluebells in the woods pictures amongst others tomorrow when I get to visit Burton mere. RSPB reserve. 

Steve

4 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Well the Swifts have finally turned up. Seen four on Tuesday when I was fishing. Hopefully will have some nice bluebells in the woods pictures amongst others tomorrow when I get to visit Burton mere. RSPB reserve. 

Steve

Evening Steve

I have a front garden full of Blue Bells - will try and get a picture on my phone tomorrow, although it will probably be rubbish. I don't think they are the native ones - if I manage to get a photo someone will be able to tell. Dave perhaps.

Peter

One just for Steve to show it's not always blue skies.

Happy's first experience of snow.

3 minutes ago, TattooDave said:

Happy's first experience of snow.

How old is Happy Dave? Looks fully recovered from her recent accident.

Peter

But sometimes it is blue skies, Cazorla, a couple of days ago.

 

6 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

How old is Happy Dave? Looks fully recovered from her recent accident.

Peter

He shares my birthday Peter, and he'll be 4 tomorrow.  He's back to full fitness now, and barely a scar.

These little piggy's might go to market sometime, but not for a while, they were feeding on the side of the road opposite a restaurant, and didn't stay long.

 

11 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Well the Swifts have finally turned up. Seen four on Tuesday when I was fishing. Hopefully will have some nice bluebells in the woods pictures amongst others tomorrow when I get to visit Burton mere. RSPB reserve. 

Steve

Always late us Swifty's !!

1 hour ago, SWIFTY said:

Always late us Swifty's !!

And always pissed!

A few from today down at RSPB burton Mere.

Steve

 

A Whitethroat

Steve

 

Edited May 6, 20169 yr by Winsford Soul
spelling mistake

The amount of Warblers around today was amazing. Wood warbler, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcaps, The whole reserve was alive with the sounds of birds plus I managed to see for the first time a Little Gull.

Steve

9 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

The amount of Warblers around today was amazing. Wood warbler, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Reed Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcaps, The whole reserve was alive with the sounds of birds plus I managed to see for the first time a Little Gull.

Steve

What was she made of Steve, sugar and spice and all things nice?

A couple of new ones for me this week.....

Ophrys sphegodes, the Early Spider Orchid found by chance near Cazorla.

 

Ranunculus gracialis, a white buttercup confined to Sierra Nevada, it's only just emerging and will probably look better in a couple of weeks, but it's a long journey to go back for, and found completely by chance.

All four chicks appear to be really thriving. 

 

In the USA, there was a rare sighting of an elephant, mid bowel movement.

No one managed to get an image, but this graphic was rendered.

 

Not been doing much solar imaging this year (just the one decent sunspot really) but couldn't miss yesterday's Transit of Mercury ... 

Weather wasn't really behaving itself but at least there were no gales and torrential rain as for 2012's Venus event , thin clouds about most of the afternoon and the blanket arrived around 2 hours before 3rd contact ... 

Ended up joining up 801 frames out of the 1200 shot between 12:05 and 17:30 , after discarding the worst 399 ... AVI made up in PIPP.

Canon 1000D + Tal 100RS + 1.4x Barlow + Baader ND3.8 Solar Film + OIII Filter.

Best in HD and fullscreen

 

Managed to get away at lunchtime and watch a few hours of cricket at Lord's before the rain came.  Robson made yet another century. Will he be included in the England ream to face Sri Lanka in a few weeks time?

 

Heron flying low to avoid radar

 

Edited May 10, 20169 yr by martyn pitt

Sorry not been on for a while to post although do read SS when I can.  Here are a few photos: Bluebell; Town Hall Clock/Moschtel and Cuckoo Pint all taken down The Gaunless Valley Circular Walk, Teesdale where I live.  Hope everyone well.

This was taken yesterday evening. Low Force in Upper Teesdale. I went to survey the Birds Eye Primrose and Butterwort with the Upper Teesdale Botany Group I am a member of. Next week is Widdybank Fell with the Spring Gentians, Teesdale Violet, Birds Eye Primrose and Mountain Avens cannot wait 

4 hours ago, suzannek said:

This was taken yesterday evening. Low Force in Upper Teesdale. I went to survey the Birds Eye Primrose and Butterwort with the Upper Teesdale Botany Group I am a member of. Next week is Widdybank Fell with the Spring Gentians, Teesdale Violet, Birds Eye Primrose and Mountain Avens cannot wait 

I envy you Suz, botanical gems that aren't seen by many. 

1 hour ago, TattooDave said:

I envy you Suz, botanical gems that aren't seen by many. 

Yes I am so lucky and all a 20 minute car journey and a short walk away, there are about 20 or so plants that are extremely rare. Including 9 species of Ladys Mantle.  We have the best Juniper wood outside of Scotland, waterfalls galore. The Arctic snail living in the flushes, the only place in England it can survive.

 I am so happy to be helping to survey them, it was heartening to see so much Butterwort and Birds Eye Primrose plants on Monday apparently more than last year so that is good. They put in special support measures in place last year to help the plants 

 

Suz x

This is some of the Butterwort plants there were over 40 here (the green star like shapes). It is a fascinating plant our own venus flytrap. It traps the fly/insect and eats it very much the same 

This is as close as I can get with incredible rarities that are ice-age remnants

Pinguicula vallisneriifolia, growing around Cazorla, and a fly-catcher.

Viola cazorlensis, about the least viola-like member of the species, also growing in the Cazorla area.  Sadly a 6 hour drive away as there are many gems around there that I've yet to find.

Two days of torrential rain and have been a little worried. Good job they had a good start from such amazing parents - they look to be ok.

 

My son's Cocker Spaniel during camouflage lessons.

Been having a faff with my new camera, here are a few so far, my whippet 'Rain', a Robin, Male Chaffinch, Mute Swan and a plant (i've forgotten the variety).

Love then Johnny - thanks.

Your little dog is beautiful.

Peter

 

Thank you Peter, she certainly is, although her white neck is now slightly brown as she has been rolling in something while i've been doing the garden.

It's a Rhododendron Johnny

Here's a few from yesterdays trip to Burton Mere RSPB reserve, to hear and hopefully see a Cuckoo.

 First time in five years that I have seen or heard one and managed both.

Steve

 

Not the best picture that I've ever taken but the sun shining on the Mallards wing feathers was amazing. The picture doesn't really do it justice.

Steve

Whitethroat. perched marking out his territory

Steve

We overlook a beautiful meadow and have this growing in abundance, excuse my ignorance I have no idea what it is, it grows in between the huge thistles similar to those posted by Tattoo Dave. 

x

Edited May 14, 20169 yr by crazylegs