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!

Current views from our hotel window (taken through the glass).

 

4 hours ago, Addio said:

 

That's the view of a building I don't mind, can't cope looking down from the top.  Also, why do I have the desire to shout "Jump"?

Greetings from Molyvos on the wonderful Greek island of Lesvos.

 

And more greetings from Molyvos

Fathers day............my lads organised a day at Turf moor with a meal and a photo with OUR championship trophy.

 

A real surprise and a great day!

Edited June 20, 20168 yr by Guest

6 minutes ago, Steve Lane said:

Fathers day............my lads organised a day at Turf moor with a meal and a photo with OUR championship trophy.

 

A real surprise and a great day!

That you in the middle Steve?

 

 

11 hours ago, Peter99 said:

That you in the middle Steve?

 

 

Fraid so mate 

Turned out nice again...

Just to show a few of the colour varieties of Mountain Pansy, these were taken at Moorhouse Nature Reserve.  Sorry about the second photo, but the North Pennines helm wind was blowing 

Found this not so little beastie sitting on my car today, I will not be giving him a lift!

 

x

Good evening everyone. Just returned from my annual trip to the gorgeous county of Pembrokeshire. Wales. Will get some pictures posted when I get chance to download them from my camera and if I think they're up to it. Hopefully one or two will pass the quality control department ( me )

Will also chance to have a proper look at all the great picture that you lot have posted whilst I have been sunning myself

Steve

We just got back from a week in Taormina, Sicily ... nice view of Etna from our balcony, Castelmola perched above us and some bloke with a glass of local brew

 

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 20187 yr by martyn pitt

The Man in the blue shirt doesn't half look like you Martyn, is it your identical twin

Steve

Here's a view of Skomer island from the mainland shrouded in mist and one of the cliffs as we approached by boat.

Steve

 

Edited June 22, 20168 yr by Winsford Soul
added text

Sunset over Skomer. The nearest land westward of the island apart from Grassholm island is South America

A few more from down under. Some nice birds out there :-)

Jabiru, Kingfisher, Bee Eater, Cassowary & Chick

 

21 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Wow! That's a super photograph Steve - well done.

I took a last minute two day break from my reclusive existence to join my brother and his wife who were having a week in north Wales - they were staying in Prenteg, near Porthmadog - Aberdunant Caravan Park is very nice. There's a successful Osprey breeding site about two miles away so I was sure to visit there - otters too. I didn't get any pictures but I did get to view the nest through the telescopes. Not much to compare with all of your great photographs but it was a privilege to be there. I was told that there are five adult birds there - one mating couple, the male who originates from Africa but was reared in a covered cage at Rutland Water (part of a wider programme) before being released. Very interesting. 

Here's a link.

http://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/

 

 

Edited June 22, 20168 yr by Peter99

13 minutes ago, soulandy said:

A few more from down under. Some nice birds out there :-)

Jabiru, Kingfisher, Bee Eater, Cassowary & Chick

 

They're great Andy.

24 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Wow! That's a super photograph Steve - well done.

I took a last minute two day break from my reclusive existence to join my brother and his wife who were having a week in north Wales - they were staying in Prenteg, near Porthmadog - Aberdunant Caravan Park is very nice. There's a successful Osprey breeding site about two miles away so I was sure to visit there - otters too. I didn't get any pictures but I did get to view the nest through the telescopes. Not much to compare with all of your great photographs but it was a privilege to be there. I was told that there are five adult birds there - one mating couple, the male who originates from Africa but was reared in a covered cage at Rutland Water (part of a wider programme) before being released. Very interesting. 

Here's a link.

http://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/

 

 

Peter. As ever thank you for your kind word's. I left Tenby on Saturday morning, visited Newquay to see the Dolphins then believe it or not went to Porthmadog until yesterday, Lou and myself stayed in a friend of Lou,s caravan about 1/2 mile outside the town on the black rock sands road. Would have been great to see you.

Steve

On 18/06/2016 at 20:21, Rick Cooper said:

Saw this crawling across the paving in the back garden this morning. Startled the dog and gave me a surprise as I'd never seen anything like it before, except on TV.

Apparently it's a signal crayfish but what's it doing in a garden in Stockport, shouldn't it be somewhere hot and wet. It was relocated to the edge of pond where I hope it stays put.

 

 

Rick

 

Rick. Remove the thing from your pond as it will if given the opportunity eat almost everything else that's in their. Just stand on it or as already mentioned eat it. Put it in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes until it turns red like a lobster or crab,then it's ready to eat. 

Steve

View along Tees old Railway Walk near Romaldkirk in Teesdale 21.6.16

Here is what I came to see along the old Tees Railway Walk. Great year for the Northern Marsh Orchids there are about 130 plants there far more than 2015 

Phew, it's a tough life here in Molyvos, but someone's got to live it...

4 hours ago, Russell Gilbert said:

Phew, it's a tough life here in Molyvos, but someone's got to live it...

We stayed in molyvos 28 years ago, completely untouched by tourism back then and what a fantastic island Lesbos was. It was one of the hotest Julys on record topping out at something like 47 degrees, never felt humidity like it.

 

Bravo Steve, your pictures made me hungry !

I assume the last one is a chocolate dessert ?

4 hours ago, Steve Lane said:

We stayed in molyvos 28 years ago, completely untouched by tourism back then and what a fantastic island Lesbos was. It was one of the hotest Julys on record topping out at something like 47 degrees, never felt humidity like it.

 

Still largely unspoilt, Steve. And it's exactly the "old world charm" that's brought us back to the island for what I think is now the 7th time. Sadly, as a result if the refugee crisis, tourism is very badly hit this year - just at the time when the wonderful local people need every penny they can get.

1 hour ago, Philippe said:

Bravo Steve, your pictures made me hungry !

I assume the last one is a chocolate dessert ?

Chocolate ice cream crepe...

22 hours ago, Peter99 said:

They're great Andy.

Cheers mate. 

9 hours ago, Russell Gilbert said:

Phew, it's a tough life here in Molyvos, but someone's got to live it...

Love the Greek islands 

17 minutes ago, soulandy said:

Love the Greek islands 

So do  Andy but I couldn't eat a full one

Steve

Didn't take many Badger pictures this time round. Was trying to find the two sets on the farm to stake them out but I managed to roughly  locate only one of them, in deep undergrowth on a steep embankment . Next Time

Steve

The grisly remains of a male Pheasant after been killed by a Buzzard. I thought it was a bit unusual for a Buzzard to take such large prey but the guy that told me where the carcass was actually witnessed the kill

Steve 

Something a little bit different for me. Don't know what sort of Bee it is unfortunately. It was just about to land when I managed this picture.  Must get myself a decent insect recognition book

Steve

Edited June 23, 20168 yr by Winsford Soul

Just love this shot of the Puffin down its burrow

Edited June 24, 20168 yr by Winsford Soul

These two pictures where taken with a 400ml lens from about 200 yards away on a small boat  just after we had left Skomer island. It shows a Greater black backed gull eating a puffin. Not very clear for which I apologise, I blame the skipper of the boat for not been able to keep the boat still in the swell

Steve

Here's another first for me. A skomer vole. Unfortunately for me it was dead and in the talons of this short eared owl.

The vole is a sub species of the bank vole found in the UK but it has been separated from its mainland cousins for that long that its evolving in its own way as a species

Steve

54 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Here's another first for me. A skomer vole. Unfortunately for me it was dead and in the talons of this short eared owl.

The vole is a sub species of the bank vole found in the UK but it has been separated from its mainland cousins for that long that its evolving in its own way as a species

Steve

You've done well with your holiday photographs again Steve. A pleasure to look through them.

What does Lou do whilst your waiting for your next big picture?!

21 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

You've done well with your holiday photographs again Steve. A pleasure to look through them.

What does Lou do whilst your waiting for your next big picture?!

 Good evening and thank you my friend for once again the lovely comments. On the Skomer island visits she joins me. She absolutely loves the puffins and you can get literally two feet away from some of them. Plus it's normally a nice twenty minute boat journey and its a very healthy , brisk walk. The Badger pictures are taken normally when I'm mooching about n Lou is in the cottage. 

What I've not mentioned is when we got to Newquay. We parked up and walked down to the harbour where two bottle nosed dolphins where happily feeding away inside the harbour walls no further away than 50 metres, couldn't believe it. Where was the camera. ? Still in the car. Walked/ run back to the car but on my return the dolphins had followed the fish and retreating tide out into the bay. We saw in total about 12 different dolphins. It was a very special sight. Lou was jumping up and down with excitement screaming and shouting like a little girl. She had never seen them before. Will check to see if I managed any pictures. 

Steve

3 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

 Good evening and thank you my friend for once again the lovely comments. On the Skomer island visits she joins me. She absolutely loves the puffins and you can get literally two feet away from some of them. Plus it's normally a nice twenty minute boat journey and its a very healthy , brisk walk. The Badger pictures are taken normally when I'm mooching about n Lou is in the cottage. 

What I've not mentioned is when we got to Newquay. We parked up and walked down to the harbour where two bottle nosed dolphins where happily feeding away inside the harbour walls no further away than 50 metres, couldn't believe it. Where was the camera. ? Still in the car. Walked/ run back to the car but on my return the dolphins had followed the fish and retreating tide out into the bay. We saw in total about 12 different dolphins. It was a very special sight. Lou was jumping up and down with excitement screaming and shouting like a little girl. She had never seen them before. Will check to see if I managed any pictures. 

Steve

Ah. That's lovely Steve.

Just fed the hedgehogs. 

Bless you both.

Peter

Wonderful lazy swim this evening in the cool water of Molyvos bay with the backdrop of a splendid sunset as a bonus...

Had a brief storm yesterday evening - great to see and even better, it brought some cool air with it. Been a bit hot out here that even the locals have been wilting!

15 minutes ago, Russell Gilbert said:

Had a brief storm yesterday evening - great to see and even better, it brought some cool air with it. Been a bit hot out here that even the locals have been wilting!

Lovely Russell

Making me yearn for the Greek Islands - I haven;t been for years, Crete was the last one.

Might have to come out of my reclusive lifestyle and take a trip.

Peter

8 hours ago, Peter99 said:

Lovely Russell

Making me yearn for the Greek Islands - I haven;t been for years, Crete was the last one.

Might have to come out of my reclusive lifestyle and take a trip.

Peter

Having a great time out here, Peter, as we always do.

Just wanted to say that some fantastic pics have been posted here by people of recent. Please do excuse me for not doing much in the way of "liking" but am only online for a very short period of time each day - such is the nature of holidays - but do know that I've seen and very much admired them!

Heres something completly new from me . My new camera has video so this is my first ever attempt. Taken during my recent stay at the Swallows rest cottage. This is the view and sound from the front door

Steve

VID-20160621-WA0001.mp4

Hopefully the video clip opens. Feedback please.  The sound quality hasn't transferred over properly. Sorry about that. 

Steve

Edited June 27, 20168 yr by Winsford Soul

2 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Hopefully the video clip opens. Feedback please.  The sound quality hasn't transferred over properly. Sorry about that. 

Steve

Short but sweet Steve!

Just now, Peter99 said:

Short but sweet Steve!

Thanks Peter. New fangled technology. Apparently I can extract still photographs from videos if something looks good or something special happens whilst I'm recording. Got so much more to get to grips with on this camera. Massive step up from previous model. 

Are you any closer to buying one yet mate ? 

Steve