Happy New Year everyone. I hope your Yuletide and New Year celebrations have been plentiful and that the year ahead offers you good health, prosperity, happiness and endless photo opportunities.

To kickstart the new edition of the fabulous "Show us your great photos" thread, I offer not a pic but a video. We took this last night and it shows, in all its glory, the incredible firework display we offered our neighbours from the comfort of our balcony. If you watch the video you'll see our neighbours' fantastic fireworks going off in the background - and then there's ours. 

This is what you get when you buy a box of mini fireworks from your local cheapskate supermarket (Albert Heijn) for the princely sum of 10 euros!  Still, it was so crap it was a laugh, which means it actually offered great value for money. I hope the vid of our box of damp balcony squibs also raises a smile with you.

Happy New Year!

 

moon over the fens

on my way home from work, the flat lincolnshire fens....

had a mooch around the Carneddau area of Snowdonia on Monday and came across my first swallow of the year as well as a Stonechat and what I think is a Whinchat, another first

 

12 hours ago, coops said:

on my way home from work, the flat lincolnshire fens....

Is that the remnants of a hail storm Mick as I'm a little baffled?

14 hours ago, Steve Lane said:

No doubt Steve was referring to yourself 

Steve 

4 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Steve 

Good lord!!!

Here's another photo. This is a rare photograph of a lesser spotted Blackpool Tower, in its natural habitat. Here we can see it showing off it's brightly coloured plumage in an attempt to find a mate, although some observers say it's a reaction to music of the soul genre being played beneath its nest.

And here we have the more commonly seen Pintofbeer, warming itself in the spring sunshine at the foot of Scafell pike. Tame in nature, this species is often seen quietly resting on tables. With its rich brown plumage and white head, it is quite striking and elegant. A variation of this particular specimen is the dimpled chubby with handle pint, which is less often seen these days due to the over breeding of the tall slim pint. The Italian varieties are more fluted in shape and are becoming increasingly prevalent in the UK. The Pintofbeer particularly like peanuts and pork scratchings.

3 hours ago, flamingemeralds said:

Good lord!!!

 Can't believe that you believed Steve.  

Steve 

4 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

 Can't believe that you believed Steve.  

Steve 

Who?.....me?........or Steve? .......Where am I again?

 

In a padded cell would be my guess!

This is Slick, the praying mantis, on his way to an all nighter.

And this? Well this is Slick on his way home.

He said he's never going to one again.

2 hours ago, Steve Lane said:

Who?.....me?........or Steve? .......Where am I again?

 

Steve who ?

Steve

51 minutes ago, flamingemeralds said:

In a padded cell would be my guess!

And here's me thinking all cells where padded

Steve

49 minutes ago, flamingemeralds said:

And this? Well this is Slick on his way home.

Read more  

like me too

22 hours ago, soulandy said:

had a mooch around the Carneddau area of Snowdonia on Monday and came across my first swallow of the year as well as a Stonechat and what I think is a Whinchat, another first

 

Andy. Great pictures but your Whinchat looks more like a Rock or Tree Pipit to me.

Steve

Edited April 19, 20178 yr by Winsford Soul

13 hours ago, TattooDave said:

Is that the remnants of a hail storm Mick as I'm a little baffled?

It's a puddle where a bit of road once was, found it with me front wheel D'oh!

53 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Andy. Great pictures but your Whinchat looks more like a Rock or Tree Pipit to me.

Steve

Steve

Yes you're probably right. I was looking at the juvenile whinchat in my book. They all look the bloody same and in my defence I didn't have me specs on :-) Come to think about it, there was quite a few flitting about the area as well as a lot of sky larks. 

9 hours ago, soulandy said:

Steve

Yes you're probably right. I was looking at the juvenile whinchat in my book. They all look the bloody same and in my defence I didn't have me specs on :-) Come to think about it, there was quite a few flitting about the area as well as a lot of sky larks. 

Sky larks are a fantastic bird.Lots of people think they only sing during spring but they do it all year round.

9 hours ago, coops said:

It's a puddle where a bit of road once was, found it with me front wheel D'oh!

So concave as opposed to convex, I can see it now.  Still, you've not driven on a bad road until you've been to Alhaurin near me, you could lose a milk float in some of the pot holes there.

On ‎19‎/‎04‎/‎2017 at 16:05, flamingemeralds said:

And here we have the more commonly seen Pintofbeer, warming itself in the spring sunshine at the foot of Scafell pike. Tame in nature, this species is often seen quietly resting on tables. With its rich brown plumage and white head, it is quite striking and elegant. A variation of this particular specimen is the dimpled chubby with handle pint, which is less often seen these days due to the over breeding of the tall slim pint. The Italian varieties are more fluted in shape and are becoming increasingly prevalent in the UK. The Pintofbeer particularly like peanuts and pork scratchings.

Great picture, looks like a pint of Windermere Pale from Hawkshead Brewery, the best !!!

Had this little chap hanging round this morning. I think it's from a nest in next doors garden. I've seen them coming and going for quite a few weeks and the parent birds keep coming to my feeder for the fat balls. This young un sat and preened for about 15 minutes or so.

A young Blackbird

There lovely pictures Andy. He's a proper handsome fella.

Pete

Apologies everyone. I have misused the new quote function which has corrupted my last post. I'm sorry. I have reported myself to Mike so once he has a minute he will remove it I'm sure.

Peter

have fixed

Pete trying to suss out whats going wrong

did you edit it after posting at all?

or did it show messed up straight away?

 

 

10 minutes ago, mike said:

have fixed

Pete trying to suss out whats going wrong

did you edit it after posting at all?

or did it show messed up straight away?

 

 

It showed up straight away Mike - thus inhibiting my ability to edit it. I think it was my fault because I just quoted Andy's post which included the images - I think I should have just cut and pasted the type?

Pete

 

12 hours ago, TattooDave said:

So concave as opposed to convex, I can see it now.  Still, you've not driven on a bad road until you've been to Alhaurin near me, you could lose a milk float in some of the pot holes there.

yeah but i don't pay my taxes there......,. hope you're well my friend, long time no see.

 

11 hours ago, coops said:

yeah but i don't pay my taxes there......,. hope you're well my friend, long time no see.

 

I try not to pay my taxes here, cash business and all that.  Hope to catch up with you in September maybe, might pop over to Skeggy for a pint.

50 minutes ago, TattooDave said:

I try not to pay my taxes here, cash business and all that.  Hope to catch up with you in September maybe, might pop over to Skeggy for a pint.

Excellent

14 hours ago, kev cane said:

Great picture, looks like a pint of Windermere Pale from Hawkshead Brewery, the best !!!

How on earth can you tell, just by looking at it? They're all brown with white heads? I honestly don't know what it is, it came from behind the bar at the pub at the base of Scafell. It's not mine, I'm too posh to pint. I know "to pint" isn't a verb. "I'm off tut pub to do some pinting chuck". Sounds nicer than "Going to get pi55ed petal". Well, marginally......

Been out and about today for a change  Had a few firsts . Seen a Swift with a load of House martins, never seen one in April before, managed too see a Little gull another first but couldn't get my lens through the viewing hide to get a picture.  see attached photo for reason. And managed to see for the first time in Cheshire a Red Kite , it flew over the car when I was on the M56 near junc 12 for Runcorn . Well chuffed

Steve

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Been out and about today for a change  Had a few firsts . Seen a Swift with a load of House martins, never seen one in April before, managed too see a Little gull another first but couldn't get my lens through the viewing hide to get a picture.  see attached photo for reason. And managed to see for the first time in Cheshire a Red Kite , it flew over the car when I was on the M56 near junc 12 for Runcorn . Well chuffed

Steve

Oh, my goodness! Camocamerachameleon!

Managed to catch this chirping away, little too far away though.  Think it is a bullfinch?

1 hour ago, chalky said:

Managed to catch this chirping away, little too far away though.  Think it is a bullfinch?

 

I think that is a Chaffinch Chalky .

Male & female Bullfinch would have a black tail, and the eyes would be in it's black cap

On 21/04/2017 at 19:31, Winsford Soul said:

Been out and about today for a change  Had a few firsts . Seen a Swift with a load of House martins, never seen one in April before, managed too see a Little gull another first but couldn't get my lens through the viewing hide to get a picture.  see attached photo for reason. And managed to see for the first time in Cheshire a Red Kite , it flew over the car when I was on the M56 near junc 12 for Runcorn . Well chuffed

Steve

 

I might have to show you mine now Steve 

12 minutes ago, martyn pitt said:

I might have to show you mine now Steve 

Martyn.  I dare you. 

Steve 

14 minutes ago, martyn pitt said:

I think that is a Chaffinch Chalky .

Male & female Bullfinch would have a black tail, and the eyes would be in it's black cap

I did think that at first but thought it was s but round for Chaffinch. 

14 minutes ago, martyn pitt said:

I think that is a Chaffinch Chalky .

Male & female Bullfinch would have a black tail, and the eyes would be in it's black cap

I'm with you Martyn 

 Definitely a chaffinch 

Steve 

1 minute ago, chalky said:

I did think that at first but thought it was s but round for Chaffinch. 

Chalky. It's fluffed it's feathers up against the cold winds that's what's fooled you 

35 minutes ago, martyn pitt said:

I think that is a Chaffinch Chalky .

Male & female Bullfinch would have a black tail, and the eyes would be in it's black cap

Yep, definitely a Chaffinch. I get loads in my garden. Those, and Charles and Columbine the wood pigeons

7 minutes ago, flamingemeralds said:

Yep, definitely a Chaffinch. I get loads in my garden. Those, and Charles and Columbine the wood pigeons

Can I ask why Charles and Columbine ?

Steve

2 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Can I ask why Charles and Columbine ?

Steve

I have no idea, I'd need to ask their parents?

A couple of big birds from yesterday

10 minutes ago, martyn pitt said:

A couple of big birds from yesterday

Martyn.  Here's me thinking that any bird was big to you. 

Steve 

2 hours ago, martyn pitt said:

A couple of big birds from yesterday

Is the first bird a peregrine or a sparrowhawk? Or neither? I don't know how you manage to get such spectacular photographs.

41 minutes ago, flamingemeralds said:

Is the first bird a peregrine or a sparrowhawk? Or neither? I don't know how you manage to get such spectacular photographs.

Looks like a buzzard to me. 

19 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Looks like a buzzard to me. 

Well done Peter, it is indeed Buteo buteo.  Saw one last night being mobbed by a pair of kestrels, no camera with me of course.

Edited April 24, 20178 yr by TattooDave
I'm a dumbass

Hair do is lookin good