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!

 

On 12 July 2017 at 19:06, Winsford Soul said:

Thanks Harry. Just got lucky today. Actually perched  in front of me when I got to Pennington Flash. Your so right about the Peeep and blue flash and then normally gone 

Steve

Once had one land on my rod when out salmon fishing.

Dx

22 minutes ago, DaveNPete said:

Once had one land on my rod when out salmon fishing.

Dx

Dave, Pete.

Never been Salmon fishing but I have had one perch on my fishing rod many years ago

Steve

Kingfisher with Caddis fly grub

Steve

Fantastic pictures Steve !!!

1 hour ago, Philippe said:

Fantastic pictures Steve !!!

Thank you my friend.  Your word's  are very much appreciated 

Steve 

 PS. I've taken your advice and entered three of my photographs into a competition.  Will keep you posted as and when or if  I hear anything 

 

Edited July 20, 20177 yr by Winsford Soul

Fourplay - Union Chapel 

Bob James - 77

Nathan East - 61

Harvey Mason - 70

and Kirk Whalum - 59 , standing in for the unwell Chuck Loeb . 

 

Differnt sound with the guitar of either Chuck or Larry Carlton , but replacing it with a bit of Sax , wow ... hats off ... a great performance 

This chap had just landed halfway up the cliff face in Dover Kent to enjoy the lunch that he had just caught. Not as sharp as I'd like but I was shooting hand held 70 - 200mm (fortunately f4 not the twice as heavy f2.8) looking upwards & being blown around by very strong winds !

I know nothing about birds so can anyone tell me what this is ?

Thanks

Dave

 

 

50 minutes ago, SHSDave said:

This chap had just landed halfway up the cliff face in Dover Kent to enjoy the lunch that he had just caught. Not as sharp as I'd like but I was shooting hand held 70 - 200mm (fortunately f4 not the twice as heavy f2.8) looking upwards & being blown around by very strong winds !

I know nothing about birds so can anyone tell me what this is ?

Thanks

Dave

 

 

It's a male kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).

33 minutes ago, Russell Gilbert said:

It's a male kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).

Thanks Russell 

1 hour ago, SHSDave said:

This chap had just landed halfway up the cliff face in Dover Kent to enjoy the lunch that he had just caught. Not as sharp as I'd like but I was shooting hand held 70 - 200mm (fortunately f4 not the twice as heavy f2.8) looking upwards & being blown around by very strong winds !

I know nothing about birds so can anyone tell me what this is ?

Thanks

Dave

 

 

Dave. Russell. Beat me to. its  a Kestrel. Nice picture by the way

Definitely need to go on the weights. I own 70 -200 f2.8L is usm mk 2. Hand held.  Don't even know that I'm using it.

I normally lug round a 500mm f4 L is usm mk2. Even that's ok for a few hours

Steve 

Edited July 21, 20177 yr by Winsford Soul

Thanks Steve  hope you're well.

haha you're probably right mate but doubt I'd be able to pick up the bar let alone the weights 

I do use it hand held though prefer to stick it on a tripod when able to, think it was the wind blowing as much as anything & being on uneven footing at the base of the cliffs ................ that's my excuse anyway. 

 

 

8 minutes ago, SHSDave said:

Thanks Steve  hope you're well.

haha you're probably right mate but doubt I'd be able to pick up the bar let alone the weights 

I do use it hand held though prefer to stick it on a tripod when able to, think it was the wind blowing as much as anything & being on uneven footing at the base of the cliffs ................ that's my excuse anyway. 

 

 

I'm good thanks mate. 

Hopefully your keeping well.  I would be more worried about the cliff falling on me in the strong winds.  or damaging my camera and lenses 

Steve 

9 minutes ago, milliontearsoul said:

Your garden pond  ? 

Steve 

Three sunsets taken on three different days from the balcony of our apartment when we were on holiday in Molyvos on the Greek island of Lesvos...

 

 

 

Dark Red Helleborines at Bishop Middleham Quarry nature reserve 17.7.17

 ss

Don't really know how I managed this lol , not a great photo I know but can anybody tell me what they are ? Mum gave me a cutting of one of hers and the bloody things grow like triffids , lovely colours though

Swifty

 

4 minutes ago, SWIFTY said:

 ss

Don't really know how I managed this lol , not a great photo I know but can anybody tell me what they are ? Mum gave me a cutting of one of hers and the bloody things grow like triffids , lovely colours though

Swifty

 

It's the biggest aspidistra in the world.

12 minutes ago, Steve S 60 said:

It's the biggest aspidistra in the world.

Daft Bugga ! 

11 hours ago, SWIFTY said:

 ss

Don't really know how I managed this lol , not a great photo I know but can anybody tell me what they are ? Mum gave me a cutting of one of hers and the bloody things grow like triffids , lovely colours though

Swifty

 

Looks like a Canna Lily.

11 hours ago, SWIFTY said:

 ss

Don't really know how I managed this lol , not a great photo I know but can anybody tell me what they are ? Mum gave me a cutting of one of hers and the bloody things grow like triffids , lovely colours though

Swifty

 

It's a Canna, Wyoming is the variety.

Edited July 22, 20177 yr by TattooDave
because I could

12 hours ago, SWIFTY said:

 ss

Don't really know how I managed this lol , not a great photo I know but can anybody tell me what they are ? Mum gave me a cutting of one of hers and the bloody things grow like triffids , lovely colours though

Swifty

 

Swifty. I can see that they've gone to pot mate  well I thought it was funny.

Steve

15 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Swifty. I can see that they've gone to pot mate  well I thought it was funny.

Steve

Stick to taking great photos Steve ! 

20 minutes ago, SWIFTY said:

Stick to taking great photos Steve ! 

Thanks mate 

Steve 

A few insect photos from Wham, Butterknowle where I live 23.7.17. Scorpionfly (these insects are really interesting they steal insects from spiders webs and they scavenge, they mate at night and tis dangerous for the male as the females will kill them so to placate her he gives her a present of a ball of saliva or a dead insect, the Scorpionfly equivalent of a box of chocolates or bunch of flowers 😀, Drone Hoverfly on Buddleia, Hoverfly on Buttercup, Small Skipper butterfly

Edited July 24, 20177 yr by suzannek

Here's a couple of pictures of  the cross channel ferry Barfleur heading out of Poole Harbour on her way to Cherbourg.

She's been working out of Poole now for many years.    

A short video I've just put together from clips taken while out snorkelling on hols in the beautifully clear waters of Molyvos a couple of weeks ago...

 

Fantastic Russell.  Weather looked amazing.  

Steve 

29 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Fantastic Russell.  Weather looked amazing.  

Steve 

Cheers, Steve. Fantastic weather, fantastic place, and well worth a visit! 

It has been a while since I got out with the camera, due to spending the last 6 weeks looking after my lovely wife who had broken her arm.

She is out of plaster now, and in a few weeks should be back to 100%.

Anyway a couple of Tree Sparrows (bearing gifts) to get back into things

 

Great pictures as always Martyn. Not that I expect anything less from you. Hope the one arm bandit is recovering well mate. 

Steve

Got lucky today . Managed to see a Fox at Pennington Flash. 

Steve

Out of the rain and gloom. A flash or two of colour. Not the clearest photograph that I've ever taken but a murky one is better than none

Steve

Grey Squirrel

Steve

A juvenile Blackcap, amongst the many species of birds that had a really good breeding season at Belvide this year

Common Tern ( juvenile ) Skimming the waves.

Steve

A few from Ludlow.

View from the battlements of Ludlow Castle with the South Shropshire hills in the background

Knight in St Laurence church. Ludlow

Steve

We went there on my birthday Steve, nice place Ludlow ... looks like you were there for the knight, we only went for the day   

The Queen's turntable from the Royal Yacht Britannia. There was a big crate of 45's too - honest.

 

Just watering my tomatoes when this little beauty came along for a drink!

x

On 29/07/2017 at 08:47, martyn pitt said:

We went there on my birthday Steve, nice place Ludlow ... looks like you were there for the knight, we only went for the day   

Did you manage to get Carol to spoil you mate ? I wanted to be there over knight but apparently that's still illegal in Ludlow. You started it 

Steve

Buddleia Butterflies at Wham today three Small Tortoiseshells and two Red Admirals (excuse the photo quality of a couple of these but it was blowing a gale so hard to photograph) 30.7.17 

A Little Egret ... would have been a scarce visitor not too many years ago, they have become a more common sight recently

Kingfisher with dinner

Steve

Little Egret. With Common Carp for lunch.

As Martyn has mentioned. Just a few years ago people would travel miles to see one of these 

Steve

Double post 

Edited August 2, 20177 yr by Winsford Soul

Little Egret

Skill or luck

Steve

16 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Little Egret

Skill or luck

Steve

I see them flying in formation here in the winter, pretty spectacular it is too, don't have geese here but these look just as good.

Swifts are on the move. Large numbers heading south over Norfolk.