A new year and a new photo thread to keep us entertained through the months ahead.

My first addition is something suitably seasonal - a wintery scene taken in the Amsterdam woods.

All contributions very much welcomed, and if the photos we've seen in previous years is anything to go by, we've a lot to look forward to.

Enjoy!

16 minutes ago, Rick Cooper said:

In our back garden we have a few shrubs and small trees. One of these has had masses of flowers this year and for the last week has been invaded by loads of bees and wasps. Anyone identify the plant.

 

This year all the flowering trees round here seem to have had a very good year and insects look to be a lot more numerous. Is it the same everywhere?

Rick. Same here in Manchester.  It's been a great year up to now.

Proper winter and spring with plenty of snow and ice normally resets nature's calendar properly and we're now bearing the fruits so to speak.  As you say loads of pollen for the insects. 

Steve 

Not the best quality, taken on my phone through the windscreen of our wagon at a building site in Holmes Chapel,

House Martins getting mud for their nests.

Home for the next two weeks.  And the view from the front of the cottage 

Steve 

Edited June 2, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

Very nice Ste, where is it ?

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Wow! Looks great Steve. Happy hunting - with the camera ibviousky. I hope you and Lou have a fantastic time and that the weather holds up for you. 

Pete. 

55 minutes ago, Peter99 said:

Wow! Looks great Steve. Happy hunting - with the camera ibviousky. I hope you and Lou have a fantastic time and that the weather holds up for you. 

Pete. 

Thank you my friend  . It's a gorgeous place. No traffic , No noise apart from bird song. After the noise of Manchester it's awesome.  

Trust your well sir 

Steve 

1 hour ago, Widnes63 said:

Very nice Ste, where is it ?

We're about a mile from a little hamlet called Thomas Chapel mate which is a couple of mile from a place called kilgetty not far from Tenby. 

Ste

Congratulations to @soulandy for his fine selection of pics from the isle of Mull, which were the most-liked photos for the month of May.

Well done! 

On 17/05/2018 at 21:14, soulandy said:

Another couple from Mull. The first is my fav photo of the week, old fishing boats of Salen, the second is the view of Loch a'Chumhainn on the way back from a walk looking towards Dervaig where we stayed.

 

23 hours ago, Russell Gilbert said:

Congratulations to @soulandy for his fine selection of pics from the isle of Mull, which were the most-liked photos for the month of May.

Well done! 

 

Wow, again. Many thanks.That's the second thing I've won this year, the first being another most liked photo on here 😳

Some great photo's of everything, posted on this thread so I'm humbled.

Cheers 👍

On ‎01‎/‎06‎/‎2018 at 20:11, Rick Cooper said:

In our back garden we have a few shrubs and small trees. One of these has had masses of flowers this year and for the last week has been invaded by loads of bees and wasps. Anyone identify the plant.

 

This year all the flowering trees round here seem to have had a very good year and insects look to be a lot more numerous. Is it the same everywhere?

Looks like Cherry plum to me, Prunus cerasifera.  Makes a good hedge.

6 hours ago, soulandy said:

Wow, again. Many thanks.That's the second thing I've won this year, the first being another most liked photo on here 😳

Some great photo's of everything, posted on this thread so I'm humbled.

Cheers 👍

You're clearly taking photos that people really appreciate, so keep on keeping on. More of the same, please! 📸

Every picture posted is good therapy.

pete 

Moody Epsom Downs day after Derby

Yesterday at the Devils Arse .

Peak Cavern Castleton

Badger appearing from the undergrowth

Steve

 

Tenby Harbour and Tenby from a boat yesterday on our way over to Caldy Island.

 

Me swimming in the Irish Sea , Caldy Island

Steve

 

Caldy Abbey, founded by Cistercian Monks. The Island itself can trace its recorded history back 1500 years 

Steve

19 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Me swimming in the Irish Sea , Caldy Island

Steve

 

Nice one Steve. Was it cold?

I've recently started to go for a swim every Sunday lunch time at a leisure centre nearby. I love the water but hadn't been for over ten years due to my being a porker and depression. I'm enjoying it and getting a bit fitter. 

Pete

2 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Caldy Abbey, founded by Cistercian Monks. The Island itself can trace its recorded history back 1500 years 

Steve

Wow!

1 minute ago, Peter99 said:

Nice one Steve. Was it cold?

I've recently started to go for a swim every Sunday lunch time at a leisure centre nearby. I love the water but hadn't been for over ten years due to my being a porker and depression. I'm enjoying it and getting a bit fitter. 

Pete

Wow!

Thanks mate. It was a bit chilly to start with but once I got in properly it was fine, love swimming .

Great to hear that you have started swimming again it really is good for you.

Caldy Island is a 20 minute ( £13.00 ) boat ride from Tenby and is owned by the monks, there's also a few families who live on the island ( I,m not jealous) .

 

Badger. You can see why they have a fearsome reputation looking at there claws

 

19 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Badger. You can see why they have a fearsome reputation looking at there claws

 

That's a pretty damn nice picture mate.

Pete

Jay

 

12 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Jay

 

Magazine quality mate - superb stuff.

 

P

1 hour ago, Peter99 said:

Magazine quality mate - superb stuff.

 

P

I second that 👍 fabulous steve. Baz

Wreck of the Helvetia.  Rhossilli beach 

Rhossilli beach 

A few pics from Derwent water in Keswick

Great sky at the back of my house tonight, the Windmills are around four miles away, pictures were taken about twenty mins apart

 

 

14 hours ago, Twoshoes said:

Great sky at the back of my house tonight, the Windmills are around four miles away, pictures were taken about twenty mins apart

Just realised the top photo is very similar to one I posted some time ago when we had that period of fantastic skies night after night difference being this one was taken  towards the opposite end of the hill opposite my house, don't know how others feel about windmills but I have them on the hills at the front of my house and to the side at the back with the threat of more on the hill directly opposite most of which is owned by the National Trust so hopefully they won't be successful.

1 hour ago, Twoshoes said:

Just realised the top photo is very similar to one I posted some time ago when we had that period of fantastic skies night after night difference being this one was taken  towards the opposite end of the hill opposite my house, don't know how others feel about windmills but I have them on the hills at the front of my house and to the side at the back with the threat of more on the hill directly opposite most of which is owned by the National Trust so hopefully they won't be successful.

Blots on the land and sea scape.  They're the most unsightly things.  I would much rather have a  few nuclear power stations serving the whole of the UK. 

Steve 

2 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Blots on the land and sea scape.  They're the most unsightly things.  I would much rather have a  few nuclear power stations serving the whole of the UK. 

Steve 

I was with my brother a while back and we went past a wind turbine near where he lives. It was a really still day but the blade was turning. I remarked to him how incredibly efficient they must be but he said "Oh no they regularly turn on a motor to turn the blade to try and con the locals that it's generating electricity - whereas it's actually consuming electricity." I don't think he was deliberately winding me up. Is that possible??!! 😮

8 minutes ago, MBarrett said:

I don't think he was deliberately winding me up. Is that possible??!!

It would not surprise me, I'm led to believe they also turn them off when there's enough power going into the national grid, a mate of mine has an app on his phone that tells you at any given time how much power is going into the National grid and what percentage is from what source eg:wind turbines ,power stations etc. My beef with them is once erected you cannot escape them, you can see them for miles in what is fast becoming every direction plus their efficiency is still in doubt with a lot of people, anyway rant over back to the photographs. 

1 hour ago, MBarrett said:

I was with my brother a while back and we went past a wind turbine near where he lives. It was a really still day but the blade was turning. I remarked to him how incredibly efficient they must be but he said "Oh no they regularly turn on a motor to turn the blade to try and con the locals that it's generating electricity - whereas it's actually consuming electricity." I don't think he was deliberately winding me up. Is that possible??!! 😮

. I've heard that they're that inefficient the Germans are not building anymore and not replacing damaged one's.  Don't know how true.

Steve 

41 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

. I've heard that they're that inefficient the Germans are not building anymore and not replacing damaged one's.  Don't know how true.

Steve 

if true Steve that's great  for the ones near me, they came from Germany I think and are still serviced by the Germans, so much for the jobs they were going to create.  Someone post a photo quick before I hang myself from a blade with all this windmill chat ☹ 

Blue Tit chick hiding in the undergrowth having just left its nest, As you can see its not even got a tail yet 

Steve

Female Blackbird. Gathering nest building materials for possibly the third time this year

Steve

Ermine moth. ( I think ) 

Steve

 

Newquay ( Ceredigion  ) Harbour. 

I personally think this is a nicer place than its namesake in Cornwall

Steve

Amongst the breakers. I got a bit wet taking this picture but it was warm and sunny so it wasn't to bad

Steve

Hope this is ok to post. Lovely footage.

 

 

Edited June 12, 20186 yr by Peter99

Went to a place called Upton Castle near Pembroke Dock today and these life size driftwood sculptures where on show. The artist is a guy called James Doran Webb. 

Steve

Edited June 12, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

9 hours ago, Peter99 said:

Hope this is ok to post. Lovely footage.

 

 

Pete. Trust your well my friend . That's amazing thanks for sharing it

Steve

Great stuff pete👍 I've got birds coming within two feet of me at home about 8 o'clock at night but one false move and they're off 😂 might try the hand out with meal worms see if I can get the same results 😂 thanks for sharing m8.atb baz

18 hours ago, baz1 said:

Great stuff pete👍 I've got birds coming within two feet of me at home about 8 o'clock at night but one false move and they're off 😂 might try the hand out with meal worms see if I can get the same results 😂 thanks for sharing m8.atb baz

Who,s that Baz.  Shelly and her mate ? 😎

Steve 

4 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Who,s that Baz.  Shelly and her mate ? 😎

Steve 

Ye av got um eatin art mi hand steve😂 just one thing thi wont do though 😲😂😂😂 

Sycamore seed Sculpture. I love this 

Steve

Edited June 14, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

Well I finally got a fox cub picture. The countryside animal is so shy and wary that this picture has taken me nearly two weeks of patience and stealth. They're nothing like the urban fox that most people see in the Towns and Cities or on the television

Not the clearest photograph that I have ever taken but considering what I had to do to get it I'm really happy

Steve

Then to my complete and utter surprise I  managed this picture

Steve