A New Year means a new Soul Source photography thread! Starting in 2013, "Show us your great photos" has proved to be a long-lived favourite - all because of the continued contributions and involvement of its enthusiastic participants. Here's looking forward to yet another year of fab photos - and don't forget that you don't need to be a photographer to post up pics. Whether taken with top-of-the-line gear or the camera on your smart phone, if you've got interesting pics, please feel free to share.

To kick off, here's a batch of pics I took today while out on a cold and misty walk in a place called the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen. I'd not heard of it until just very recently. Apparently it's a natural water table from which Amsterdam gets most of its fresh water. At the same time, it's a nature reserve, so now that I know of its existence, I'll have to make a point of visiting regularly.

It wasn't a good day to be out with a camera, especially with a zoom lens. The light was poor, it was misty (heavy fog overhead - we could hear geese flying over but could barely see them, even though they were quite low), and it was cold. Hopefully conditions will be better on my next visit.

Here's wishing you all a happy New Year and lots of happy shooting across the next 12 months.

1 minute ago, Veedub said:

I'm lucky enough to live right next to a quiet country lane that leads into a track. Most mornings, we go for a 45 minute walk as our excercise and I snap what i see without hanging around as that doesn't seem right given the current situation . 

 Yesterday there was a Dunnock and a Chiffchaff  and skylarks singing ,and theres some lovely old trees at the end of the lane too. 

Locally, today in Staffordshire.people are reporting sightings of Swallows, Housemartins, and Willow Warblers ! 

 

Great pictures mate. There was a Swallow reported a few miles away from me yesterday on the Manchester birding forum, but ive not seen any yet. Great to hear that Willow Warblers are not just in my garden 😂. I would be down that lane   late evening  / early morning to see what is out and about 

Thats great Ste 😀. Amazing whats about when we get time to watch hey ?  The hedgehog keeps coming back every night here to feed, fills his boots then trundles off 😀

4 minutes ago, Veedub said:

Thats great Ste 😀. Amazing whats about when we get time to watch hey ?  The hedgehog keeps coming back every night here to feed, fills his boots then trundles off 😀

Would love to see a hedgehog mate especially in the garden. 

Heres our spikey friend Ste  . Comes every night now for food and water . 😀  I love the hedgehog , feel priviledged to see one  I stop up late to see him for a few seconds but dont disturb him .

 heres 2 ten second videos..

 

Brilliant Mike. Thanks for sharing

Edited April 6, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

Male Blackbird portrait.

Is there anything that says springtime in the UK more than the sound of a Blackbird, wish i could add the song

 

Edited April 6, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

9 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

How do women manage to get anywhere ? 😎. M6. M25 bit of a difference 🤔100 miles ish 😋 . X

There isn't a difference actually Mister Winsford. They're both roads with white lines and cars on them and you can drive at 70mph.  Nerrrr 😉. 

differance

5 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

There isn't a difference actually Mister Winsford. They're both roads with white lines and cars on them and you can drive at 70mph.  Nerrrr 😉. 

There,s a difference of 19 if my maths are correct Mrs 😋 I hope you didn't drive at 70mph where they,re turning them into smart motorways it,s a 50mph limit. Will you be needing a chauffeur any time soon 

8 minutes ago, Paddy Ferry said:

Fantastic pictures. Thanks for sharing them. More please 

Grandson Thomas .  Taking after me. Pickering Pasture,  Halebank.  Widnes 

 

Edited April 7, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

Well the clouds have finally cleared so I have got a few pictures of tonight's full moon. Will be up at daft o clock for the moon setting over the tree's behind the house,  then I will see what pictures I have managed.  Before posting on here. 

Found a complete, unhatched, intact blackbird egg on the lawn.  I think it's a Blackbird egg? How did it get there I wonder?  I don't suppose the chick will be viable now...😔😭  

Edited April 8, 20205 yr by Guest
Terrible grammar!

1 hour ago, Flamingemeralds said:

No pictures but bird related! Found a complete unhatched intact blackbird egg on the lawn.  How did it get there? And, I don't suppose the chick will be viable now...😔😭  It is a blackbird egg is it? 

Yes Louise. It is a Blackbird egg . They sometimes abort a egg if they,re stressed or disturbed on the nest as they,re about to lay.

PS. Your lawn doesn't look very healthy.

Edited April 8, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

A few from last nights full moon. First one was as the moon was rising behind the tree,s and it was still cloudy second one was about 11.30pm once the clouds had dispersed

 

Collared dove. I was lay down for this photograph so as to be on eye level with this beautiful delicate bird

 

2 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Collared dove. I was lay down for this photograph so as to be on eye level with this beautiful delicate bird

I could have taken that stood up 😁

2 minutes ago, Martyn Pitt said:

I could have taken that stood up 😁

😂😂😂

17 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Collared dove. I was lay down for this photograph so as to be on eye level with this beautiful delicate bird

 

Exquisite (I love that word). 👍🏼

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Yes Louise. It is a Blackbird egg . They sometimes abort a egg if they,re stressed or disturbed on the nest as they,re about to lay.

PS. Your lawn doesn't look very healthy.

I moved it from the lawn.  I brought it inside and put it on my Aldi carpet.  😉.  It's compost! 😂

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Yes Louise. It is a Blackbird egg . They sometimes abort a egg if they,re stressed or disturbed on the nest as they,re about to lay.

PS. Your lawn doesn't look very healthy.

What should I do with it? I can't sit on it. It must have come out of the conifers. There's a fence along the back and the neighborhood cats skulk along it. I bet it's put the jeepers up Brian and Brenda Blackbird so....  Ive looked for a nest but I can't see one.  I'll have to "go in" tonight, dressed appropriately for fighting with a hedge to see if I can see one. 🤪

29 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

What should I do with it? I can't sit on it. It must have come out of the conifers. There's a fence along the back and the neighborhood cats skulk along it. I bet it's put the jeepers up Brian and Brenda Blackbird so....  Ive looked for a nest but I can't see one.  I'll have to "go in" tonight, dressed appropriately for fighting with a hedge to see if I can see one. 🤪

I can't wait to see what you class as appropriate clothing for your nocturnal covert operation. 🤔😁

I don't think it would survive you sitting on it. Your a big bird compared to Mrs blackbird. Your 5 ' 7 1/2" You could always donate it, to whom I've no idea. . . X

45 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

I moved it from the lawn.  I brought it inside and put it on my Aldi carpet.  😉.  It's compost! 😂

Only you. 😂

50 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

I can't wait to see what you class as appropriate clothing for your nocturnal covert operation. 🤔😁

I don't think it would survive you sitting on it. Your a big bird compared to Mrs blackbird. Your 5 ' 7 1/2" You could always donate it, to whom I've no idea. . . X

Only you. 😂

I was thinking about planting it in the hope of growing a tree with four and twenty blackbirds on it so I could make a pie. 🤔

10 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

I was thinking about planting it in the hope of growing a tree with four and twenty blackbirds on it so I could make a pie. 🤔

🤣🤣🤣. Too funny for your own good Mrs

It would have to be a eggstra special tree. 

Taken with my iPad from our balcony just a couple of minutes ago - the sun balancing on top of a chimney stack.

1 minute ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Taken with my iPad from our balcony just a couple of minutes ago - the sun balancing on top of a chimney stack.

 

That looks brilliant Russell

RAF  C-17 Globemaster . 51 .7 4m wingspan payload. 45,360KG with a range of 8334 km at 35,000ft

Decided to fly over the house today

30 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

That looks brilliant Russell

Thanks. Saw it coming a couple of evenings ago, but missed the opportunity to get a pic then. Should have got my zoom lens out so I could get closer to the stack. Maybe tomorrow!

40 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

That looks brilliant Russell

It's gorgeous isn't it.  I wish we could have an exhibition of all these amazing photos.  🤗

38 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

RAF  C-17 Globemaster . 51 .7 4m wingspan payload. 45,360KG with a range of 8334 km at 35,000ft

Decided to fly over the house today

Id love one. Is it petrol or diesel? 🤔

6 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Id love one. Is it petrol or diesel? 🤔

Aviation fuel,  Electric hybrid. 

Where would you park it ? 

12 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

It's gorgeous isn't it.  I wish we could have an exhibition of all these amazing photos.  🤗

That's such a good idea  Mrs. 

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

RAF  C-17 Globemaster . 51 .7 4m wingspan payload. 45,360KG with a range of 8334 km at 35,000ft

Decided to fly over the house today

Flew over our house 3 times today and didn't manage a photo. Apparently it was practising landing and take off as it's very quiet at the moment at the airport. It's also been on training exercise at Southend and Luton these past few days according to Google 👍

11 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

Flew over our house 3 times today and didn't manage a photo. Apparently it was practising landing and take off as it's very quiet at the moment at the airport. It's also been on training exercise at Southend and Luton these past few days according to Google 👍

When I first saw the plane it was banking to the right and you could see both wings properly,  by the time I had gotten the camera it was almost past me. So this is all I managed.  Big plane , built to carry Chinnock helicopters amongst other things.  

11 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Aviation fuel,  Electric hybrid. 

Where would you park it ? 

On the drive probably.  It wouldn't fit in the garage unless I take the Christmas decorations out. And I don't want to do that because the attic is a dangerous place to access on wobbly ladders without a helmet and ropes. Can you park planes on slopes though! Is there a handbrake? 

2 hours ago, Flamingemeralds said:

On the drive probably.  It wouldn't fit in the garage unless I take the Christmas decorations out. And I don't want to do that because the attic is a dangerous place to access on wobbly ladders without a helmet and ropes. Can you park planes on slopes though! Is there a handbrake? 

Have you still not fixed  the wobbly ladder yet or are the British mountaineering council still using it for crevice  training. Unfortunately it doesn't come with a handbrake, not much use in the sky. They do have h,air brakes though but that counts me out because as you know I don't have h,air to make any brakes , my drive is flat though.  

Some from today not really clear but had to be quick.

From the Garden for a change

Goldfinch in the blossom. Female Greenfinch. Long Tailed Tit. 

 

Edited April 11, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

Beautiful pics Ste ! . Im amazed you get pics of a Long Tailed Tit as they dont tend to stop still for more than 2 seconds !😀

On 11/04/2020 at 14:45, Veedub said:

Beautiful pics Ste ! . Im amazed you get pics of a Long Tailed Tit as they dont tend to stop still for more than 2 seconds !😀

Thanks Mike as ever. Fast shutter speeds generally . This particular one was set at 1/1600 of a second, which is probably my go to setting at f4 . ISO 500

Was most happy with the Greenfinch picture , there where  four this morning but very flighty and wouldn't settle , scarce birds around here

Edited April 14, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

Blimey !! Sat night , Bury allniter , and 2 hedgehogs now !!! 😁

 

42 minutes ago, Veedub said:

Blimey !! Sat night , Bury allniter , and 2 hedgehogs now !!! 😁

 

Brilliant picture.  Two that's just greedy mate. 😁

Happy Easter .  Bunny picture taken on one of my trips to Pembrokeshire 

 

Edited April 12, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

Back garden birds, taken this morning chillin after Bury virtual nighter

Blue Tit in the Blossom.  Green finch in the Berberis .

These Green Finch are now daily visitors to the garden ( up to four of them )after them been such rare birds around here ,they must have had a successful breeding season last year and they have been helped with the very mild winter we have just experienced 

Edited April 12, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

Must admit those pictures of wildlife - animals and birds - posted up previously are absolutely stunning. Well done those people and please keep doing what you're doing so well.

Following on from my local railway history post dated 23 March.

A quick recap -  a few miles away from me are 2 large reservoirs which link into each other. Doe Park Reservoir (nearest to Denholme village) feeds into Hewenden Reservoir lower down the valley via Denholme Beck. Both reservoirs were built in the period 1840 – 1860. When the Great Northern Railway built the railway line linking up the industrial towns of Bradford and Halifax to Keighley it crossed over the Denholme Beck (just north of Hewenden Reservoir) which they enclosed in an underground culvert.

These photographs are of the Doe Park beginning of the culvert before it runs under the railway line.

On 11/04/2020 at 22:41, Veedub said:

Blimey !! Sat night , Bury allniter , and 2 hedgehogs now !!! 😁

 

Great to see Hedgehogs , seem the only ones I see are dead on the roads .

Also a victim of people including myself putting up fences and ripping out the hedges deny them a free run through gardens .

I have been in Wilko today and saw for the first time Hedgehog food amongst the wild bird food , what next frog feed !

 

 

 

 

The Great Northern Railway completed the last hurdle to link up the industrial towns of Bradford and Halifax to Keighley by building the Hewenden Viaduct sometime between 1881 and 1884 which skirted around Hewenden Reservoir.

The Viaduct is a magnificent grade II listed structure and remains one of the highest viaducts in Britain standing at 124 feet from floor to parapet wall. It is 376 yards long and consists of 17 arches, each of which has a span of 50 feet.

One day whilst walking the dog around Hewenden Reservoir I sat down to eat my sandwich and could hear shouting in the distance  but I couldn't see anybody. Eventually I realised it was coming from the viaduct.

There was one lad happily practising his abseiling skills whilst shouting up to his mate on the viaduct. You can just about pick him out roughly in the middle of the viaduct. You'll be glad to know all ended well and they went off trundling on their way.

 

Edited April 14, 20205 yr by Derek Pearson

Blimey that dog o' mine dunt half get around....Dx

At the Kate Bush Stone Carvings on Ogden Moor September 2018

On the moors above Steeton looking towards Skipton October 2018

On the South Beach at Blackpool June 2019

 

I detest fly tipping and litter in general and whilst out dog walking in and around where I live I've noticed more and more of these silver canisters littering the streets. Apparently the motorised road sweepers have difficulty sweeping them up (because of their shape and smooth surface) and they just get scattered across the roads. Because of the lock down we're in there's far less people moving about which in turn means there's much less litter blowing about which unfortunately tends to highlight the presence of these canisters even more. Being slightly obsessive I can't ignore the fact that I've just seen them.

In the last month or so I've now picked up nearly a hundred of the little blighters without even going out of my way and looking for them. Fortunately they can be recycled very easily.

Derek - photograph taken 05.04.20

Edited April 13, 20205 yr by Derek Pearson

A few from yesterdays walk up the lane and back.  Lots of Chiffchaffs about .. A Chiffchaff calls  " chiff chaff, chiff chaff , chiff chaff.   What other birds are named after their call ?   .🙂.

 In order.  Dunnock , they have a lovely song, then my first spot of a Willow Warbler this year  from a distance. although Steve (Winsford Soul) had one in his garden 2 weeks ago !! They have a lovely gentle wistful descending call. one of the many sounds of summer , lastly a Chiffchaff .

Edited April 13, 20205 yr by Veedub