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 hour ago, Paddy Ferry said:

Brilliant pictures Paddy. Very spooky that you have posted these Kestrel pictures because I have lived in this house about 17 years maybe,  and I have seen Buzzards,  Sparrowhawk.  Peregrine and even a Red Kite never a Kestrel until today.  Will post the pictures later.  

Steve 

As promised the first ever Kestrel that i have ever seen near me, actually hovering about 250 metres away . Picture is cropped and not the clearest that i have ever taken Plus a  Goldfinch portrait

Steve

 

On 17/04/2020 at 10:59, Veedub said:

Heres some pics from several years back. Sarahs old VW was used in a few small scenes in the Northern Soul film and we did a drive by in one scene past the graffitti. The two days we were there for filming in Bury were a great experience . I went back round the streets the next day in the car to snap the graffitti as the work men were washing it off, Just managed to capture it all before it was gone forever 

 

 

 

 

I,ve just realised where this photograph was taken in Bury. just before the lockdown i went for a interview at the factory that,s behind the security fence on the right hand side. They,re the worlds largest manufacturer of car airbag materials. The strange world of northern soul

Steve

Edited April 20, 20205 yr by Winsford Soul

Singing Dunnock  and Portrait

 

Have you ever seen a Yellowhammer Steve? I remember my dad telling me that they sang about butter and cheese.  Not literally ..not like "I fell in love with Red Leicester, she melted my heart of Lurpak  🎶.   🙄

17 minutes ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Have you ever seen a Yellowhammer Steve? I remember my dad telling me that they sang about butter and cheese.  Not literally ..not like "I fell in love with Red Leicester, she melted my heart of Lurpak  🎶.   🙄

Yes love. The yellowhammer  song is a little bit of bread and no cheese.  Will dig out my picture as a request for you. Do you think it will catch on........... Photography request spot . X

Steve 

I certainly appreciate all the nature/wildlife photos. I am learning a lot.... Thankyou. 

 

Louise. Special request just for you. Yellowhammer

 

You can listen to the Yellowhammer’s song here:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/yellowhammer/

 

Wow! It really does say "cheese"! Great photo too! I'd love to see one of those in real life. Thanks 👍🏼🤗.

We have a blackbird thats calling  " What are you doin "  in a Brummie accent ... every morning  over and over... I will record it hopefully , tomorrow and post it !! lol !

1 minute ago, Flamingemeralds said:

Wow! It really does say "cheese"! Great photo too! I'd love to see one of those in real life. Thanks 👍🏼🤗.

I,m guessing there would be some near you, when you next go for your canal walk have a listen,they prefer telegraph wires , tops of bushes etc to sing from. it,s quite a high pitched song but as Russell has posted it you will have heard it by now.

 

2 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

I,m guessing there would be some near you, when you next go for your canal walk have a listen,they prefer telegraph wires , tops of bushes etc to sing from. it,s quite a high pitched song but as Russell has posted it you will have heard it by now.

I'll still listen and keep my eyes peeled! 👍🏼

17 minutes ago, Fish Fingers said:

I certainly appreciate all the nature/wildlife photos. I am learning a lot.... Thankyou. 

 

Thanks for the feedback its always appreciated .Feel free to add any pictures or information ,  just a happy family

Steve

On the subject of birdsong...

There's a wood pigeon around us somewhere that coos "That ol' man river". Noticed it last year and have heard a number of times again when sat on the balcony these last couple of weeks.

 

10 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

On the subject of birdsong...

There's a wood pigeon around us somewhere that coos "That ol' man river". Noticed it last year and have heard a number of times again when sat on the balcony these last couple of weeks.

 

Russell.  Does it sing it in pigeon🕊 English and was it released on the swan label 

If you've not seen this site yet your missing out. I watched the third chick hatch last week and they're growing quickly. Some great live cams out there 

https://explore.org/livecams/raptor-resource-project/decorah-eagles

Edited April 20, 20205 yr by Soulandy

Swans by the canal on yesterday's exercise 👍

5 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

If you've not seen this site yet your missing out. I watched the third chick hatch last week and they're growing quickly. Some great live cams out there 

https://explore.org/livecams/raptor-resource-project/decorah-eagles

Thanks Andy. Fab to watch

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Russell.  Does it sing it in pigeon🕊 English and was it released on the swan label 

Not this one. Maybe you're confusing it with Lieutenant Pigeon. 

1 minute ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Not this one. Maybe you're confusing it with Lieutenant Pigeon. 

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

17 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Not this one. Maybe you're confusing it with Lieutenant Pigeon. 

Who is lieutenant pigeon? 

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Who is lieutenant pigeon? 

Oh, you're in for a treat! 

 

And here are the lyrics in case you want to join in...

9 hours ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Oh, you're in for a treat! 

 

Thanks mate.  I owe you one🤔😋. Lovely way to wake up. 

1 hour ago, Flamingemeralds said:

And here are the lyrics in case you want to join in...

Thanks Mrs 🤔😂

54 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Thanks mate.  I owe you one🤔😋. Lovely way to wake up. 

Happy to oblige, and absolutely my pleasure! 

Swift sighting Staffs yesterday !😀

 

1 hour ago, Veedub said:

Swift sighting Staffs yesterday !😀

 

Brilliant.  Just checked my records and the earliest date for Swifts I personally have is the 27th April . As a footnote the latest I have ever seen any was 5 on the 6th September 

Heres one I took many years ago of Brightons West Pier  whilst there was still a lot of it left . .

 

A swift spotted in the skies of Noord-Holland. Heard it first. Long-distance pic of a very tiny object to follow. 
More swallows in the sky as well.

Here you go - a pretty meaningless pic of a newly arrived swift that only shows that it's actually here. But what a welcome sight!

 

2 minutes ago, Amsterdam Russ said:

Here you go - a pretty meaningless pic of a newly arrived swift that only shows that it's actually here. But what a welcome sight!

 

Brilliant Picture regardless Russell

Blue Tit in the Cherry Blossom

 

Sitting on the balcony when the sun is out doesn't give much chance to take pics. We face south-west, so the sun is shining directly at us from about 2pm until it gets dark, which means anything in front of us is usually silhouetted unless it's far left or right.

I did get this close-up of a jackdaw sitting above us on the railings of our building...

Silhouetted ring-necked parakeets...

Silhouetted collared dove on top of a chimney. The sun was going down by now, as you can tell.

Silhouetted crow heading home to roost...

Sorry - seem to have run out of "likes" today, but take them as given!

8 hours ago, Veedub said:

Heres one I took many years ago of Brightons West Pier  whilst there was still a lot of it left . .

 

That's definitely a competition winner! Absolutely brilliant photo!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

8 hours ago, Flamingemeralds said:

That's definitely a competition winner! Absolutely brilliant photo!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

Thanks ! just happened to be a lovely sunset and in the right place. my camera was just a tiny 100 quid Canon 🙂

Our ‘garden’...

2 hours ago, Steve Lane said:

That's brilliant Steve! 👍🏼

A couple from yesterday's river walk and a new family of 6 ducklings to add to the family of 11 oñ another sunny day 🌞

30 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

A couple from yesterday's river walk and a new family of 6 ducklings to add to the family of 11 oñ another sunny day 🌞

River Mersey Andy  ? Looks lovely 

16 hours ago, Flamingemeralds said:

That's brilliant Steve! 👍🏼

Very poignant!

My son posted it on Whatsap so I had to share it with the class.

2 hours ago, Steve Lane said:

Very poignant!

My son posted it on Whatsap so I had to share it with the class.

Yes, it's like "show and tell"! 😂 Marvellous! I saw this garage door this morning.

8 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

River Mersey Andy  ? Looks lovely 

Yes  mate, a 10 minute walk from our house 👍

From todays bike ride. Bridge & tree reflections on the canal, and some pink bells. Anyone know how these came about? I have some white ones in the garden but not seen the pink ones before.

Andy, Tattoo Dave will have the answer to that, he will know what they are.

Ste. 

5 minutes ago, Widnes63 said:

Andy, Tattoo Dave will have the answer to that, he will know what they are.

Ste. 

That's right, I will have, they are Spanish bluebell hybrids, a real menace as they breed with the native ones and they reproduce faster, nice enough in a garden if you have to have them, but should be banished to the Iberian peninsula.  Unlike me!!

Thanks Dave, I knew that you wouldn't let us down, I hope that it is going well for you over there.

Ste.