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.

Had the trail cam out again and managed to get footage of a few badgers and a mouse 🙂.

 

Edited October 6, 20204 yr by Soulandy

Great footage Andy. Thanks for posting mate

White Boat 

 

Stars through the trees

 

Went for a walk on the mosses this lunchtime - a bloody chilly wind blowing off the Solway. Dx

Hailstones Peterborough- 17:30 crazy time’s crazy weather 

 

Just been to a restaurant called the plantagenet for a meal. The building is from the 12th century with a flemish fireplace that big that there's seating for four people around the table inside.  

Had a scallops and bacon starter followed by Black bream on a bed of samphire with prawn risotto infused with beetroot followed by a lemon cheesecake with fresh raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.  

Edited October 9, 20204 yr by Winsford Soul

4 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Just been to a restaurant called the plantagenet for a meal. The building is from the 12th century with a flemish fireplace that big that there's seating for four people around the table inside.  

Had a scallops and bacon starter followed by Black bream on a bed of samphire with prawn risotto infused with beetroot followed by a lemon cheesecake with fresh raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.  

Making me hungry and I only had dinner 1hr ago!!

Some random photos from a few weekends ago.

Filey from a couple of weeks ago, most taken from the front door of where we stayed.

A few from Filey Brigg.

Pembroke Castle 

 

Porsche-built mini train in Amsterdam's Amstelpark. Of course we had to take a ride on it and I was dead chuffed that we did. 

The Green Bridge of Wales taken this evening just as the light was turning and the setting sun was starting to cast shadows on the left hand side 

 

Elegug Stacks.  Two large limestone sea stacks . They take the name from the Welsh  for Guillemot.  Which breed on the inaccessible rock ledges in spring 

Took this years ago, get your mouth around that lot!!

I've been lucky enough to see a Barn Owl twice down here in the last couple of nights despite the owner of the farm never having seen one in the 16 years he has lived here ( plenty of tawny owls ) so I mentioned about a  barn Owl nest box which he was very happy with so I visited the Barn Owl Trust website and downloaded the drawings and passed them to Steve the owner and he was well chuffed so he has built one to the specification supplied.  I've just given him a lift to fit it about 15ft up in the tree, 

The Barn Owl Trust recommends that the nest box is placed inside a suitable building but if there's none available the site we choose was the next best option 

 

Was fortunate enough today to see something that i have never seen before, well not in the numbers of today . Over a 10 /15 minute period 550 / 600 Redwings. flew over , some landing for a moment before continuing there journey. the size of the flock makes me think that they have just arrived in the Uk from Northern Europe  i was lucky enough to manage this photograph even though it was about 80 yards away and about 40 ft up a tree where the birds landed

 

 

Edited October 12, 20204 yr by Winsford Soul

18 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

I've been lucky enough to see a Barn Owl twice down here in the last couple of nights despite the owner of the farm never having seen one in the 16 years he has lived here ( plenty of tawny owls ) so I mentioned about a  barn Owl nest box which he was very happy with so I visited the Barn Owl Trust website and downloaded the drawings and passed them to Steve the owner and he was well chuffed so he has built one to the specification supplied.  I've just given him a lift to fit it about 15ft up in the tree, 

The Barn Owl Trust recommends that the nest box is placed inside a suitable building but if there's none available the site we choose was the next best option 

 

Just been told by Steve the owner of the farm that the Barn Owl Trust have been in touch  asking permission to use the photograph in the next magazine edition . How good is that 

Tenby in today's sunshine.  Below is a picture of the place that made me decide that I have had enough of travelling abroad and I have been staying in the UK for the last 15 years . Dont even have a passport anymore. 

 

Edited October 13, 20204 yr by Winsford Soul

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Tenby in today's sunshine.  Below is a picture of the place that made me decide that I have had enough of travelling abroad and I have been staying in the UK for the last 15 years . Dont even have a passport anymore. 

 

We have friends down there (Saundersfoot) - we went to stay and I was bowled over by what a fantastic place it is (and all the slow worms) - I can't understand why anyone would mess around taking kids abroad with such a brilliant place as this on the doorstep. Dx

48 minutes ago, Davenpete said:

We have friends down there (Saundersfoot) - we went to stay and I was bowled over by what a fantastic place it is (and all the slow worms) - I can't understand why anyone would mess around taking kids abroad with such a brilliant place as this on the doorstep. Dx

Dave. Saundersfoot as you say is a fantastic place with some nice restaurants, pubs etc, personally i think Tenby is even more so.

You don't need to travel abroad as there's always something to do down here regardless of the weather.  With the added bonus of no traffic,  no light pollution.  Really looking forward to retirement down here in a few years time 😁 

Jackdaw 

 

Competition time . Guess the name of the Birds

 

Competition time part 2

Was very lucky today to see one of Britain's rarest and most persecuted birds of prey. It was causing chaos with the local Mallard population as it was out hunting. Duck is definitely on the menu of these stunning birds

 Game keepers destroy there nests, eggs, young and adults whenever they are found  and get away with it every year and will continue to do so until they,re extinct as a UK breeding bird,  protecting non native game birds is more important because the royal family , judges and all the other land owners go shooting.

Hen Harrier . This particular bird bird is called a Ring Tail for obvious reasons , its more than likely a Female but it could be  a Juvenile Male. The adult male is stunning as its a very pale grey in colour with black wing tips

Edited October 14, 20204 yr by Winsford Soul

Woodpecker on a fence post. Ive never ever seen a Woodpecker on a cliff top before today

 

14 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Competition time part 2

Log tailed tit, bluetit, stonechat

7 hours ago, Soulandy said:

Log tailed tit, bluetit, stonechat

Correct Andy. 👍😁Not quite there yet for the virtual blue Peter badge.  What about the harder 4 😁

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Correct Andy. 👍😁Not quite there yet for the virtual blue Peter badge.  What about the harder 4 😁

Ha.  I first thought the first was a stonechat female and the second a pipit of some sort, tree maybe. As I'm in wales, my books at home so im not too sure of them 🤔

A big jelly fish and waterfall today

No big Jelly fish but a old watermill and a waterfall

 

 

 

Competition No3

 

1 hour ago, Soulandy said:

Ha.  I first thought the first was a stonechat female and the second a pipit of some sort, tree maybe. As I'm in wales, my books at home so im not too sure of them 

To be honest mate the second one is a bit of a puzzle.  At first I also thought iI was  a Tree Pipit but Pipits have a long slender beak and this has a finch type beak. And like you I don't have any books with me. Martyn  ? Help. 

Twite possibly? 

The first one is a Wheatear.  

55 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Competition No3

 

Rock Pipit? & Dipper.

I though wheatear, but wasn't sure. Was watching a couple of Curlews today  at  portmeirion but too far for a photo. Only the 2nd time to see this bird

23 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

Rock Pipit? & Dipper.

I though wheatear, but wasn't sure. Was watching a couple of Curlews today  at  portmeirion but too far for a photo. Only the 2nd time to see this bird

Correct mate. First decent picture of a Rock Pipit,  love Curlew especially the call as the fly  over the misty moors and estuaries so haunting . They're on the rspb  red list 90 % down on  numbers since the 70,s, still plenty down here in Pembrokeshire,  seen probably 30 yesterday.  

Love Port Merion, you actually staying there ? 

Badgers on the Patio

Just had 18 Swallows fly out from Tenby heading towards the Devon direction, didnt see any yesterday despite been out and about for 9 hours and only saw 2 the previous day ( Wed )so i,m guessing that i will be lucky to see anymore now until next April. Always a sad day to see the last head off

A great few days in Wales, Dyffryn Ardudwy, in great weather.

1st photo is Barmouth Bridge, 2nd is the sun going down , 3rd is of Portmeirion, 4th is of Snowdon

14 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

A great few days in Wales, Dyffryn Ardudwy, in great weather.

1st photo is Barmouth Bridge, 2nd is the sun going down , 3rd is of Portmeirion, 4th is of Snowdon

Andy.  I stayed at a  Dyffryn Ardudwy camp site many years ago. Think they're the largest sand dunes in the UK.  First place that I ever managed to see Dolphins.  

17 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Andy.  I stayed at a  Dyffryn Ardudwy camp site many years ago. Think they're the largest sand dunes in the UK.  First place that I ever managed to see Dolphins.  

The dunes are big and long. Seen the Dolphins at Barmouth a couple of times but nothing this time. Red Kites and kingfishers on the Mawddach Trail which is always good 👍

On 15/10/2020 at 19:38, Soulandy said:

Ha.  I first thought the first was a stonechat female and the second a pipit of some sort, tree maybe. As I'm in wales, my books at home so im not too sure of them 🤔

Andy. Not long home and having a look through my bird books.  The second bird is looking like a Twite . Which if it is will be a first for me.  

On 15/10/2020 at 19:38, Soulandy said:

Ha.  I first thought the first was a stonechat female and the second a pipit of some sort, tree maybe. As I'm in wales, my books at home so im not too sure of them 🤔

Andy. Just been in touch with a proper twitching friend of mine and he thinks its a immature Reed Bunting but he was surprised when i told him where it was in a bush on a Cliff on the Pembrokeshire  coast path. 

Looks like the mystery is solved. No Twite, ( yet ) 

5 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Andy. Just been in touch with a proper twitching friend of mine and he thinks its a immature Reed Bunting but he was surprised when i told him where it was in a bush on a Cliff on the Pembrokeshire  coast path. 

Looks like the mystery is solved. No Twite, ( yet ) 

Looking through my books it's hard to tell sometimes with the markings, some birds look the same. You have to really know what to look out for. A bit like record collecting 😉

 

3 minutes ago, Soulandy said:

Looking through my books it's hard to tell sometimes with the markings, some birds look the same. You have to really know what to look out for. A bit like record collecting 😉

 

My books didnt have a immature Reed Bunting picture, just winter summer plumage variants. Record collecting mistakes are much more costly than bird pictures

Just starting to go through my photos from Pembrokeshire to see what is suitable for printing and adding to my ever expanding portfolio, which i still dont know what to do with yet

Cock Pheasant

 

Couple of Bottle nosed Dolphins. every time they breached they where pointing away from me unfortunately so i didnt manage a side on or face picture. and they where about  half a mile out from Newquay harbour so the pictures are heavily cropped . Always next time

 

We were in Newquay last week and took this pic down at the harbour of a rainbow that lasted about 10 seconds.

 

20 minutes ago, Fish Fingers said:

We were in Newquay last week and took this pic down at the harbour of a rainbow that lasted about 10 seconds.

 

I remember swimming around that island when I was a kid. There used to be a swimming pool made out of concrete at the bottom of the island and it was flushed out twice a day by the tide.  A dead blue shark 🦈 got washed in one day and no one would go in the pool   until me and my brother found a stick to poke it with, made sure it was dead then investigated it. Amazing creature.  With sharp teeth and soulless eyes. 

Beautiful looking shark - Blues. They used to fish for them out of Looe, as they are more an open water species (I think) back in the day. 

There were also plenty of Mako and Thresher Sharks around UK waters then iirc.