Sunday 3 October 2010
Red Deer
I have ben so busy with the Wight Surf History project that it was looking very unlikely that I was going to get over to the New Forest in time for the rut this year. So I decided to take my girls to see the Red Deer on the Island. We have at least a couple of herds of farmed Red Deer on the Island and they are still magnificant animals to see. These particular deer are still quite nervous and we had to keep very still and quiet. My two girls were very excited at having seen them at such close quarters and didn't stop talking about it for over a week.
Tuesday 10 August 2010
Cowes Week 2010
This has been a really busy summer for me and my blog is a bit behind but I promise to catch up soon. I had decided to let my photography take a back seat while I enjoyed the summer with my family, but a couple of weeks a go I got an email from Yachting World asking if I would cover 'Cowes Week' again and submit images for consideration for their website and magazine. Last year I had images published online everyday of Cowes Week, making the gallery cover shot twice and had a number of images published in the magazine.
I knew it was going to be difficult as I had both my girls that week. I had to plan very carefully, making sure that they would enjoy Cowes and I would get time to shoot some of the races. I planned my shoots around snack time, lunch time and a great new play park with a pirate ship, swings, slides etc.... The week was a great success and we all got to enjoy Cowes, the racing, the entertainment and a couple of evenings in the pub for tea.
Saturdays racing started with very close to shore racing with many yachts running aground and lots of bumps and scrapes with each other.
The weather on Sunday was lovely and it started with some great racing for the spectators along the parade and enjoying the beach.
I also managed to get in position for the Sonars in which a few friends were racing on a yacht called Discovery. They had won their first race on the Saturday and were in a very confident mood.
On Monday I had a great vantage point at Gurnard with great views east and west of the Solent. The two Americas Cup yachts, Jaguar Team Origin and BMW Oracle were out practicing and some of the bigger yachts came in quite close to shore as they headed west.
Tuesday saw me chase the Artemis challenge yachts to St Catherines Lighthouse and still get back to Cowes for the Extreme 40's.
On Wednesday the girls went to Grandmas so I was able to spend some serious time in Cowes and even got to take in a band on the parade.
Thursday was the Round the Island 1851 Cup so I decided to try and get the Americas Cup Yachts at St Catherines Lighthouse and the Needles Lighthouse.
On Friday everyone is looking forward to the evenings entertainment. Sadly the Red Arrows weren't able to do their display because of the weather but the Fireworks didn't disappoint.
You can see all the images used on Yachting World's website here.
I knew it was going to be difficult as I had both my girls that week. I had to plan very carefully, making sure that they would enjoy Cowes and I would get time to shoot some of the races. I planned my shoots around snack time, lunch time and a great new play park with a pirate ship, swings, slides etc.... The week was a great success and we all got to enjoy Cowes, the racing, the entertainment and a couple of evenings in the pub for tea.
Saturdays racing started with very close to shore racing with many yachts running aground and lots of bumps and scrapes with each other.
The weather on Sunday was lovely and it started with some great racing for the spectators along the parade and enjoying the beach.
I also managed to get in position for the Sonars in which a few friends were racing on a yacht called Discovery. They had won their first race on the Saturday and were in a very confident mood.
On Monday I had a great vantage point at Gurnard with great views east and west of the Solent. The two Americas Cup yachts, Jaguar Team Origin and BMW Oracle were out practicing and some of the bigger yachts came in quite close to shore as they headed west.
Tuesday saw me chase the Artemis challenge yachts to St Catherines Lighthouse and still get back to Cowes for the Extreme 40's.
On Wednesday the girls went to Grandmas so I was able to spend some serious time in Cowes and even got to take in a band on the parade.
Thursday was the Round the Island 1851 Cup so I decided to try and get the Americas Cup Yachts at St Catherines Lighthouse and the Needles Lighthouse.
On Friday everyone is looking forward to the evenings entertainment. Sadly the Red Arrows weren't able to do their display because of the weather but the Fireworks didn't disappoint.
You can see all the images used on Yachting World's website here.
Friday 16 July 2010
Comma Butterfly
A decided to spend half an hour in the garden today as we have a few insects and butterflies about. I was forced to shoot hand held because of the strong wind today nothing was staying very still for long. I spotted this Comma and we played a game of climb the pond fence; each time I climbed over the fence around my pond to get close to it, it would fly back over to the other side......
The Comma looks a bit like a fritillary but its 'ragged' wing margins and white comma on the underside easily identify it as a comma.
The Comma looks a bit like a fritillary but its 'ragged' wing margins and white comma on the underside easily identify it as a comma.
Wednesday 14 July 2010
Pied Wagtail
This Pied Wagtail was running up and down in the garden while I was waiting in hope to catch the stoats. I have not seen them running around in a garden before but the garden is right next to a small lake.
Tuesday 13 July 2010
The Stoats & the Kestrel
On the day I was to leave for Wales I received a phone call that a family of Stoats was playing in a friends garden.
I rushed over there only to see them disappear into the hedge and sadly they are not being seen regularly anymore.
I waited for about half an hour before rushing off for the ferry but while I was there this Kestrel was busy hunting all around and landed on a sign post to eat a vole. I was set up a hide for the stoats and too far away for any close shots but I do like these two. In the shot above you can see the poor vole dangling down on the post.
After finishing off the vole the Kestrel dropped down onto this wall and sat there for about 10 minutes.
I rushed over there only to see them disappear into the hedge and sadly they are not being seen regularly anymore.
I waited for about half an hour before rushing off for the ferry but while I was there this Kestrel was busy hunting all around and landed on a sign post to eat a vole. I was set up a hide for the stoats and too far away for any close shots but I do like these two. In the shot above you can see the poor vole dangling down on the post.
After finishing off the vole the Kestrel dropped down onto this wall and sat there for about 10 minutes.
Thursday 8 July 2010
Kingfishers
While on holiday in Pembrokeshire, Wales I visited the Welsh Wildlife Centre at Cilgerran near the River Teifi. The Wildlife Centre building is a magnificent structure and won an architectural design award in 1993. The surrounding area is owned and managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and has numerous hides along many trails.
One of these hides is called the kingfisher hide. I have visited many hides before and have tried to photograph kingfishers on many occasions too. Most hides I have visited are great for viewing nature from a distance but rarely close enough to photograph anything.
On this occasion as I walked into the hide a young couple said 'your just in time he's posing for you.....', I couldn't believe my luck. There was a kingfisher only a few feet away sitting on a branch. I very carefully got my equipment set up and was extremely fortunate to watch this kingfisher catch a small fish, spend many minutes hitting it against the perch it was standing on before eating it, and eventually bringing up the pellet.
It was a truly magical experience and I used up a whole memory card. I decided to walk back to the car and get some more memory cards and to see if any of the family would like to come and see the kingfishers.
We all went back to the hide and waited for about 45mins before the others decided to go to the cafe after not seeing anything. I decided to visit some of the other hides but as there were a bunch of lads in canoes chasing birds along the river I gave up and went back to the kingfisher hide.
As I stepped into the hide I couldn't believe my luck as this time the male and the female were both there. I also saw some reed warblers, but they were a little way off. It was certainly a day I won't forget for a long time.
One of these hides is called the kingfisher hide. I have visited many hides before and have tried to photograph kingfishers on many occasions too. Most hides I have visited are great for viewing nature from a distance but rarely close enough to photograph anything.
On this occasion as I walked into the hide a young couple said 'your just in time he's posing for you.....', I couldn't believe my luck. There was a kingfisher only a few feet away sitting on a branch. I very carefully got my equipment set up and was extremely fortunate to watch this kingfisher catch a small fish, spend many minutes hitting it against the perch it was standing on before eating it, and eventually bringing up the pellet.
It was a truly magical experience and I used up a whole memory card. I decided to walk back to the car and get some more memory cards and to see if any of the family would like to come and see the kingfishers.
We all went back to the hide and waited for about 45mins before the others decided to go to the cafe after not seeing anything. I decided to visit some of the other hides but as there were a bunch of lads in canoes chasing birds along the river I gave up and went back to the kingfisher hide.
As I stepped into the hide I couldn't believe my luck as this time the male and the female were both there. I also saw some reed warblers, but they were a little way off. It was certainly a day I won't forget for a long time.
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