The Last Post (this year!)

Time seems to have slipped away at the tail end of 2014.  My memory is of a succession of wet weeks which meant little chance of snapping, and then we had a longer break in Florida which didn't see a lot of camera action really, but plenty of fishing.  Maybe I shouldn't even mention that in a wildlife blog.  There weren't really any new subjects, but a couple of okay snaps.

It's only the last week or two that I've got out again.  Back to the 2 woods where the feeding station activity is starting to pick up and to a reminder of just how awkward the light can be.  The following shots were taken over the course of a couple of hours showing the spotlight effect dappled light can have, lighting the subject, the background, both or neither.

At the end of that session I was wandering away when I almost literally stumbled over a late mushroom, one I haven't seen before.  I had missed the first phase and so the cap had been eaten away by insects leaving the phallic 'skeleton'.  I had with me only my 300mm lens complete with x2 converter, but I thought I'd have a go at getting some snaps. The sun was quite well down so the light was quite warm, but then it died lending a blue cast to the final images - I've tweaked the white balance on a few to warm them up a bit.  As you scroll down you will see how I (slowly) improved the background, stray twigs, etc.  Getting better at close up snaps will be an aim for next year - I need to develop a different way of working.  You will also see how the light affected the background - at first highlighting intrusive paler elements, then the whole in a patchy pattern and finally a diffuse blur.

To end, a few first goes at the pair of jays now visiting my closer woodland.  Bigger birds mean it's hard to get a good depth of field.  I like the one of it drinking, and hope to try some different angles on this with a remote trigger.  That though means time which remains in quite short supply these days.

Quiet Times

A slow few weeks, with any decent weekend weather failing to coincide with my free time.

I did have a couple of hours down at the saltmarsh in the vain hope of finally snapping a male wheatear.  Not for the first time the only bird to make it in front of the lens was a meadow pipit, and even it didn't pose where intended!

A few snaps of things fungal.  As usual the names where given are best guesses.

To start, I think, chicken of the woods.  That was my first thought although the picture in my book looked quite different.

Velvet shanks (?)

Turkeytail

Parrot waxcap

Some form of bolete species?

Something white in the fields!

To close, common puffball.  I feel you see in comparing this range of pictures taken over about 30 minutes what the right light can bring to a snap - warmth and texture in the last 2.

Sweeping Up

I'd achieved a everything I'd aimed for in my first 3 days Up North, and was realistic about the likelihood of keeping the run going, but the chance to visit Potteric Carr (tangled tale involving cars being serviced and Kay and her mum going to the Outlet Centre) drew me in. The usual targets of bittern and water rail being joined by the possibility of more waxwings, redpolls (I had no recollection of ever clearly recognising one, incredible though that feels to say) and maybe even a Caspian Gull (whatever that was).
First bird was a bittern, but sadly at longer range than so often here. Flew off the island quite soon and never came closer. From the hide I saw long tailed tits, a wren (rather spoilt by the cornflake), a redpoll (Yeah!) having a drink and a crossbill. Sadly the latter was attached to a robin, rather than being the 'usual' form (you'll need to look at the web album to see this clearly). Maybe they are adapting to the local conifers!
A distant cormorant caught a jack pike and rather impressively did a sort of sword swallowing manoeuvre to down it. I was going to mention deep throat, but this isn't that kind of blog.
Round to the feeding station, and the water rail obliged - they seem to like feeders and are also seen there at Slimbridge, Forest Farm in Cardiff and other wetland sites. This is probably the best way to see them in the open.
The direction of the light at the feeding station isn't ideal for photography, and the cloud closed in. These two shots of reed bunting look better on the web album, with a painterly quality to the colouring. Then a redpoll showed at a horribly awkward angle and straight into the light, so poor picture, but a beautifully coloured bird. Didn't get better view really, and the identification of redpolls seems quite complex, with perhaps 5 forms, but it did have quite a lot of white and I wonder if this is the 'mealy' form.
Round the corner a lesser redpoll fed at some distance, and the trees boasted some attractive fungi - hoof and, I think, birch polypore. Finally candle snuff fungi - shame I hadn't brought the macro lens.

And the Caspian Gull? I was shown it through a scope. A large form of herring gull. Good looking bird, but I guess one for the 'gull-watchers' out there, more than someone like me who sits with a bird book to work out first winter or second winter forms, etc. Maybe if the house overlooked the sea .....

As always better views on the web albums HERE