tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84763065300732600832024-03-14T04:31:11.046+00:00Wildlife & Nature PhotographyFrank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-81754615177294997222022-07-31T14:12:00.000+01:002022-07-31T14:12:47.040+01:00Gone Fishing<p> A trip to the coast resulted in a photo opportunity to photograph a couple of Cormorants approaching quite close to the shoreline whilst fishing. They managed to catch a couple of large fish, one of which I didn't think could be swallowed, but after a couple of minutes and numerious attempts, it eventually went down. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTpZCIi830-1Pe2rAkWlkBtn4B0s0zPg_4yzWyIg_XPKUFlEadZnJCrxbyV7UkgAwGmf4E2e8KHtqbibsSexgD5OqK1oQ9lTPdvkwE1Rr3P1vQGCZgRW6BxyxA1IqQFZnzKkwVeEAD-4GKW__7zo3tYNoTlJ-pvw_x0lA9y-iQ18wcK8wZVnubY0/s1800/0A3A2743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXTpZCIi830-1Pe2rAkWlkBtn4B0s0zPg_4yzWyIg_XPKUFlEadZnJCrxbyV7UkgAwGmf4E2e8KHtqbibsSexgD5OqK1oQ9lTPdvkwE1Rr3P1vQGCZgRW6BxyxA1IqQFZnzKkwVeEAD-4GKW__7zo3tYNoTlJ-pvw_x0lA9y-iQ18wcK8wZVnubY0/s16000/0A3A2743.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0IAb4x1T3WMQz7fb9uCDg8K6SH4JAEibDgzMFSw_zoZdbg8-RxwECOBQ6zdQ6siZRBJyifjNL4iCUmEdEJZt7dT38xuK_3OoE67r4cKTQIn2M_fcSoTS_yEyIsrTTTrEzsl1Hrz2Tp6oFDbuv67LH--Unw7wBZj4IpyZXc1ZUx0G9ZaK6-Uddhg/s1800/0A3A2757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzCo_KqQObW_r1dQMld0FQW9ilLZCde43U9EFHyhIaA_GuvvIv86Wesfv1pQZPt1Ub0Ye6a8vLuYNyD2z2IHBAsM9rL9Vt7o9bbk_MwVcTi-AVqWDzrAGZ6obGTH_oWfqoRMF6_VIpsgxjiGrQKrF8sn5PXDVTgsp57VVF_lGpsCJBByoVSx2C7o/s16000/0A3A2770.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAdZ6ny3Tfa0h0jC5o4VTHjglMz4PxXLbIfv6mq9IZjWh_6NgjaC3D6xEGY5SArDnG9kcXaNRnoEiVBdK8dh7vwnks0kcHjULeEZW3aFQGjL34NlP3o0oxYtqa6imyi7ldGwasDTQKzHeiVsNwIQV_E8spPzRHbKqqs3PnG-lEt_26PZGwjOhNuY/s1800/0A3A2781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAdZ6ny3Tfa0h0jC5o4VTHjglMz4PxXLbIfv6mq9IZjWh_6NgjaC3D6xEGY5SArDnG9kcXaNRnoEiVBdK8dh7vwnks0kcHjULeEZW3aFQGjL34NlP3o0oxYtqa6imyi7ldGwasDTQKzHeiVsNwIQV_E8spPzRHbKqqs3PnG-lEt_26PZGwjOhNuY/s16000/0A3A2781.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-89026243890980053782022-07-07T18:28:00.002+01:002022-07-07T18:28:58.277+01:00The R6 for Wildlife Photography<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oCCn3kgpFDg/YNwc1zlja-I/AAAAAAAAPVo/-Ul7rKnRfNgp6BENeevRmx7Z5XDTIv8vQCLcBGAsYHQ/s675/R6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="675" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oCCn3kgpFDg/YNwc1zlja-I/AAAAAAAAPVo/-Ul7rKnRfNgp6BENeevRmx7Z5XDTIv8vQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/R6.jpg" /></a></div> <p>It’s not often I buy a camera brand new and that’s just recently been release, but the R6 was an exception. I’m not the kind of person who needs to buy the latest camera because it’s ‘the latest’ and for the most part I was happy with my 80D which was 4 years old at the time. There was, however, a few niggly things I was finding a little frustrating. Focusing for birds in flight wasn’t anything to write home about and the shutter sound was very audible, even on ‘silent’. </p> <p>I like to photography in particularly mammals which tend to have good hearing and the last straw came when on two occasions the animal was spooked my the shutter sound and ran off. Come along the release of the R5 and R6. Reading the specs I could see a number of advantages and improvements. </p> <h2>Compatibility</h2> <p>I did have to consider this long and hard as most of my lenses were quite old, especially my long lenses. Canon has a compatibility chart showing which lenses officially work with the R6 an R5 which I was worried about as only one of my lenses was on it. Closer reading and it just meant that these lenses worked at the cameras full potential or close to. For my interest, I wouldn’t get the full 12 fps rate.</p> <p>Next, the adaptor. I thought this must slow down the performance. All the research suggest not at all but in fact, your lens will worker better.</p> <h2>R6 or R5</h2> <p>Ok, I’ll get this out of the way at the beginning. I choose the R6 for some very good reasons from my point of view which I’ll list below.</p> <ul> <li><b>Price:</b> The R6 is already an expensive camera at £2,599.00, but at the time of writing this the R5 was £4,299.00. A price difference of £1,700. Once you factor in the need of an adaptor (£199), a CF Express card (around £169 for a cheap 64GB), you will want the battery grip despite being over priced (around £429 give or take) and although it does take your older batteries, I would highly recommend the newer, high capacity one (£114). Add that to cost and that’s another £911. You may not need or want all of these additions, but the chances are you will want most. </li> </ul> <blockquote> <p>Just to note that since buying the R6, I have brought the adaptor, two additional fast SD cards, a battery grip, additional battery <i>and</i> a used RF25-105mm f4 lens, still for less than the price of the R5 alone.</p> </blockquote> <ul> <li><b>Sensor:</b> Now, nobody is going to chose a 20MB sensor over a 45MB sensor, but for me 20MB was ample for my needs. Reading through the forums on the internet and you would think you <i>must have</i> 45MB so that you can crop! If you need to crop by any large amount then I would suggest your photography/field technique is lacking. Look at images posted on image sharing sites and the highly cropped images stand out and look like they’ve been cropped. Cropping an image by any large amount will also emphasise a lower quality lens, atmospheric conditions, camera shake, noise, etc. If your lens can’t handle the megapixels, then you’re basically throwing away many of those 45MB.</li> </ul> <blockquote></blockquote> <ul> <li><b>File size:</b> For me, taking wildlife images, a 45MB sensor and the file sizes it creates is a real disadvantage. You can take an awful lot of images with a camera that has such a high frame rate. You then need to upload them, so needing a fast card, view and process them, so needing a good computer, then store them, so needing the storage space. For this, all would have added to the likely overall cost. If this camera was just for landscape work were I take far fewer images, then file sizes this large would not be so bad.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><b>Noise:</b> This was a factor at first as I shoot a lot in low light, but I don’t think there’s a great difference between the two cameras until you start shooting a much higher ISO’s.</li> </ul> <ul style="text-align: left;"> <li> <b>Battery Life:</b> The battery has a slight benefit in battery life but not by any meaningful amount.</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">The R5 has some advantages such as additional video options (not a factor for me), a slightly better screen and EVF and the top LCD which is perhaps the only thing I would have liked.</p> <blockquote> <h2>In the Field</h2> <p>This is ultimately where it counts. Out of all the camera upgrades I have done over the years, this has had the most impact and has made a massive difference to what and how I shoot.</p> <h3>Focusing</h3> <p>This has been the most outstanding and immediate aspect of this camera. Every year during the summer, the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle is the home to a nesting colony of Kittiwakes which makes for a great opportunity to photograph birds in flight. For a number of years I’ve gone here with different cameras – the 80D the 1DmkIII with very mixed results. The birds fly through some changing and busy background and are constantly changing direction. The R6 had no problems locking onto the birds.</p> <p>Below is a series of images taken with the Canon 400mm f5.6 lens, showing the typical backgrounds that in prior years, with the same lens, caused misfocusing.</p> </blockquote> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XRn1MhLtAZE/YNwHDNhOzhI/AAAAAAAAPVM/mUA56o42svk1BCVv1mfW93zGcp65KjiewCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Kittiwake%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XRn1MhLtAZE/YNwHDNhOzhI/AAAAAAAAPVM/mUA56o42svk1BCVv1mfW93zGcp65KjiewCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Kittiwake%2B2.jpg" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vR4_sbMO1K8/YNwHDAaReSI/AAAAAAAAPVQ/ilREgjj70jg8YFEPbySZgcX52n9OeuTpwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Kittiwake%2B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vR4_sbMO1K8/YNwHDAaReSI/AAAAAAAAPVQ/ilREgjj70jg8YFEPbySZgcX52n9OeuTpwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Kittiwake%2B3.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-foYTVMbjeC4/YNwHbrvr6BI/AAAAAAAAPVc/LEX0nraghqIN-EIWM35B7bC2x9VuGrgVACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/900X600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-foYTVMbjeC4/YNwHbrvr6BI/AAAAAAAAPVc/LEX0nraghqIN-EIWM35B7bC2x9VuGrgVACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/900X600.jpg" /></a></div> <p> </p> <h3>Animal Eye Tracking</h3> <p>This alone makes the R6 and R5 stand out. It’s simply outstanding. Once you latch onto an animal with it, it will just lock on and keep it in focus. I have my camera set up to have two back button focusing. One for the normal single point and the other for animal eye focusing. If the eye focusing doesn’t immediately or struggles to pick up the animal then the single point will initiate or help it. Normally it will pick up the eye. If it can’t find that, it will find the head and if it can’t find that, the body. Most of the time it will succeed but it isn’t perfect.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNJTAPj4Tjg/YNysOct709I/AAAAAAAAPYo/5zlAQSHbQPcb4SdrmbJKPWL93128lVlaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Eye%2Bfocusing%2BA.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNJTAPj4Tjg/YNysOct709I/AAAAAAAAPYo/5zlAQSHbQPcb4SdrmbJKPWL93128lVlaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Eye%2Bfocusing%2BA.JPG" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zoNZ0Sm-NVk/YNysOsvwObI/AAAAAAAAPYs/OyX-qG0MSK0ttTmBBVIvIss3L-quUL-sQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Eye%2Bfocusing%2BB.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1205" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zoNZ0Sm-NVk/YNysOsvwObI/AAAAAAAAPYs/OyX-qG0MSK0ttTmBBVIvIss3L-quUL-sQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Eye%2Bfocusing%2BB.JPG" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <h3>Using it with a x1.4 converter</h3> <p>The above were taken with a x1.4 converter on the lens (Canon MkII). There seemed to be little difference in focusing speed. I’ve also used it with a 3rd party lens and converter (Sigma 500mm f4.5 & x1.4 Teleplus Pro 300) which also gave me fast, if not as good as the native version. Below is a series of images of a Brown Hare coming towards me. It wasn’t able to get all images in focus, but it was as much to being unprepared for this event which also meant I was shooting at around 1/400s. Not ideal for a fast moving animal. No sharpening or noise reduction or cropping, just a bit of exposure adjustments.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Euhq9q-aqyY/YNwhI5yURWI/AAAAAAAAPXs/ij91pyJJmJkP9W-fxj2Q2ebR3gqTSWV8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Brown%2BHare%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Euhq9q-aqyY/YNwhI5yURWI/AAAAAAAAPXs/ij91pyJJmJkP9W-fxj2Q2ebR3gqTSWV8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Brown%2BHare%2B1.jpg" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZdtOUOTVzY/YNwhI323D_I/AAAAAAAAPXo/A-nLm71nlswLr_Qp_KMLSfS1PwTgDt4XwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Brown%2BHare%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bZdtOUOTVzY/YNwhI323D_I/AAAAAAAAPXo/A-nLm71nlswLr_Qp_KMLSfS1PwTgDt4XwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Brown%2BHare%2B2.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M6IblIWfh04/YNwhI40dPfI/AAAAAAAAPXk/jtMaTvTe5eE1DR5qzSyv8Z-6n13QuOvfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Brown%2BHare%2B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M6IblIWfh04/YNwhI40dPfI/AAAAAAAAPXk/jtMaTvTe5eE1DR5qzSyv8Z-6n13QuOvfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Brown%2BHare%2B3.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OXGwjzyMmSQ/YNwhJR9wetI/AAAAAAAAPXw/qQhK0EKdbn02SQP8ut4aTm6MMTsuZpMswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Brown%2BHare%2B4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OXGwjzyMmSQ/YNwhJR9wetI/AAAAAAAAPXw/qQhK0EKdbn02SQP8ut4aTm6MMTsuZpMswCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Brown%2BHare%2B4.jpg" style="display: inline;" /></a></div> <div> <p>The first one is slightly out of focus, maybe partially down to the slow shutter speed. The Hare continued towards me until it was too close to focus. I’ve no doubt my old camera combined with this lens and converter, would have misfocused most of these. This series of images brings me onto the next subject.</p> <h3>Shutter Frame Rate</h3> <p>Earlier on I mentioned the frame rate with older lenses. Using the mechanical shutter, I’m getting around 7-8 frames per second, which may not seem much by todays standards but it’s fast enough for most of my needs and if I need it faster I can switch to electronic where I’ll get the full 20. I believe if you use the latest EF lenses you’ll get around 9-12 fps and obviously with the new RF, the full 12.</p> <h3>Rolling Shutter</h3> <p>This is something to be aware of if using the electronic shutter. Not really an issue for me as I wanted the electronic shutter for it’s silence and will probably not be in a position where it’s going to distort an image. Below is an example where it can effect your image.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_PHhfh4-9w/YNwhpw9IsNI/AAAAAAAAPYE/DPv1KbhVGIUQ1wXdrleKw_pZ6bll7uJuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Rolling%2BShutter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_PHhfh4-9w/YNwhpw9IsNI/AAAAAAAAPYE/DPv1KbhVGIUQ1wXdrleKw_pZ6bll7uJuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Rolling%2BShutter.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /></a></div> <h3>Image Quality</h3> <p style="text-align: left;">Now comes the biggest issue people seem to have about this camera and that’s the 20 megapixel sensor. I’ve already shared my feelings about a larger sensor size, but what about this one?</p> <p style="text-align: left;">The first two images below are straight out of the camera and just converted from RAW, the second being a 100% enlargement of the birds head. There’s plenty of detail there and having used the Canon 6D for a number of years, also a 20MB sensor, this one feels much cleaner and sharper.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JI3B8I6gxL4/YNwiHAkxNRI/AAAAAAAAPYM/vLTP5qDoKFc76CfOrgBVtby9e-qET12ngCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Mallard%2BIQ%2BOriginal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JI3B8I6gxL4/YNwiHAkxNRI/AAAAAAAAPYM/vLTP5qDoKFc76CfOrgBVtby9e-qET12ngCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Mallard%2BIQ%2BOriginal.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nhrIoIZe0Zs/YNwiJcS64cI/AAAAAAAAPYQ/L9Z5IDC8A_QajnhlhzhV_cMyFqQ5q2BEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s3180/100%2Bpercent.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="3180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nhrIoIZe0Zs/YNwiJcS64cI/AAAAAAAAPYQ/L9Z5IDC8A_QajnhlhzhV_cMyFqQ5q2BEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/100%2Bpercent.JPG" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div>My style of photography means I rarely end up cropping to any extent, usually only for aesthetics. I’ll situate myself close enough to get an image that fills as much as the frame as possible and if not, I’ll make the best of the surroundings to make it part of the image. </div> <div> </div> <div></div> <div>The other argument is some need to print to a massive size. There’s plenty of websites, books and YouTube videos that explain how we perceive large images, so I won’t go into that, needless to say, I’m not convinced of this reasoning either.</div> <div> </div> <div>If you really need to enlarge or crop then I would highly recommend software such as Gigapixel A1. Below is the same image again but then cropped using Gigapixel A1 and resized back to it’s original resolution of 5472 px by 3648 px. <br /></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLODg7p3jFo/YNwiL3opl3I/AAAAAAAAPYU/bFRUiEXsCFM4idhXKD-5QxIGOvTAsr8VACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Gigapixel%2BA1%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLODg7p3jFo/YNwiL3opl3I/AAAAAAAAPYU/bFRUiEXsCFM4idhXKD-5QxIGOvTAsr8VACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Gigapixel%2BA1%2B1.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UmTGPOxlBQY/YNwiMDtzRhI/AAAAAAAAPYY/274YUSTURQk1Qb98shJKIEI0TKjslOMEACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Gigapixel%2BA1%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UmTGPOxlBQY/YNwiMDtzRhI/AAAAAAAAPYY/274YUSTURQk1Qb98shJKIEI0TKjslOMEACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Gigapixel%2BA1%2B2.jpg" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" /></a></div> <br /> <h3>Noise</h3> <p>Another reason for getting the R6 was better noise at high ISO’s but I wasn’t expecting just how good it was going to be. Previously I topped my ISO at 6400 and even then used it sparingly. Now I have it at 25600, though again sparingly but have no hesitation to go up 12800. The first image below is at 20000 and with some noise reduction, whilst the second is at 25600, taken around 20 minutes before sunrise.<br /></p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><p></p><p></p> <h3></h3> </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ez190puCZk/YPsYoZpAUzI/AAAAAAAAPfg/a84b6Z87ooUOry9whcn4QaWRnZeIW1KkgCLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/Roe%2BDeer%2BISO%2B25600.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ez190puCZk/YPsYoZpAUzI/AAAAAAAAPfg/a84b6Z87ooUOry9whcn4QaWRnZeIW1KkgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Roe%2BDeer%2BISO%2B25600.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>Thought it might be an interesting comparison to see how far camera sensor technology has come over the year. The first image below was shot on my old 30D at 3200 ISO. The second with the R6 at 12800 ISO. Neither processed.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0_8rK8q4Pg/YP2PYiSg3JI/AAAAAAAAPgI/dlViER_ovGYct5Zc4eDDz56zggtRRx6ogCLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/IMG_0403%2BNoise.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0_8rK8q4Pg/YP2PYiSg3JI/AAAAAAAAPgI/dlViER_ovGYct5Zc4eDDz56zggtRRx6ogCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_0403%2BNoise.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ba-vFGNWrzc/YP2Pn1lwAsI/AAAAAAAAPgM/ItGof09kTUAvKoot0ttjrcrdYOVgSiY1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/_Y0A4207Noise%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ba-vFGNWrzc/YP2Pn1lwAsI/AAAAAAAAPgM/ItGof09kTUAvKoot0ttjrcrdYOVgSiY1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/_Y0A4207Noise%2B2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h3></h3><p></p><p></p><h3>Battery Life and the Battery Grip</h3> <p></p><p>If like me and you’ve come straight from a DSLR, then the rated battery life of 360 shots is a bit of a worry. I have to admit when I first went out with this camera, it felt much less and it started to concern me. However, if you listen to others who have this camera, most are saying they are getting much more and I’ve since looked at advice on how to extend my battery life. Soon I was getting a lot more, to the point I would carry a spare but not worry too much about it. </p> <p>Since then I’ve added the battery grip – admittedly over priced – but this did come with the offer of a free battery (the new LP-E6NH). This now gets me through a whole day’s shooting. The grip also helps with the balance of a long lens and just makes the camera a bit more ergonomically comfortable if a little heavier.</p> <p><br /></p> <h3>The EVF</h3><p></p><p>I wasn't sure what to expect with the camera's EVF having never seen through one before, but I was pleasently surprised. You can set it up in a number of ways including what you see is what you're image will look like or you can have it so that what you're seeing is how it currently looks. Having the former means you can get the exposure correct up front.</p><p>It has an OLED EVF with around 3.69 million dots and a 119.88 fps refresh rate. This can be reduced to save batteries but I've kept it on it's hight setting. Since I shoot a lot in low light, having it set up so that what I see is the same as my exposure means it looks bright when my DSLR would look dim.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRqrtUTdup0/YPskCrDjvNI/AAAAAAAAPfo/fCQ7rgnZVLIq9dYoslnNYKW8wPEWNBXFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/Brown%2BHare%2BClose.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nRqrtUTdup0/YPskCrDjvNI/AAAAAAAAPfo/fCQ7rgnZVLIq9dYoslnNYKW8wPEWNBXFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Brown%2BHare%2BClose.jpg" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Buffering</h3><p style="text-align: left;">I've been using ScanDisk Extreme Pro UHS-1 cards, so not the fastest but I've yet to experience reaching a buffer image, even shooting at 20 frames per second. Having said that, I think the longest I've shot is around 3 seconds but I've found I can still take more straight after without delay.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Conclusion</h2><p style="text-align: left;">I've had this camera for nearly a year now and haven't managed to shoot in every kind of situation or subject that I have using my previous DSLR, but I have covered most. This has been the biggest and most notible upgrade of any camera I've made. The biggest improvements for me for my wildlife photography have been the focus speed/eye tracking, lower noise and silent shutter. I know without doubt I have got images I couldn't have on my pervious cameras.<br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"> A Few Question Marks<br /></h3><p style="text-align: left;">There has been some negatives but most have been overcome, but will go through them here. Megapixels. I have said 20 is enought for my needs but there is that nagging psychological 'if only it had a few more'. I think it's imprinted on digital photographers, but honestly, it hasn't been an issue. I like to get as close to my subject as possible - it's part of the challange of wildlife photography. If you have to crop heavily on a regular basis, there's something wrong with your fieldcraft.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I do miss not having a top LCD screen but it's something you adapt to.</p><p style="text-align: left;">View finder lag. You can get this when shooting a fast moving image going across you. It makes it a little more difficult to keep the subject in the view finder, however, you get used to this and compensate for it and now I don't realy think about it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Battery life if not what I'm used to and at first was shocked how bad it seemed to be. But a lot of research and delving into the settings along with a battery grip with the newer batteries, I no longer find this an issue. It's something you just have to be aware of and I always take a spare set of batteries with me.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Electronics. The more relient on electronics the more that can go wrong. I've had one situation where the camera 'died' on my at the worst possible time. After some researching it may have been down to the cards I was using and since doing a regular low level format on them, it hasn't happened again.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Any disadvantages are outweighed by the massive amout of advantages, to the point now where I would be hard pressed to go back to a DSLR, at least for my wildlife.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">EF Lenses I've sucessfully used with no issues:<br /></h3><p style="text-align: left;">Canon 500mm f4 Mk1</p><p style="text-align: left;">Sigma 500mm f4.5</p><p style="text-align: left;">Canon 400mm f5.6</p><p style="text-align: left;">Canon 300mm f4</p><p style="text-align: left;">Canon 17-40mm f4</p><p style="text-align: left;">Samyang 14mm f2.8 (manual version)</p><p style="text-align: left;">Canon 1.4x II & Teleplus Pro 300 1.4x Extenders (the latter not working on the Canon 500mm)</p><p style="text-align: left;">The only lens I had some issues with but still works, is the Sigma 105mm f2.8 Macro (non IS version)<br /></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-55164545986805954862022-06-20T19:28:00.004+01:002022-08-01T21:01:22.140+01:00Watching Barn Owls<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
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<p class="MsoNormal">In recent weeks I've been spending some early mornings
watching, and occasionally, when lucky, photographing a Barn Owl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having never seen one at this location
(though my trail camera picked it up once at night), I’m guessing the recent
views during daylight hours are due to the requirements of feeding the young
and so was hunting as late as after 7:00am.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It seemed to be having a good amount of success as it was
hunting for twenty or so minutes before catching something and then heading off,
to return over an hour later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the
weekend I spotted it on arrival at the location at 4:15am and as regular as
clockwork it returned at 5:15am, 6:15am and finally 7:15am, give or take a few minutes.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Most of the time it was too far away to get a decent picture
but occasionally it flew nearby, seemingly indifference to my presence. Even if I couldn't have photographed it, it was a great spectical to sit and watch on a quiet summers morning. Sometimes it's not all about getting an image, that's just a bonus.<br /></p>
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5aVzlBh2hIKRtNVYTIveWHZV22hhj_ciORC7jM-80kZ3BOjsejPQBtXxDSYRaO95fO0i9C8GLChessiqt85ARl_RSAknJHoNcO4sCHlLm7blJvtT3rj6_DhainELAYcwhHwQ_byZ8lb_11SCOLzFhdU9QZIjAUmZDG44KKVLJFl-Wjx6Buec2-Y/s1800/_Y0A9787.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5aVzlBh2hIKRtNVYTIveWHZV22hhj_ciORC7jM-80kZ3BOjsejPQBtXxDSYRaO95fO0i9C8GLChessiqt85ARl_RSAknJHoNcO4sCHlLm7blJvtT3rj6_DhainELAYcwhHwQ_byZ8lb_11SCOLzFhdU9QZIjAUmZDG44KKVLJFl-Wjx6Buec2-Y/s16000/_Y0A9787.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQh-S52PNVcz2jKatmntV_xQmQy-oD68kLWT1H7T6UZJAzvj3dGsi-6bO4e8QP2GQujCQzzUZ3Pv4tvcfjk0-a-ZrO8LxYeXI_wgHOgx75ixW6utV0Mmid0hEVJNiEd0fV9ciJFLCypmkaiEvj9AybZ1x1Z04q9IT0g923IWyLDn2bJ5URYGo8nE/s1800/Barn%20Owl%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQh-S52PNVcz2jKatmntV_xQmQy-oD68kLWT1H7T6UZJAzvj3dGsi-6bO4e8QP2GQujCQzzUZ3Pv4tvcfjk0-a-ZrO8LxYeXI_wgHOgx75ixW6utV0Mmid0hEVJNiEd0fV9ciJFLCypmkaiEvj9AybZ1x1Z04q9IT0g923IWyLDn2bJ5URYGo8nE/s16000/Barn%20Owl%201.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX2Hz0Lwz8WuAX2VquBahonbdlxAgyWAH4Q0Dj2pxtD3k7vh0Yr7aOqTYj_qlsjSlyh58KelAu3H0cnAjsrEex5x4z62VH79XYTrTHeZi2ZO9A-9hinvcMBsn-kS_6gBguV3K3SRspfN8Vg3OkSYrndxZ8-9PyLZe5QsupELoM_rxI1IzjHPEvTo/s1800/Barn%20Owl%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkX2Hz0Lwz8WuAX2VquBahonbdlxAgyWAH4Q0Dj2pxtD3k7vh0Yr7aOqTYj_qlsjSlyh58KelAu3H0cnAjsrEex5x4z62VH79XYTrTHeZi2ZO9A-9hinvcMBsn-kS_6gBguV3K3SRspfN8Vg3OkSYrndxZ8-9PyLZe5QsupELoM_rxI1IzjHPEvTo/s16000/Barn%20Owl%203.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2ygBRHnzWOYasLGvczwD6ONfT8NUPmE0mwnKALGNIJJbrt1gjjWRM_DnTtiKlT9N9EBH9IjOOEu3pIKOT8gJeSJhZWO6zHWVKZNPxRulwdCzKTKIZQFYuxk8XGu2ZaS2bdA_BmCvHGP8d6ZneKt_m2moPQwzGnMLaFRfdL59pI-1juR2_weNVqU/s1800/Barn%20Owl%20dive.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2ygBRHnzWOYasLGvczwD6ONfT8NUPmE0mwnKALGNIJJbrt1gjjWRM_DnTtiKlT9N9EBH9IjOOEu3pIKOT8gJeSJhZWO6zHWVKZNPxRulwdCzKTKIZQFYuxk8XGu2ZaS2bdA_BmCvHGP8d6ZneKt_m2moPQwzGnMLaFRfdL59pI-1juR2_weNVqU/s16000/Barn%20Owl%20dive.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM5kB1LQ_2QyTT7PtftwbinoVB4Yq-zpK-5qfu5aY6q8dJKZstQKMdNvZi1YHBERByHXnIJwNhxCugxleA5hmMFlRmND8x7oVGLKpi6cAh0bLvMe3CTHAGXMD4bLeGpxy8ilTbzK9T3yZ6D0pbFOD7hUg4e7FrJpDglk-smCxg4bMn5kkbilQpIQ/s1800/Barn%20Owl%20Hover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1200" height="966" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM5kB1LQ_2QyTT7PtftwbinoVB4Yq-zpK-5qfu5aY6q8dJKZstQKMdNvZi1YHBERByHXnIJwNhxCugxleA5hmMFlRmND8x7oVGLKpi6cAh0bLvMe3CTHAGXMD4bLeGpxy8ilTbzK9T3yZ6D0pbFOD7hUg4e7FrJpDglk-smCxg4bMn5kkbilQpIQ/w645-h966/Barn%20Owl%20Hover.jpg" width="645" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw5uN-sprIQTZM91QmaAsIfXJh8vjZIVhk3ax97OQPrRh465dexYbpQ90ZbQ4LEVFqk8UVcwefWHfA0VgHzWoQBMTWvnRhZhFEDNes6-N1rKEbcCT5KuLhgyf_-jK9NM9VAIEC9S-bk-rS-m7GTDMsUlznVX8VrdqE8TfcGypnnGrLjSdTTsc8lM/s1800/ResizerImage900X599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw5uN-sprIQTZM91QmaAsIfXJh8vjZIVhk3ax97OQPrRh465dexYbpQ90ZbQ4LEVFqk8UVcwefWHfA0VgHzWoQBMTWvnRhZhFEDNes6-N1rKEbcCT5KuLhgyf_-jK9NM9VAIEC9S-bk-rS-m7GTDMsUlznVX8VrdqE8TfcGypnnGrLjSdTTsc8lM/s16000/ResizerImage900X599.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpW-yQTrQi6n-vRNyxHKmZH95ShVfOjK0J6R2dMJO5DinqR7zGSQeCSHASoZkLzKJOPM-2XwK-6obcoz9C8Wo28gA6x5ofvcyoRWsbw0KDYwmUb1CFEcMLMyk4VLa4P-eWNkYEn_mRP8VmOJ2GuQjuDQfpr4BTEMl0CsymlxL5EQOFSSdTsmhE-pM/s1800/Barn%20Owl%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpW-yQTrQi6n-vRNyxHKmZH95ShVfOjK0J6R2dMJO5DinqR7zGSQeCSHASoZkLzKJOPM-2XwK-6obcoz9C8Wo28gA6x5ofvcyoRWsbw0KDYwmUb1CFEcMLMyk4VLa4P-eWNkYEn_mRP8VmOJ2GuQjuDQfpr4BTEMl0CsymlxL5EQOFSSdTsmhE-pM/s16000/Barn%20Owl%204.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBYvzsQPJWfmtB2WHzLmIY-9FRfd9nFdF-9URhzoyS717NF22UJJ7D6IDq2pjPLP4frmwrdyTzJ9nHVfUomfWIpwgGQfGvY5136odiTaIK2Vnfx26fhnvsZO5DN2SzByUHItVL2pWR2uQIN_HzsyPz_IkzweyZcHBfYQHlKznU2ajhD1ch0NT2Z4/s1800/Barn%20Owl%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBYvzsQPJWfmtB2WHzLmIY-9FRfd9nFdF-9URhzoyS717NF22UJJ7D6IDq2pjPLP4frmwrdyTzJ9nHVfUomfWIpwgGQfGvY5136odiTaIK2Vnfx26fhnvsZO5DN2SzByUHItVL2pWR2uQIN_HzsyPz_IkzweyZcHBfYQHlKznU2ajhD1ch0NT2Z4/s16000/Barn%20Owl%202.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-62209948514612262712022-04-10T13:00:00.000+01:002022-04-10T13:00:26.045+01:00Springs about, and so are the Hares<p> </p><p>A year ago, I'd never even seen a Hare in the wild, then last summer I discovered them locally and since spent some time watching and photographing them. During the summer they were not hard to find and with the crops in the fields they could very easily be approachable as they would using the sides of the fields as pathways so just lying still at a good vantage point would result in a decent encounter.</p><p style="text-align: center;">A Brown Hare taken during the summer using the edge of a field <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPmb7oyf87471jtTNyfvtINBkAu_cD-ubeyDOz8qYJgN2peSh2MVZLa_carP51fhnOU-Aoiy9fh6Nw0t85S-5yAuMur0YdNvC5fqXgfvj7Y_jUdwseJbLkAfiGpvDrTkUfVnMygilzDocBwBzmBHjcfEcHRKu3cbYe8zBmhPL_iN-XB9ugiKfNmM/s1800/Brown%20Hare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPmb7oyf87471jtTNyfvtINBkAu_cD-ubeyDOz8qYJgN2peSh2MVZLa_carP51fhnOU-Aoiy9fh6Nw0t85S-5yAuMur0YdNvC5fqXgfvj7Y_jUdwseJbLkAfiGpvDrTkUfVnMygilzDocBwBzmBHjcfEcHRKu3cbYe8zBmhPL_iN-XB9ugiKfNmM/s16000/Brown%20Hare.jpg" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> Same area but after harvest<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYaaSI3_Hd_FglcowQbTgKEplQOdMe3COjT48Fa6OMgIKUCsX_Yb-7NdiqqNN_WXB-7EH7txG3_gueeisNQgYR1eECUTlUMJLy3zV-vaitTY69d4M_Z9il-CtdjasdctSYy3vpvDp9oscH40l1fZENzJj_p74G_ustrp_GUgoxGAUbR-J5hlP19U/s1800/Brown%20Hare%20late%20summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqYaaSI3_Hd_FglcowQbTgKEplQOdMe3COjT48Fa6OMgIKUCsX_Yb-7NdiqqNN_WXB-7EH7txG3_gueeisNQgYR1eECUTlUMJLy3zV-vaitTY69d4M_Z9il-CtdjasdctSYy3vpvDp9oscH40l1fZENzJj_p74G_ustrp_GUgoxGAUbR-J5hlP19U/s16000/Brown%20Hare%20late%20summer.jpg" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Once the crops where gone however, with no cover, the Hares moved location and out in the open, can see me coming from a long distance. It seemed that was it until next summer. However, during the winter and now early spring, I've been using the time to work out where they all went to. Clearly they didn't all just die out or migrate. It seemed the answer was they spent much of the time in patches of hedgerows and unused fields with long grass where they make small depressions to lie in during the day. There were also clear paths and runways through the undergrowth leading to and from these fields.</p><p>In the last few weeks I've been going out with the purpose to start photographing Hares again, hopefully their clasic behaviour around this time of year, with a moderate amount of sucess though, as of yet, no 'boxing' Hares.</p><p style="text-align: center;">A typical sight of a Hare just before sunrise, runing away. Suprising how often I didn't spot them until too late<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zNl33d5BIwzz9gk_eMAWoCwhy8WnDyXmoo6GZrRGo_4dWDRZgbcIgLYHSc_yurwJHReQ7O1Mm8TbXsSdYu8dIEH-zPNm8Hv8VXDfHhZUeyFRt9KUqJik13Il2YB4wmV5Jv-91HsjGVLA7OXFZ_9vdc374d7hek-ULg8ZwXTmmmmSDf3C42yUOo0/s1800/Brown%20Hare%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hare running" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zNl33d5BIwzz9gk_eMAWoCwhy8WnDyXmoo6GZrRGo_4dWDRZgbcIgLYHSc_yurwJHReQ7O1Mm8TbXsSdYu8dIEH-zPNm8Hv8VXDfHhZUeyFRt9KUqJik13Il2YB4wmV5Jv-91HsjGVLA7OXFZ_9vdc374d7hek-ULg8ZwXTmmmmSDf3C42yUOo0/s16000/Brown%20Hare%201.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Hares silhouetted against a pre-sunrise skyline<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7v3AbcqQXVfOogA-Z4kEmMjGjqu5HPwbBSzPVyUF9m6z6rImdCESmeJ5bUUubjtdZyy_mIl7wLOlbBafQogQQ8UVuPOoxk-21ushThAkG4k9MsDVyVIMVqEfvHB3mxKlLGPt9NfuJIlOuhbp0b8crfvdBZv5la_31lAiPoN40UOaI6veT49Txp0/s1800/Brown%20Hares%20Gathering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hares silhouetted" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie7v3AbcqQXVfOogA-Z4kEmMjGjqu5HPwbBSzPVyUF9m6z6rImdCESmeJ5bUUubjtdZyy_mIl7wLOlbBafQogQQ8UVuPOoxk-21ushThAkG4k9MsDVyVIMVqEfvHB3mxKlLGPt9NfuJIlOuhbp0b8crfvdBZv5la_31lAiPoN40UOaI6veT49Txp0/s16000/Brown%20Hares%20Gathering.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">A sunrise showing the Hares in their environment<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_98IvHrpFTC9NL5-v8E60sR0VS0KSvhQyjOTk1Rn0-cYb04QF6xG3SqKhKDWY72tU61iuyshS6edhKIQTOsG0NzxbFxWTZzIKX0uOUCBqgvo-hFj5-0P1rxXv20seqnX7A_tvjeThSfD25jLN8FTckpjfnA-9hPXtXA0FkQaIshQzYb-yxQPTm1M/s1800/Brown%20Hares%20Gathering%20sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hares sunrise" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_98IvHrpFTC9NL5-v8E60sR0VS0KSvhQyjOTk1Rn0-cYb04QF6xG3SqKhKDWY72tU61iuyshS6edhKIQTOsG0NzxbFxWTZzIKX0uOUCBqgvo-hFj5-0P1rxXv20seqnX7A_tvjeThSfD25jLN8FTckpjfnA-9hPXtXA0FkQaIshQzYb-yxQPTm1M/s16000/Brown%20Hares%20Gathering%20sunrise.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">With a lot of patience and luck, you can get quite close<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUkotJ01jvE7CiBJFf3MLEQfElf1xg9Y87UNGSNgCCMPQbJka5-4Wd8FdHslVe-EZnUQ6SVa7NQmcwGzILIm5D0HHH5cYmE_12U5To4BWI9d1-nKkCWI9brkckkTKT7uPcQdE1E4mwtRpjdP4qloV_a8hxiH3WdR99OXWDMhTwZeSk6MCAfQ_3NI/s1800/Brown%20Hare%20Close%20up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hare close up" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUkotJ01jvE7CiBJFf3MLEQfElf1xg9Y87UNGSNgCCMPQbJka5-4Wd8FdHslVe-EZnUQ6SVa7NQmcwGzILIm5D0HHH5cYmE_12U5To4BWI9d1-nKkCWI9brkckkTKT7uPcQdE1E4mwtRpjdP4qloV_a8hxiH3WdR99OXWDMhTwZeSk6MCAfQ_3NI/s16000/Brown%20Hare%20Close%20up.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the early sunshine on a cold spring morning<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCLVJv3Dm5I9ZeCAM7GLXB3j2dTlUP3a2uzDJ-HFXJQsHHzKpbwQI6K9gJkCke255oBd5QKu2NbWHmU_5kBk_GU9Cj12UQRsrk9KQYQb7jY4GkaOAEAzCJOhK6Bn_C5a1y6UIkwX77-HL7KpYuBbBcTdN7p_Yq5qRpcTvkKuIgNlrDO0QeQ34-HA/s1800/Brown%20Hare%20in%20the%20sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCLVJv3Dm5I9ZeCAM7GLXB3j2dTlUP3a2uzDJ-HFXJQsHHzKpbwQI6K9gJkCke255oBd5QKu2NbWHmU_5kBk_GU9Cj12UQRsrk9KQYQb7jY4GkaOAEAzCJOhK6Bn_C5a1y6UIkwX77-HL7KpYuBbBcTdN7p_Yq5qRpcTvkKuIgNlrDO0QeQ34-HA/s16000/Brown%20Hare%20in%20the%20sun.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">A Hare in a field that was full of crops during the summer<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6s_rm77iY8MpeFaAtVhmn-bL6bVMGhyP_2MRxnvHVUEnWBQyWyiUNOO8xFtZlXnRbQYrdyTwE0rsG63ty4MDJOAQ23hfCPmQKmHHdY2eNUa2ub7MHMIOoJKNBP5pqVC60uaIYnRYmJOfOy-mYHHwAVGv2NR1YI750V4sEtq897HvdTwtFOoCnipM/s1800/Brown%20Hare%20in%20the%20open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown Hare" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6s_rm77iY8MpeFaAtVhmn-bL6bVMGhyP_2MRxnvHVUEnWBQyWyiUNOO8xFtZlXnRbQYrdyTwE0rsG63ty4MDJOAQ23hfCPmQKmHHdY2eNUa2ub7MHMIOoJKNBP5pqVC60uaIYnRYmJOfOy-mYHHwAVGv2NR1YI750V4sEtq897HvdTwtFOoCnipM/s16000/Brown%20Hare%20in%20the%20open.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-31880852349778380762021-09-18T10:07:00.000+01:002021-09-18T10:07:26.286+01:00Early Morning Macro<p style="text-align: justify;">What was perhaps the last of a late summer warm weather spell, I ventured out just before sunrise in the hope of maybe catching some wildlife. Unfortunately, there were a lot of dog walkers so very little to see, but I came prepare with a back up plan of doing some macro photography.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">For this I had brought along my much unused Sigma 105mm Macro lens. Up utill minutes earlier there had been a very heavy low lying cover of mist in this part of the Tyne valley, but it vanished quickly leaving thousands of dew covered spider webs. This made for some very picturesque photography which I wasn't able to quite achieve but still gave me some opportunity.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Not by any means an expert on spiders but did find at least three different types who, within their dew covered webs, made for at least and interesting possible image. With hind sight, I would have brought my tripod so I could have tried some photo stacking as even stopped down to f14 it was hard to get the subject in focus. Later this was made harder when the wind picked up where, at this magnification, any slight movement is multiplied significantly and completely shifting the spider out of focus.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Macro is one of those areas of photography I keep meaning to really give a go at but never really do. Maybe next year.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nCyJYAXQ6qM/YUWmcfA7a2I/AAAAAAAAPiI/o82eRSm8Rs4G2cpD2LQjeqOQitADLI1mwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/ResizerImage900X500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nCyJYAXQ6qM/YUWmcfA7a2I/AAAAAAAAPiI/o82eRSm8Rs4G2cpD2LQjeqOQitADLI1mwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/ResizerImage900X500.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByAEK3tVkYQ/YUWfnSI3JEI/AAAAAAAAPhU/59F-Llwnc2kZDUTzsk9ANKxOkiqhpIq_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/_Y0A5492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByAEK3tVkYQ/YUWfnSI3JEI/AAAAAAAAPhU/59F-Llwnc2kZDUTzsk9ANKxOkiqhpIq_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/_Y0A5492.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxIvZx7X5Uo/YUWfpT_xEMI/AAAAAAAAPhY/oHRdazwG4sAQgNsE9s6CfkWrgnCu1GoMACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/_Y0A5545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro, Spider Web, Dew" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DxIvZx7X5Uo/YUWfpT_xEMI/AAAAAAAAPhY/oHRdazwG4sAQgNsE9s6CfkWrgnCu1GoMACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/_Y0A5545.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4J4nci1USkQ/YUWfqzv9nHI/AAAAAAAAPhc/_7-3zKxH5P8qSZ5_8zjUqs6RGqO97CnIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/_Y0A5559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4J4nci1USkQ/YUWfqzv9nHI/AAAAAAAAPhc/_7-3zKxH5P8qSZ5_8zjUqs6RGqO97CnIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/_Y0A5559.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dw2wNE9SpDA/YUWfvZlFMQI/AAAAAAAAPhg/wYb716yPvjUvf8V2yFzGIRQVD7O9W8aegCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/_Y0A5573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro, European garden spider" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dw2wNE9SpDA/YUWfvZlFMQI/AAAAAAAAPhg/wYb716yPvjUvf8V2yFzGIRQVD7O9W8aegCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/_Y0A5573.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t4TuGyQ_2f4/YUWfznn6moI/AAAAAAAAPhk/0n2HU6ia3U8ynhq5PnrxPW3ac5mYK1wvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/_Y0A5631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t4TuGyQ_2f4/YUWfznn6moI/AAAAAAAAPhk/0n2HU6ia3U8ynhq5PnrxPW3ac5mYK1wvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/_Y0A5631.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UvA56n7OtMU/YUWhapYvymI/AAAAAAAAPiA/6NtM18Rf_SQR8CRUR3qcsn0y8itdvyDaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s936/Y0A5631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="European garden spider, Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro, Canon R6" border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="624" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UvA56n7OtMU/YUWhapYvymI/AAAAAAAAPiA/6NtM18Rf_SQR8CRUR3qcsn0y8itdvyDaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Y0A5631.jpg" /></a></div><br />Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-29608590060909006362021-07-18T17:04:00.000+01:002021-08-22T18:38:43.017+01:00A Morning with Brown Hares<p> Just a quick post from my morning photographing Brown Hares. Plenty of sunshine gave me the opportunity to photograph them with the light both behind and in front helping to give a different look.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QL-wf_uWyIA/YPP_e7OPj_I/AAAAAAAAPek/HVBPc1iCMMMPyOzKA0Td0i0-OoThNyQOACLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/Hare%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QL-wf_uWyIA/YPP_e7OPj_I/AAAAAAAAPek/HVBPc1iCMMMPyOzKA0Td0i0-OoThNyQOACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B5.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8qI2z8VwoCk/YPP_ev-ReEI/AAAAAAAAPeg/fTxk7BbEERwKogjn0blKI3F05cJtDSblQCLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/Hare%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8qI2z8VwoCk/YPP_ev-ReEI/AAAAAAAAPeg/fTxk7BbEERwKogjn0blKI3F05cJtDSblQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B4.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xZzZ92uecH4/YPP_dtOfkDI/AAAAAAAAPeU/qPU6A6cif6IJXUx1lLqcr2Lanod2TCZ9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s3599/Hare%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2399" data-original-width="3599" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xZzZ92uecH4/YPP_dtOfkDI/AAAAAAAAPeU/qPU6A6cif6IJXUx1lLqcr2Lanod2TCZ9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B3.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkdVjQkzZcg/YPP_ds90BxI/AAAAAAAAPeY/WhTKTK6xEuIWq-zNDRsuA6A0oVyjmHznQCLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/Hare%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkdVjQkzZcg/YPP_ds90BxI/AAAAAAAAPeY/WhTKTK6xEuIWq-zNDRsuA6A0oVyjmHznQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkgWnCb9WbI/YPP_d7M2oeI/AAAAAAAAPec/oGK4tSTtENIND3ww8yMyGtLqyGqWDDqxACLcBGAsYHQ/s3600/Hare%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="3600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZkgWnCb9WbI/YPP_d7M2oeI/AAAAAAAAPec/oGK4tSTtENIND3ww8yMyGtLqyGqWDDqxACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-7943827815801370692021-07-08T13:23:00.000+01:002021-07-08T13:23:10.516+01:00Mixed Bag–Mixed Fortune<p>Over the last month I have spent quite a bit of time getting up at ungodly hours, making the use of the early sunrises in the hope of photographing three specific animals. Hares, Rabbits and Foxes. It’s reminded me of just how much luck and timing and play a part of your success. </p> <p>First time: The Hares were abundant but mostly from afar or glimpses in the growing wheat fields and little chance of getting close to them and if I did, it was to see the back end of them as they sprinted away having saw me first.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-do2uLD4bNVw/YOQEm5IP3yI/AAAAAAAAPb4/a_zRVf-gNuIs6_xIJ7o3VkOGUOpryS7XgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Hare%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-do2uLD4bNVw/YOQEm5IP3yI/AAAAAAAAPb4/a_zRVf-gNuIs6_xIJ7o3VkOGUOpryS7XgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B1.jpg" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQju_KK9OtM/YOQEoi-ZG6I/AAAAAAAAPcA/cEUrpg5DdlMapNH0UnufEGhjTZmAPXRkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Running%2BHare.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQju_KK9OtM/YOQEoi-ZG6I/AAAAAAAAPcA/cEUrpg5DdlMapNH0UnufEGhjTZmAPXRkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Running%2BHare.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> <p>On my way back, I spotted a lone Hare along the path between the field and the hedges. Crouching down I expected it to pick up my presence as I was now upwind from it but to my surprise it started to come towards me. I wasn’t expecting any close encounters, had not changed any camera settings and still had a tele converter attached. Regardless, I fired away as it continued to come quite quickly towards me, not really confidence that my focusing with this lens converter combination would keep up.</p> <p>Eventually it got so close I couldn’t focus on it and at the last minute, it caught on that I was there and did a quick turn around and that was that. First example of being in the right place just at the right time, if unprepared.</p> <p> </p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91zLvz1n-vE/YOQG0meQmkI/AAAAAAAAPc8/Ub6HX4gdg2IbZjwYggmIQnOZ13uCCY_iACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Hare%2B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-91zLvz1n-vE/YOQG0meQmkI/AAAAAAAAPc8/Ub6HX4gdg2IbZjwYggmIQnOZ13uCCY_iACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B3.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ogT5MXQCjQk/YOQF9YCGXRI/AAAAAAAAPcs/AQY4BSX6d4wU31x58zpbnI5xBF61HKT2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Hare%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ogT5MXQCjQk/YOQF9YCGXRI/AAAAAAAAPcs/AQY4BSX6d4wU31x58zpbnI5xBF61HKT2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Hare%2B2.jpg" /></a></div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div>Second time: Up at the crack of dawn again, same place, around 30 minutes before sunrise and again, lots of Hares around. Got my camera and lens out before realising I hadn’t packed my lens adaptor so I could attach my EF lens to my Canon R6. Couldn’t believe how stupid I was. I stayed on watched for a while but couldn’t really progress because each of the routes I would have gone were Hares so would have probably just have disturbed them. Had I been able to use my camera I could have stayed put and just photographed them.</div> <div> </div> <div>Third time: The very next day at the same hour same place, and nothing. Not a singe Hare to be seen. What a complete difference 24 hours made. I’m not experienced with Hares so wondered what the difference could be. The only difference I could see was the weather. The day previously was dull, and a little drizzle on this day it was quite foggy. Could this have made the difference? </div> <div> </div> <div>Having just my long lens with me, I took a few opportunistic images of what was about but soon the fog was burnt away and the light became too strong. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ftwD3dEnCU/YONOJFG_riI/AAAAAAAAPaE/EzMcyhcjmtghpA9ppSB1WHIJ39KxKBsjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Sun.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ftwD3dEnCU/YONOJFG_riI/AAAAAAAAPaE/EzMcyhcjmtghpA9ppSB1WHIJ39KxKBsjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Sun.jpg" /></a></div> <div></div> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dECEVRxLHro/YOQCbCt9bGI/AAAAAAAAPbo/F1ca16onLKUPfZD02xwaly6udF8OoTV-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Tree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dECEVRxLHro/YOQCbCt9bGI/AAAAAAAAPbo/F1ca16onLKUPfZD02xwaly6udF8OoTV-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Tree.jpg" /></a></div></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EuPXasw3Q44/YONOUKYE_NI/AAAAAAAAPao/ofoJ0TZWtYghRTxpqOjSwbK7RwARy2JDACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Rabbit%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div> <div> </div> <div>Fourth time: Different location and this time Foxes. Every year recently, with the exception of last year, I go to this particular location with the almost guarantee of seeing at least a glimpse of a Fox in June. Unfortunately after over four hours of waiting nothing showed, not a glance or even a sign. Usually local Magpies will indicate the presence of Foxes by their reactions but they seemed completely relaxed.</div> <div> </div> <div>The Rabbits were out and also quite relaxed too, further indications of the lack of Foxes though there were some well used tracks suggesting they must be still present within the area. Maybe just not so frequent.</div> <div> </div> <div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpqFKNOz0EE/YOQPuBDJxbI/AAAAAAAAPdI/T4p9BDEHvPcN_oibplgpT9V2Cxkl_aOPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Rabbit%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpqFKNOz0EE/YOQPuBDJxbI/AAAAAAAAPdI/T4p9BDEHvPcN_oibplgpT9V2Cxkl_aOPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Rabbit%2B2.jpg" /></a></div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSMkG0VC1fw/YOQPsD18mRI/AAAAAAAAPdE/ZZCkxNNFq9UZQTuAkFIu8QqnwuPH_wWZACLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Rabbit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rSMkG0VC1fw/YOQPsD18mRI/AAAAAAAAPdE/ZZCkxNNFq9UZQTuAkFIu8QqnwuPH_wWZACLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Rabbit.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> <br /></div> <div>Fifth Time: Different location again. Chances of seeing Rabbits but in a more picturesque setting, Foxes and Roe Deer. As soon as I reached the location, I saw a Deer running being chased by a dog - 4:30 in the morning!! The dog didn't seem to have an owner but just randomly roaming around. Not a good start especially as the dog didn't seem to be in a hurry to move off so I had to move to further along and hope it didn't follow.</div> <div> </div> <div>This time last year Rabbits were everywhere if a little timid. This time around I found very few. I spent the next four hours or so, positioning myself at two different locations waiting for an opportunity. The first, where I had so much success the previous year - nothing. The second just a few glimpses and a couple of images in very low light (below). There were Foxes around as I could hear one on the way up to the location and while set up and waiting, I could hear the Magpies going a bit mad over something that was around.</div> <div> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The temptation would be to go and investigate but due to the terrain, I was unlikely to see it before it saw me and better I stayed were I was where I had a good field of view and just maybe, it would come to me. </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFW-VWQRWCY/YONOUP9leGI/AAAAAAAAPas/KcN3D8LxxpwcQHvd-krklJZ8e0r7HYDJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Rabbit%2B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFW-VWQRWCY/YONOUP9leGI/AAAAAAAAPas/KcN3D8LxxpwcQHvd-krklJZ8e0r7HYDJgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Rabbit%2B3.jpg" /></a> <br /></div> <div>Sixth time: Back to the location for the Hares and a morning identical to the foggy morning where I had little success. It was not looking good.</div> <div> </div> <div>I first positioned myself at the same spot I first had the close encounter with a Hare as I had seen at least one here on a number of occasions and there was a dip on the path and a curve in the path so I had hoped that a Hare could come around that curve and not see me. I waited an hour and half but with thoughts of the previous foggy morning and lack of sightings, I decided to move to another position further up which looked ideal as it was in a dip in the ground and a crossroads between the fields, the field edges and grassy areas.</div> <div> </div> <div>Another hour of nothing I decided to stand up, stretch my legs and look around, thinking it was time to move on. After a 360 look around when I looed back to where I had trained my camera, there was a Hare, perfectly posing in the exact picturesque spot! Of course it saw me and headed in the opposite direction.</div> <div> </div> <div>Waiting another 30 minutes and the path to my behind right another Hare was coming up behind me. No chance of moving or it would have seen me so all I could do was to hope if would continue on its route. Unfortunately it didn't. Had I stayed in my original location, I would have been in a perfect position to see and photograph it.</div> <div> </div> <div>A further 40 minutes of waiting, by this time I had positioned myself so I was lying down and camera and lens resting on my bag when, right out of the grass about three metres to my left came a Hare striding towards me! It got to about touching distance and of course I didn't move, started to eat then must have suspected something as it then went back the way it came. Not in a panic or hurry but must have not liked what it saw.</div> <div> </div> <div>Even though clearly I had no chance of photographing it, it helped make up for the other two sightings. There's something special about such a close encounter with such a wild animal. I waited a further half hour where a Pheasant came out of the same location only must have seen me as all I heard was a panicked Pheasant suddenly shoot up into the air. I don't know who got more of a fright. </div> <div> </div> <div>Seventh time: Same location as my fifth time only now there was no stray dog. This deer was walking across a patch of open ground. Luckily I was still under cover of trees and bushes so it didn't see me and continued into the trees, presumably to rest up for the day. After making sure it was gone, I got up and continued along the path when the the deer back tracked. Now I was out in the open.</div><div><br /></div><div>Crouching down and trying to hide behind my camera and lens, the deer could still see at least something. It seemed very curious and even walked towards me. Luckily my camera has a completely silent mode so wasn't disturbed by my taking photos. Despite showing all the typical Roe Deer signs of being unsure, it eventually lost interest and continued on in the direction it originally came from. </div><div> </div><div>Again waiting until <i>this time</i> I was sure it was gone I moved on. Just slightly further up it doubled back once again, only this time it saw me before I saw it, and it quickly moved off. After reaching the spot I wanted to be and starting to set myself up, the Roe Deer must have yet again doubled back as it came up behind me. I didn't see it but heard its barking alarm calls very loud just behind me.<br /></div><div> </div><div></div><div> <br /></div> <img alt="Roe Deer High ISO" border="0" height="1200" src="https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1_wSZbvJLQqt05dRklJL0c-nsFVDZoe-N" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Roe Deer High ISO" width="1800" /> <p> </p><p>Other than this and a couple of vary wary Rabbits, it was otherwise very quiet. I was able to get some brief video showing how wary the Rabbits were. The video below is classic behaviour.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='322' height='267' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzffAw377X0zjZZrT2_2kNsaKb3P09OYoqKQsSoFmSChvgF4mKVIMpsaVyjY9uyb2yTxGvC4BABpoIfhWVc1w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It just goes to show how much luck and timing is involved in wildlife photography. You can know where to find wildlife but it's no guarantee of actually seeing them and especially of a close encounter. It's all all about being in the right place and at the right time. Had I been a few minutes earlier or later, I probably wouldn't have had that Hare coming towards me. Had I not stood up for that single minute but kept my camera trained on the spot I had been doing so, then I would have got that image I was hoping for.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This so often has given me the dilemma of, when waiting at a spot with no sucess, do I move on or continue waiting. So often I've got up and started to move on only to see the animal I was waiting for, appear. Then again I've waited for hours at one location and maybe moving would put me with another ideal opportunity. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div><p></p> <div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S4-TWrpDOjs/YOa5kKZml9I/AAAAAAAAPdo/fywFyVe42ZAeLL4Iypy5YxT_lR4mEyUVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1800/Silhouette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S4-TWrpDOjs/YOa5kKZml9I/AAAAAAAAPdo/fywFyVe42ZAeLL4Iypy5YxT_lR4mEyUVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Silhouette.jpg" /></a></div><br />Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-21870650737245983642020-09-04T17:00:00.000+01:002020-09-04T17:00:09.505+01:00A Return<p style="text-align: justify;">It's been a while since last posting. Not really sure if people are interested
in looking at blogs anymore with social media replacing it. A lot of blogs I
used to look at, also haven't posted anything in a long time. The last year has
also seen a move for me and of course the lockdown, making getting out
difficult. This has however, forced me to look locally for photo opportunities. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The area is a mixture of built up residential and farmland but this is largely surrounded by the housing areas, so is quite isolated. Just before lockdown I was able to go out to scout around the area for potential wildlife, but in late winter, it felt very bleak and with little around, so I wasn't hopeful.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After being stuck inside for months and we were able to go out with less restrictions, I got out with my camera by which time it was early summer and the area was transformed. The most obvious of any hopeful opportunities was the abundance of Rabbits around the area, although extremly skittish. Despite using the 'silent' shutter option on my camera, it would be enough for one click and the Rabbits would be off. I would then have to wait up to 30-40 minutes again before any would return.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9P3JNJwI2OY/X1JabUODPvI/AAAAAAAAPL4/C1e1nEtLZD4XEHMx90G4vzKmFoiOZUS4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_9796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9P3JNJwI2OY/X1JabUODPvI/AAAAAAAAPL4/C1e1nEtLZD4XEHMx90G4vzKmFoiOZUS4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_9796.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jW1mXMR02zU/X1JabZH9PTI/AAAAAAAAPL0/CDTK-dXEbIQjoZLeO8WRDyVz0Fpp2mkvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_9851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jW1mXMR02zU/X1JabZH9PTI/AAAAAAAAPL0/CDTK-dXEbIQjoZLeO8WRDyVz0Fpp2mkvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_9851.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ap3uenNPWWI/X1JabQMlUhI/AAAAAAAAPLw/tk4yaQwLZiUNtBDcYeBmBXmIFOYXUoDYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_9873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ap3uenNPWWI/X1JabQMlUhI/AAAAAAAAPLw/tk4yaQwLZiUNtBDcYeBmBXmIFOYXUoDYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_9873.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ybh4yv2U0mw/X1JacAPHjkI/AAAAAAAAPL8/RHAr7j1wFvM1Qk51kgnIL9RMD2Kl6meYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_9880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ybh4yv2U0mw/X1JacAPHjkI/AAAAAAAAPL8/RHAr7j1wFvM1Qk51kgnIL9RMD2Kl6meYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_9880.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">All the images were taken during the summer at around sunrise, so before there was too many people around to disturb them...and me. The image two above, was taken of a Rabbit who seems a bit more plucky than some of the others as it seems more tolerant of the sound of my shutter. I've seen it a few times, recognised by the left ear which has a bit missing. Hopefully this won't be it's downfall as, on a recent visit I was surprised by a visiting Fox.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was only a brief encounter, but gave me hope of taking pictures of which is probably my faviourite animal to see and photograph.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kG3Uhim3Wnc/X1JbA--ruuI/AAAAAAAAPMQ/uLG7v1aQ7B8E5cgcd7NJmnrAVxfN1qVWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_9894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kG3Uhim3Wnc/X1JbA--ruuI/AAAAAAAAPMQ/uLG7v1aQ7B8E5cgcd7NJmnrAVxfN1qVWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_9894.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">This was only my first sighting of a Fox after nearly three months so, unlike my usual location to photograph them, they presumably weren't common.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have also seen the occassional Roe Deer though only ever individuals and the fields.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hKYLOzScbNE/X1JfPNpjbaI/AAAAAAAAPMc/H2Vo0MxvXNoKVxMsOAGT7J-pa1jJfiYUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s900/IMG_9842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="900" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hKYLOzScbNE/X1JfPNpjbaI/AAAAAAAAPMc/H2Vo0MxvXNoKVxMsOAGT7J-pa1jJfiYUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/IMG_9842.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Hopefully, I'll start to post a bit more often now that I'm getting out again and as I continue to explore my local area.<br /></div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3RP6b8BfO4/X1JacTy7MeI/AAAAAAAAPMA/fIKYDXb91UUNAu4jxHPb9C3qu_vYbvzOACLcBGAsYHQ/s800/IMG_9894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-63050790296803375212019-08-26T17:07:00.000+01:002019-08-26T17:07:40.125+01:00Who's Stalking Who?<p>I haven’t been out much this summer, but couldn’t resist what might be a last gasp spell of warm weather this bank holiday weekend. I thought I’d try my luck with Foxes again although at this time of year the cubs dispersed, so making it less likely to see a Fox than it was a couple of months ago. Luck have it, after a couple of hours a Fox made an appearance in the distance. </p><p>I spent the next hour moving from one position to another trying to get into a place where I would get a perfect view point but each time I did, it proved that moving was a mistake as had I stayed put, I would have previously had the perfect view. Finally, after nearly deciding to give, on seeing the Fox moving towards the spot I’d just moved from, I rushed back, though not hopeful of getting back there in time.</p><p>After around a 100 metre sprint, with a heavy 500mm lens plus camera and equipment, I got back at the spot where it was almost certainly going to pass by. I was sure it would have already passed and my unstealthily heavy breathing as I tried to catch my breath, would probably scare it away anyway. No sooner that I got there, it appeared and caught sight of me but instead of running off, it actually started to slowly walk towards me, as if stalking me and had an intense stare – very unnerving! After a minute staring at me it disappeared before quickly reappearing and after another stare, was off.<br></p>
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<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OuWP3XXLYw/XWO4HBrIwLI/AAAAAAAAPAk/MF6sDw5xAjUN5xalhaUKe4cnOVHMQmjhgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9769.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OuWP3XXLYw/XWO4HBrIwLI/AAAAAAAAPAk/MF6sDw5xAjUN5xalhaUKe4cnOVHMQmjhgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9769.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-78427854113153981852019-07-07T08:22:00.002+01:002019-07-07T19:25:00.991+01:00The Fox & Rabbit II<p>It’s not often I will go back to a successful shoot at a location in the hope of replicating the success again as it rarely turns out that way, but at this time of year it’s a great time to see and photograph foxes as this years young haven’t left for their own territories so you have a number of foxes in one place some of which haven’t yet learnt to fear humans.</p><p>With that in mind I returned to the same location as before. Conditions were different. Instead of dull, damp weather there was sunshine and, out of the wind at least, a little warmer. However this time the wind was coming from a different location so my previous ideal position now had it coming from behind me, making me upwind from their location. This and the lack of rabbits feeding may have been the reason that, after two hours, little was seen.</p><p>
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Eventually, the mobbing calls of a couple of magpies caught my attention so moved to a different location to see what the fuss was about. The new place was more sheltered and what little wind there was now came towards me. Unfortunately, for the first time in a number of years I was hit by a bad case of hay fever, maybe because of the lack of wind but it was very sudden and my eyes were itching like mad and starting to stream.</p><p>Just then a fox came out of nowhere and across my front. At this point I could barely see never mind try and focus on a moving fox through long grass. A couple of shots is all I managed, mostly out of focus or largely hidden by the vegetation. The rabbits further out, although alert to its presence, didn’t seem overly concerned until, after initially disappearing from my view, it sprinted out out after them. It was all over in seconds and again, I had nothing but blurry images due to the problems of trying to focus in the long grass.<br></p>
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With my hay fever moderately better, after a couple of anti-histamines, decided to go back to my previous location despite the problems with the wind direction and being colder at least I had a more open view and it was where I had the previous weeks success. Again, after another hour and nothing happening it had to be my being upwind that was the issue and after, once again hearing the mobbing of the magpies, moved to investigate.<br>
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As I approached the noise I kept coming up to rabbits, frozen. Normally they would be off in a flash with someone approaching them but they clearly they thought I was a lesser threat than presumably the fox or foxes ahead. Each time I chose not to make, what must have been an already stressful time for them any worse, so gave them some space and went around them. One rabbit I stumbled across, I was so close I couldn’t even focus that near so had to back away just to get a photograph.</p><p>
Despite the obvious presence of foxes, I wasn’t able to get closer due to the ring of clearly fraught rabbits around the area, so returned back to my original location.<br>
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I know there is a lot of photographers who shoot wildlife to whom getting ‘the image’ is all important and I don’t think they realise the impact they might have. I remember reading once how, for wildlife, it’s a day-to-day struggle for survival it it did make me think. I don’t chase after wildlife and if I think my presence will cause unnecessary stress, I will back away without an image.</p><p>There has been so many times I have had close encounters with an animal, particularly foxes and deer, where I stumbled across them without their knowing of my presence. But because I was so close, rather than ‘get the image’ and inevitably give the animal a shock, I have stayed quiet and let them pass without knowing I was there. There is a certain satisfaction in being within metres of a wild animal, unaware of you and simply being able to watch it rather than it see you and run off.</p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-26980464180703038132019-06-30T11:17:00.001+01:002019-06-30T14:41:17.342+01:00The Fox & Rabbit<div align="left" class="separator" style="text-align: left; clear: both;">
It’s been a while since I last posted a blog and I have been debating whether to continue with it. Maybe blogs have gone out of style but I’m just not sure if the interest is out there anymore. Many of the blogs I visit, are no longer updated and I don’t get many visits to mine. Anyhow, with a few weeks off I have managed to get out and about so thought I would post something.</div>
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I was starting to regret not bringing warmer clothing, even gloves, after an hour of watching and photographing rabbits – not June weather (or maybe it is!). Rabbits may not be thought of as the most exciting or glamorous animal, but I find them a little therapeutic and of course where there are rabbits there’s a chance of a fox.</div>
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After an initial wariness of my arrival they settled down an ignored my presence. Around 40 minutes later the rabbits suddenly froze, bolted upright then scattered. In the direction they were looking a fox appeared. I didn’t have time to cover myself with my netting as the fox was looking directly at me. As I turned to take a picture my camera just started shooting by itself, one frame after another. By the time is stopped the fox was trotting off in the opposite direction and I had around eight frames of a completely out of focus fox looking right into the camera! It did stop to look back at me giving me the chance to grab a couple of shots. It seemed unwittingly, I had the horizontal shutter on the battery grip jammed up against a nearby obstacle.<br>
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It’s surprising how quickly everything returned back to normal and within minutes all the rabbits were out again, feeding and I was able to get a few interesting images.<br>
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<br></p><p>One of the best ways to know if a predator such as a fox is about is the reaction of the wildlife. Magpies in particular make a loud squaring noise and fly around as it mobs the predator. A couple had been around all morning doing this but with the rabbits ignoring it. On one occasion though they didn’t. Whether it was a change in the ‘tone’ or because they could sense a fox, I don’t know but again, they were frozen upright and tense.</p><p>
When I looked in the direction they were staring at, I saw another fox, again staring at me. It didn’t stay long as it immediately back tracked and again everything settled to a relaxed atmosphere.
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Another hour passed when there was a massive racket again coming from the Magpies. This went on for sometime and I thought of moving position to find the cause of the noise – presumably a fox, but thought I may as well stay put. Luckily I did as suddenly out of nowhere three foxes sprinted out at the rabbits I was watching. It happened so quickly I barely had time to react and it was over in seconds. I don’t know where two of the foxes went but there was one remaining around 14 metres away, perfectly posing for me. This one didn’t seem particularly bothered by me, though I was relatively hidden. It seemed more interested in the rabbits and after a couple of moments trotted off.</p><p>I was surprised to see, after walking past a thistle, just biting off the top part and eating it. Probably not as fulfilling as a rabbit for it I guess.<br>
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</div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-91530624780652837872018-08-19T16:44:00.001+01:002018-08-19T16:56:38.319+01:00A Farne Island Re-look<p align="justify">Every year I try and visit the Farne Islands. Unfortunately this year I was unable to, especially disappointing as the weather has been particularly dry and sunny. However, with newer and better software, I have been re-looking at some of my images from previous year and processed them again giving them a ‘fresh lick of paint’. Some of these I had already processed before, such as the first one but others I’ve looked at from a fresh view. I’ve put together a few, mostly of Puffins, of my favourites below.</p><p align="justify">Hopefully next year I’ll make it back there.<br>
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<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RF5O6GdZxBE/W3mM_YWnnMI/AAAAAAAAOmM/bIca1aADVG05KRksUuOR9BAdxVYvzfaSwCLcBGAs/s1600/SMP_4982.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RF5O6GdZxBE/W3mM_YWnnMI/AAAAAAAAOmM/bIca1aADVG05KRksUuOR9BAdxVYvzfaSwCLcBGAs/s1600/SMP_4982.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-14005338371605237762018-08-05T11:59:00.001+01:002018-08-05T15:05:29.762+01:00In A Sea of Grass<div align="justify">
A recent deluge of rain after a couple of months of almost none has given the the plants and grass a sudden sprout of growth though still not as tall and lushes as you would normally expect at this time of year. Still, it means it’s easier to see the local wildlife. Having said that, my first hour was spent watching a loan Rabbit which, despite my use of a net as a cover, I think it new I was there though didn’t seem particularly bothered. Every now and then it would poke its head up and sniff the air as if there was a scent if was unsure about.</div><p>
<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p7eJVHoAv8c/W2akrUo0BmI/AAAAAAAAOj8/LyUr8sXv5rwK3rWcm021bmHChkXEDeIRwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9953.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p7eJVHoAv8c/W2akrUo0BmI/AAAAAAAAOj8/LyUr8sXv5rwK3rWcm021bmHChkXEDeIRwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9953.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a><br>
<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJHm_qwYG8s/W2akq270kbI/AAAAAAAAOj0/mc-IffFH3IEVRuarKTH4syqLXkD4IjSUwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0033.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lJHm_qwYG8s/W2akq270kbI/AAAAAAAAOj0/mc-IffFH3IEVRuarKTH4syqLXkD4IjSUwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0033.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a></p><p align="justify">When it started to seem like all the morning would show would be this single Rabbit, from my left I saw a streak of red brown moving through the tall grass. Although I could only see the very top, it could be only one thing, a Fox and it was heading in the same direction as the unsuspecting Rabbit. A brief stop in an ideally located spot in the grass meant I managed to grab a quick snatch image before it plunged down again.<br>
</p><p><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p3HqSIsuUMY/W2aksCPAceI/AAAAAAAAOkE/u9vrx0-hsCEsspOOwM8E-fqhIvlmGd1fgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9977.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p3HqSIsuUMY/W2aksCPAceI/AAAAAAAAOkE/u9vrx0-hsCEsspOOwM8E-fqhIvlmGd1fgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9977.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a></p><p align="justify">It disappeared for a while and I watched the line it was following, expecting it to come out at a spot near the Rabbit, it didn’t, instead making a 45 degree change of direction and headed away from me. As it headed off, it wasn’t being very obliging for me although a quick look back meant I could at least get another quick couple of shots.
I watched it for a further twenty minutes or so in the distance whilst it hunted for rodents with clearly some success as I could see it rummaging around in the undergrowth followed by a violent shaking of the head and some chomping on whatever it had found.</p><p><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uT8MUiBbXlM/W2aksuZPUII/AAAAAAAAOkI/4KHNW8BIOPMl0VcqWXPeIN5UxSA-OLgigCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9986.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uT8MUiBbXlM/W2aksuZPUII/AAAAAAAAOkI/4KHNW8BIOPMl0VcqWXPeIN5UxSA-OLgigCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9986.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a></p><p align="justify">Eventually it went on its way leaving the Rabbit remaining completely oblivious as to how close it came to being a possible meal for the Fox though it’s quite likely the Fox could have continued on its original path and completely miss the unsuspecting Rabbit in the dense undergrowth.
</p><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dW4erB3Bi5A/W2akr6td3vI/AAAAAAAAOkA/Fs63pQJGUyUv1CyPX0mjQ4_WytLpnF-CQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9971.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dW4erB3Bi5A/W2akr6td3vI/AAAAAAAAOkA/Fs63pQJGUyUv1CyPX0mjQ4_WytLpnF-CQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9971.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a><br>
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<div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both;"><br></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-50629155045515770062018-07-03T18:24:00.000+01:002018-07-04T19:09:54.146+01:00Summer Rabbits<p align="justify">I don’t seem to get out as much as I would like to these days, but the weather has been great recently, too good to miss so out I went. At this time of year, Fox cubs are venturing out on their own and without their own territory and lacking the caution of their parents, it’s often a good time to find and photograph them.</p><p align="justify">Where better to find them than where there are Rabbits. Well, Rabbits were a plenty but there was no sign of a Fox – at least I didn’t see one. A number of Magpies and other birds were mobbing some kind of predator in some thickets and long grass but I couldn’t really get close enough with it being waist high and full of thistles. Wearing only light, thin trousers, the thistles were easily penetrating them making progress rather painful.</p><p align="justify">I settled instead for simply enjoying the warmth of the sunshine and watching the Rabbits. It was noticeable how relaxed the Rabbits were, with one even appearing to ‘sunbathe’, lying down and on one occasion, on its back. Still, even here the grass was long so shooting through this meant much of the time many of the images looked quite soft.</p><p align="justify">Rabbits may be common and not the most glamorous subject to many but I find them quite endearing and entertaining to watch.<br></p>
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<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AG-jVUb9X4M/WzuuQKYy7lI/AAAAAAAAOi8/VwG_CkTb64cTqHkE_38CnHbLuPaVd9UhgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9781.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AG-jVUb9X4M/WzuuQKYy7lI/AAAAAAAAOi8/VwG_CkTb64cTqHkE_38CnHbLuPaVd9UhgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_9781.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="600"></a></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-53190555205271620302018-03-05T19:08:00.000+00:002018-03-06T19:14:51.258+00:00Beast from the East comes to the North East<p align="justify"><font face="Arial" size="3">They named it ‘The Beast from the East’, the cold and snowy weather that hit the country last week. Most people seemed content with staying in out of the cold but it was too good a photo opportunity to miss for me at the weekend, so I dug out my thermals, covered myself from head to foot in layers and went out to see what I could find.</font></p><p align="justify">One very good reason for going out is to find out what wildlife is around by checking the various foot prints and trails in the woodland. The woods themselves were very quiet as if everything was trying to keep warm and under cover but it was immediately obvious from the tracks just how alive the woods were – at least nocturnally. </p><p><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bthZURO8EjM/WpwQ5WoJFiI/AAAAAAAAOf8/rH7E-ETCGnYOATPZOMDu2iFEepCqcUkPgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0445.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img width="1000" height="350" title="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" alt="Click to enlarge" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bthZURO8EjM/WpwQ5WoJFiI/AAAAAAAAOf8/rH7E-ETCGnYOATPZOMDu2iFEepCqcUkPgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0445.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1500" data-original-height="526"></a></p><p align="justify">Everywhere there were Rod Deer tracks despite after 40 minutes and still early in the morning, I hadn’t actually seen one. The above panoramic shows Roe Deer tracks in every direction. Fox tracks were also prominent though not in the same numbers. Probably one or two active Foxes. I followed one set of recent tracks which in turn followed the trail, occasionally going off but soon returning but eventually leading off into the underbrush. It was clear these were made in the last few hours as I new there had been a light dusting of snow early that morning which could be clearly seen within the imprints (see below).</p><p align="left"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YxMbkpcMSfw/WpwURMX6hPI/AAAAAAAAOhA/YjD2tdFzxbUo6dKvNAmtGGOdGzWAFLi8QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8473.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></p><p align="justify">I was surprised to see how many Rabbit tracks there were as I rarely see them here, but here they were very clearly around the woodlands. </p><p align="justify">However, actually seeing anything other than for some birds which seemed to be far more ‘tame and approachable’ than usual, remained elusive. Two brief sightings of a Roe Deer and that was it. </p><p align="left"><img width="667" height="1000" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-17P_-nzXSCs/WpwUhUfBfPI/AAAAAAAAOhI/2DosqB4HtC0wrqjjUrNxKXLi1-4ODuSMwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8476.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="1500"></p><p align="justify">I decided to sit down in a spot I have had previous success with seeing Roe and Foxes and started to set up my camera and lens on my Gimbal head and tripod when, snap, one of the legs broke at the joint. I don’t know if the cold contributed to the demise of my trusty tripod but after what must be 10 years of great service, it is no more. I would have been better to have happened at the end of my day than at the beginning as now I didn’t have any real support other than resorting to using my bag or knees whilst sitting low down.</p><p align="center"><img width="667" height="1185" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kcGqTy0QQY4/WpwRTPtFKoI/AAAAAAAAOgM/m7ZKOMnVqMwD8R1ndBDo2ne-eCEMAabPwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0441.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="900" data-original-height="1600"></p><p align="justify">After realising the autofocus wasn’t functioning on my Sigma 500mm lens, I checked the settings and everything seemed fine. Batteries at full charge, etc. I tried changing to a different lens – that worked so it was the big lens that was now not working. So know with no support and only manual focusing available and still only around 9.00am, I was tempted just to give up, feeling just a little fed up, but I continued though I knew there would be little point in keeping the 500mm lens attached whilst walking because I know if an opportunity came about, I wouldn’t be able to hand hold it so changed to a 18-135mm lens.</p><p align="justify">I wasn’t really expecting to see anything at this point anyway and just thought I might be able to get some ‘winter woodland shots’, but despite the obvious beauty of my surroundings, I just couldn’t get any kind of composition. As I continued on my way I glanced to my left and saw a Roe Deer close by just standing looking at me. I expected it to shoot off so turned my back on it whilst I set my lens to 135mm just in case. To my surprise when I turned around again, it was still there though had started to walk away. I put my camera to my eye and took a couple of images and noticed there was another couple of Roe resting which had now popped their heads up.</p><p align="justify">They didn’t seem to bothered by my presence but did start to get up to move away. I didn’t want to push my luck and decided not to alarm them any further and move off myself. It’s good to remember that in cold weather like this, wildlife are always on the brink of surviving and having to use up precious energy to run away will not do them any good.</p><p align="left"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfyCJ6N9UbI/WpwRhdNphzI/AAAAAAAAOgU/FSDg1lm2vKA8nB0y2EEdawtYYzjMr7i_ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8505.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></p><p align="justify">I spent the rest of the day visiting a number of locations and managed a few more photographs, though nothing special. You really appreciate auto focus when you don’t have it. Birds can be very twitchy and don’t stay long in one spot and Grey Squirrels are constantly on the move, so there was a lot of ‘hit and miss’ with what I did take.</p><p align="justify">At one point I decided to take a landscape picture just using my phone when that suddenly died on me! It was really starting to look like it was not going be my day. Luckily it turned out the cold had just drained the battery but I had a battery pack on it so charged it up again. Still, 90% had drained in three hours of being out in the cold.</p><p align="left"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HCzFwPIt5NE/WpwRhTUkjMI/AAAAAAAAOgY/7hKnbfr3jUQSTVA6Inw0s6z6GbN8xT_iACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8544.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></p><p align="left"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D9r74LlH2ao/WpwRhTh3V7I/AAAAAAAAOgQ/VSygZ3lGuw0SBt7X_TKoboslnbmzbk0AwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8615.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></p><p align="left"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-agxYzZaxnvY/WpwRiCW3tNI/AAAAAAAAOgc/4N45iYplRxsQEYIzqSi6azoifs81PyXLwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8632.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></p><p align="left"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k2qy-fNKcDk/WpwRiNMfNgI/AAAAAAAAOgg/Z6NHAyuwGLcZE6-fkWKtTDypqHPEW-mvQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8646.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="666"></p><p align="left"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Np7ynVWPfgQ/WpwRiXjKCMI/AAAAAAAAOgk/aU2SkBhkLgkx46C9voUV8Ex4WJotHPFhACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8671.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></p><p align="left"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VlEB1hvtSCI/WpwRikyQaxI/AAAAAAAAOgo/2QMy4jE01q0OhmTqZbD2AQ9mHqsjVKCZACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8683.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></p><p align="justify">The good news (I think) is that it was the cold that seemed to have caused the auto focus to fail. On my return it started to work again and with a little research found that the cold could cause this. I’m not completely convinced that it isn’t a sign of some other problem waiting in the wings as I have taken this lens out in sub zero temperatures before without issue. The difference then is that I had a 1D series body attached which research also suggested the power of the camera body could make a difference.</p><p align="justify">I guess only time will tell if it was just the cold or there is another problem lurking, waiting to happen again. Meanwhile a new tripod is winging its way to me.</p>
<div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both;"><br></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-618953985940060492017-11-26T18:49:00.001+00:002017-11-26T19:10:38.802+00:00Portrait of a Woodpecker<p align="justify">A sunny, if cold weekend gave good lighting opportunities for some photography but, about the only thing showing was a couple of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. The low late Autumn sunshine along with the remains of the Autumn colours in the background, made for some colourful images.<br></p>
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<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qm2_BbMtNiU/WhrhtEwcL_I/AAAAAAAAOaA/YIZ9s0qcl9QfhBc4Cq2SA3JSiBqpSmqSQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8452_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qm2_BbMtNiU/WhrhtEwcL_I/AAAAAAAAOaA/YIZ9s0qcl9QfhBc4Cq2SA3JSiBqpSmqSQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8452_DxO.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="600" data-original-height="900"></a></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-79469792960464252082017-11-12T10:03:00.000+00:002017-11-12T19:11:03.886+00:00Autumn Missed<p align="justify">My attempts to get out this Autumn and make the most of its colours, have failed miserably for one reason or another. The weekend was probably two weeks too late with most of the leaves fallen and those that have, already turning brown and mushy. I had to settle for some riverside images and the odd one in the woods – nothing very exciting unfortunately.<br></p>
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<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WeEfxk5iO-A/WggbpdoL3oI/AAAAAAAAOZA/lDvIjYj76AE7Otw8cM8NaJ0pKWN_0WQqwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7829.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WeEfxk5iO-A/WggbpdoL3oI/AAAAAAAAOZA/lDvIjYj76AE7Otw8cM8NaJ0pKWN_0WQqwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7829.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="667"></a></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-9160133812716043672017-11-05T09:46:00.000+00:002017-11-06T18:57:43.325+00:00I Admit it, I'm an Anti Social Photographer!<p align="justify">I think, for those of us who are wildlife or landscape photographers, we each have our own reasons for being so. For me it’s an interest in wildlife which I’ve had since I was a kid, together with art, something I was always good at, joining up with photography, a subject I took up as an art student at college. Together, however they make up a third part. Living and working in a city I find the noise, crowds and even the day to day stupidity and selflessness of people more and more oppressive.</p><p align="justify">So, going out early in the morning, preferably somewhere remote and quiet, I find relaxing and if you can watch a Fox hunting or a sunrise over the sea, it just makes the moment just that little more special. Unfortunately it’s hard to avoid people when out and about. The first below three images were taken in a hide. Now I normally stay away from these places exactly because they tend to have a lot of people and worst off, photographers. On this occasion, I was by myself at first but was followed soon after by two photographers who spent most of time talking with intermittent rattling off at full frames per second, at anything that went by. </p><p align="justify">Then came in the worst kind of ‘wildlife photographer’. He was the type who was decked out head to toe in camouflage though clearly never walks more than a hundred or so metres from his car. He then proceeded to non stop talk about how much gear he had, how many camera’s he had brought over the years, but had to ask ‘how to make the picture on the back screen go bigger’. He later phoned a camera store, hands free so everyone could hear, asking about a Sigma tele lens and talking to the poor woman who answered as if she should have known him personally because he had visited the store before!</p><p align="justify">Whilst he was doing this and with the other two still talking, a Kingfisher, what they’d seem to be waiting for, landed in front of the hide (below image) for less than a couple of seconds and, possibly scared by the noise, was off. If everyone had remained quiet they would have heard the call of it before it arrived and maybe managed a picture or so. With the noise continuing and more people arriving, I left.</p><p align="justify"><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eHbCPAve-iI/WfWYTwE2NII/AAAAAAAAOWk/zW65aK8sD_s7zqGE8MJ1dEgez9BM-5lJwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8187-2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eHbCPAve-iI/WfWYTwE2NII/AAAAAAAAOWk/zW65aK8sD_s7zqGE8MJ1dEgez9BM-5lJwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8187-2.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="666"></a><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htCYiAootCw/WfWYUXeqM1I/AAAAAAAAOWo/nBPx7ZAxWko8ad1zDGLlMUCznkw8SeeZQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8206_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-htCYiAootCw/WfWYUXeqM1I/AAAAAAAAOWo/nBPx7ZAxWko8ad1zDGLlMUCznkw8SeeZQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8206_DxO.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="666"></a><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--xNzVRCp424/WfWYTu3nMhI/AAAAAAAAOWg/5vt_bXcDYIQhy2ShetSPjDlCFhYbqGiMQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8150_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--xNzVRCp424/WfWYTu3nMhI/AAAAAAAAOWg/5vt_bXcDYIQhy2ShetSPjDlCFhYbqGiMQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8150_DxO.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="666"></a></p><p align="justify">I try and avoid other so called, wildlife photographers. When you go to a hide or even go to online forums and you listen to what they say, they mostly seem to be the same. They are either gear heads, obsessed with their equipment, the mega pixels, the dynamic range (though often don’t understanding what any of that actually means) or they collect images of wildlife, like a type of modern day stamp collector – the rarer the animal, usually a bird, the better. Then they will put it up on a forum or Flickr in the hope of fame or adulation. Usually they know or care little for the subject or it’s wellbeing as long as they get the image. Thankfully, I see little of them out in the actual wilds as that would involve their requiring patience and some skills and knowledge of the subject and with often only a slim chance of success, I’m guessing this would be too much work for most of them.</p><p align="justify">Images like the below Wagtail was taken at a location I’ve learnt from experience I can find them, but they will normally be spooked by someone nearby, but if you just sit there quietly there’s a chance they will come to you as in this case, a pair of them did, but I was there for nearly an hour.</p><p><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSFv2R2aubw/WfWYSlZKUCI/AAAAAAAAOWU/mJf5BWuliFAq0mYqFOMqY6Rx3jqhRYaSACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8114_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSFv2R2aubw/WfWYSlZKUCI/AAAAAAAAOWU/mJf5BWuliFAq0mYqFOMqY6Rx3jqhRYaSACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8114_DxO.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="666"></a><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-puB5Pk1bAZA/WfWYTLqb5hI/AAAAAAAAOWc/ejOnCRn-0Kct4CB4w-EM6YKQR7-7_YCGgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7831_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-puB5Pk1bAZA/WfWYTLqb5hI/AAAAAAAAOWc/ejOnCRn-0Kct4CB4w-EM6YKQR7-7_YCGgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7831_DxO.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="666"></a><a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QZiWGXXEdGA/WfWYS8vV1uI/AAAAAAAAOWY/yb6w1yaLQE0Y22ShfitM9OHMZtHYI3oOQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8129_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QZiWGXXEdGA/WfWYS8vV1uI/AAAAAAAAOWY/yb6w1yaLQE0Y22ShfitM9OHMZtHYI3oOQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8129_DxO.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="666"></a></p><p align="justify">
Landscape photography has it’s own set of problems. Sunrise is my preferred time but this regularly means lots of dog walkers. Many of places I go to have restrictions on dogs, such as the location of the two images shot below where, at the time, dogs were not to be using the location or meant to be on a lead. These were completely ignored. Not by one or two people but by everyone! So finding a quiet spot without dogs running round you, barking, sniffing your backpack and either the owner shouting at it at the top of their voice or just ignoring what their dog is doing, is nearly impossible. It also just really spoils a tranquil moment.</p><p align="justify">And then there’s the dumb questions you get asked. Your camera is set up on a tripod, it’s sunrise and your pointing the lens towards the sunrise and some bright spark askes what you’re taking a picture of!! Or ‘are you that photographer who took that picture in the paper’! And of course there is the ‘that’s a big lens, how close can you get with it’.<br>
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So, yes I am an anti social photographer. I like to get away from people and avoid them when I’m out. I like the peace and the quietness. Being out in the woods, waiting patiently for a deer to come by and managing to photograph it without it knowing you were there and achieving an image that might have an technical and artistic merit is a bonus, but if I don’t get anything, that’s ok because I still enjoyed the walk, the exercise and just being out in nature.</p>
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<a style="margin-right: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXwWlhd5GmU/Wf7XydPpGWI/AAAAAAAAOYI/OQLCGeSSS1Qdc6j5yrYUllMPTNdOq7b2QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7717.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; float: none; display: block;" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zXwWlhd5GmU/Wf7XydPpGWI/AAAAAAAAOYI/OQLCGeSSS1Qdc6j5yrYUllMPTNdOq7b2QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7717.jpg" border="0" data-original-width="1000" data-original-height="553"></a></div>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-13172898514527035502017-10-17T17:51:00.000+01:002018-02-24T08:18:09.974+00:00The Thing about Photography<div align="justify">
A recent post on a camera forum got me thinking recently, as this person was unhappy with his camera (not something unusual on a camera forum) but they said their camera, a Canon 6D, was an ‘antique’ and ‘wasn’t up for the task and it ‘only’ had 20 megapixels. He didn’t go into details as to what he took pictures of or why 20 MP wasn’t enough for him, but he was determined to by a new camera. Every response was to agree with him and give him advice as to which new, expensive camera he should buy.</div>
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Since getting my first digital camera, a 350D, visiting forums the trend has remained the same – so many people not happy with what they currently own, always wanting the next best thing. It makes me wonder why they even bother with photography. They seem to be constantly feel limited by the camera’s ability, the next great camera will improve their photography.</div>
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This summer has been as slow and frustrating time, with little in the way of images to show for it, but it has had little to do with the equipment – the only time was with my visit to the Farne Islands when the dull grey weather caused problems with focusing on the fast flying Puffins. A shiny new expensive camera <i>may</i> have fixed some of that but at the end of the day the lack of images this summer is down to my ability, motivation, luck and opportunity.</div>
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In September I decided to spend some money, not on new equipment but on a week away to the Lake District, Windermere to be precise – that was my motivation and opportunity taken care of. The Lake District is known for its scenery but also for it’s unpredictable weather and on this case, rain, and it did rain. Only on one of the days I was there that it didn’t, but that was all I needed. On the third day I got up bright and early and headed off to Rydal Water, a small lake just north of Ambleside, in the hope to catch the sunrise but instead there was a very heavy mist that morning which, with any luck, would remain until I got on site. The luck part was complete as it did.</div>
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So now it was just down to my own ability. To be honest, I tend to be my own worst critic and was a little disappointed with the mornings results as the didn’t convey the scene that I saw, which was frustrating. I sometimes forget though, a large part of the enjoyment is simply being out there, seeing the views, breathing the fresh air and getting some exercise. The following images are a selection of what I did manage to capture, most taken that morning.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mWIUkfnaYI/WfYPHWeZ7tI/AAAAAAAAOXI/1IYCODAzg9A-jjcHBR5Tp4Rv14XaVgGKQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7667-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3mWIUkfnaYI/WfYPHWeZ7tI/AAAAAAAAOXI/1IYCODAzg9A-jjcHBR5Tp4Rv14XaVgGKQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7667-3.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a>Canon 6D + Samyang at 14mm f22 1/15 ISO 100</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fGLKVwelfpk/WfYPlrknnPI/AAAAAAAAOXM/ZRekZ_lJqC0QwSW-HnOwIKKVOs1pk61dgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fGLKVwelfpk/WfYPlrknnPI/AAAAAAAAOXM/ZRekZ_lJqC0QwSW-HnOwIKKVOs1pk61dgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7763.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a>Canon 80D + Canon 18-135 at 18mm f9 1/125 ISO 100</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUm3Vlw6CLk/WfYQj4AMecI/AAAAAAAAOXc/E9ebuei_TGQN_M7vqwYOZtQlM731DfqyQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7711_DxO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qUm3Vlw6CLk/WfYQj4AMecI/AAAAAAAAOXc/E9ebuei_TGQN_M7vqwYOZtQlM731DfqyQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7711_DxO.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a>Canon 6D + Canon 17-40mm at 34 1/200 ISO 100</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WWp2wLr88xQ/WfYQoy5KLKI/AAAAAAAAOXg/MxMd38RY9YM0e3ILY70oshFkPD4Ex6CeACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7766-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="1000" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WWp2wLr88xQ/WfYQoy5KLKI/AAAAAAAAOXg/MxMd38RY9YM0e3ILY70oshFkPD4Ex6CeACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7766-2.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a>Canon 80D + Canon 18-135mm at 20mm f11 1/125 ISO100</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puNYQNb4bYg/WfYQzdjFM5I/AAAAAAAAOXk/-Rb42bnjaxYgLBD9Ids9in-3KEdcv3eQQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puNYQNb4bYg/WfYQzdjFM5I/AAAAAAAAOXk/-Rb42bnjaxYgLBD9Ids9in-3KEdcv3eQQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7774.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a>Canon 80D + Canon 18-135mm at 135 f9 1/320 ISO 100</div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1jFJbErgUww/WfYQ5VDA4QI/AAAAAAAAOXo/mVVsOuY3tzUfaaUqb36wdYvpJQE1keclgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="1000" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1jFJbErgUww/WfYQ5VDA4QI/AAAAAAAAOXo/mVVsOuY3tzUfaaUqb36wdYvpJQE1keclgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7757.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a>Canon 6D + Canon 17-40mm at 17mm f11 1.3 sec ISO 100</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ENcdjweIxBYkGgb1k03q3q2h1msShahU2DO0XAFNUqpYOsoBMfLfAkeyauri8O-w8-0h8wvnDlg3gU-Vwjo8lrPb_f6JW6wOzC3EDnjLa5716cRTH6hEvnLOitxyWk3gPkOb2MdErqUA1vI_ITzEebdEoDJSa1kWDxUWDAPyd_a5YU8mX9l9A9OnTtKn2HdL5zSkMNJKBM93jbx6B73w_rS4SL5El5rioyI2dLmjzAFuTFVYRP2H_baZXubtgS5MQQbrEwQHnAYA-bL7unsT2d93BfF_CKcNAuCJJsd0Ekq-wh9IZDjos8VG5A-fRbpoLAcCnyfIjzipPOqm9rUFsjQaQhx_bJHEaXtKeu0fLbXK2hZ9r5NRNntVamobG1NCbkcUvA3SHOCpcvt1Edd8hybtVi8-VsGI5TP8jquz7TLKmSiVkzRGATYEqpLu-wIVD84stPxJzzpQXlI6R9w_viFNOFUC5eUtaBwLh_Lo1PB40UnKeEcyb5JG9QGQGcOmhY0XAx7HWHoIiMvWumrIMr-3tbpMZTgyOWENR5e9e9lLHiccEykQ3uU9lKLpXlYnrArhYdQ28Al67HIItS3rfGWjAHiCj-Pn=w2561-h745-no"><img alt="IMG_7726-Pano" border="0" height="288" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uHY7TgJl9I4/WpEdayr_aUI/AAAAAAAAOew/9_oP9RhCozkqlz7eYhatAC-8p8Od46iJACHMYCw/IMG_7726-Pano_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto;" title="Click for larger image" width="996" /></a>Rydal Water Panorama Stitched from 5 images - Canon 6D</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z6wGSVIlMfIii7vy31pp_wcx1M0ryrweOYpa5tkFqpcJ3Y-2-wJO2g1Qxmgy69gVT1-WrnNjm_YOGe8SHDdbjlGKaHNZmWpyU6awc6pLhqcZyY5RWnyTYw4ey1FSLzYj_NE_h_zjT5xOX3TU-TdKhQT5zUt7Xl1_9PDmWHhU5-e7Z4tt75-sHkiGXFMJDuE1Hxxvg58Nw_qDj3fuzkH1q9oQV5dMV8vywyvQlIY0nCs6aG9NqcK37gwiGOlAlm7TwsJih02yB2yhEGQDhKmIzFx7zjhcuAtY5TTpb7e5rTocrv4kKHVhxqQ9ZIQ0fkebTF3gaFYc4Qt3-7uR1cC9tnaBjQLnrKniMgNF7KjmZYBYLlOuh1EnOVtQm2WdzOGri2K3eOiveZFlEW4XgMl19ztWxPsoQ9WEhqutQpwMpVd9_JMdJTK8Zl1NYWBG2wCemdDQKI97ORoGihn1_THCJ3z6zdJG9KTLVhVJOaBOS84Q8ileLrHk0ucreCSSv7CNQuHraitaXVnnDzA7KkR5qXVEg4Rt5mHvbsPj-ReFmvYdYjuPDbWlR3qAvkTwVLf7AnW8sQe_ojFcl8SKlv_epCXNlNKPy1Y5=w2561-h865-no"><img alt="IMG_0398" border="0" height="336" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4bqi-EeR73k/WpEdcXllVlI/AAAAAAAAOe4/IWTQ5mk5tMwZ9vaBaw2di-StCOXG0MUlgCHMYCw/IMG_0398_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto;" title="Click for larger image" width="990" /></a>View point of Rydal Water from one of the surrounding hills - iPhone 6s</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G4o1hHNl_Gk/WpEddEQN00I/AAAAAAAAOe8/fBvpq7y58CM-k-cdpj7G_vdLbMqDv7s1gCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_7729-Pano2%255B2%255D"><img alt="IMG_7729-Pano" border="0" height="288" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y2WIWS4euQA/WpEddvXjJ2I/AAAAAAAAOfA/h633hv98cOkil-rVNcTCVr6rKh9w0rERgCHMYCw/IMG_7729-Pano2_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px auto;" title="Click for larger image" width="992" /></a>Lake Windermere Panorama Stitched from 6 images - Canon 6D</div>
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I guess at the end of the day, I take the view that most photographers, (as in those who don’t take just casual photos) fall under two categories. Those for who the tech, i.e. pixels, resolution, etc., is more important and those where the image or the art form of photography is. I fall into the later category. Although I like the tech and it plays a part in photography at the end of the day, the limitations are nearly always mine and not the camera.</div>
Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-56298832601961373572017-07-05T08:09:00.000+01:002017-07-07T19:01:59.451+01:00Kingfishers<p align="justify">It’s been a while since I’ve really managed to photograph Kingfishers and four years since <a href="http://frankandersonphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/kingfishers-in-sun.html" target="_blank">I blogged a post</a> showing them. They can be very elusive but one of my favourite birds to watch and take images of. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts during the last few weeks, I finally got lucky with the best of images I managed, below.</p><p><a href="https://photos.smugmug.com/Kingfishers/i-R9Shb5m/0/91e6ad67/XL/IMG_7337-XL.jpg"><img width="902" height="601" title="Click for larger image" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Kingfisher" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H7_7IlQc5jk/WV3pAUHwimI/AAAAAAAAONA/E9w8EN8_sf4d94aI2j7ycslPXy4uZlxhQCHMYCw/IMG_7337%255B17%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Kingfisher" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Kingfisher" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-edKS_uQXruU/WV3jtpEy1uI/AAAAAAAAOMg/W91r7aL9r8AjYLpeL21sTcBQOlaNQ4MCgCHMYCw/IMG_7380%255B11%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Kingfisher" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Kingfisher" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-igwhCKRIQ8I/WV3juZkZAyI/AAAAAAAAOMk/Cbqm24CzuDIJXdM5KrcCkTHB06ovm0ziACHMYCw/IMG_7386%255B11%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Kingfisher" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Kingfisher" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gtYqNwuWg84/WV3ju1XAWGI/AAAAAAAAOMo/qS0wELAwsKk_jGwwDrGnEPlnYhPjfeeFQCHMYCw/IMG_7434%255B11%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Kingfisher" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Kingfisher" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--PPA8tmY3lg/WV3jvszZydI/AAAAAAAAOMs/o9x0GjTaD1wiSZCw6S7Hd-wzZK6k24KngCHMYCw/IMG_7458%255B11%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Kingfisher" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Kingfisher" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u4hy8V9p1iM/WV3jweyuVbI/AAAAAAAAOMw/D9IatVSG0XkbH3qe5SPp4cYXX5sKLPlEgCHMYCw/IMG_7524%255B11%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-87447381402478321242017-06-28T08:47:00.000+01:002017-06-30T11:19:49.340+01:00Farne Islands 2017<p align="justify">It’s become an annual ritual to visit the Farne Islands over recent years, so much so that I usually take a week or so off work around the busiest time for the seabirds there. Unfortunately, on all but one occasion it’s been overcast this being the worst trip weather wise. Not only was there no sunshine at all but it was particularly dim which, if you want to take a photograph of a smallish, fast flying black and white bird against a grey sea or sky, it’s not only difficult to focus but as you can see from the pictures below, makes the image background washed out. </p><p align="justify">Now I could with the magic of software, replace the background with blue sky (see below example), but that just wouldn’t feel right to pretend that was the way it was.</p><p align="justify">You can book your place on one of the many boat services that take you to the islands but I don’t, rather hoping on the day there will be spaces, especially during the week days. However, this time they were booked up and I had to wait a couple of hours for the next available boat with free space.</p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qxsp94PrIgc/WVNfAiLRVYI/AAAAAAAAOC0/3V6xv6QzWXUIcjlSgceN4hXBujr2gYz_wCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0312"><img width="902" height="337" title="Click for larger image" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0312" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PpnjM9RzcsY/WVNfBnXcqKI/AAAAAAAAOC4/5-0MtVqoVL4Y7RgMhPIX9Rt-z052MAUnACHMYCw/IMG_0312_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p>The trip itself was the usual journey around the islands and a chance to see and photograph the wildlife from the sea, though if you want to take photographs I recommend you get a seat at the side of the boat which I wasn’t and had a hard time trying to get a view past a person who thought it was a good idea to bring their iPad along as a camera (who brings their iPad along as a camera on a boat trip to the Farnes!! Why can’t they just use the camera on their phone?).</p><p><img width="902" height="603" title="Grey Seals" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6550" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Sa-4HasI-zI/WVNfCPtV3sI/AAAAAAAAOC8/4qOZ9m-OYscT4I1ND5Mo7ZNoLa11VRRDACHMYCw/IMG_6550%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="603" title="Guillermot" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6560" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Az-FUkl_qUE/WVNfCgSDqkI/AAAAAAAAODA/audVs1ZKtCQkla388MwZU3vcLnJhEyTVQCHMYCw/IMG_6560%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="603" title="Kittiwake" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6564" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dunv-KD35cY/WVNfDPE-s_I/AAAAAAAAODE/R7D9qOmNLTU2ZpNdJnv9tLKm5VCdM1zeACHMYCw/IMG_6564%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p align="justify">If you land on Inner Farne you have to pass by the Terns who nest right on the walkway so are not too happy with people walking by. A good photo opportunity if you don’t mind braving being attacked by one or more of the angry Terns. You have two ways to do this. Follow someone else and let them be the bait and photograph the Terns attacking them or put a wide angle lens on your camera set it to a fast frame rate, manual focused to around a foot and just hold that above your head as you move through a swarm of them.</p><p align="justify"><img width="902" height="603" title="Atlantic Puffin" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6588" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IJePwm-JkOk/WVNfDubPkdI/AAAAAAAAODI/xIBqkeo5mPsr86jtoeNqaYsvRbvPLr4GwCHMYCw/IMG_6588%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-liaiRxsTd34/WVNg5rvvdkI/AAAAAAAAODg/dqkmdQ1kafgtHeWvo73YL2kdU0MkuMqywCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_6592%255B10%255D"><img width="902" height="603" title="Click for larger image" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6592" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lekWHq9pvH0/WVNg6MU9oiI/AAAAAAAAODk/0-TOlRkTTxMV-PyUGHNXArFb2r55AVy3gCHMYCw/IMG_6592_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">It is mainly the Puffins I come to see and photograph however, though perhaps next time I might just spend a bit more time looking around and just enjoying the brief time you have on the island. I spent too much time trying in vain to get decent images of the Puffins flying in from the sea and conditions were just against me. Not only the lack of contrast of the bird against the background made focusing difficult in the grey, dull conditions but I had to use exposure compensation to prevent a dark silhouette, which instead meant blowing out the skies. A quick bit of editing below could fix that but not sure about the photographic ethics of that.</p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hZzJhwL_Foo/WVYkHccUEfI/AAAAAAAAOFE/lcZxbTawYFkl0lkD6738blgM7WEWEtbmgCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_6592%2BBlue%2BSky%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_6592 Blue Sky" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6592 Blue Sky" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jflc_LExCg0/WVYkH4QAAxI/AAAAAAAAOFI/YChVNqzSp5IgBrOlD3y9ea0OsCYVMB7gwCHMYCw/IMG_6592%2BBlue%2BSky_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">Trying to photograph the Puffins in the sky meant I neglected what was happening on the ground. Anyone who has been to the Farnes will know what a hard time these poor Puffins have when brining in food for their young as waiting by their burrows are various gulls, ambushing the Puffins on arrival. To avoid this, the Puffins try to fly literally, into their burrows. This means getting that iconic image of a Puffin standing around with a beak full of eels, difficult, but if you’re quick you might get an action shot of the gull trying to rob an incoming Puffin.</p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nMalgH_4bRc/WVNlV1BwGTI/AAAAAAAAODw/xVpy5u8S9YUpggkgEr2ccM7SPWL25ysrQCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_6640%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_6640" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-amqKLPVQMYo/WVNlWt-A-yI/AAAAAAAAOD0/EcNVHRZpcgEuOB4c2VXaHHFvC_H65ZXSQCHMYCw/IMG_6640_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nMalgH_4bRc/WVNlV1BwGTI/AAAAAAAAODw/xVpy5u8S9YUpggkgEr2ccM7SPWL25ysrQCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_6640%255B2%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VeN5l8Xsp6c/WVNlXFvUYkI/AAAAAAAAOD4/1k9PQE057_M946CcTmZQR9oTyl9mBTUvwCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_6642%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_6642" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6642" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kajJlyhbKGc/WVNlXp0M_2I/AAAAAAAAOD8/w8AeVN_LNagBE94Q0PAHu0UQaEGcUHCTQCHMYCw/IMG_6642_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></a></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VeN5l8Xsp6c/WVNlXFvUYkI/AAAAAAAAOD4/1k9PQE057_M946CcTmZQR9oTyl9mBTUvwCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_6642%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="Atlantic Puffin" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6646" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RDjqOcf3nsA/WVNlYX0o8II/AAAAAAAAOEA/hqojo989QrUAtJ9v4CiEkS7vkzB5jDScQCHMYCw/IMG_6646%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Atlantic Puffin" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6575" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-acIG6QsOhlA/WVNlY-NKs5I/AAAAAAAAOEE/1rcvH5tOSTAu5HCC9yzuXRExaWMg9x-FgCHMYCw/IMG_6575%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Atlantic Puffin" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6627" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ak-HQhKgjBk/WVNlZfONYLI/AAAAAAAAOEI/ZrSsZcmxuqEzLkqg2sA88DC1gFNG92WJQCHMYCw/IMG_6627%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Atlantic Puffin" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6657" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aj8YweiSsFM/WVNlaSIhVBI/AAAAAAAAOEQ/aTeFvqajges4UCrJ0u92N3IcYxzG54YiQCHMYCw/IMG_6657%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p><img width="902" height="602" title="Atlantic Puffin" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6632" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/---Hp7MJA3tA/WVNlZ1DIAYI/AAAAAAAAOEM/ZY9O8mUPJvo8KmpeUwmbTPd6hnpYZn4gQCHMYCw/IMG_6632%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p align="justify">The next couple of photographs are poor but do show a few things. The first just how close the Puffins get when flying in and can fly right past you. The second, just how close the an angry Tern can get to you.</p><p align="justify"><img width="902" height="602" title="Atlantic Puffin" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_6832" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bKsZtuesioc/WVNla-sYSdI/AAAAAAAAOEU/hATaROhmSDsMhq2Jb-cl13SR7ty2BIY9gCHMYCw/IMG_6832%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><p align="justify"><img width="902" height="602" title="Tern" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_7053" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lt6NATGru98/WVNlbo085CI/AAAAAAAAOEY/lG47VwR8XwAOeAG5sr1CAYE1nMgjWycXgCHMYCw/IMG_7053%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></p><h3 align="justify">Photographic Details</h3><p align="justify">If you’re interested the technical details all but the last were taken with the Canon 400mm f5.6 lens, the last being a Canon 17-40mm at the widest view. Because of the lighting conditions exposure compensation of +1-2 stops was given. Auto ISO was also used.</p><p align="justify"><br></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qxsp94PrIgc/WVNfAiLRVYI/AAAAAAAAOC0/3V6xv6QzWXUIcjlSgceN4hXBujr2gYz_wCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0312"><br></a></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Qxsp94PrIgc/WVNfAiLRVYI/AAAAAAAAOC0/3V6xv6QzWXUIcjlSgceN4hXBujr2gYz_wCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0312"><br></a></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-29017207747611780242017-06-25T11:45:00.001+01:002017-06-25T11:45:24.196+01:00Same Time, Same Place…<p align="justify">…different results. As is so often I’ve found, you can rarely ever re-create the same success previously achieve, as was the case on this occasion. I wasn’t going to bother posting this as the images aren’t good and are few and far between but I did think it was a good example of how unpredictable wildlife, and particularly photographing it, can be.</p><p align="justify">I went to the exact same location at the <a href="http://frankandersonphotography.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/close-encounters-of-fox-kind.html">same time</a> with even the weather being the same, sunny, warm condition, in the hope of achieving the same success as before in seeing and photographing some young Foxes. Result? Completely different. </p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BBX3rErdHkA/WU-UK47SW6I/AAAAAAAAOAg/APhrb5IQo-ovXY5HUV4CsWaVvvCTzX1JACHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0354%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="508" title="IMG_0354" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0354" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pS-Bou4-b2g/WU-ULb1dcLI/AAAAAAAAOAk/Hu6M6vnkv_Md8eO54hgTdF_kr6uvlaRxwCHMYCw/IMG_0354_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">As with a couple of weeks earlier I waited quietly in the same place and again, after a couple of hours the Magpies started to make a noise suggesting a predator was about but I only got a quick glimpse of a Fox.</p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IQ00HcQ2eO4/WU-ULxI02qI/AAAAAAAAOAo/xRUwVNZ5G1cibRkw5thJlGH30TgRaqOWwCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0540%255B8%255D"><img width="902" height="646" title="IMG_0540" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0540" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_8eizumDg5Q/WU-UMdPywQI/AAAAAAAAOAs/wWdD8_gQ20gHStOyo_uMFG5_heKVlsMIQCHMYCw/IMG_0540_thumb%255B6%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IQ00HcQ2eO4/WU-ULxI02qI/AAAAAAAAOAo/xRUwVNZ5G1cibRkw5thJlGH30TgRaqOWwCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0540%255B8%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JEzncf672NE/WU-UMz7vZ9I/AAAAAAAAOAw/NKHudc9k29UzPQTlyiep8DdMo8jUN46eQCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0529%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0529" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Rabbit" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ODnktrneM3c/WU-UNgkvt1I/AAAAAAAAOA0/YGCklbenONIIjBND2Jgjo6apG6zy-o-AgCHMYCw/IMG_0529_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></a></p><p align="justify">Certainly the Rabbits were on high alert, obviously due to the Magpies activities. The grass was a little higher than last time making any sighting harder to photograph, so when a particularly loud commotion came from my right, I went to investigate. I stopped at a good vantage point only to see a Fox sprint across after one of the Rabbits. Ironically, had I stayed where I previously was, I would have hand the perfect view!</p><p align="justify">The Fox, obviously unsuccessful in its hunt walked back the same way, spotted me, out in the open having not settled down yet – took one look at me and was off!</p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OuNAuPOBVMw/WU-UOG8fMeI/AAAAAAAAOA4/95wEYpbl5EEytICUueS1-pz7OTAzMfXzQCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0532%255B3%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0532" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Fox" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XjWxrh1zHt8/WU-UOszfPXI/AAAAAAAAOA8/ZPbv4k_V5ZcXap4zBAkT7I8O52nlcrb3wCHMYCw/IMG_0532_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Attd0VeQ26s/WU-UPBVs4KI/AAAAAAAAOBA/9sTW_6NEt3EsQFpiSzDLVbmrOQEwf53SACHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0533%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0533" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Fox" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6NhfPIfRx00/WU-UPtCHt9I/AAAAAAAAOBE/undvKHVJs-cJ5o399JlN37YDRDuHIdtdQCHMYCw/IMG_0533_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">The Rabbits remained wary for a while but eventually settled back into their feeding. The Magpies continued excitedly back and forth for a while but I didn’t get any further glimpses. </p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zIc7aws40s0/WU-UQQhLXdI/AAAAAAAAOBI/-CfUFeXbCYcurh9FEWoiN-lFdlzp0GOewCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0537%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0537" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Rabbit" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BnvJtrOkL2Y/WU-UQxVVGJI/AAAAAAAAOBM/7xFXxIsBTCIWcqhXkV8YtuRJT4QV1fkYACHMYCw/IMG_0537_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">As I said, I wasn’t going to bother posting this due to it not being particularly exciting. The Fox images were fleeting snaps and the sun was bright and in my face – and so behind the subjects making exposure difficult and way too contrasting. Still, a morning spent in the warm sunshine is always a good thing.</p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-68961693515756093052017-06-04T08:26:00.000+01:002017-06-04T18:16:58.562+01:00Close Encounters of the Fox Kind<p align="justify">A trip out in the hope to see and photograph Foxes proved perfect early summer conditions, little wind and not too hot with of sunshine though the latter proved to be as much of a hinder from a photographic point of view.</p><p align="justify">The best of the summer weather so far this year I’ve only been a spectator to, looking at it through a distant window at work so I was determined to make the most of the opportunity this Saturday with a forecast of sunny spells all day. Although I arrived on location before 7:00 am, the sun was already quite high up and so the light was very strong and bright. From a photography view, on the one hand it gives you plenty of scope to reduce the ISO and open up the lens while still keeping a fast shutter speed but the harshness made for some very contrasting images especially when shooting against the sun, still, I wasn’t complaining.</p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UyEpbQc8FUc/WTO2IlahIUI/AAAAAAAAN78/y5-lbyNJ0CgeGOTDI0Y8O2-qZMwbBo46QCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0428%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0428" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0428" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NJ-beUPyH0g/WTO2JBW8ugI/AAAAAAAAN8A/931ir2RXIKczY4aKNOQ_iEj1JQDGdHrRQCHM/IMG_0428_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MboTRAe5Jk8/WTO2Jr0QV6I/AAAAAAAAN8E/6ewNV4UnVpkCj9cKyydo5ETRZ4s4bUNDwCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0425%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0425" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0425" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zFhMK9Nj6fc/WTO2KZjJdJI/AAAAAAAAN8I/mFeD0B8DDUsxjWQDf1G6TIPdlSftg8Y8ACHM/IMG_0425_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">The birds were out singing in force from the tree tops and Rabbits out in the open meadow parts, seemed very relaxed and unbothered making me think there weren’t any Foxes about. After nearly an hour later, Magpies, always a good indicator of the presence of predators, started making a noise and then I caught the briefest glimpse of a Fox in the distance which soon disappeared under cover though not out of sight of the Magpies that followed it continuing to mob it before either getting bored or loosing sight of it.</p><p>With all this commotion going on, the Rabbits in front of me were clearly a bit agitated, looking around and a couple going for cover but soon everything returned to peace.</p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MboTRAe5Jk8/WTO2Jr0QV6I/AAAAAAAAN8E/6ewNV4UnVpkCj9cKyydo5ETRZ4s4bUNDwCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0425%255B2%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tq7cdPhL9CM/WTO2K1KP_1I/AAAAAAAAN8M/26oeNgP0h7ksDFP1sdiMc7XNWt5-3kwrACHM/s1600-h/IMG_0458%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0458" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0458" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D-gVmBiXpZU/WTO2LbRMUII/AAAAAAAAN8Q/npHowHY1SqYG6zRAAZ_rB7oTvycq_H5CgCHM/IMG_0458_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></a></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LAryzvlRTa4/WTO2MBlD4TI/AAAAAAAAN8U/xLl2paXxP8giY69OsOnX2Lz-WIxoeQOwACHM/s1600-h/IMG_0463%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0463" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0463" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6d8si5oXzFo/WTO2MqaW6wI/AAAAAAAAN8Y/q54UAN8I7Esa3Nfic7I67ilhMQKEW3HeQCHM/IMG_0463_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">Another hour passed when the Magpies started up again, this time to my right, so I moved from my hidden position to investigate though could see nothing. Returning, I saw a Fox out in the open just were earlier I had my lens pointed at. Surprisingly it didn’t see me so I was able to get back under my cover and take a shot. I normally use my camera on ‘silent’ mode when shooting Foxes or Deer which they traditionally ignore or don’t hear. Surprisingly, despite the distance, this one not only heard it but was quite nervous by the faint click.</p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TpWosurC0D0/WTO2NazCHJI/AAAAAAAAN8c/_SUI0MMuzE8kzXUHX-uJ7yMb6e5VqLDCgCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0479%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0479" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Fox cub" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ox0s28mxZW0/WTO2Nw9UIAI/AAAAAAAAN8g/7HcJbu6zlNACyBCb5xEjd-u6ftWqmgFZQCHM/IMG_0479_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LAryzvlRTa4/WTO2MBlD4TI/AAAAAAAAN8U/xLl2paXxP8giY69OsOnX2Lz-WIxoeQOwACHM/s1600-h/IMG_0463%255B2%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MO9nTy0CamA/WTO2PP6YUfI/AAAAAAAAN8k/CBGhechHxMw6j-KrtiRJXbPLUOGMf7SNQCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0488%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0488" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Fox cub" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gTh6zJa1WKY/WTO2P1ky3qI/AAAAAAAAN8o/26C9SnHQHRY7MakUEhSXqz1Mq8LaSJvxgCHM/IMG_0488_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></a></p><p align="justify">Staring right at me, it was probably unsure what to make of me, half under cover and the other under netting which I carry around me for such occasions. Another release of the shutter and that was it, the Fox ran back the way it came. It was clear this was a young Fox, which from previous experience makes them less weary and curious. Not this one. </p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8O8smK0a41A/WTPUK5f1VZI/AAAAAAAAN-E/QMsGX9HsP5YmkgUxZfTEVw4dUMAAfXEbACHM/s1600-h/IMG_0490%255B5%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0490" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Fox cub running" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3cWpRZBRGQg/WTPULbnXewI/AAAAAAAAN-I/kuudlPerXtYassYtkmjKQEjBbaRHDPYlACHM/IMG_0490_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">Fifteen minutes later it returned, only closer this time and again started to cross over in front of me and again I took a photo and again, after a good look in my direction decided it didn’t like what it saw and went back again. Another ten minutes later, once again it returned. Clearly it wanted to get across to the other side so this time I settled to just watch it and leave it in peace. Surprisingly it went right past two Rabbits which seemed completely indifferent to it’s presence. I wondered if, because it was just a youngster, they thought it wasn’t a threat.</p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8O8smK0a41A/WTPUK5f1VZI/AAAAAAAAN-E/QMsGX9HsP5YmkgUxZfTEVw4dUMAAfXEbACHM/s1600-h/IMG_0490%255B5%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EKKoM9UYXHM/WTO4NBmXB-I/AAAAAAAAN8s/4ko-EdMdqoMGa4JQVysGyU9c1mtYaw1gACHM/s1600-h/IMG_0499%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0499" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Fox cub" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8thzgqGaRV0/WTO4NjJ1Q_I/AAAAAAAAN8w/2kgoafZt13YNUBhTOuRS9tqruNe_zms7ACHM/IMG_0499_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></a></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3Tjzmuv_Plo/WTO4OPRs3MI/AAAAAAAAN80/tO0EBfBPulQ9FsGilH6VYBpmbgKUjZgigCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0507%255B2%255D">Nearly two hours later, I got up and leaving my camer</a>a set up, I stretched my legs. When I returned I saw to my right a Fox nearby out in the open about five metres away. Unfortunately, I too was in the open except for my lower half hidden in the undergrowth. This Fox started walking toward me and I was sure it was about to spot me – how could it miss not seeing me! It stopped momentarily sniffing the air but with no wind it probably couldn’t detect me by scent. I ducked down under cover and waited and still it came on until one point I could have reached out and touched it by which time, it new something wasn’t right and darted back.</p><p align="justify">You would have thought that would be it, but a few minutes later this young Fox, probably a sibling of the other one earlier in the morning and certainly equally determined, came back and proceeded along the same path as before only this time I had my camera pointed in the right direction and was ready. With this Fox, the noise of a single press of the shutter had the effect I would normally expect – stopping and a curious look but continue on its way – which it did. Eventually it got so close I couldn’t focus on it and, as before, so close it eventually detected me with the same result of darting back.</p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3Tjzmuv_Plo/WTO4OPRs3MI/AAAAAAAAN80/tO0EBfBPulQ9FsGilH6VYBpmbgKUjZgigCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0507%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0507" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0507" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E-BeL0pCb1Y/WTO4O8EpupI/AAAAAAAAN84/7f6T3GDMd_Mdr8cOiQhLvHAv-E0oiLvAgCHM/IMG_0507_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HwPgrn8G2AA/WTO4PeiLeKI/AAAAAAAAN88/TSinjq5QkQ0saUzp70Iab9yDZqvWzHBCgCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0510%255B2%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3Tjzmuv_Plo/WTO4OPRs3MI/AAAAAAAAN80/tO0EBfBPulQ9FsGilH6VYBpmbgKUjZgigCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0507%255B2%255D"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HwPgrn8G2AA/WTO4PeiLeKI/AAAAAAAAN88/TSinjq5QkQ0saUzp70Iab9yDZqvWzHBCgCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0510%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0510" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0510" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uahzxv3S6hc/WTO4P3MCrlI/AAAAAAAAN9A/PFZcfh7U1Rw2k2XjPxXSlMCeU1RGNL9uACHM/IMG_0510_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></a></a></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3tFmP2u3JwY/WTO4QQLet9I/AAAAAAAAN9E/BGP_9kfxCd0SueAJKglhyAI3OkjKOe5CQCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0512%255B2%255D">Much like the Fox earlier, I guessed it probably would have made a third attempt at its journey</a>, and as before I decided not to interfere moving to another position from the route. This was the position where I started the day and soon another Fox appeared, possibly the same adult and probably one of the parents of the two young ones I had been seeing all morning. This one saw the grazing Rabbits out in the open and made a half hearted stalk attempt on one of them which clearly saw it and hopped away not too concerned. </p><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3tFmP2u3JwY/WTO4QQLet9I/AAAAAAAAN9E/BGP_9kfxCd0SueAJKglhyAI3OkjKOe5CQCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0512%255B2%255D"><img width="902" height="602" title="IMG_0512" style="margin: 0px auto; float: none; display: block; background-image: none;" alt="Fox stalking" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ba6DMY8P088/WTO4Q-EQmvI/AAAAAAAAN9I/ztyi_3SPFVMbLDTjUK-FQlcbcSefWiExQCHM/IMG_0512_thumb?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">With midday approaching and the absence of any further sightings, I decided to call it a day. What could be better than spending a relaxing, summers morning in the warm sunshine watching Foxes.</p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-83672220859718209052017-04-29T12:51:00.000+01:002017-04-30T11:12:16.398+01:00Bit of a Rant<p align="justify">A visit in recent weeks to one of the local ‘Nature Reserves’ was, not unexpectantly, disappointing. When I first went there around seven years ago, it was a gold mine for wildlife as, along with wide range of bird and insect life, there was an abundance of mammals too – Deer, Foxes and Rabbits – all regularly seen.</p> <p align="justify">It wasn’t long that I noticed a big increase in dog walkers and in particular irresponsible ones. I would see dogs chasing after the many Rabbits, the birds breading on the small lake and even on one occasion, a Fox. Coincidently with this rise came the decrease in these animals. The visit recently was more out of hope than anything, but where there was once an abundance of Rabbits around the many warrens, they have all now been abandoned and filled in. Probably linked to this was the lack of sightings or signs of any Foxes. At a time when birds are gearing up for breading, the only birds on the lake I could see where two Swans and a Coot. Deer probably were around but now strictly nocturnal and since they seemed to live off the reserve on surrounding private land have been largely unaffected. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8ZO6KgFj0yg/WQR9-GC_jiI/AAAAAAAAN0U/tPrlYP7MExInJbUwZYWg0YeyDZ9GjSG_gCHM/s1600-h/IMG_03042"><img title="IMG_0304" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0304" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yjVOhbWhOWY/WQR9-3W_vII/AAAAAAAAN0Y/xK6lCmzQxJQopfLviynfxoVMVvQ8utnlQCHM/IMG_0304_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="602"></a></p> <p align="center">Deserted Rabbit Warrens</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e6SOTX0qOKY/WQR9_lVfI3I/AAAAAAAAN0c/K2ZPl9AKaU8frum4vVEHHCrzH0WM5JODgCHM/s1600-h/IMG_03052"><img title="IMG_0305" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0305" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--cUNDCIlBgg/WQR-ARq1Z-I/AAAAAAAAN0g/3M6wR2e2h88y5JsJBAXGtUaJDlUhitVNACHM/IMG_0305_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="602"></a></p> <p align="center">Below. Taken at the exact same warren, but years earlier when it was thriving</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6X8vS4KO-9A/WQR-A29hT9I/AAAAAAAAN0k/XzCCh6gDsKIbmWmplE0r23P05Z7SqubXgCHM/s1600-h/IMG_99652"><img title="IMG_9965" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9965" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X0Y1A5HDx-E/WQR-BbzHtCI/AAAAAAAAN0o/Vsi50WNT7Bs_ldAznqeD6ra-XLHjf0uxQCHM/IMG_9965_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="602"></a></p> <p align="center">A dog chasing after a breeding bird (Coot) that had just taken off</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8z6SkOytT00/WQR-CKJmBGI/AAAAAAAAN0s/Tx11W4aAecAyw908i-xBannwS0Y3kR7DQCHM/s1600-h/TBP_64722"><img title="TBP_6472" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="TBP_6472" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-No0QJ3wuDoM/WQR-CqoG4wI/AAAAAAAAN0w/uIynFTAZNGMSfScYbXVItLDOpgeR-Q3uACHM/TBP_6472_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="602"></a></p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zO56nuTqJDA/WQR-DYUHMdI/AAAAAAAAN00/XX7bKckw2JgARrerXjBJJDP_bNwl1x5iACHM/s1600-h/TBP_49462"><img title="TBP_4946" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="TBP_4946" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cb7w9D1Nq6A/WQR-EzMAu1I/AAAAAAAAN04/XWzZ21qrx44qvRs_J9uv0Awuf9C4ToplACHM/TBP_4946_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="602"></a></p> <p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cc7dHWoZK9E/WQR-Gm-1pWI/AAAAAAAAN08/Apq8KfUNmPYA4yFVupqajUVr89GBTarDQCHM/s1600-h/IMG_98482"><img title="IMG_9848" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9848" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SCoZLmuF1J0/WQR-HK5DLSI/AAAAAAAAN1A/Q54udqrUL2A8p-fIJNgAHlsnZCk_oCjPQCHM/IMG_9848_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="602"></a></p> <p align="justify">There was still lots of songbirds to be seen and heard, but these can much easily hide and escape this kind of disturbance but for me a place like this is about the whole ecosystem and particularly the larger animals which not only helps make the place but is a good indicator how healthy environmentally it is.</p> <p align="justify">There was one glimmer of hope or possible another side of the gloom and that was spotting a Red Squirrel. Since the introduction of the Grey Squirrel, the Red has rapidly been disappearing from south to north. Where I would once regularly see these extremely endearing creatures, they are now an extremely rare sight in these parts.</p> <p align="justify">It was a surprise to see one on this occasion and reminded me of a time I would sit in a quiet part of any one of the local woods and watch them chasing each other up and down the trees - they would even come up close to you. I stumbled across this one which was feeding on the woodland floor and, characteristically darted partially up the nearest tree only to stop and look at me, showing curiosity. After disappearing from my sight I thought I had lost it only to find it had worked its way behind me and was watching me. A Grey Squirrel would simply vanish. There was one problem however as can be seen by the quick picture I managed to get and that it obviously has a problem. Probably some kind of mange as it had lost some of its fur.</p> <p align="justify">There was no sight of any others so this may have been a stray and looking around there wasn’t the usual signs of residential squirrels, however I haven’t seen any Greys in this woodland either so it’s possible they are hanging on here.</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--gLep1D7VYE/WQR-HiGdhmI/AAAAAAAAN1E/8ugwRbunodIkwncNMdZzcfnlYSS-t-rowCHM/s1600-h/IMG_03972"><img title="IMG_0397" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0397" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3ZCXuFenvY8/WQR-IZjMqOI/AAAAAAAAN1I/bk9V-MHQVb0qUF5Bk8oRDXetb3phzzRAQCHM/IMG_0397_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="601"></a></p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify">It takes more to make a Nature Reserve than simply slapping a sign at the entrance and to say keep dogs under control. It’s unfortunate that we live in a time where people are becoming more and more selfish to others and indifferent to the environment and nature. It’s also unfortunate that no council that oversees these locations would ever have the bottle or even inclination to have dog free area reserves which would allow wildlife to thrive. I know from regularly visiting a privately owned reserve which doesn’t allow dogs, the difference is like day and night. People still visit but people don’t tend to go running after the wildlife and the local wildlife can adjust to seeing people walking by.</p> <p align="justify">This isn’t a dig at the dogs but squarely at the owners who, over the years I’ve found the vast majority couldn’t care in the slightest to others and who seem to believe that when they go out, wherever they are is purely for their benefit.</p> <p> </p> <p align="center">This is the sight I would love to see again at this and other reserves but sadly is unlikely</p> <p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xGHEPYN1Mu8/WQR-I4pGjxI/AAAAAAAAN1M/hFeiUoAq4r0uGWFDpGynTIlz2n9uFRuWgCHM/s1600-h/IMG_29242"><img title="IMG_2924" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_2924" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8RY-Zwpriq8/WQR-JXtb6SI/AAAAAAAAN1Q/GkYrelDmTw45-aVHNGATAWcLUENncS8NwCHM/IMG_2924_thumb?imgmax=800" width="902" height="602"></a></p>Frank Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06297315370730666745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8476306530073260083.post-5006974802891959832017-04-23T08:25:00.000+01:002018-02-17T20:53:51.803+00:00Bringing home the trash<div align="justify">
When you think of a bird building its nest, you think of twigs, moss, leaves, maybe seaweed, but if you’re a residential bird that lives on a man made lake then you’ll take whatever is at hand (or beak).</div><div align="justify"><br></div>
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Watching a couple of Great Crested Grebes building their nest and it was amazing to see how much rubbish, literally, they were using. Various plastic bags, sweet and crisps and a various assortment of what was hard to identify was being used. I can’t imagine any of the plastics would be of any practical use as the nest material would need to be insulating but it didn’t stop them finding and using them. Where they found this man made ‘nesting material’ was also a bit of a surprise. It was at the bottom of the lake which makes you wonder just how bad the lake is as on the surface it seems fine.</div><div align="justify"><br></div>
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I suppose though, since birds take up residence there, it must ultimately be fine still, it does seem a bit strange to see a nest made up of Walker Crisps and Haribo sweet packets.</div>
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