Jack Frost visited

Went to Llanelli for a day - well actually for two so far 28th and 29th, Jack Frost had visited and while the birds were nice on the first day as it was midday or later when we were there on 28th,

This fox was taking it easy and warming himself, we spotted him and he spotted us - managed to get a shot before he left

A few Mallards took exception to my presence and took exit via stage right, but I managed to get a line on one

A loud creaking sound on a repeating cycle left me looking around and over my head came a Mute Swan low down having just taken off, managed to get a quick shot while it was passing over

The Mandarin Drake was showing off and where he caught the sun the wing 'flags' shone brightly - problem was he was moving along a bit and ducking and bobbing so he managed to get his head out of focus just as I hit the shutter button

I was there for the morning of the 29th so the frosty things were the focus. However there were a few birds about as well, just on the edge of the pond that is alongside the viewing gallery was this - a Water Rail !

A few shots of Jack Frosts work on the habitat

This and the following shot are my favourites of the day

But for my lady - this is the shot I wanted to get - ish - not the best, but they are small and fast moving and stay up in the branches so any shot like this is 'okay'

December 2014 - so far

One shot from a trip to Lincoln, on the way home the evening sky started to look nice, was a bit of a touch and go to get to anywhere I could park up with a reasonable foregound

Had a trip to St Donats for the Christmas Craft Fair, Yoke and Eleanor were underwhelmed by it, not a lot of craft but a fair amount of mass produced tat by all accounts – I wandered of with my camera, thin pickings really but got this fungi shot

Velvet Shank - Flammulina velutipes

 I have been working out of London a couple of days a week recently, finally took the camera in and took a couple of shots from Vauxhall Bridge, the first, looking left from Vauxhall side  is Battersea Power Station – defunct and being turned into an apartment block – they are keeping the chimneys but taking down the brick and concrete ones and replacing them with steel frame and clad ones that will look exactly the same – the 2^nd looking right is the London Eye  

One Down and Three to Go

We went down to Cornwall to pick up Verity for Christmas and to deliver her birthday present, finally. We decided to call into RHS Rosemoor on the way home, they were having a bit of a Christmas food fair and there was also a statue collection on exhibition around the gardens, a theme in evidence was Alice in Wonderland.

Cheshire cat

The Dodo

Mad Hatter

Had to take a woodland scene as the deciduous autumn colours are a great mix with the ferns and the darkenss of the pines

 And where there is woodland - what would it be without Fungi !

Amethyst Deceiver - Laccaria amethystina

Final is a fountain that was in strong evening sun. I liked the way the water was reflecting the light so metered for that but held enought back to get detail in thefountain structure itself, then a little post processing to balance it.

 Saturday 13^th we found the day to be bright and clear, cold,  but hey its December So we went to Cosmeston to take in the air and take a few photos. The squirrels are getting very fat ready for winter!

Black Headed Gull

everyones favorite - Mallard

Mute Swan

one of my favourites a Coot

 and finally, as I doubt I will put anything up in the next week or so -

May I wish you all a peaceful and happy holiday season and religious festival of choice.

Trip to Cornwall for a Birthday

It was Verity’s 21st Birthday last week. Happy Birthday.

I have been struggling since early September to get her a specific present, for whatever reason the lens I wanted to get her was not available anywhere in a Nikon fit - I could get the lens to fit a Canon or a Sony or any other camera but not a Nikon, how frustrating that was.  I even looked at off shore imports from Hong Kong, I placed an order and two days later they mailed me to cancel it as they did not know when they would get stock.

This Friday I noted the firm I normally buy the photography gear from now says they have the lens - one short phone call later and it is on its way - late but at least what we wanted.

Anyway, we went to Cornwall for the weekend for her birthday and had fun. Eden was on the list for a day as was Tehidy.  There follows the usual photographs, a few fungi, and a few other bits and bobs. Oh, and it was my 57th birthday as well that weekend so a double celebration.

First - Eden 

Fungi outside on a log fence

Hover fly on Castor Oil plant

more fungi in the tropical dome

there is always a gekko if you look hard enough

water droplets on a new leaf

a very small but agile and fast jumping spider

I got into trouble for this one !

Shaggy Inkcap they were used for ink in olden days

Yoke at the waterfall relaxing

checking out the label !

Then Tehidy

bird feeding by hand take 1

bird feeding by hand take 2

having a good shout at each other

arghh my head imploded

Porcelain fungi

we like peanuts - oh yes we do

oy - he's nicked the peanuts !

 This weekend has been a bit strange for reasons I wont go into at the moment but today, Sunday, we had an afternoon out to get some fresh air - off to the Allotment to do some digging then off to Tondu for any photos we fancied or could take in the low light so long as the drizzle held off .

This image was spotted as we drove there on the approach road - a side gate into the fields. I had to double back and capture it - makes you want to know the story - or maybe not!

and finally a last fungi shot - these were all of 1.5cm from top to bottom - sweet

More fruit of the season, the 3rd kingdom

We went to Lincoln last weekend, I took the opportunity to go seek out a few more fungi at Whisby.

I have not been successful in identifying them all but clearly the Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaris is an easy one, these were taken where a tre had been taken out to make a clearing hence the damage to soem around them. This fungi is used as a hallucinogenic by some people, dangerous game, as it is poisonous. It gets its name from medieval times where the cap was broken into pieces in milk to stupify flies and get rid of them.

Then there is another amanita, there are 24 of them known in the UK, this one is The Blusher, Amanita rubescens. You can eat it - if cooked, but poisonous if raw, oh and after you cook it, throw the water away - its not going to make you feel good !

A few others seen and photographed but so far not identified.

Also a few dragons still on the wing, this is a Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum I love the autumn leaf colours behind it that compliment the body colour.

In all a nice day with a few nice shots