Tag Co.Down

Wagtail’s and sepia tones

George McNeill 8 Comments

With the sun shining and a light breeze I shouldered the camera bag, grabbed a tripod. Car locked and my first chat was with a man and his dog. Some local information is always welcome. I sit here listening to the wind and heavy rain beat it’s tune on the window. I took the following photos last weekend, what a difference this weekend.

First up are a few photograph’s of the Pied wagtail, these were taken while out for a walk along the coast.

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I always hope to get some shots of seals that bask along the shore, but so far no luck. With the tide in I knew they would be out from shore. This one was around 100 metres from shore.

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I got a few head shots but loved the light catching his whisker’s in this one. We have two  type of seal’s around our coast. The grey seal and the common seal with this being the Common seal.

My last one is off the small lighthouses that mark the entrance to Strangford lough on the east coast of Northern Ireland. I gave it an old time look when editing it in Silver Efex Pro. Let me know what you think.

 

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Thank you for visiting.

Take care,

George.

 

Ducks, Waders and Seagulls.

George McNeill 2 Comments

Map

Street view

The map link above should take you to the area where most of the photographs in this post were shot. I was using a Nikon D750 with a Sigma 150 – 600 zoom. Some post processing and chopping  before posting.

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First up we have a couple of Mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos ) enjoying the low winter sun.

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Teal (Anas crecca ) Male and female. Love the marking of the male Teal, from the striped head to colourful rear.

The next set of photos were shot about a mile along the coast.  This wader is common around the coast in Northern Ireland

Redshank ( Tringa totanus )

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Gull time.

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Bath time

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Herring Gull (Larus argentatus )  playing tug-o-war with the sea weed.

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Common Gull ( Larus canus )

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Taking a guess at this one, I think its a Herring Gull in flight.

 

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This smaller gull is a Black Headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus ) in it’s winter plumage.

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Again I think this is a Herring Gull delivering  it’s bodily waste on those below.

These next couple of photograph’s are off  our largest wader here in the Uk & Ireland.

Curlew ( Numenius arquata)

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That was my Saturday, photographing the birds along this stretch of coast. There are more to photograph has well as the seals but that’s another day.  Next time I’ll pack a flask of coffee and a warmer coat so I can walk more of the coastline.

Thank you for joining me.

George.

 

 

Wings

George McNeill 6 Comments

With the odd storm moving across the country the gulls drop back into the sheltered waters of the lakes and parks inland. Passing Hillsborough forest park I stopped for a walk around the lake. The swans and various ducks where there along with a large group off Blacked Headed Gulls. It is these I shot in the following photographs. When people stop to feed the ducks the gulls head in mass for a free meal. I could watch the flight for hours has these birds come in like fighter pilot’s across the water. Some seem to hang in the air before dropping into the water after the food. Has a flying display they are great to watch and I still don’t know how they avoid each other in the mayhem of what seems to be chaos.

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All these shots where taken with a 70 – 300 zoom on a bright overcast day  at ISO 400.

Thank you for viewing.