Black and White Wednesday

This weeks shot come from my Sunday walk around Hillsborough Forest Park, County Down, Northern Ireland.

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The Mute Swan.

This was edited in Lightroom then finished in Silver Efex Pro 2 which is a B&W editor.

Thank you for viewing and feel free to comment.

George.

Hillsborough Forest Park.

On my way back home from picking up some decorating supplies I stopped of at Hillsborough forest park. Well I needed to get some air and a break from working. With the fine weather the park was busy and a parking spot was hard to find. I was in the park around 2.30 pm. This time of year the sun starts to set around 3.30 / 4 pm.  So time to find a few shots on my walk around the lake. The low winter sun was throwing a warm light onto the lake and trees and I wasn’t the only photographer out and about.

Right lets get started.

 

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Holly and cobwebs, the low sun back lighting and adding a rim light to the leaves and stems.

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Blue skies and reflections.

 

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The light breaking through the trees spot lighted these young ferns.

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Sycamore leaf in its winter wardrobe.

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I don’t know the name off this fungus , but if you were ever a Star Trex fan it might be call the Enterprise. Google it if you never saw it.

 

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Mute swan Cygnet

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Mute Swan.

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A Cormorant taking off, it uses it feet to help it get airborne by pushing them against the water surface.

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A more peaceful image of a duck silhouetted against the brightly light  water.

Thank you for joining me,

George.

Wings

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.