Tag Ireland

What’s happening on this site.

George McNeill 9 Comments

Here we are in March 2020 and I’m writing the first blog post of the year. It’s been a busy couple of years here in my world. Had and have some plans for the site for the start of the year but I’m a little behind, now we have the Coronavirus ( COIID-19) spreading across the world. With every aspect of life effected some of my projects might have to be sidelined for awhile depending on travel restrictions.

So I have been out a few times with the camera around the coast here in Northern Ireland, so below are some for the birds wintering here.

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Ringed plover.

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Black headed Gull

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Barred tailed Godwits

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Little Egret

 

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Brent Geese

These were all taken at Strangford lough.  Here

Thank you for visiting and hope you enjoyed my images, please comment on this post.

George

Mud Walker and Thank you..

George McNeill 9 Comments

Hello my friends, well the rain stopped and the sun make a weak showing. So nipped down to the County down coast which is a half hour drive from home. The tide was out and there where plenty on bird life around. but it was to far out on the mudflats for photography. Would have waited for the incoming tide to push them back to the shore but the light drops here around 3.30pm (2.45pm when I got there) and will be dark an hour later.

There were just a few Redshank’s close to the shore, feeding on whatever lives under this liquid mud. So without boring you I’ll post a few photos of these small waders.

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Grabbed a few shots of Rooks flying from the tree behind me.

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The next shots were me just playing around with a redshank photo in B&W.

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I hope you enjoyed this quick trip to the coast with me.

Before I go I want to wish you all Season’s Greeting, and THANK YOU all for your support over the year.

May all your wishes be granted in 2020.

Happy new year.

George..

 

 

 

Black and White Wednesday

George McNeill 2 Comments

Welcome to my first B&W Wednesday in 2019. So today we are going to use something we get a lot off in Ireland. Yes rain. Taken through the car windscreen during a heavy shower. This was shot at Lough Muckno  in Castleblayney County Monaghan.

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Thank you for visiting and have a creative new year.

George

Black and White Wednesday

George McNeill 6 Comments

We’re off to the roof tops this week. I noticed over the last few weeks a cat walking along the ridge line on the houses behind where I live. I got this shot when the cat decided to sit in the sun. I had only a small window through the trees to capture it. Just after I grab the shot it moved off.

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Thank you for visiting and feedback is always welcome.

George.

Seals, seabirds and other coastal things.

George McNeill 9 Comments

So I’ve been a little quiet on the blog, I’ve been busy moving to my new place to live. So for the first in a month I had a few hours to spare and it being a beautiful autumn day here I took a drive to the County Down coast. A few gentle walks and just parking up in other spots, it was an easy day. Chatted to a couple of other photographers and those just out for a stroll. So a few photos from today, Think the title might give a clue…

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Grey Heron (  Ardea cinerea )

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A Curlew (  Scolopacidae ) I spooked from its resting place.

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Black headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in winter plumage.

 

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In full song a Robin (  Erithacus rubecula )

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A couple of Cormorants ( Phalacrocoracidae )

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Not a 100 percent but I think this is called a Skiff. So if any person knows what they are could you let me know. Check this link

 

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The Grey Seal (  Halichoerus grypus ) and they are not all grey in colour.

 

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Heading back towards Strangford.

Next a few shots of the Little Egret (  Egretta garzetta )

 

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these birds flying in the photo’s are Lapwings (  Vanellinae )

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Peace at last..

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Unless he know’s different..

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Don’t like the look of him..

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So like my flying friend it’s time to go, hope you enjoyed the day out and you will join me another time. Thank you and take care.

George.

 

Ring Necked Pheasant.

George McNeill 12 Comments

Had the pleasure one evening watching a Ring necked Pheasant as it and a couple of hen Pheasants fed while crossing some scrub ground. While the hens kept under cover in the longer grasses the cock remained in the open, like me was keeping watch.

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Here he stands in the warm evening sun light showing off his well tailored suit and face markings.

They make a range of sounds has they communicate with each other, from crowing to beating there wings. Sometimes both at the same time.

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The above sequence of shots show the wing beating without the crowing. Below a couple of photographs from him crowing Pheasant calling

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These Photographs where taken over a half hour period where I used a fence post has a make shift tripod. Shot with a Nikon D7200 and a Sigma 150 – 600 mm Telephoto lens. Processed and cropped in Lightroom. My last shot of the evening was where I caught him crossing a break in the ground cover and the warm light on his back.

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I put the camera down and spent the last ten minutes just enjoying the scene.

Hope you have enjoyed seeing this beautiful bird with me and thank you for visiting.

George.