Harry Ferguson

Some reading this might ask Who is Harry Ferguson. He was born Henry George (Harry) Ferguson in 1884 near the town of Dromore, County Down , Northern Ireland. I pass his family home every day on my way to and from work. There is a Harry Ferguson Sculpture in the Harry Ferguson Memorial Garden across from the family home. Some of the things we can accredit to this man are the modern agricultural tractor, the worlds first 4 wheel drive F1 racing car (known as the Ferguson P99 racing car), the first Irish man to fly and also build his own plane. Anyone that knows the name the ‘Massey Ferguson Company’ will now know where the Ferguson name comes from.

 

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Harry Ferguson Sculpture, Harry Ferguson Memorial Garden in Country Down.

Thank you for visiting

George

Black & White Wednesday

This weeks photograph was taken while taking photo’s of a Little Egret. On a bridge a photographer was photographing the same bird from a different spot. So my shot this week is of the lesser spotted photographer.

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Dear photographer, if you happen to read this please contact me, would love to see your shots of the little Egret.

Comment’s welcome and have a great Wednesday.

George.

Black and White Wednesday

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.

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.

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.

Two more photo rally points.

For those that don’t know the Photo rally points are, they are from The Irish Photo Rally 2018. Info about the photo rally and a map with the photo points on it are HERE .

So my route for my first photo today take me across Ireland toward the west coast. It’s number 21 on the map and it’s in county Sligo. It was a foggy start to the morning but traffic was light and after 30 mile the sun had broke through. It was going to be warm, my first stop for a coffee and fuel was in Enniskillen . Jacket air vents opened it was southwest to the village of Belcoo

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Lough MaCnean

then Manorhamiton.  A few miles pass Manorhamilton I turn onto the R826 , pass the shore of Lough Gill and on to the town of Drumahair. I followed small single track roads till i was south of Sligo Town. Back roads around to the Beach Bar and follow the coast through Easky where another coffee had my name on it. Continuing on the R297  till i was south of Enniscrone at the Photo rally point ‘ The Black pig’

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The Black Pig.

With the photo taken another motorcyclist arrived and a few minutes chatting about the rally points and where I was going next. Well my next point was number 23 on the map, County Rosscommon . Put the coordinates into the Sat-nav  and set it of winding roads. Love doing this for it takes all the small roads that winds through the country side. I stopped a service area to get a bite to eat and refuel the bike. Sitting outside in the sun this Blacksmiths workshop was across the road.

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I looked the internet and found he is an artist/blacksmith. a link to some of his WORK.

One of my problems while riding is I enjoy it so much, I forget to stop and take photos. I keep saying I will but ….. so not a lot to show on this next leg of my trip. My next point was the Albert Lock.

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The Lock keeper’s cottage.

A chat with the lock keeper and the chance to see a boat using it it was time for a long ride home. That ride would see me cover another six counties. Near 12 hours on the road that day, it was a tired body that walked into the house.

Thank you for visiting and joining me on my trips.

George.