Winter sunshine

With many changes in my life over the last two and a half years my blog has fell by the wayside. Slowly getting the time to get back out with the camera, so hopefully I’ll get posting a few more posts here.

A quick check on the tide tables I knew I could get to Dundrum inner bay for the incoming tide. This means the wildlife feeding on the mudflats gets pushed closer to me and my camera.  So getting in to a good hiding spot that gives a clear view I await the tide and hope the dog walkers don’t come near me. Has the birds come closer to shore they are not coming my way. This is a waiting game and one I don’t mine. More time to watch nature and enjoy the breeze thats picking up. At least its blowing  inland.

A Grey Heron feeding in a fresh water river that runs onto the coastal mudflats. Shot this short video on the spur of the moment and has you can see I was not set up for video. This is something I have been thinking about doing more off, so watch this space.

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Black tailed Goodwit, this is a first for me. I have never seen these birds in this area before so was lucky to get a few shots.

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Not the greatest photo but you see where it got it’s name.

With the tide filling this small bay I move a halfmile down into the main bay. Shot these next couple of photo while on the move.

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R.im lighting

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And a Rook with a shell silhouette.

This were my last shots before high tide. T.he beautiful Little Egert.

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Thank you for joining me here at Dundrum. It’s in Co.Down Northern Ireland, just a few miles from the Mourne mountains. The Bay is a protected nature reserve with a walk on the old railway enbankment running the length of the bay.

Stay safe,

George..

 

Black and White Wednesday

Winter  in Ireland is mostly a grey and wet season with snow cover on higher ground. So today’s photo is my take on farming in Ireland in winter.

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Wet weather farming.

 

 

 

Thank you for visiting, please feel free to comment.

 

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First sunset 2018

Still cold here with a wind that would cut through you. But it was dry and the sun was out. So took a half hour drive over to the coast on the County Down. With the tide and wind sculpting the sand around the rocks I got these before a rain shower blew in.

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After this was shot the rain started and I watched the first day of the year get overtaken by the dark.

Thank you for visiting,

George

 

Water world

Water world

Well it is here in Ireland at this moment in time. Raining here for a few hours and no sign of it letting up. Took this shot from my room window of a car roof covered in water droplets. Taken with a telephoto lens and chopped to size in processing.

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The car was dark blue and the droplets reflected its colour but I liked it better in Black & white.

Have a great weekend folks

George

Spring morning in the back yard.

Woke this morning to the rising sun hitting the bedroom window, one look and I and my old pal where quick to get outside. I was setting up the tripod just has the last of the mist was kissing the lough surface. I took these with a 70- 300 telephoto lens, bracketing some of them and editing them in HDR Efex Pro. With the mist and a hoar frost coating the foliage it was a beautiful morning to be out. My old pal enjoyed following whatever scents and trails he was came across. Exploring the world by his nose like dogs do.

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Thank you for visiting.

 

Drumlin’s , lough’s and frost.

Sunday morning with a hoar frost covering all the vegetation and the gravel welded together, me and my old pal set off for our morning walk. The cold biting at flesh exposed and the sun rising in the sky it was a beautiful morning.

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This part for Ireland has rounded hills called Drumlin’s  and within the valleys lough’s of various size. With the sun still low the land contours and the frost covered foliage stood out has the landscape changed with the light acting has a large craving chisel.

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And with nay a breeze the lough mirrored the beauty of nature’s landscape plantings. Has my old pal and I wandered around the lanes exploring short off shoots heading down the lough’s edges where others came to fish.

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With it being cold the edges around the lough still had ice on them. Carved like cut glass with the remains of last years reeds forming hollow masts. It gave a look like a modern sculpture to the edge.

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Reaching the far side of the lake and the sun in our faces we stopped to watch a swan drift by. I turned around and there sitting in the sun my old mate was sat waiting. Getting low I quickly shot a couple of frames.

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With the sun reflecting of his coat and the sun in his eyes it was time to make our way back. Like myself he loves his rambles around the lane and lough’s as he checks out every path our wild friends make while living there lives.

Thank you for visiting

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Thought I would give it an Irish tricolour look.

Enjoy your weekend.

 

Belfast people.

A wet Saturday in Belfast and the rain hammering down, large puddles at the road side had people playing chicken with the traffic. Timing was everything. So out of the railway station and one of Belfast’s oldest pub’s is doing a good trade judging by the numbers of people it’s doorway is swallowing. We head for another old building in the city, five minutes walk away. St Georges Market an indoor market building housing some craft stalls and all kinds of cooked foods. Live music in the centre area with table and seats is just the place to enjoy a needed cup of coffee. But to day it’s the people I’m watching.

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This seller works on Papas Mineral Company stall, they make a range of

Artisan Drinks & Speciality Cordials. Well that was their sales pitch and he was good craic.

Then it was coffee and a seat  to enjoy the music.

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Contented

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I’m not here man

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Mother’s touch.

A couple of links below and thank you for visiting.

 

St. Georges Market

Papa’s

 

Mist on the water.

Got in from work the other evening and there was a mist dropping over the lough. With the land bathed in the light of the full moon and the twinkle of stars adding to the view I set up in the cool damp air. With the temperature around 2  Celsius (35/36 F) it was not a night for standing around, so getting a couple of shots it was coffee time in front of the fire.

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Thank you for visiting.

Water, Light and Motion

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The weir on the River Lagan in Lisburn Co.Antrim. It was the play of the lights on the water that caught my eye. I took a few at different shutter speeds to get a texture on the water when captured in that few seconds. This was shot was around the 26 seconds exposure.

Thanks for viewing.

The Island Art Centre.

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Since I’m on the road early in the morning which means it’s still dark and there’s little or no people about. I set up my tripod on the path on the other side of the River Lagan to capture the lights and also the weir on the river. The Island art centre is in Lisburn in county Antrim, Northern Ireland. This part of the river is where the coal barge’s use to bring coal into the city from Belfast. There are no boats on the river now but the tow path that runs along it’s length to Belfast is now a walk/cycle path. It covers around 13 mile and takes in the Lagan valley regional park.