Black & White Wednesday

Posted on December 16, 2020December 13, 2020 Posted in Black and White Wednesday., Ireland, irish landscape, wildlife, woodsTagged Black and white, black and white photography, Black and White Wednesday., country walking, County Down, Dromara hills, Drumkerragh forest, Kestrel, Kestrel hovering, monochrome photography, Nikon cameras, nikon D750, Northern Ireland, Ravens, Sigma 150-600 zoom, Sigma lens, wild birds, wildlife, wildlife photography, woodland walks12 Comments

Welcome to another B & W Wednesday, hope all is well in you in your part of the world. The norm of this post is a single photograph. I will be posting a few images if they are related to the day and place they where photographed.

So the location is in the Dromara hills close to my home. The morning was heavy fog but around 11.30 am the sun was burning it off and opening the views to that layered effect.

This was taken has I climbed up through Drumkerragh forest has the fog was thinning.

With the fog clearing quickly has I walked higher up into the forest the sound of crows and ravens filled the valley with there calls. Pairs flying from tree top to tree top it gave me a chance to get a few nice images. This one below is off a couple of Ravens on a dead tree.

Raven ( Corvus corax) is a member of the crow family.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/raven/

In spring if you ever get the chance to watch Ravens do their courting flight, please watch them. They love to fly and at times you might think they have a death wish has they race towards the earth.

Here’s a link to a short Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFKcj9aN7ZI

My next encounter was a small bird of prey, a Kestrel. I saw it sitting on a tree top and slowly made my way towards it. I lost sight of it and then has I rounded a group of trees there she sat. I got a few images has she sat looking around her but a bunch of twigs was spoiling them. Then she took off and came my way drifting on the breeze looking for prey. Nearly above me she started to hover and that’s when I got the following image.

Kestrel ( Falco tinnunculus ) belongs to the falcon family of birds.

Kestrel:https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/kestrel/

These are another fun bird to watch has they hover in the sky looking for small prey on the ground, when spotted the drop at great speed onto there prey.

Kestrel hovering, this is a great slow motion film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0D-J0cgJME

Kestrel hovering and the dive in real time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaRSihpIU34

Hope you enjoyed a little part of my morning walk and a few of the wildlife we have here in Northern Ireland.

Take care and stay safe.

George.

Lockdown wildlife.

Posted on October 30, 2020 Posted in Coastal, General, Ireland, outdoors, wildlifeTagged Brent geese, Coastal, coastal photography, County Down, Curlew, Irelands wildlife, Kestrel, lockdown wildlife, Mudflats, Nikon cameras, nikon D750, Northern Ireland, portaferry, redshank, sea birds, sea shore, Sigma 150-600 zoom, Sigma lens, Snipe, Strangford lough, Wildfowl, wildlife photography6 Comments

First I hope you are all keeping well and safe where ever you are in the world. Here in the north of Ireland we are back in a four week lockdown but we can still go out to exercise. So when the weather allows I pack the camera and head for the coast. I’m lucky that I have some great mud flats where the sea birds and wading birds feed within a 30 – 40 minutes drive. So the following photographs have been taken over the last few weeks along the County Down coast. Most of them have been shot with a Nikon D750 camera fitted with the Sigma 150 – 600 mm telephoto lens, some handheld and others using a tripod fitted with a gimble head. The following link is a great site for bird information here in Ireland and the UK. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/curlew/

The above is the Curlew ( Numenius arquata) taking off , great fun to watch has they sprint up to take off speed.

Here we see the Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) it’s a very distinctive bird with it’s bold black and white plumage, orange beak and legs but most of all that blood red eye.

Next the Brent goose ( Branta bernicla) This small goose is similar in size to a mallard duck. Can be hard to get good photographs with the eye showing because of the dark coloured neck and head. With the setting sun behind me it was just right this evening. They are always in a flock and the on singled out here is seen drinking.

The Snipe(Gallinago gallinago) this is a bird that is getting rare to see here, it’s numbers have declined over the years. When I was a kid at school ( a long time ago) these where common and seen over most marshes daily. I was surprised to see two of them together. The Brent geese disturbed them and these one flew closer to me and nested down into the seaweed.

The Redshank (Tringa totanus) gets it’s name from it’s most distinctive features, their bright orange-red legs. I find these are one of our most common birds along this part of the coast. They can be found in large flocks or today just a few feeding on the incoming tide.

The next photographs where taken from my van when I saw this Kestrel just for the road side. I pulled over and shot a few frames before it moved off.

Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) these are a small falcon and are often seen as here along the road sides hovering looking for small prey.

The colour is a little weak in these photographs of the Kestrel with the bright sky behind them but since they were part of the coast outings I included them.

Thank you for visiting and I’ll leave you with a image of Portaferry across Strangford lough.

Brent geese with Portaferry in the back ground and Windmill hill on the right.

George.

Black & White Wednesday

Posted on October 14, 2020October 11, 2020 Posted in Black and White Wednesday., Coastal, Ireland, wildlifeTagged Bird watching, Black and white, black and white photography, Black and White Wednesday., Coastal, County Down, monochrome, monochrome photography, Mudflats, nature, nature photography, wild birds, Wildfowl, wildlife photography4 Comments

Had a few days break from work and was happy the sun decided to shine those few days. So I spent one of them at a few spots along the County Down coast. The tide was out and I was not counting on much wildlife on the mudflats. But the day left me with some grand photographs. So todays image is one of a Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) fishing in a fresh water stream that runs out through the mudflats.

So it turned out a enjoyable day and may you all enjoy your day.

George.

Camera: Nikon D750 with a Sigma 150-600 mm lens

Data: f/6.3 @ 1/2000 sec: ISO 360, focal length 600 mm

Black & White wednesday

Posted on September 30, 2020September 29, 2020 Posted in Black and White Wednesday., Coastal, General, Ireland, outdoors, wildlifeTagged bird photography, Black and white, black and white photography, Black and White Wednesday., coastal photography, monochrome, monochrome image, monochrome photography, Motacilla alba, Nikon cameras, nikon D750, pied wagtails, sigma 150-600, Sigma lens, wild birds, wildlife photographyLeave a comment

This week we’re off to the coast and a small black and white bird called a Pied wagtail (Motacilla alba) is the subject. They are a common bird here in Ireland and the UK and can be seen all year round. They can be found almost any where, from coast to city centres. When standing they frantically wag their tail up and down or dashing across the ground in search of food.

Camera: Nikon D750 with a Sigma 150-600 mm lens

Data: 1/800 sec @ f/6.3: ISO 320

Lens focal length: 600 mm

Stay safe,

George.

Black & White Wednesday

Posted on August 26, 2020August 23, 2020 Posted in Black and White Wednesday., Coastal, Ireland, outdoors, wildlife, woodsTagged Black and white, black and white photography, Black and White Wednesday., County Down, Days out, family, Ireland, Irelands wildlife, nikon, Nikon D7200, Northern Ireland, outdoor playing, outdoors, Sigma 17-70 mm, Sigma lens, wild birds, Wildfowl, wildlife, wildlife photography, wildlife watching, woodland walks, woods, wwt.org2 Comments

Going for gunpowder, another photograph from Castle Espie. On the way through the woods we passed the old gunpowder store. nothing would do but a look insider. Not sure if he found any and there was nothing on the evening news. So all good.

I normally post one photograph each week on B & W Wednesday but this week I am posting another from Castle Espie. A view across Strangford lough to Scrabo Tower. I meant to post this with another view across Strangford lough I posted a few weeks back.

Looking across Strangford lough to Scrabo Hill.

Some info below:

https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/castle-espie

http://celtandkiwi.com/scrabo/

Thank you for dropping by.

George.

http://celtandkiwi.com/scrabo/

Black & White Wednesday

Posted on July 22, 2020July 21, 2020 Posted in Black and White Wednesday., Coastal, Ireland, outdoors, wildlifeTagged Black and white, black and white photography, Black and White Wednesday., Castle Espie, Coastal, County Down, Nikon cameras, Nikon D7200, Northern Ireland, sea birds, seagulls, Secret Swamp, Sigma 17-70 mm, Sigma lens, Strangford lough, terns, Wildfowl, wildlife photography, WWT2 Comments

This weeks photograph comes from Castle Espie on the shore for Strangford lough County down. It is part of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust . Link below. After doing the wildfowl area it was into the Secret Swamp were my grandson informed me it’s where the swamp monsters live. So with a few near misses we make it through pass the wishing tree and into the woodland play ground. Along death defying log walks and through pipe tunnels into the safety of the walled fort, only the brave make it. I don’t think I would have made on my own….

The pipe tunnel where no man with a camera should go, only the little folk..

Castle Espie and WWT link: https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/castle-espie#

Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 17-70 mm lens

Data: focal length 17 mm, f5 @ 1/60 sec ,ISO 500

Edited in Lightroom and finished in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Thank you for visiting,

George.

Black & White Wednesday

Posted on May 27, 2020May 26, 2020 Posted in Black and White Wednesday., General, Ireland, macro, outdoors, wildlifeTagged black and white photography, Black and White Wednesday., butterfly, country walking, County Down, Dromara hills, Irelands wildlife, monochrome, monochrome photography, Nikon D7200, outdoors, photography, Sigma 150-600 zoom, Sigma lens, wildlife photography2 Comments

Welcome to another B&W Wednesday, the photograph this week of a Cabbage White butterfly. It was taken with a 150-600 mm telephoto lens. Using a telephoto lens allows you to stand well back from your subject, less chance of spooking them.

Shot in raw format and edited in LR with the final edit in Nik Silver Efex Pro.

Photographed using a Nikon D7200,

Sigma 150-600 mm lens.

ISO: 400, f8 , 1/800 sec. Lens focal length 550 mm.

Thank you for visiting and stay safe.

George.

Early Mornings

Posted on April 28, 2020April 28, 2020 Posted in General, Ireland, irish landscape, outdoors, wildlife, woodsTagged bird photography, Bird watching, Blogging, Chaffinch, country walks, County Down, Dunnock, history, Ireland, Mistle Thrush, Mountains, Mourne mountains, Northern Ireland, outdoors, photography, roe, Roe deer, wildlife, wildlife photography5 Comments

My how life has changed for most of us, restrictions, work closures and social distancing to name a few. So for the last six weeks I’ve been at home, fuel prices are down the weather is great but I can’t go anywhere. Travel restrictions are in force so traveling to the coast is not going to happen. I have been walking in my local area and get out for sunrise most morning. I walk in a local wood for a few hours and explore trails that take me away from the beaten path. I don’t carry my camera every morning but will use my mobile/cell to photograph sunrise’s and landscapes in the woods. I post to Instagram most days, link at the bottom of the page. So any photos on this blog are taken with my Nikon DSLR. The following where taken over a period of time.

This shot is across County Down with the Mourne mountains in the back ground.

The remains of a small hill farm for days long gone.

Been trying to find out more about this Cross on a distance hill. (most of this photos are shot with a telephoto lens which creates a compressed perspective). I have been told it was a site of a Mass rock. Link: Mass rock

Will be finding out more about this cross and I have to find if there is public access to it.

A cool frosty morning in this shot with frost lying on the fields in the foreground and the hills on the other side of Belfast in the background. A view around 25 miles away. The next shot is to the west and is of Scrabo Tower above the town of Newtownards in County Down. Again this would be around 25 mile away. Link: Scrabo

Given the warm weather we have been having and the cold nights we get the valley’s full with mist early morning and late evening.

Where I grew up in Ireland these mists were known has ghost mists due to the distortion effect on objects around you. If you saw somebody walk into the mist you would understand why….

Going to finish the landscape side with another old hill farm shot, this you can just see through a gap in the trees.

Next a few of the wild life I have managed to photograph on my walks.

A one legged Mistle Thrush. Link : Mistle Thrush

Dunnock: Dunnock

Chaffinch: Link Chaffinch

A young buck and doe deer.

These photographs are of Roe deer. I was lucky to get these shots has the first sight or smell of humans and they disappear . I still had my camera in hand has I make my out of the woods, just rounding a bend I spotted them feeding. I slowly pushed into the foliage beside me and stood still. Having a 150 – 600mm lens on the camera helped me get these shots.

I have a list of the birds and animals still to photograph, so my early morning walks will continue while work is suspended.

Thank you for joining me on my walk.

Stay safe and well.

George.

High tide seals.

Posted on March 20, 2020 Posted in 365 Shutter Release Challenge 2015, Ireland, outdoors, wildlifeTagged Coastal, County Down, gulls, Hightide, Mute swan, Nikon cameras, nikon D750, seagulls, seals, sigma 150-600, Sigma lens, Wildfowl, wildlife, wildlife photography4 Comments

It was high tide on the County Down coast and I knew then would be little happening concerning wildlife. But also knowing high tide brings the seals to Cloghy rocks. It was a high tide has it covered the rock but the seals were there.

Heads and tails has they lay on the rocks below.

Next a couple of gull shots.

Blackheaded gull still in winter plumage.

Herring gulls.

The old windmill overlooking Portaferry.

And the final image a monochrome shot of a Mute swan taken on the Qouile River, Downpatrick.

Thank you for visiting and wherever you are stay safe.

George.

What’s happening on this site.

Posted on March 14, 2020 Posted in General, Ireland, outdoors, wildlifeTagged bird photography, Bird watching, birding, Birds, County Down, Ireland, Northern Ireland, photography, sea birds, sea shore, Shore life, Strangford lough, wild birds, wildlife photography9 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.