2016 Project 52 - 4th Quarter by Geoff F

[Geoff F]

Thanks.

The Egret and Cormorant is a crop and I did look at several options. Eventually I settled for the left side like this because going closer put that 'wave', which is caused by the cormorant body, too close to the image edge.

I have regularly noticed cormorants deliberately targeting feeding egrets. They swim beside the egret and snap up any small fish which are disturbed by the egret and dive outwards towards deeper water.

But some egrets get rather irritated by another bird coming so close.

Looking inland on that day, I photographed a Great Tit which initially looked good but on closer inspection I see there are a couple of bramble stems which are closer to the camera so are badly out of focus. Maybe with a bit of cloning I can make them appear to go behind the focused stems so they won't appear so prominent.



This Redshank was at a tricky angle but I did manage to capture a reflection.

[Cantab]

This Redshank was at a tricky angle but I did manage to capture a reflection.

Geoff, I checked the EXIF and see you were shooting at 600mm at 800 ISO; it turned out well. According to the GPS map, the bird was on the River Avon (not the one going through Stratford?) and there's a tidal road on the other side from where you shot the photo. Is this the same tidal road you've posted pictures of in the past? Or perhaps there's lots of tidal roads in your part of the world?

[Wavelength]

Amazing beauty

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

Yes, Bruce, that particular shot was from the River Avon bird hide, with a tidal road just across the creek and a marshy area on the other side of the hide. A location which I often use at this time of the year. Other shots were from another hide on the opposite side of my local harbour to where I live, no river here.

Here is a shot from today taken from near the River Avon hide and looking northwards to the edge of a village. The river is on the other side of that left hand bank and this drainage channel runs beside the marsh.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. Leaning out and stretching that barbed wire as far as I could towards the water!

And a few birds from today.







All with Sigma 150-600 Sport lens and Iso 800

A sudden but only temporary change to the weather gave a few hours of clear still air but with the low angle sun and reflections from trees across the river giving a strange yellowish tint to the water.

[Cantab]

Geoff, today's set is certainly a collection with reflections! The first image grabbed me immediately, possibly because of the three lines (water and fences) curving from the foreground into the distance. The contrast between the bright water and the dark reflections on it possibly also helps make this photo work.

Are Canada geese pests in parts of England? Their numbers have gone up significantly in the last few decades on the southwest coast of the province in built up areas such as suburban parks, etc. I live near a sheltered tidal inlet and we sometimes will have a flock flying (and honking) over the house enroute to the water.

[John 2]

The pick for me Geoff are the Waders. Three nice shots and you have managed to preserve the detail in the black of the Oyster Catcher. The Curlew is a good catch. They are on the RSPB endangered list and are apparently confined to just a few places around the UK. The local fells that I love to spend time on are a major breeding ground and so I see them quite a lot particularly in the Spring but if the RSPB Web Site is to be believed, there are not many of them in your part of the world.

[bnnrcn]

Another good set Geoff

Thanks for the comments.

Yes, Bruce, that particular shot was from the River Avon bird hide, with a tidal road just across the creek and a marshy area on the other side of the hide. A location which I often use at this time of the year. Other shots were from another hide on the opposite side of my local harbour to where I live, no river here.

Here is a shot from today taken from near the River Avon hide and looking northwards to the edge of a village. The river is on the other side of that left hand bank and this drainage channel runs beside the marsh.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. Leaning out and stretching that barbed wire as far as I could towards the water!

And a few birds from today.







All with Sigma 150-600 Sport lens and Iso 800

A sudden but only temporary change to the weather gave a few hours of clear still air but with the low angle sun and reflections from trees across the river giving a strange yellowish tint to the water.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the replies.

Canada Geese are certainly increasing in numbers and can trample delicate crops if they group together during wet conditions when the ground is muddy but generally seem to spend most of their time around marshy or grassy areas where they aren't really a problem during the winter months. Possibly more of an issue if you get flocks of them on freshly emerging seeds in Spring.

Curlews are rather variable in numbers depending on specific locations. They may have been driven from some of their nesting areas by increasing farming practices but there are reasonable numbers over wintering around the muddy estuaries here; at least if you know where to look.

[Wavelength]

Lovely images

[Geoff F]

Week 51 - Foggy Morning. I had other plans but dense fog covering the estuary made me divert to this location.

Firstly, walking down a narrow lane then into a field of sheep for some foreground content.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/400 F11 Iso 200





1/200 F11 Iso 200





1/125 F11 Iso 200

[Geoff F]

Then on to a rocky point jutting out into the harbour for some boat scenes.



1/500 F11 Iso 200





1/250 F11 Iso 200



I'm usually quite ruthless with rejecting images which don't make the basic grade but choosing just one or two from a larger selection always creates a good amount of anguish for me; so there are others here:

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/foggy_day_111216&page=1

Originally, I shot over 150 then reduced them to around 50 fairly easily but thereafter was a real struggle.

[Geoff F]

One other item. While walking along the lane I found a sheep with its head stuck in a wire mesh fence.

I struggled in vain but the sheep wasn't helping itself and every time I started to move the wire it pushed forwards and got stuck again. There isn't much matter between the ears of the average sheep.

Eventually another guy came along the path and between two of us, with four hands, we managed to control the sheep and pull the wire over its head; once we cleared the ears we were winning.

[Cantab]

One other item. While walking along the lane I found a sheep with its head stuck in a wire mesh fence.

I struggled in vain but the sheep wasn't helping itself and every time I started to move the wire it pushed forwards and got stuck again. There isn't much matter between the ears of the average sheep.

Eventually another guy came along the path and between two of us, with four hands, we managed to control the sheep and pull the wire over its head; once we cleared the ears we were winning.

I wonder if this is a regular problem. The grass looks better on the other side of the fence and there are tufts of wool in a number of locations.

Do sheep bite when you start manhandling them?

[Geoff F]

Well let's put it this way, Bruce, I have never been bitten by a sheep but I have never put my hand directly in front of its mouth!

Without lambs, they tend to be fairly docile although they are quite muscular with a low centre of gravity and four legs for stability. So being pushed over is probably more of a risk from handling them.

And afterwards, my hands were covered with lanolin grease from its wool so as soon as I reached the shoreline had gave them a good wash to remove the strong smell of sheep.

[bnnrcn]

Nice series Geoff, the first image of the boat scenes is my fav

[Wavelength]

Happy journey with you...

[Shadowman]

Nice round out to your Week 52. You seem to have captured some great light during your last entries.

[Geoff F]

One of the advantages of being retired, John, is the ability to make the most of each good light day instead of being forced to work. Retirement is a busy time but it does give more flexibility - except in the joints!

Thanks for all the comments.

[Geoff F]

And now to finish with Week 52.

Burgh Island Hotel I have shown this location a few times but just in the distance, so here is a closer view. This front of the hotel angle will always prove difficult because it faces north and competes against the side light, even on a dull day like this.



7D with 24-70 Tamron lens 1/500 F11 Iso 400 plus a bit of editing to balance out the light angle problems.

Finally, the latest version of the vehicle which takes passengers between the hotel and shore when the tide is in.



1/200 F11 Iso 400 with more light angle editing.

ps. I showed an old photo of the original 'sea tractor' vehicle in Week 46.

[bnnrcn]

I find the first image better compositionally . Also good exposure, the reflections add to the scene but they don't distract from the main subject