2018 Project 52 by Geoff F - 4th Quarter

[Manfred M]

Squirrels are so common and such pests here that all of our bird feeders have squirrel defenses built in, otherwise they would be cleared out in a matter of minutes.

Regardless, nice shots that have a very familiar look.

[Shadowman]

Squirrels are so common and such pests here that all of our bird feeders have squirrel defenses built in, otherwise they would be cleared out in a matter of minutes.

Regardless, nice shots that have a very familiar look.

Parkland squirrels make for good subjects because they are so comfortable around people, however you have to be careful because some can be just as aggressive as seagulls when they see you with food in your hands.

[Cantab]

An enjoyable set of photos. We have grey squirrels that try to raid our bird feeders. But we eventually outwitted them. We placed the feeders where there were no nearby branches that the squirrels could use and placed rain shields above the feeders so that the little monsters can't come down from the branch from which the feeders are suspended.

Do you get hawks or domestic cats trying to get at your birds? We had a Cooper's hawk fly some distance overhead a few days ago. All the birds disappeared into heavy laurel shrubbery. In the end the hawk did not pay them any attention.

These are good sharp pictures despite being handheld and presumably with a significant telephone setting on your zoom.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

Shot at 400 to 600 mm and around 40 ft distance in misty drizzle. Because there aren't many of these squirrels around here they are still rather wary of people.

A Sparrowhawk has started to be a regular visitor to my garden but so far it has only taken pigeons so I am not worried about it so far. There is an occasional cat walking through the garden but my feeders are all at a safe height although any ground feeding birds could be at risk.

[joebranko]

Very nice shots Week 48 Geoff. I particularly liked the lighting.

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff - Excellent pics of this clever little chap! It looks like he is posing just for you and he's definitely enjoying the food you served! Good photos!

[Geoff F]

Thanks. Getting the right pose is essential for this type of scene so I took around 70 shots and discarded all of the others.

Week 49 - Rain approaching Hope Cove. This has been another dull and windy week but today there were a few brief spells of clear sunshine between the dark shower clouds. After taking this image I hurried back to my car just as another heavy shower was beginning.



7D with Canon 70-200 lens. 1/800 F8 Iso 400

[Shadowman]

Interesting sky in week 49. Nicely seen and captured.

[Cantab]

Geoff, this photo works well. You captured an atmospheric scene of rough seas and rough rocks, both about to lose the sun shining on them.

[skitterbug]

Intimidating sky! I also like the variation of the water color and waves! Well done Geoff!

[joebranko]

Week 49. Love the colours you have captured here. Great shot!

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

Week 50 - Stormy clouds over Dartmoor. Another week of gloomy weather where I haven't done any photography; but there were a couple of small breaks in the clouds over Dartmoor which produced a few yellowish orange and pink tinged clouds this afternoon.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/160 F8 Iso 200

[Cantab]

Geoff, this photo works well. The clouds cooperated with you and produced good shapes and colours.

My one editing thought is whether it would be worth cloning out the electrical pylon/ tower. For me, it breaks the otherwise natural line of the hedgerows, etc.

[Geoff F]

Without that mast we lose our television, Bruce!

I did remove a few twigs from the right side so it would be easy to clone it out. But does it add interest or distraction? What do other people think?

[skitterbug]

Without that mast we lose our television, Bruce!

I did remove a few twigs from the right side so it would be easy to clone it out. But does it add interest or distraction? What do other people think?

HI Geoff - I like the shapes and colors of your cloud scene. Clouds fascinate me because they are never the same.

My opinion about the tower is that it doesn't bother me since my focus is more for the clouds. The ground scene is natural landscape so it is totally your call about it but I like it as is.

[joebranko]

Geoff, the tower is not a distraction for my eye. In fact I had to look closely to even see it! On the othershand it doesn't add anything to the shot either 🤔

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the replies. Here is another weather related shot of the same general area from today.

[Cantab]

I enjoyed #57. There should be a pot of gold at the bottom of the rainbow?

[skitterbug]

+1 to Bruce's comments! There should be gold in 'them there hills'!

[Geoff F]

Week 51 - Around the harbour. During a brief improvement in the weather I went for a walk around a headland in the local harbour. Patches of cloud were already forming which created a tricky light at times and I just returned to my car a few minutes before the next batch of rain arrived.

The Path



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. Hand held merge of 3 exposures with middle one being 1/400 F11 Iso 400

Looking up the estuary



Another merge of 3 exposures 1/400 F9 Iso 200

A glimpse of the harbour



1/160 F11 Iso 400 merge of 2 exposures