Last Sunday I visited Testwood Lakes Wildlife Reserve. The day was overcast and grey – and I’ve never seen much there before – so what could I find this time out. Well not a lot until I visited the first of the two bird hides there – where a Green Woodpecker was outside on the grass. There were some distant ducks outside this hide too – but even with my
Farlington Marshes was the destination on the 12th February, the weather was not kind being overcast. However the Kestrals were. Showing well in the trees near the paths. This first one that I saw and photographed was balancing carefully on one leg. Later on another Kestral was spotted – again perched up high – before flying off when I pointed my Canon 100-400mm lens at it. This is the sequence
Went on an Easter Sunday Afternoon wander around Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve in mixed Sun and Cloud weather. The wind making the later shots of this coot, interesting to take in the choppy lake. Fortunately on land it was easier. And for Easter – you have to take a bunny rabbit!
I was fortunate to see a couple of Treecreepers today at Blashford Lakes, and managed to get this one in the frame, before a barking dog scared it off. In the rush I had not quite dialed in enough exposure compensation, so had to lift the bird in Adobe Camera raw. I am fairly pleased with the rescue of the shots. This first shot I have rotated into portrait format.
Yet another dreary grey Saturday, as seems to be the case this winter. However I decided to try to make the most of it photographically in the poor light this afternoon. Upon spotting this Common Sandpiper reasonably close to the Lapwing Hide at Blashford Lakes, I attempted some shots of it at various ISO’s – all the way from an ISO that is normally ok, ISO 800 on the 760D,
Nasty grey wet weekend weather wise, so not ideal for birds photos. And as it was wet, the only option was to go somewhere with sheltered hides, so I visited my local Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve. I did manage to photograph a male Black-necked Grebe for the first time. Although they are large 50% crops. The advantage of a reserve like Blashford, where you have several habitats, and importantly several
Whilst Storm Clodagh blew through on Sunday, the best location in my mind was to be inside, and the bird hides at Blashford Lakes beckoned. With the adverse weather the light was low and so a higher than normal ISO was required to get a shootable speed. After the tern hide, and Ibsley hides provided nothing close by in relating to wildlife, a short visit to the Woodland hide provided
Blashford Lakes is a Hampshire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve just North of Ringwood. The reserve overlooks two large lakes with 5 hides that view them, and it also has another woodland hide, and two other lakes without hides on them. The reserve is open all year round except for Christmas Eve and Day. The reserve car parls are open from 09:00 to 16:30. The reserve is known for having Bitterns
With the beginning of November, and a reasonable day – a stroll around the New Forest’s Anderwood Site is a pleasant walk. Taking along a converted Digital Infrared Camera added to the fun. The Cameras filter as mentioned before is a Canon 20D with an Enhanced Colour Infrared Filter (equivalent to 665nm Filter). The trees and foliage provided interesting and varied scenary, with the leaves reflecting some of the light
