After a couple of miserable days today dawned with sleet, no change there then. By eight the sun was trying to show itself and at nine it was back to what I have come to expect here in the Lake District, not quite a sky dotted with fair weather cumulus but acceptably clement.
Decided to go Redshank spotting so headed down to the estuary, it was low water so no reason not to find them. My only problem was how to remain inconspicuous whilst slithering across a half mile of mud, it remains a problem! Compounded by a second. Anyone know how one removes a pound of estuary mud from a telephoto lens?
A grand mornings wandering on a, very nearly, perfectly still day.
We did see Redshank but they were too far away for pictures, the Widgeon were nowhere to be found but saw what looked like Tufted Duck, again out of camera range. Thank the lord for Oyster Catchers, they were putting on a fine display of low level flight, in all probability, fleeing.
So near but so far away.
We called it a day and wandered home, I was so clarted with muck that it seemed only sensible to change lenses and add to the seasonal archive of Snowdrop pictures. Lying down we got these…….Should have opened up another stop in retrospect.
Molly was as filthy as I…………..
Tomorrow we are off to Wasdale with little chance of internet. We will be in Keswick on Saturday so driving rain and sleet over beautiful lakes is the predicted blog content.
I like the landscape shots ...the second one is my favourite with the clouds and sky being reflected.
ReplyDeleteYour bird photographs are doing nicely...I find the Oystercatchers to be a very wary bird and I do not manage to get very close to them..so you have done well .
Looks like you have an evening job with Molly needing some attention.
Ta Trevor just not still enough, see you had a similar problem. These Oystercatchers are not too bad, about 50m is their comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteNice shots . captured Molly quite nicely too.
ReplyDeleteTa tony, daft mutt!
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos! I'm happy I found your blog :) Thank you :) And Molly looks happy, maybe she is feeling first signs of Spring :)
ReplyDeleteWith best regards
Ula
As always, Molly cracks. me. UP! I know exactly the behaviour, as my Jimmy is the same way. I'm so clean and PRETTY mom... cleaned all the mud off so you don't have to!
ReplyDeleteYou came *so close* to that perfect reflection shot. Hopefully you'll find one soon. :o)
Ula, thank you and welcome. No Molly isn't, spring has nothing to do with it she's just a filthy wee beast.
ReplyDeleteAye penny, I'll swap to Krista, hope this isn't another 'nomme de blog'. Having spent three hours in freezing water she's terrified of the shower.
ReplyDeleteAs always close isn't close enough.
At sea we used to have an expression. 'Good enough is near enough but near enough is not good enough'.
Haha! No, not another 'nomme de blogue'... Krista is my real name and in a few more days I'll drop Penny entirely. Keep an eye out for the story of why I chose Penny and why I chose a Pen name at all, for that matter.
ReplyDeleteI understand perfectly about how 'near enough is not good enough' and feel the same way - more about my own photographs usually though. There is something great about being on the hunt for perfection though. It's one of my favourite things about photography, actually!
A strong set of pics, the landscapes, the Oystercatcher and the beautiful Molly, well sometimes.
ReplyDeleteKrista it is then, I used to be in charge of boats, I got sick of hearing 'Near Enough'.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of photography is that.. It's not achievable. Whenever you take a perfect image, tons of effort tripod filters the whole job lot not one reply.
Bang a load of tosh out like I did yesterday and I get the biggest hit rate ever. Maybe it wasn't crap but struck a cord with closet image manipulators.
Cheers Bob can't help thinking that you would not have had to publish images of that quality.
ReplyDeleteHowever I was a touch chuffed with myself. Will post an early effort as comparison, Thanks to you and yours I can see, slowly, an improvement.
I think your reflections are the better for being imperfect! Molly is a constant charmer, isn't she? Even filthy she looks so appealing!
ReplyDeleteAdrian, I do like your flying Oystercatchers. Great captures.
ReplyDeleteAnd Molly.........what a star!
Pauline, perfection is what I strive for. Molly is a dirty little beast and we are not speaking. Not really she has had a cuddle.
ReplyDeleteKeith, not up to your standard. Molly is a dog quite happy covered in muck.
I think Molly must be one of the luckiest dogs on this planet being paired with you.
ReplyDeleteI have just re-read The Peregrine by J.A. Baker, he said this about mud;
ReplyDelete"thick ochre mud like paint; oozing glutinous mud that seemed to sprout on the marsh, like fungus; octopus mud that clutched and clung and squelched and sucked; slippery mud, smooth and treacherous as oil; mud stagnant; mud evil; mud in the clothes, in the hair, in the eyes; mud to the bone."
So as for cleaning I suggest carefully! and with plenty of elbow grease!
As for the book if you have not already read it, may I recommend it, judging by your blog and your photo's I'm sure it is for you.
Great shots by the way!
Gb always had collies before and they wer called Molly or Polly saves confusion bit like calling ladies pet! She is different, untrainable!
ReplyDeleteKipling, thank you for that am in Keswick shortly it used to be full of bookshops will hunt it down.
I agree with The Abbot - the 2nd photo has real atmosphere. Though a perfect reflection sometimes makes a good photo I often prefer some ripple on the water. It seems more natural to me.
ReplyDeleteI see Molly is staying true to form ;)
The sky scape,with those wonderful cloud formations,is stunning,reflections in the water of the fish trap posts,is lovely as well.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant photographs Adrian.
"Bang a load of tosh"... LMAO!!! Readers can be fickle. Sometimes a photo I've taken really strikes me but not so much anybody else. Art is so *very* subjective, that's another one of my favourite things about it!
ReplyDeleteJohn, being a mathematician by inclination flat is perfect but no worries I get what I can. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMatron, glad I brightened up your day, just finished cleaning a very mucky lens.
Penny it's why I have the courage to post what I shoot that day on the day. Not brave enough to post the best of the month or whatever.