We were out in the dark. I was really well organised. Last night prior to retiring I made a cheese sandwich. Popped in in a box and laid it in the fridge……………It’s still there. I was famished when we got back after a six mile wander.
The light this morning was almost non existent. Not a happy snappy morning at all. The sun is out now but so will be dozens of people. We walked down to the lake and I was rewarded by lots of birds. I didn’t use the long lens as it’s too slow. I had ISO at 1600 as it was. That’s my limit for noise management. It can be reduced but the only way I know of is to soften the image. Mine are soft enough to begin with!
I’m going to show you what I found as I had such a wonderful three and a half hours. I’ll save the best till last so just zip on down to the end if you get bored.
I’m not sure and didn’t want to turn it over as it was on it’s own. It’s an inch across and has an attractive little fringe.
I’ll get the not sures out of the way……………Honey fungus was my first thought.
Verdigris Toadstool. I was very pleased to find this as I've not seen one for for donkey’s years.
Fly Agaric………….a foot away there is a brand new one just breaking through so tomorrow it should be perfect.
Cygnets exercising there wings……………Dozens of Mute Swan here all flying up and down the lake.
Two Cormorant in a tree. More than a dozen of these. Heron are even more plentiful but they were too quick for me.
These are very noisy………….not the birds……..the images. Both are Great Crested Grebe. The one on the left in it’s winter plumage…………..Already! These will enlarge with a click. Not really worth it though.
Tufted Duck……………I’m pretty sure there are some Pochard here as well but it was too dark to see.
The sun came out briefly and illuminated these Mallard. They deserve a mention for whilst they are common they are beautiful.
The Chapel of saint Mary the Virgin…………Some Chapel! The house was demolished years ago but this beautiful Victorian Gothic church remains.
As does the walled garden and Orangery……………It must have been an impressive estate…………It still is! The birds are Canada Geese with a few Grey Lag mixed in.
The Chapel is a little shy, it hides behind trees. Tomorrow the forecast is better so I will set out a little later and try for a look inside. I’ll also attempt to get some sharpish pictures of all the birds. Not much chance of the latter but I will do my best.
They have a wetland here with a hide. I’ll go and upset some more birders. I’ll get there early and set up everything I own in all the wee port hole thingies.
Have a grand weekend.
Love the church, and the honey fungu is surprisingly pretty. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteAdrian, there's nothing like a 'mature' cheese sandwich...lol...hope you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI think your first fungi may be a Wood Mushroom (agaricus silvicola) and the second, given that it is surrounded be pine needles, is possibly Conifer Tuft (hypholoma capnoides). And you've got the other two... (I've yet to find a Verdigris Agaric!).
A good resource I use for difficult ID's is www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk
The images of the Chapel are excellent btw.Hope you get some good interiors tomorrow. Good luck with Joe Public and the birders!
As for your noise problem...have you tried ear plu....sorry!....a programme called Neat Image? There's a free version to download from the internet, I find it very good...[;o)
Jolynne, it is a beauty of a chapel. The Honey Fungus is I think Conifer Tuft.
ReplyDeleteTrevor, Many thanks. I'll agree on Conifer Tuft. I have used wildaboutbritain. A wonderful site.
I use Photoshop for noise I'll give Neat image a go. Thanks. It's awful busy here.
Lovely to see autumn is on the march..I can't wait to try and get my first puffballs.
ReplyDeleteThe chapel looks beautiful... I hope you get to have a peek inside.
Hi Adrian, the Church photos are awesome. You have great architecture in your part of the world. Can't wait to see the inside of the church.
ReplyDeleteThe last photo made my jaw drop.
ReplyDeleteLovely chapel, I hope you get inside for some great pictures.
ReplyDeleteThank you Adrian for this walk on the countryside. I wish you a nice weekend, too. Hugs from Luzia.
ReplyDeleteFun cool images, Adrian. Yup, the last ones are super special. You really captured that chapel.. like perfectly!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos! Love the birds flying off and the splendid "chapel", looks almost like a cathedral!!
ReplyDeleteYou're lucky finding all these mushrooms, may be I don't look at the right place but a chalky soil and Yews forest don't seem to attract them down here in the south!
Have a great week-end!
Your castles, your birds, your order....
ReplyDeleteGlad to see your post again, Adrian!
I wish you all my best regards from Romania1
Andrew, I've not found any Puff balls in good condition. A heatwave this week.
ReplyDeleteHorst, it does look very good for a private chapel. I'll do my best on Monday as a slept in this morning.
Olga, The sun came out for five minutes....just in time.
Bob, I'll have a go Monday. Overslept this morning.
Lucy, thank you and you have a good time.
Laura, Thank you, It is very photogenic.
Dee Bee, It is amazing as it was built with private money. There must be fungi growing on chalk soils. Field and Horse Mushroom do. The internet should give you a list.
Good hunting.
Wind, Thank you, and all the very best to you.
The informative photos are, well, informative. It would sometimes be good if some of the guide books for plants had such good images.
ReplyDeleteThe last three images are blow away stuff in my book, though. You know my views on treatment but for my money you've really made an ace job of these.
PS Occasionally I wish you'd do a really crap post and then I wouldn't sound so sycophantic!
ReplyDeleteHi Adrian...I am so far behind on my commenting, darn!!
ReplyDeleteThose last 3 are just awesome..and beyond!!
Your good.. ; }
I would love to have a picture puzzle like those...it would drive me crazy...but I would love the challenge!
I do like the red mushroom..it looks like it has a face on it...
Have a good one...
Grace
Graham, my posts are a daily business. I treat it like a one man newspaper. Shoot, process, write and publish.
ReplyDeleteI hate bad work....Bob Bushel, posts superb static bird shots, Keith O'Hara at Holdingmoments is better than I, he puts up vast quantities. Gaz is superb at HDR and photography in general but we don't see...'The could have Beens'. It's just what I do.
I am turning mediocre into an art form......much as Satchi has done.
Just read.........I like comments as I use them to expand the theme........What Theme?
Grace, they are not half bad.....they would not print though..They were shot full manual with cable release and a tripod. I was lucky with the light but not with the breeze.
Fungi are relatively easy if you cut them, turn them over to see the gills or have a taste. If there is only one I leave it alone.
The red one has all sorts of powers......It's hallucinogenic. Powerful if you can see a face on the web. The wee holes are where a slug has had a bite.
Quantity over quality.
I try not and go above ISO 1600 either. I love the shot of the swans taking off & the chapel shots are outstanding ... just enough spacing in the trees. Funnily enough I revisited a location this year and I couldn't repeat the shot as the trees had grown.
ReplyDelete