I wish I didn’t try to be an orthodontist, I’ll never make a birder. Last night I saw my Shrike close up……it was a Wheatear. A Wheatear with a very pale breast. That’s what confused me. I had to go and own up to a couple of rather damp twitchers.
I decided that I would stick with the 50mm lens this morning. I got down to the bay and it was full of Divers and Eider Ducks. I tried to ignore them and carried on up the hill.
I ought to have taken a wider lens. I crouched down next to this cow and tried to share his view. I couldn’t fit the view and the Highland cow in the frame. I decided to wander back and get the long lens.
I got back to the bay and the Eiders were singing.
The choir mistress was doing her best to keep them all in time and tune.
A new brood of ducklings have hatched. I think she has eight which is a lot for an Eider or so I’m told; what would I know about it.
I crouched down with the dogs and we were hidden by a rock. She took them for a walk.
She wouldn’t let the rest of the ducks out so they went for a wander further along.
I have loads of pictures of ducklings but you have got the idea by now. The dogs were getting restless so I gave them a run over the headland to the next beach.
I have never seen so many Skylarks but unfortunately there is one less as this bad, bad, crow ate a baby one.
Hooded Crow, he looks fat enough without pinching baby Skylarks.
I spent most of yesterday trying to get to grips with Ultra Fractals.
I’m not sure why.
Have a great weekend.
These are really great (the last two made my head hurt a bit :) I love the shot of the ducklings in the 4th image!
ReplyDeleteMersad
Mersad Donko Photography
Mersad, it was a bit dull and misty for taking pictures of brown ducks. I should have looked for a macaw.
DeleteTry and imagine what I feel like they take about an hour to construct but only look like this for the last ten minutes.
Did you make a funny or just use the wrong word in the first sentence? I think the word you meant is ornithologist.
ReplyDeleteYour Ultra Fractals made me a little seasick, I'm afraid. Still, they're wonderful!
Bob, I am definitely not an ornithologist. I've been spending hours looking at plants and I can assure you I'm not a Bottomist either.
DeleteEven the most experienced birders make errors Adrian a Wheatear is still a cracker of a bird in my opinion I can imagine what the twitchers did or were they ok
ReplyDeleteThe last two images gave me eye strain I like the Hoodie.
Douglas, I still haven't managed a picture of the Wheatear. The Twitchers were fine if a little damp. They thought it was funny. I saw them this morning and told them about the new Eider chicks. It was they that told me they don't have eight ducklings. They have been round to let me know she has. They were thrilled to bits as they also saw another group with a mail in something plumage and close to the shore. I've forgotten what they said he was dressed in.
DeleteThe Hoodies are being a nuisance. They are treating the Skylark nests like Burger King.
I don't know what use the last two images are but I do enjoy playing with this sort of thing.
I have met many an avid birder who would never be wrong so would never have to admit it. My hat is off to you for your humble honesty. Like the Choir eider comment with the image!
ReplyDeleteDale, I am wrong with IDs more often than I'm right.
DeleteI like birds, flora and fauna but they are the devil to name.
I wanted the Highland bull to shift a bit but the farmer came out as his dogs were barking fit to bust. He asked what I was doing. I explained that his bull wasn't lying in quite the right position. He said good luck, I'd leave it an hour or two he can be a bit grumpy early doors.
I had to look really hard ~ those bloody ducks blend in well don't they? Umm ~ how do I say this nicely ~ Ultra Fractals ~ nah!
ReplyDeleteCarol, I could have done with Big Bertha but had I have still got her then she wouldn't have been with me. The light was not conducive to clear shots.
DeleteI thought a digital arts teacher would have appreciated a days effort. Ho Humm. Yes they are crap but it is a hard bit of software to use for Droste effect. I bet your students would love it. You have to select an area in an image and delete it. I expect you know to save this with a PNG extension as otherwise it will fill with white 50% grey or black. I forgot and used many really naughty words.
I guess as a teacher you have After Effects, If so it should make the job user friendly I was using a plug in algorithm written by a German, his instructions are in German but fortunately he provided the code in C++. It's just fun.
PS. Mathmap is the good plug in but it won't load into Ultra Fractual or CS6. I don't have After Effects but think their is a Droste Effect filter hidden in there.
DeleteMathmap will load into CS5,
Adrian, thank you for all that info ~ the best part of being a teacher is being able to play with software ~ but one thing you have that I don't is time. I have to learn something in an hour and move on. I wish my students would spend a whole day doing their work.
DeleteI am using 3DsMax, Illustrator and Flash this term ~ programming in VB.Net, Actionscript and JavaScript. Never had this much fun when I had a real job and was working in industry.
Ha ha ha, oh well, it could have been a Shrike. I went out with my brother birdwatching, and he was always said that I could it is Wheatear to me, drat.
ReplyDeleteBob, I did look at it's chest and it doesn't have the peachy colour. It does have the eyebrow. I couldn't care less.
DeleteI was in Cornwall several years ago and birders were trying to decide what the bird was. I told them it's a Shrike. It was, I'd seen loads of them in Spain.
For once after much digging in bags and consultation they agreed. It's an easy mistake to make.
Geweldif mooi Adriaan het is genieten,heb een heel fijn weekend.
ReplyDeleteBass heb je een goed weekend.
DeleteI'd be very happy to see those Eiders and chicks in their natural state Adrian. Best views I've had of Eiders have been way out to sea; unless you count the captive ones at the Wetland centres.
ReplyDeleteI can't help thinking that the Skylark looks very much like a Meadow Pipit. I could be wrong though.
Keith, I was thrilled to see so many, two flocks here yesterday morning and pretty close inshore.
DeleteYou could be right over the Pipit. I try and watch for the Skylarks landing but it is easy to lose them.
Both Black and Red Throated divers here as well but they are too far out for pictures.
Con su color se confunden entre las rocas.Buenas fotos!!
ReplyDeleteY buenas noches;)
Un abrazo.
Laura, el color no es tan confundido como yo
DeleteJust when I was really enjoying your photos, you go and chuck in a couple of...well, I expect they mean something to photographers, but they just make me feel as though I've had a glass or two too many.
ReplyDeleteFrances, I don't think they mean very much to anyone. I don't know what to do today it's misty and drizzly.
DeleteHi Adrian... Those are some lucky cows, I would love that view every day!!
ReplyDeleteLove those "baby duckies shot's" cute as can be!!
The babies walking over the sea weed is wonderful!!
That last one would not be good if you had an upset stomach!! : }
Grace
Grace, I suspect that the cows don't notice.
DeleteIt is good to see the young Eiders.
Great Adrian! The last one it's super! You turned the sea into mountains Grat!
ReplyDeleteThanks Laura, I'll have to try and think of something sensible to do with these.
DeleteIda, the choir mistress is most enthusiastic! Highland cattle and view wonderful ~
ReplyDeleteIda does this wing waving and stretching quite a lot. It is a pretty good place to watch them as when I sit down I'm concealed behind rocks.
Delete