Neil Freeman

[Pauline]

They are great shots Neil. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to get shots like that and failed. Even if I manage to get anywhere near close enough as soon as I point the camera they are off and I am left with a little black spot in the middle of the screen. Given that our cameras are similar do you have any tips?

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Pauline, thanks for the comments
It looks like my reply vanished along with the others in the apparent UKB time warp over the weekend ....oh well.

I can't remember exactly what I wrote before but I think I mentioned that I usually use the viewfinder when trying to take photos of birds in flight as I find it easier to get them in frame as they fly past. Other than that I don't really have any tips, got plenty of little black spots of my own

Friday 15th November

A re-up of the shots of the large and really quite attractive garden spider that was hanging on the ceiling of our bedroom on Thursday night. With neither Jane or myself keen to leave it hanging above us overnight, I put it in a plastic container which I left in the garage until the following afternoon when I released her into the back garden where I took these photos.

I still cannot make up my mind whether she is Araneus diadematus or quadratus. I have looked at loads of images of both species online and found some of both that look similar to this one.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Neil especially the final one when you can see metallic green eyes I'd think I'd "relocate" this one as well

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers Wurzel,

Big wussies really aren't we Her abdomen was about the size of a 5p coin with a leg spread that would have easily covered a 50p, in the big scheme of things not that much of a monster...
....but on the bedroom ceiling with the shadows cast by a bedside lamp

Neil.

[Neil Freeman]

Saturday 30th November

November comes to a close with a lovely sunny day, no wind to speak of but with an underlying slight chilliness in the air that felt quite refreshing after being indoors at work all week.

The sun this (Saturday) afternoon lit up the autumn colours in the garden well and showed some of the yellows off particularly nicely

Back garden - 30.11.2013

Sallow lit up by the afternoon sun - Coverdale 30.11.2013

With no benign mico-climates around here I have not seen a butterfly for weeks now but there have been increasing numbers of birds coming into the garden recently, mostly Great, Blue and Coal Tits with some Blackbirds, Sparrows and Robins.

Great Tit - Coverdale 30.11.2013

One particular Berberis is visited frequently by Blackbirds and Sparrows who hide amongst the spiky branches and feed on the small red berries.

House Sparrow - Coverdale 30.11.2013

Bye for now,

Neil.

[ChrisC]

Araneus diadematus for me. and a beauty

Chris

[Wurzel]

It's got to that time of year for me too Neil as, Bob aside, I haven't seen a free flying imago in over a month now. Better dust of the bins and Scope ready for some birding. Lovely shot of the Sparrow , I expect that people will really start to appreciate their lovely markings as I do now that they're becoming less common.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Araneus diadematus for me. and a beauty

Chris

Thanks for the ID Chris, those are what I usually have in the garden so that was my initial thought. It was just that I have never seen one this particular shade before and the more I looked the less certain I became.

Hi Wurzel, Sparrows have certainly been less common around here in recent years although there seem to have been a few more around again this year. Still nothing like I remember years ago though, when 'Spugs' were everywhere. I suppose the other side of that coin is that I am seeing far more Great Tits, Coal Tits and Long-tailed Tits these days.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Neil Freeman]

Sunday 8th December

This weekend was mostly spent doing family stuff but this afternoon I was in our kitchen and happened to look out of the window into the garden and there was a Greater Spotted Woodpecker swinging about on one of the feeders.
I quickly went into the back room where my camera was and just managed to get a quick shot through the window before he flew off down the garden.

Greater Spotted Woodpecker - Coverdale 08.12.2013

I kept watching for a while in case he came back and spotted him a couple of times flying between some of the larger trees at the end of the garden but that was as close as he came. Whilst I was watching and waiting a Thrush came up the lawn turning the fallen leaves. The camouflage was quite remarkable and a couple of times I lost the bird amongst the leaves until it moved again. I believe this was a Song Thrush but must admit I am not really sure of the differences between this and a Mistle Thrush so I could easily be wrong on this one.

Song Thrush - Coverdale 08.12.2013

There were also the now usual Great, Blue and Coal Tits flitting backwards and forwards between the shrubs and feeders.

Coal and Great Tits - Coverdale 08.12.2013

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Nick Broomer]

Nice photos Neil. When i see people like yourself posting pictures of birds, i often think about taking it up again, but never do as i am always so busy. Maybe one day. By the way, you are right with your ID of the Song Thrush. I always think if its the same size of a Blackbird, its a Song Thrush and, if its the size of a Fieldfare, its a Mistle Thrush.

All the best, Nick.

[David M]

Nice shots, Neil. Birds are beautiful creatures but I'm afraid I dont possess the patience required to stalk and photograph them. One normally needs higher quality equipment with long lenses to do them justice.

Maybe I should give it a crack though during winter, as there are a few notable species around here that aren't too tricky to find, e.g., Red Kites, Bullfinches, Dippers...

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Nick, thanks for the confirmation on the Song Thrush . I haven't actually taken up photographing birds seriously as such, just taking some photos as the opportunities present themselves, usually in the garden and quite often through the window from the back room.

Cheers David, not much patience or stalking involved in my case, or specialist equipment. My trusty FZ150 is usually sitting in its case in the back room and I just grab it when I see something of interest. Helps to tide me over until next Spring.

Neil.

[Wurzel]

More great bird shots Neil, keep em coming! I especially like the Song Thrush and in the spring their song is great as they'll repeat a riff two or three times before moving onto another riff from their repertoire. Nicks size technique for identifying them is a handy one. I also go by brown = Song, grey = Mistle

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Freeman]

Cheers Wurzel, nothing much seen this past week unfortunately. I have been at work in the daylight hours during the week and Chrimbo shopping yesterday and raining most of the day today.

Going back through my piles of photos taken this year looking for favourites to post in the species specific threads, I have been reminded of some of the fabulous locations that I visited. This next lot of photos are of some of these fantastic places.

I had a couple of visits to the Wyre Forest back in early June where there were loads of Pearl Bordered Fritillaries...

Wyre Forest - 01.06.2013

Dowles Brook, Wyre Forest - 01.06.2013

a drive down to Prestbury Hill by Cheltenham for Duke of Burgundies where I was also surprised by the number of Small Blues about...

Prestbury Hill looking towards the Malvern Hills in the distance - 05.06.2013

A family holiday at Croyde Bay, North Devon later in June. I particularly like the shot below with a seagull heading into the sunset past Baggy Point...

Sunset at Baggy Point

A couple of weeks later there was a fantastic three days in the Heddon Valley with good numbers of High Brown Fritillaries...

Heddon Valley, North Devon - 13.07.2013

Looking back up the valley from Heddons Mouth - 13.07.2013

another month later and I was up at Arnside for Scotch Argus and where I was also pleasantly surprised with a Clouded Yellow...

Arnside Knott looking North - 08.08.2013

Arnside Knott looking South - 08.08.2013

and then down to Dorset at the beginning of September for another family holiday where amongst the many butterflies seen were many Clouded Yellows and Adonis Blues.

Looking down on Lulworth Cove - 02.09.2013

The gully at Durlston CP looking much drier than 2012 - 02.09.2013

Looking over Swanage from Peverill Point towards Ballard Down - 03.09.2013

Looking East from White Horse Hill, Osmington 05.09.2013

A brilliant year all in all with more butterflies about in some places than I have seen for many a year

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Heddon Valley looks fantastic Neil Though the best shots were obviously the last set as you can't beat Dorset of course, they brought on pangs of home sickness

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Nick Broomer]

Lovely scenic shots Neil, especially Heddon Valley and Heddons Mouth, two photos that will always appeal to me. I never think of taking scenic shots when i`m out butterflying, [or anywhere for that matter] but maybe i should. I just might surprise myself next year and take a few, or not.

All the best, Nick.

[David M]

Yes, some beautiful vistas there, Neil. My personal favourite is the one taken above Lulworth Cove with the speedboat heading out to sea...

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks for the comments guys, very much appreciated

They are all favourites to me, each in their own way, which is why I picked them to post on here. Most of all, they all bring back memories of special days

I am in the habit now of taking a few location shots at most of the places that I go to, even if only to capture the habitat to keep a record of the 'place'. The icing on the cake is that a lot of these spots are beautiful bits of countryside in their own right and very photogenic, even if my photos don't always capture the majesty of the views.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Butterflysaurus rex]

Look at all that lovely sunshine *sigh*

Thanks for the lovely reminder of last summer Neil

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks B' Rex, I, have particularly enjoyed looking back over the past few days of wind and rain.

Speaking of which, with this year rapidly drawing to an end and with us all looking forward to next Spring, I thought that I would post a few shots taken during the Spring just gone which was a bit slow in arriving but which made it that much the sweeter when it did.

First off a trip to Snitterfield Bushes in early May where there were plenty of Primroses in flower,

Primroses at Snitterfield - 06.05.2013

then on to Bishops Hill where it was Cowslips,

Cowslips on Bishops Hill - 06.05.2013

then a couple of trips to Ryton Wood later in May when the Bluebells were out,

Bluebells Ryton Wood - 18.05.2013

My son Chris taking photos of the Bluebells in Ryton Wood - 26.05.2013

Just in case I don't post again in the next few days I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and here's looking forward to next year .

Cheers,

Neil.