River Kent

I've been rubbish at posting anything on here for far too long, sorry for that.
Here's a quick selection of photos of the River Kent last week when I took my eldest for an evening walk down by Helsington Weir.
Click on the photos below or here for larger versions and more photos.

View across the fields towards the Helm.

View up river towards the weir.

Gorse in flower - it always is.

Fluffy water coming over the weir.

Birkrigg Common and a new camera

Here's a few photos from a jaunt onto Birkrigg Common to try out my shiny new camera system.
As usual click on the photos or here for larger versions.

Here's some fine Cumbrian views


And here's a few of the Birkrigg locals



So on to the shiny new camera then.
I've been shooting wildlife with Canon gear for a good 15 years now, from when I was young free and single. Back then I could, and did, spend all weekend and most evenings out with the camera. Now I'm all grown up (allegedly) with a young family that's just not an option. I've been squeezing in odd hours here and there, but not enough to be really meaningful. So while I've not been doing so much wildlife photography the wildlife kit is massive, way too big to cart around for other stuff really like landscape and family photos. Also ever try taking a photo of a sleeping baby with a big pro body rattling away at 10 frames a second ? I did, once. Woke baby, as you would expect, and got me into all sorts of trouble, also as you would expect. Never tried that again.
So I traded the Canon gear in for the Sony A7 and a couple of zoom lenses. The new kit is tiny, certainly compared to the Canon gear. The sort of thing that I'm more likely to just pick up if we are going out for a gentle stroll somewhere. I'm sure there will be times when I miss the long lenses and performance of the pro bodies, but I'm sure I'll get more use from the new kit, and so far it has performed very well.

Leighton Moss

Having done very little with the camera over the last few months I had a day to myself yesterday, and despite the initial gloomy skies decided to pay a visit to Leighton Moss. Although cloudy to start with it never really felt like rain, and brightened up considerably as the day went on - possibly too much so as it became a little contrasty later on. There's just no pleasing some people.

I had a vague idea I'd like to get some photographs of Reed and Sedge Warblers. I've been before with this idea and not seen either, and so it proved yesterday, but adaptability is I'm told the key to survival, so I took what was there and enjoyed a very nice day.

Click on the photos below or here for larger versions and more photos.

First up, on the footpath towards the central causeway, overlooking the reserve, were a family of Greylag Goose and a couple of Magpies in a grassy area. To be honest the Magpie got the better of me slightly and I will admit the photo is a little shaky round the edges, but I'm going to include it because I like the pose and I think Magpies are actually rather attractive and not at all deserving of there much maligned reputation.


As I made my way down the causeway, pausing to listen to and look for the elusive warblers that I never really caught up with, I had a couple of flyovers from a male Marsh Harrier. In the second flyover you can see the Harrier is carrying a food item, presumably back to the nest. Magic stuff.


After working the causeway for some time I moved round towards Lower Hide, and found some of the wet woodland edges to be quite productive with Treecreeper, Blackcap, Wren, Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch, some of which were more co-operative than others.


On the way back there was a nice Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly, along with the seemingly omnipresent (Common?) Blue Damselfly.

2013 retrospective

It is traditional at this time of year to take something of a look back at the year gone, and perhaps make some plans for the year to come. For today I will concentrate on the year gone before worrying too much about making plans for the year to come. Without further ado here are ten of my favourites from 2013.
Click on any of the photos to enlarge

No.10 Fieldfare
This bird was part of a large mixed flock of Thrush which gradually came towards me as they worked a local field.

No.9 Wren
Wrens are packed full of character flitting about proclaiming their territory with a range of whistles, rattles and staccato clicks. The mossy tree trunk seems so fitting here.

No.8 Bluebell Woods
Is there a more archetypal Lakeland scene than a Bluebell Wood, only enhanced by a waft of the wonderful scent these flowers give off.

No.7 Coot displaying
Although not scarce, Coot are wonderful value, always displaying, chasing each other or fighting over something or other. This display pose immediately preceded such a chase and fight.

No.6 Goldfinch
A frequent visitor to my garden, Goldfinch are a bird I always enjoy seeing.

No.5 Chaffinch
This particular Chaffinch was collecting insects along the banks of the River Kent, presumably to feed a nearby brood. It was also surprisingly confiding, often coming so close that I could not focus on it as it worked its way along the river.

No.4 Pied Wagtail
I always think these are rather smart and dapper little birds. On this occasion very much in its environment.

No.3 Red Squirrel
Red Squirrel are always going to score high on cute alone, this one is no exception.


No.2 Coot
The light reflecting off the water was illuminating this Coot beautifully when a gust of wind put it off balance and ruffled its feathers - literally.


No.1 Red Squirrel
My number one for 2013 is another Red Squirrel, again full on cute, but this time scurrying up a tree trunk. Just a Squirrel doing what Squirrels do.

River Kent

Had a couple of visits down to the River Kent over the last week, trying out a couple of different areas.
Click on the photos or here for larger versions and more photos.

First up a Blackbird on what I thought a rather attractive perch as I walked through the fields adjacent the river.


And while we are on attractive perches this rock isn't bad either, so a Grey Wagtail dropping in on it was very much welcome.

Grey Wagtail were one of the birds I was after, and more of them later (oops spoiler...) but I just won't ever say no to a Dipper.

As I moved through a small wooded section above the river bank an arboreal Grey Wagtail caught my attention, I was quite surprised how much time they spent in the trees.

Followed by another Grey Wagtail in a more traditional setting.

A common Sandpiper dropped in as I came down towards a beach on the river. Another minute later and I'd have been settled down and in position, but as I sat down quietly where I was it didn't seem overly concerned by my presence, feeding as it worked its along the bank.

Settled into this area now I had an excellent Dipper encounter, with a juvenile and then an adult coming in to join it.
It would appear the juvenile is capable of hunting for itself though.

A couple of birds that aren't maybe so typically associated with a river bank were a Robin which regularly dropped down from the nearby trees - mostly to drink I thought although with food here.
And an extraordinary chaffinch which not only behaved just like a Wagtail, working the river bank for insects, but actively sought my company as I tried out different parts of the river bank, often coming too close to photograph, sometimes as close as within 12". I've known Chaffinch to be confiding at a picnic site or perhaps an outdoor cafe, but there was no such thing here, and this bird actively came to me rather than simply tolerating my presence.

Back to the more usual fare with some more Wagtails, both Pied & Grey.

And one more of the Dipper family to finish with.