Hobbies and Crafts

We had a heron at the bottom of the garden today trying to fish in the river, but it was getting distracted by a few ducks down there who were waiting for us to come down. We decided not to disturb the heron, but unfortunately it was under the willow tree, so although we could see it, we weren't able to get a decent picture as it wasn't in a position with a clear view.

Evening All
I have had the lovely family of Long Tailed Tits today,on the coconut outside the kitchen.Unfortunately my window was too mucky to get a clear pic !!!!.How bad is that lol.Another job to do I think .

Evening all .Just a nudge up the pages lol.Not a lot to report on the birdie front today ,although we seem to have a stray pheasant that insists on parading up and down the verge outside and pootling around in our front garden.It looks quite a young one.Maybe it managed to escape the pheasant shooting in the fields across the road and is still in hiding lol

I hope those 6 are 3 pairs Jude or there is going to be trouble!!!!!

Joyce's photos are on the blog.

Thanks Jane:o)

Ann....our blackbirds are still around but now they are bossing each other around, still about 6 of them and loads of blinky woodpigeons!! Yesterday l heard a woodpecker, l think it was the green one:o))

jude x

I wondered where we had gone lol
Jude I don't know if there is a roof on the Magpies nest.It is too high and too far off to see.I haven't taken a pic yet as it has been too misty here.But as soon as it is clear enough I will see what I can get.It just looks like a great ball in the top of the tree.
Long tailed tits still enjoying the coconut fat,and Blue Tits by the blooming dozen lolI don't think I have ever seen so many here.

For the first time for ages we had a small flock of long tailed tits in the garden today on the large fat ball.

Jan...do the magpies have a sort of roof to them??

Dizzie/Linda....we don't hear geese, we do hear seagulls occassionally chasing the buzzards, also (more often) the rooks/crows chasing the buzzards.

If anyone wants me to record their sightings let me know, but you'll have to pm me the area so l can get a grid ref!! or l'll do the first one then my area will email me with your area's website, like l did with Tec:o))
They really like to know what goes on in your garden/area, because it can change next yr or next month for a long time or ever!!
Sorry am l boring....lol :o)

Tec...how are you both and Ianto??

jude

Hi Ladies
The waxwing are around again today but I haven't seen as many. Had the collared dove down again too and magpies are sifting over the sunflower seed(hearts) that the finches and tits have dropped. A few blackbirds too and robins all singing their hearts out.
Maybe spring is on it's way.
Dizzie Lizzie I have been hearing the geese too.

Linda :o) XxX

Past couple of days I've heard geese flying over somewhere nearby but not seen them. Thursday night/friday morning at about 2am when I couldn't sleep I heard them go over then! I've only heard them once a day. Previously when we've started hearing and seeing the geese they've tended to go in one direction at dawnish and the opposite direction at dusk.

Afternoon Ladies
Well we've just had another lovely visit from the waxwings. There were about 35 of them. I hadn't realised they were so big. They are 7" long nearly as big as a starling. Their crest is noticeable even without binoculars once you know what to look for.

Linda :o) XxX

There is a MASSIVE nest in a tree a couple of gardens away.I am pretty sure it is a Magpies nest.I have just googled what a Magpies nest looks like and I think this is one.If the weather is clear with no fog tomorrow I will see if I can get a decent photo of it.

Collected it and finally got the battery charged and had a little 'familiarisation' play. But can't do a lot at night indoors. 24x zoom is impressive though as is the macro.

I'll enjoy it when I get it, at the moment it is still driving around in the post van I can't collect it from the depot until after 6 (and they shut at 7 so have a small 'window'.)

Enjoy your new camera Ann. I'm learning little bits at a time with mine and I daresay there are functions on it that I will never use. In fact I'm pretty certain I won't use the video function, but it is nice that these days there is the technology to help a klutz like me get reasonable results when I want them.

Never too late to learn Dizzie. I have had a camera since I was eleven years old and before that used my Dads. When we lived in Bedfordshire OH and I went to a 6 week basic photo course which was interesting, and also in that house we had a dark room, although only for black and white photos.

When composing the best thing to remember is the rule of thirds. Mentally divide the screen into six squares and place anything you want to be the main focal point on one of the places where the lines 'cross' (i.e. on the thirds.)

Anyway, just enjoy your camera, for me there is nothing like the feel of a new camera. Mine should arrive today sometime although we have to go out so will probably have to go to collect it from the R Mail centre later.

My camera has a screen Ann. Its only since digital photography that I've really bothered much with photos except for particular occasions I'd want a pictorial memory of. In addition to having difficulty with camera shake I've never been very good at composition so having a screen view of what's going to come out the other end really helps. Also before digital so many of the really decent cameras could be quite bulky with their interchangeable lenses etc. It's not been something I've had the enthusiasm to learn. Even now when we go walking I tend to forget to put the camera in because I've never been used to having it on my mental list. Occasionally on a particularly special planned hike I revert to a written list and then it might go in. I have the advantage of a brother and cousin who both love photography (trouble is my bro also loves trains, buses and planes so the subjects can be a bit uninspiring for the masses, lol) and can be guaranteed to take a good selection at family dos. They each have their own dark room too so they are usually kind enough to pass on copies to relevant recipients. Other than them I come from a long line of head chopper-offers. You should see our collection of the decapitated! I've managed to learn not to do that, and bro and cousin obviously decided they were going to take the skill a lot further.

I might look into a small tripod to put on the window ledge in my bedroom from where I take a number of my photos of birds. It's the best place not to disturb them while I faff about. Bracing against a wall there seems fairly often to move me to a position where I can't adequately get what I want in the frame.

Just looked at your camera on line. It looks good. I see it has a stabilizer but I would still thing you need some support for the longest zoom shots. I assume it has a screw mount underneath for tripod mounting? Yes you can get small tripods that you can stand on walls etc. The other way to do it is by bracing yourself against a wall.

SLR cameras are the larger cameras either film or digital. Often you can have interchangeable lenses of varying lengths and they usually have a viewfinder not a screen to take photos with, unlike most compacts which the Olympus 800 is that have just an LCD screen. Has yours got a viewfinder dizzie I forgot to look.

I have just ordered an inbetween camera, a hybrid, bigger than a compact but more like an SLR but smaller than a regular SLR. I do have two compacts and an SLR already, I am just greedy and love cameras Lol!!!!

Just so you know, we were good people when we went to the rescue centre today and told them we still hadn't had our home visit. They were most apologetic and are trying to chase it up quickly so that we can get him home asap. We met the behaviourist today after walking him again, and he is keen for us to bring him home quickly too, as although he's fine when we walk him, he does get stressed after a while in the kennels. At least we'll have begun to build up a relationship before we bring him home.

Yes Jane I was wondering whether to take a few photos along with me. Whispers - when we've turned up at the desk and asked about him the last couple of times they've said "You've had your home visit haven't you?) -I have half a mind to say yes. They are very good in lots of ways, but I suppose there's only so far you can go when there are only a few employees and a huge number of volunteers (some of them thinking they own the place - I encountered one of those last week! Then I met the manager - a different kettle of fish entirely). Bound to be some crossed wires somewhere.