Sunday 26 February 2012

LOCATION - LOCATION - LOCATION

 
 
This is the Third and final instalment in a series of three posts with, not many words of wisdom,  just a selection of images that I hope you will enjoy. Each post dedicated to a different location that I've had the pleasure of visiting since the beginning of the month.
 
 
 
 During the snowy weather that we encountered earlier in the month I took a trip to Stockgrove Country Park which is located near to Leighton Buzzard on the border between Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. 
The birds are quite tame here, due to being regularly fed by members of the public, and will come down to feed only a matter of inches away from the watcher, so I knew that with the lying snow and frozen conditions the birds would be hungry and there was potential for some good photo opportunities with excellent 'up lighting' provided by the snow.
 
 
Unfortunately the promised sun failed to appear, however, I did manage to get a few reasonable shots....
 
 
 Mr and Mrs Blackbird...

 
 Blue Tit...

 Robin...

 Dunnock...
 
 
And an inquisitive Jay came down from his lofty perch for a closer inspection!...



Now, I couldn't resist the opportunity to include some more images, again taken in the snowy weather and from another location, but this time taken from a bit closer to home...my back garden!

Unfortunately, due to me being a wimp and staying in the warm, these images were taken through my double glazed patio doors so are consequently a bit 'soft'...


Goldfinch...


Starlings...







Male and Female House Sparrow...


 Dunnock...





Female Blackbird...


And last but not least is 'Woody' the Wood Pigeon...










20 comments:

ShySongbird said...

A beautiful selection here Trevor, I have really enjoyed looking through them (several times) and they all posed so well for you :-)

Lovely to see the Jay, a bird which I used to see fairly regularly before I had the camera but which now eludes me entirely.

Woody made me laugh, they do often have a comical look about them I think.

holdingmoments said...

A cracking selection Trevor. You were honoured by the Jays presence; they've always kept their distance when I've been there.
I like Stockgrove, but a shame they've got greedy with the car parking now.

Garden shots are great too, especially that second Starling.

The Herald said...

Thank you Jan, yeh, they're a real bunch of posers...lol

I was lucky with the Jay, he only came into 'range' for a few seconds!...[;o)

Bob Bushell said...

I have been falling in love with your Jay, beautiful. All of them deserve a prize, great photos.

The Herald said...

Thank you Keith. I think the Jay's curiosity got the better of him for a few moments!

Did you know that Stockgrove is now free to get in....it just costs £2 to get out..ha ha!...[;o)

The Herald said...

Thank you Bob, I'm glad you liked my efforts...[;o)

theconstantwalker said...

Wonderful images...

The Herald said...

Thanks Andrew...[;o)

grammie g said...

HI Trevor..You do such a great job, especially framed like you do makes them really lovely!!
I don't know about there, but the Starling get's a pretty bad rap here..and they can be pesky...but the really do have a very unique pattern to there feathers, which I think is pretty!!
Love "Woody" another bad rap fella that really has some wonderful colors!!
Nice : }
Grace

ADRIAN said...

A superb set....Getting within a hundred yards of a jay is an achievement worthy of a post on it's own.

The Herald said...

Hi Grace, Thank you very much for your kind comments.

The Starling is always an interesting bird to observe with its coat that changes in pattern and colour throughout the year. And also to the way that it's never still for a moment and the continual squabbling with others of its kind.
Unfortunately over here it's on the British Trust for Ornithology's (BTO) red list for birds of conservation concern, although you wouldn't think so if you saw the large flocks of thousands of birds making striking shapes in the sky as they go to roost.(the House Sparrow is also on the red list, btw).
The 'woody' gets a bad press with the farmers over here as large flocks will settle on fields of emerging crops to eat the young shoots!
But whatever their faults they are all beautiful to me and I'm glad we've got them...[;o)

The Herald said...

Thank you Adrian.

I reckon the Jay should take all the credit as I didn't so much as get close to him it was rather he got close to me, allowing just enough time for me to grab a couple of shots!...[;o)

Ruby said...

A beautiful series. I love the starlings!

The Herald said...

Thank you Ruby, beautiful aren't they?...[;o)

Roy said...

More stunning images Trevor. A real pleasure to look at, thanks.

The Herald said...

Thank you Roy...[;o)

Ruby said...

I am going to borrow a couple of birds for sketching Trevor :) Cheers, Ruby.

The Herald said...

No problem Ruby, I look forward to seeing the finished sketches...[;o)

abhinavr said...

Beautiful Pictures...

The Herald said...

Thank you Abhinav, and welcome...[;o)