"Swans Awake" - Welney's Wildfowl and Wetland Trust

I hadn't been to this event before and was thrilled to have been there when the dawn was so special.   On arriving at Welney just before 06.30 the moon was bright, the temperature low and anticipation was growing!   It will take quite a while sorting through the mass of images, and I've started at the beginning!   These photographs of Whooper Swans haven't any filters added and have a very high ISO reading.   I have left the grainy effect as it is in an attempt to capture some of the mystery of the sightings of Whooper Swans flying in the dark.   It was magical!

Clouds scudding across the Moon

A friend came to supper last night and before she even got into the house she enthused about the skyscape of clouds scudding across the moon and I joined her with a camera!   It was an amazing sight and one which I don't recall seeing that often, nor did I relish knowing the scape had been even better a few minutes earlier!   It wasn't that long before the clouds dispersed.

Waders at Thornham - North Norfolk

I've been reviewing some of the photographs I took in October and haven't yet posted here.   I think the wader is a Sanderling, but happy to be corrected!

Perhaps the kite surfers or walkers unsettled the Cormorants and Oystercatchers, but something set them off.

Whooper Swans at Welney

Spent little more than half an hour at Welney Wildfowl Trust today, but saw a few Cambridge Camera Club members (which I was pleased about) and some wildfowl.   I shall put through two postings of what was seen with the first one being Whooper Swans and the second being the other birds.   I've seen more swans and a wider range of other birds on previous occasions.   Perhaps another trip is indicated!

A few Whooper Swans flew onto the water in front of the main enclosed hide and there was clearly a lot that needed to be 'sorted out'!   The first three images are 'chaotic' and 'busy' but capture something of what was going on.  

The condition of this Whooper Swan suggests it hadn't just arrived.   Its feet are enormous when they were employed as brakes and I was attracted to the beauty of the wingspan.

Wildfowl at Welney

Here is a record of the other birds seen today at Welney.   Sometimes the light was more intersting than at others.   The order in which they are appear are: Marsh Harrier, flock of Black-tailed Godwit x 3, Wigeon (I think), Shoveler and Pochard.

Trees with Treatments

As if I didn't have enough other things to be doing!   The first image is out of the camera (unprocessed) and was taken on a walk round The Lake this morning.   Incidentally, the rest of the fencing to keep the public away from the syndicates' fishing hasn't been finished yet.   Not that the weather leant itself to peaceful fishing as the temperature had dropped overnight and the winds must have been near galeforce.

The following five versions of the same image have been edited in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 software - and I enjoyed doing them!

Rainbow

If only I could have found a layby on the A14 at the time of the peak of this Rainbow!   It was strong in colour and the whole thing was visible - two pots of gold, one at each end of this rainbow!   There was a very short shower of rain while the sun was shining, and although this image isn't special, it will remind me of one of the most impressive rainbows I've ever seen.   This is all that was left of the rainbow by the time I was able to pull off the road.

Rutting season, Holkham Hall, Norfolk

While in north Norfolk in October I spent sometime enjoying the Fallow Deer in Holkham Hall park.   The stags were busy searching out does but few were interested in these overtures while I was there!  The deer were more tolerant of photographers on foot than I had expected and 'officials' didn't seem to mind folk walking and photographing close to the herd.

Converting some of the images to monochrome was more rewarding than I was expecting and in some instances the deer are more prominent in the picture.   Perhaps it's just the images I chose to convert!

Rutting season, Holkham Hall, Norfolk

And now for some Fallow Deer in colour.

 

Changes at The Lake

I hadn't walked the dogs round The Lake near the Holiday Inn, Impington for months but did know the original entrance to the walk had been blocked off.   What I got to hear about this morning, and see, is that someone with money has leased the lake from Chivers (of Histon) and set up a syndicate of 60 anglers who will have fishing rights to the lake once it has been stocked and fenced off.   The fencing it imposing and stands over 5feet high and will prevent the public from having access to the water's edge.   Dog walkers will be able to walk around the perimeter I'm told, but the changes won't afford opportunities for taking photographs of bird life readily!   Significant changes loom............

For years radio controlled hand-built boats have been sailed on the lake on Sunday mornings and this morning is probably the last opportunity these 'sailors' will have to use this water.   The wind was that strong today that many of the men weren't going to risk taking their boats out - but they were willing to have a couple of the boats 'snapped'.   This seems an innocent enough past time for enthusiasts which is being denied them after many years - one had been coming to this lake for over 15 years.

This Black Labrador managed to carry a broken fence post not only with ease, but with a tennis ball  in its mouth at the same time!

 

Cambridge after Dark II

Some more images of Cambridge.   I haven't changed any of the light settings either in camera or in the post-processing.  I'm intrigued that the street lights and shop windows in the first three images produce a warm yellow glow while the last two photographs have a prevailing green colour with the light source also being from street lights or windows.   I can't have been attentive enough in Physics lessons to know the answer!