Thursday 12 December 2013

7-9th December 2013, Airedale and Wharfedale wanders

Sometimes my area seems mired in poor light, dry it may have been and the walks have been worthwhile, photography in such weather becomes very difficult. Sharp images need a decent shutter speed and even with modern cameras and lenses this is hard to achieve in poor light. Without going in to too much technological detail there are remedies but photographic quality suffers.

Last weekend was a great example, mostly dry and not too cold but sunshine was rare and the colours around me seemed drab and grey. I had a wander by the Leeds Liverpool canal on Saturday, the male goosander did not seem too perturbed by my close presence...


A cute little robin posed nicely...

Before turning to confront me!

There were plenty of jays around, usually in flight though and this distant one was the only grounded specimen I found...


Another lovely robin graced me with its company...


A couple of kingfishers in flight sped by as I walked, and the light got worse and worse!

I managed a decent attempt of a goldfinch deep in foliage...

A female goosander...


And finally a swan as my walk neared its usual Saturday conclusion, the pub!

Jobs for home and family meant a very short wander on Sunday and my photograph of the day betrays that for this long tailed tit was the only thing I saw...and it stubbornly refused to face the camera, nice show of its beautiful colours though!

On Monday I had time for a few hours in Wharfedale, the river was too high for me to see dippers but I did see goldfinches straightaway...

Great tits were showing well...

As I walked I saw buzzard and red kite in the skies above me, entering the woods a couple of sparrowhawks ghosted swiftly away through the canopy.

Becoming frustrated at the light available for my photographs I decided to just sit and watch things for a while...bramblings flew past in flocks and all manner of tits and finches were enjoying the remainder of nature's foods.

Just in front of me and worth the effort of photographing it a treecreeper foraged...

And then a nuthatch came and settled for a while...



I found a robin searching for food...

And a female chaffinch fluttered down on to the path...


Plenty to see, the photographs are secondary to me, the main thing is to be out and witnessing the wonderful wildlife we have on our doorsteps...

Many thanks to all who read, don't forget if you do wish to add a comment they come to me first for moderation.

2 comments:

  1. Well worth the waiting Dave, another fine selection

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  2. Lovely photographs Dave. The nuthatch and long-tailed tit have to be my favourites.

    ReplyDelete