Merry Xmas

Here's a couple of my Robin Photos to wish everyone a Merry thingummy and a happy new whatsit

Bradgate Park

The first wildlife we saw when we entered the park was this Heron striding purposefully along the banks of the Lin. Not sure what he had spotted but he must have been after something.

1/1328 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

The Fallow Deer seemed to stop in just the right place, and look at the size of that Oak tree.

1/200 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

A Red Stag feeding up for the Rut no doubt.

1/640 @ f6.3, iso 800, 250mm

All taken on Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400 mm L series Lens

Swithland Woods

On the off chance we visited Swithland Woods on Thursday and while Maja walked through the woods with Skipper, I stayed in the car and was rewarded with a mixture of wild life calling at the stump.

The Blue Tit was first, being fairly common that didn't surprise me.

1/250 @ f 6.3, iso 800, 400mm

The next visitor was a surprise, I've never seen them around here before. It is a Marsh Tit and he kept coming back as did other.

1/200 @ f6.3 iso 800, 400mm

Later there was a moment of tenderness between two Great Tits. They both appeared to be adults so not a parent and chick -  a bit late in the year for that anyway.

1/640 @ f 5.6, iso 800, 400mm

The Nuthatch wasn't his usual feisty self, usually he rules the stump, but this time he flitted back and forth a few times but was in evidence as much as usual.

1/50 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

The table cleared quickly when the squirrel arrived, but some got used to him and returned for a quick mouthful.

1/160 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

All taken on a Canon EOS 7d and EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Mixed bag at Bradgate Park

A trip through Bradgate Park proved more interesting than expected. About ten Pied Wagtails descended on the field at the back of the house, I'm not sure of the collective noun for Pied Wagtails. Maybe a Crust or a waggle or some such, does anyone know.

1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

The Stags seemed to be resting, maybe storing up energy for the forthcoming rut.

1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 160mm

I couldn't resist this "chocolate boxy" pose of a young Fallow Deer

1/250 @ f6.3, iso 800, 100mm

All pictures taken with a Canon EOS 7d and EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Bradgate Deer

It's been a while since the last post, my health and the weather keep getting in the way.

Anyway here are couple of Fallow deer taken a few days ago in Bradgate Park as we drove through on disabled day. They were close to the road through.

1/500 @f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

1/500 @f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Incidentally I notice that the Bradgate players recently put on a play "The Hound of The Baskervilles." With the recent change in dog laws in the park, I wonder if the "Hound" was kept on a lead :o)

Both pictures taken on Canln EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm lens

I'm back!

There haven't been many entries lately because of my poor health and being confined to the house. Here is a couple I took last week when Maja took me through Bradgate Park on the disabled drive through day.


That's not the Herons nest in the picture, but I think it was hoping there would be some Coot chicks in there for tea.

1/250 @ f6.3, ISO 400,  400mm

A young Fallow stag, in need of some growing and some antlers.

1/320 @ f6.3, ISO 400,  200mm

Both taken on Canon 7D, EF 100 - 400mm lens

Bradgate Park

Sorry this has been a long time coming, with my bad health, the terrible weather and a lack of birds, everything seems to have ground to a halt. But yesterday I managed to get out to Bradgate park and took some pics of Widget - the Widgeon who thinks he is a Mallard and various of the deer.

1/200 @ f6.3, ISO 800, 400mm

Fallow deer on a cold day when there are few tourists and they can relax.

1/250 @ f6.3, ISO 800, 300mm

1/250 @ f6.3, ISO 800, 300mm

1/250 @ f6.3, ISO 800, 260mm

All taken on Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Fight

Two Mallard with a grievance, having a right ding dong 

If you look closely you will be able to pick out the other contestant

1/800 @ f5.6, ISO 800, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

1/800 @ f5.6, ISO 800, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

1/800 @ f5.6, ISO 800, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Lapwing at Thornton

Lapwings seem to be regular visitors to Thornton Reservoir.

1/250 @ f5.6, ISO 800, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

1/400 @ f5.6, ISO 800, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Jay

Jay in Swithland woods

1/320 @ f6.3, ISO1600, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Frosty

The Frozen Path

1/25 @ f18, ISO 400, 100mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens, Tripod mounted

Snow Good

"It might stop snowing while I have dinner"

1/160 @ f6.3, ISO1600, 200mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens.

Shovellor

This shovelling is hard work.

1/320 @ f5.6, ISO 400, 400mm
Canon 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Series Lens

A good wash

Mallard abluting

(or performing its ablutions)

1/500 @ f6.3, ISO 400, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

still fishing

Heron Fishing by weir

1/640 @ f6.3, ISO400, 220mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

cloning

It is interesting how successful this blog has become. There are hundreds of websites and blogs using "JTsphotoblog" to attract people to the wrong place. They are mostly, but not entirely Korean sites.

It will be almost impossible to stop them, there are too many. So I apologise if you get the wrong site and if you are reading this you have obviously found the right one and the best thing to do is bookmark or favourite it so you can return whenever you want.

If it becomes too big a problem, I will have to start another blog with a different name, but how long would it be before they find that one.

Heron fishing

Come on little fishy

1/640 @ f6.3, ISO 400, 120mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Blackbird

"Wheres my food?"

1/160 @ f6.3, ISO 1600, 380mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Burdock

Burdock

1/250 @f5.6, ISO 400, 180mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Bradgate House

Bradgate House with Old John on the hill behind

1/640 @ f14, ISO 800, 93mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Great Crested Grebe

Having a stretch

1/1600 @ f5.6. ISO 400, 380mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Rock

A Rock in Reflective Mood

1/1600 @ f6.3, ISO 800, 250mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Winter Morning

Grey Squirrel feeling the frosty morning 

1/1328 @ 5.6, ISO 1600, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Series lens

Tufted Duck

Tufty female shaking dry

1/2000 @ f6.3, ISO 400, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Cormorant

Cormorant on a Raft

1/1328 @ f5.6, ISO 400, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Series Lens

Greylag Goose

A nosey Greylag

1/400 @ f5.6, ISO 800, 100mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Series lens

Lapwing by water

Another Lapwing from yesterday

1/1600 @ f5.6, ISO1600, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Lapwing

Lapwing taken today from Thornton Reservoir car park.

1/500 @ f5.6, ISO 1600, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Mute Swans

The Lunch Queue

1/250 @ f5.6, ISO 400, 100mm
Canon &d, EF 100 - 400mm L Series lens

Red Tailed Hawk

Red Tailed Hawk

1/160 @ f5.6, ISO 800, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

Chaffinch

Chaffinch feeding

1/640 @f5.6, ISO 1600, 400mm
Canon 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

Mirror, mirror

A layer of melt water on ice makes a great mirror

1/500 @ f6.3, ISO 400, 400mm
Canon 50d, EF 100 - 300mm L series lens

A picture from a few years ago using my old camera and an old borrowed zoom.