A fun long Easter weekend which, unusually for the UK, included some sunshine. Having really been bitten by the photography bug over the last 11 months I decided to see if I could make the most of the golden hour by getting "into the mud" before sunrise. This entailed getting up at 4am on Friday and Saturday, whilst technically at...
Having recently discovered how effective some lens adapters are, I quickly succumbed to the temptation to add a Sigma 150-600mm contemporary lens to my Canon R10 camera.. After taking a week to work out how to carry it "in the field" I tried it at one of my favourite locations the Ben Rhydding Nature Reserve.
On another grey day in North Yorkshire as I paid my first visit to Fewston Reservoir in a few months.
Returning to Lindley Wood reservoir after a few months the ground had a few days this week with no rain. Hence it was a bit drier underfoot but the steel grey clouds were ever present. Luckily this made the grey heron feel at home as he hopped about surveying his empire.
After four months of almost continuous rain nearly every part of Yorkshire is starting to resemble a wetland. All rivers, including the river Wharfe are running full to their limits, and of course there is mud everywhere. Good weather for ducks. No wonder this mallard duck looks so happy!
An unexpectedly cold Saturday morning at Ben Rhydding Nature Reserve did not prevent nature showing us more evidence of spring. In addition to the new plant growth there was much more bird life including Canada geese, mallard ducks, and a common moorhen.
Again, dodging the rain showers I paid another early morning visit to the Ben Rydding Nature Reserve, which like the rest of the UK is still resembling a quagmire. Amazingly through all that mud we can see the first growth of spring.
Keen to do some "serious" wildlife photography at Nidd Gorge this week I made sure I was there as early as possible to avoid the dog walkers. I succeeded, but was instead confronted by groups of cross country runners from 3 difference races. An aloof crow saved me from a total bust in terms of wildlife, but it was time to change to a shorter lens....
This weekend had several disappointments. These included not being able to get out in the mornings for photography, and the weather being overcast and wet yet again. However the most annoying was to find out that Yorkshire Water now charge for car parking at their reservoirs. Luckily trying new things in photography always cheers me up.
Starting in the Nidd Gorge this visit I decided to walk westward along the river Nidd to see what I had been missing. After the horrendous weather we have had over the last three months the gorge itself can feel like a bit if a death trap. Parts are very steep, rocky, and currently full of very slippery...