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Saturday 2 January 2016

Triple Level Feeder and Activity Centre.

As we have the 'Three Squirreleers' visiting us most days I have made them a triple level feeder/activity centre.

The question is: will I ever get the opportunity of a photograph of all of them using it at the same time?

Not hoping for too much, just a squirrel sat munching away on each level – patience will be needed.


© Elliot Sampford

Photograph Gallery for December 2015

December 2015 has been a quiet month for me on the photography side of my life.

'Watching the Watcher' [Koala – aka Squirrel III.]


Rather than just publish this image I thought I'd tell you the story behind it.

It was nearly 14:22 hrs. and we had just finished our lunch. I was feeling frustrated and down as I'd had to waste valuable photography time today; during a bright, sunny morning; to take my car to the service garage. When I returned home there was very little activity from the birds or squirrels in my garden as they had already been for their brunch. I hadn't taken any worthwhile photographs up to this point in time and the quality of the light was failing fast as the sky filled with dark clouds.
I got up from the dining table and looked into the garden.

Everything suddenly changed when I saw this male Sparrowhawk perched amongst the nut and seed feeders hanging in our crab-apple tree. The hawk intended to interpret a different meaning to the term 'bird feeders': they are there for the birds to feed from but he intended for birds to be feed from them.

A quick dash upstairs to get the Canon and a few shots were fired off through the kitchen double glazed French-door glass before the hawk left as suddenly as it came.

Frustration had been replaced by excitement and satisfaction as you can probably tell from this ramble by me. It turned out to be a good photography day after all: it's good to be a photographer.

PS. ISO and therefore image noise was too high because of the poor light but who cares I got him.


 'Dunnocks are not Dull'.


'Lapping Ripples' by G Squirrel.


Blue Fairy at the bottom of my garden.


A 22 K bird which, with its many friends, brings a golden glow to any garden on a dull winter's day.


© Elliot Sampford

Wednesday 30 December 2015

Photograph Gallery to 30 November 2015

'A Frinch Kiss'


'Budge Up'


The British National Bird.


 Long-tailed Tit – 1 of the 4 varieties that visit our feeders everyday.


© Elliot Sampford

Tuesday 24 November 2015

Photograph Gallery for week ending 22 November 2015.

This Sparrowhawk tried to get a finch or sparrow snack from our garden. Unfortunately there is a small bokeh effect on its body, due to a branch of our crab-apple tree getting in the way, but I think the eye focus is acceptable.


Ladder of Success.


About twelve days ago I published a photograph of a Brambling in my garden and said “this is possibly the last image I will take of one; for some time” – I was wrong!
On the morning of the 18 November this beauty visited us for about four minutes.


  'Another Step' — Ladder of Success 2.


'Triumphant Step' — Ladder of Success 3.
[Hand on heart all safety instructions were followed: no squirrel was put at risk.]


If it is Saturday it must be Pasodoble time – strictly should it be Paso Doble. If he saw it, Len would love the swirling cape-work.


'Blue Sky [in your eye]'

"Oh no, not another Grey Squirrel one" the viewers sigh.





© Elliot Sampford.

Monday 16 November 2015

Photograph Gallery for week ending 15 November 2015

It's been over two months since I published an image of a Robin here on my weblog. I think that's a long enough gap. So here is one I shot (no it's still alive) at the beginning of this week.


Green unsociable: Gold hungry.


Goldfinch - Bird in Fight.


Nut takeaway by Blue-tit Express.


Greenfinch angel.


It's Saturday so it's 'Strictly come Flying'. I hope you think it's fab-u-lous and not a dis-a-ster.


'Graceful Greenfinch'


© Elliot Sampford

Sunday 15 November 2015

My Photograph Gallery for week ending 8 November 2015

An indulgence of another photograph of Spike: it's probably the last opportunity until Hedgehog wakey-wakey time next spring.


My first photograph of a Brambling. It was taken in my garden on the 3rd November. Quality could be better but struggled with the poor light on a dull, dreary day; and shot through double glazing. I hope it comes back on a sunny day.


Taken through the kitchen window on a grey day.



Greater Flamingo juvenile on a rare dull day in the Murcia Region of Spain.


It had been 48 hours since my first sight of the Brambling in our garden. I must assume it's moved on. I showed you my first photograph of it above and this is possibly the last image I will take of one; for some time.


© Elliot Sampford

Thursday 5 November 2015

My Photography Gallery for 2nd half of October 2015

Dunlin ?


Sandpiper (variety ?), Little Stint? or Sanderling in moult. If it helps with identification; taken in Costa Blanca, Spain 06.10.2015. Waders are a difficult type to identify.


Hoopoe.


House Sparrow in our Crabapple tree.


Little Grebe.


One of our regularly visiting Grey Squirrels brightened up a misty, dull and dank day.


Corned beef goes down well with this Hedgehog for building up weight for winter.



© Elliot Sampford

My Photograph Gallery for 1st half October 2015.

I don't know what variety/ies the butterfly and caterpillar are but I like the colour.


I was thinking of a title for the first image of 'Two in One' but then thought perhaps 'After and Before' might be appropriate.


'Sprightly Spaniard'


Greater Flamingo juvenile.


Hoopoe - Upupa epops.
Not as sharp as I'd like but for first images I think they're OK. Gives me something to improve on if I get another chance.



Relaxed Red Squirrel checking the quality of a discarded marble worktop.


The 'Sphodromantis viridis' is smiling.



Spanish 'Fan Dancer' called Garceta Común.




© Elliot Sampford

Saturday 31 October 2015

My Photograph Gallery for September 2015.

Double vision - Little Egrets.


'All Clear Behind.' - Blue Tit.


'Follow me: follow me' - Lapwing.


Black-necked Grebe. The first is in breeding plumage and the second I think is non-breeding. You can see the eye markings are different as well as the plumage.



Yellow-legged Gull ?



Greater Flamingo.



Redshank.



My first photograph of a Sardinian Warbler.


I think this is a Kentish Plover, although its legs might be the wrong colour.



 It's only a Little Egret but I like the water flow image.


Squacco Heron. A first for me.


© Elliot Sampford