Spennells after the rain.

When I awoke this morning it was pouring down, had me a nice smokey bacon sandwich on fresh crusty bread and hey presto the rain stopped.

So before it changed it's mind on came the walking boots, camera was ready just in case, couple minutes later and I was out in the nature reserve.

After yesterday I wasn't expecting much, wow about 100 metres from home I spotted a greater spotted woodpecker, took several photos and then on the next tree a nut hatch, not the best of photos.

Never seen the area so busy, saw a redwing, goldcrests, blue tits, great tits, dunnock, wren, robin and a tree creeper and possibly an owl, but not sure on which one it was, just have to hope I see it again.

Few photos below from my hour's walkabout.

One tip, anyone venturing into the reserve then wear wellies, it's very boggy and deep in places.

Spennels & St Michaels walkabouts

With the weather still not as I prefer it I have made a couple of spur of the moment walkabouts.

Firstly Wednesday I made a visit to St Michael's in Stourport, mainly for a nose amongst the gravestones for family history research.

No joy on that front though, I'm thinking now that there are not any headstones, never mind. that's the way it goes.

After a few minutes I bumped into Katy who I know from a facebook group, she was feeding the birds and then blow me if about 10 minutes or so after I met up with Emma and Mervyn, it's a popular place for photography and as I was about to get in the car along came Christine.

I quite like this one, taken with my sony infrared camera.

Long tailed tit.

Today at home, had a walk around my local patch on Spennells, but with the sun shining there didn't seem to be much bird life around, very quiet.

Starling and a robin are the only decent shots I got, but it was an enjoyable stroll, I did spot a dunnock but didn't get a decent photo, and then standing on the drive at home I spotted a yellow wagtail, got a picture of his rear end and also a woodpecker which I did not get a shot of.

Have been really looking hard as I have heard owls on more than one occasion lately from home, so they are not too far away.

Hartlebury Common

20th January

My first shot on this frosty morning was about 100 yards from home, never left till 10.30, had to stop and take this one with the sun streaming through the trees.

From here I drove off to Hartlebury Common, wanted to try and get some abstract photos for a themed competition.

This first one was with my camera phone with a macro attachment, not a bad little lens but on the phone has little depth of field, but hey ho for the money.

 this next one was with my canon bridge camera.

 Then I spotted this squirrel perched up in a tree.

A robin tweeting away

and finally a few water droplets

Was bitterly cold and as I have been struggling of late with a cold that just didn't want to go away I wasn't out long.

St Michaels Stourport on Severn

Well we finally had some snow, looked out of the window this morning and it was there, only a couple of mm though, not worth going out really but had to get a photo of it just to prove it wasn't just in my mind.

Minute from home by Captains Pool

As you can see not much at all.

Not been out for a walkabout for a month due to a damn cough and cold which kept coming and going, anyway I seem to have cured that with an old remedy involving lemon, honey & cinnamon, blimey I haven't coughed for over a week now.

Been doing some work on my family tree and wanted to visit St Michael's church in Stourport to have a look round the graveyard, so off I went, blimey it was cold.

Very interesting place and I will be returning very soon.

This is a shot of the ruins, there is a more modern church on site now but some parts of the old church remain.

A walk down the churchyard leads to the worcs/staffs canal.

I had no luck with my research in the graveyard but I have some ideas for some

infrared photography when I return.

This next one is my favourite of the day.

I do love infrared.

Been told the churchyard is a haven for wildlife as well, so perhaps a few bird photographs on my next visit, hopefully.