A Touch of the Autumnals
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Winter is getting closer as some of the trees are now turning their leafs to bright yellows and golds with hints of rust colours. Soon the leafs- they will all fall leaving us with bare trees and -- hey why am I getting all poetical ? I am not keen on this time of year! Image cannot be loaded
Portrait of the Fetcham Fox.
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Now we are just posing (or just got fed up with this idiot flashing lights in his face), either way pretty laid back fox seeing as though I was only about 10/12 feet away. Was only going to post one shot from the other evenings shoot, but John L. said I had to share with you so here you are folks. Image cannot be loaded
Lookin at me lookin at you!
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
The fox chase may well be over for a while as this will do me for the time being. Having followed this character around the courtyard for a number evenings a quick pose and a lay down let me get the shot. Image cannot be loaded
Boss Robin
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
An imposing chap this time rather than the classic robin poses but I think this time he looks a bit intimidating - probably getting fed up with that bloke with the camera. The shot was just one of quite a few I managed to get that afternoon. Image cannot be loaded
Fox on the run
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Well this Vixen (white tip on the tail) has had me on the run, this is today's capture after having legged it from the spot I was set up at. Having a new bit of glass with is has made life a bit easier. Will have another try tomorrow. Image cannot be loaded
British Wildlife comes to Town.
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Taken this evening at about 8:30 these two had just been chased out of our garden by a neighbours cat and were playing hide and seek in the courtyard. The urban fox is getting very brave and making themselves at home in amongst humans (some do put out food and that can encourage them). The shot was grabbed when they stopped to check me out, alas the light was on it's way down and this was a shot taken very quickly hand held and the shutter time of 1/15 with quite a bit of zoom did result in a not so sharp shot but I liked the pose of these two so here you are. Image cannot be loaded
Santa Drops By.
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
As always round here Santa does come early in the form of the Leatherhead Lions and he is a bit of a poser- (he does like his photo taken ).
May I take this chance to wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and a Good New Year ( in Cornish of course !! )and also I must say a huge thank you to all who have passed comments on my attempts at photography throughout the year. It has not been a great year but you guys out there have really helped us through- Meur Ras ( Thank You ). Image cannot be loaded
Lily of the Valley
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
I have seen many flowers here on POE of all varieties but the delicate Lily of the Valley I have not seen so often so here is a humble shot of a few I seem to have helping themselves to a corner of my garden. I do not remember ever planting any so I presume nature has done it's thing and they do seem to spread. However due to the neighbour at the end of the garden having fence work done all the ones up against the fence got trodden down by the workmen, hope some return next year. Image cannot be loaded
Mist-ery Lane
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
While a lot of folk last night were braving the wee hours to capture the supermoon in eclipse the best I could manage was a shot in the misty conditions of the sunrise well after all the celestial events. The misty conditions do help to create what is a bit of a mist-ery of what lies ahead. Image cannot be loaded
Something is brewing
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
The effects on the cloud is what made me take this shot. However, there appears to be a large area of photo empty- do I leave well alone or go against my principles and put something in the empty area of the picture? My first reaction is it needs a UFO creating the effect on the clouds but I do not seem to have any shots of UFOs. Sensibly, do I leave it or play with the shot? Image cannot be loaded
Not a Sun lover
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Found this little chappie hiding under a leaf on a garden plant at home. He did not stay in the sun, would always go to the side of the leaf shaded from the sun so had to be quick and held camera in one hand and the other hand held the stem to capture the picture, then left him in peace. Image cannot be loaded
The Green Eating Machine
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Come across this shot on an old sd card, forgotten it existed and there were about eight shots that were never uploaded to the computer. The parakeet is one of many that fly around here , there was in 2008 when this shot was taken a massive colony over Esher way and they would regularly fly over in large numbers with their very loud distinct squarking that they have. Image cannot be loaded
The Perils Of The Bird Feeder
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
It is the back garden and I have a mini cornfield growing courtesy of the sparrows at the bird feeder- they are so messy ! I have removed the feeder as there was so much going everywhere and I did not want unwelcome visitors with all the seed on the ground . I have cleared the mess but not before a few dozen heads of corn started to grow, so I have left what had set seed just to see what happens. I do not think I will be setting up a baker's though. I have put a vignette on the pic just to hide a bit of distracting foliage. Image cannot be loaded
The Time of Colour
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
As always at this time of year the leaves show their colours and this acer is not letting the side down, catch the colours while you can- all to soon they will fall to the ground. Image cannot be loaded
All you need is a bit snow !
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Just the job for a christmas card, all you need is a bit of snow !
This is just one of the messy eaters that raid the bird feeder- I just wish they would clear up after themselves. Image cannot be loaded
Well? Where is all the Water Then?
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Our local water company has recently been installing lifesaving rings in the most strange places, this one can be seen from home in at a patch of ground which at best is sometimes a bit on the muddy side ( yes I know it has filled up I think a couple of times in about twenty or so years ). They have put a number of these rings up in the area and almost always by areas that rarely see any water, I have not noticed any by the local rivers, lakes or ponds- the logic of this one defies me. As we all know there has been major flooding here, would monies have have been better spent on maintaining the waterways? I am not the only one to be bemused by all this, the local paper has had a few articles on this subject and the letters page has had many a pen put to paper/ keyboard taped. Image cannot be loaded
The little things in life
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Just a quick peek into the wonderful tiny world of our plant life. Nature has made many shapes, sizes, colours and smells - enjoy the Daffodil Call Centre for Bees! Image cannot be loaded
Where Have All The Others Gone Then ?
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
One can often see these characters flying in huge groups but I had to make do with this chap visiting the gardens around us. Sitting on a branch with the sun shining on him one can see so well the irrede- irrides/ the shiny and colourful feathers of his breast. Often given a bad name, starlings do get underestimated. Image cannot be loaded
There Are No Flies On Me !-- Spiders Maybe But No Flies. Not So Simples ! #
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
It is amazing the sights you come across doing a little weeding, not sure if this little chap looks too comfortable with his arachnoid companion. Image cannot be loaded
The Sun Is Out- So I Am As Well
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
I am a Mesembryanthemum and I flower in many colours in great numbers looking so bright , but if the sun goes in so do I until the sun comes out again and then so will I once again. Image cannot be loaded
Living Under The Dome
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
It is not often I have seen a complete rainbow and after seeing a shot of one by Patrick Hogan at Chepstow I was well surprised to see one from my garden so soon after.Not only was it complete, it coincided with a colourful sunset,so obviously the camera had to do it's duty and here is one of the pics. Image cannot be loaded
Population Explosion
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Sorry if there any arachnopbics looking in but this little group was only about an inch across but disturb the foliage and they spread out, but bunched back up after a short while. I have no idea what sort of spider they are or how many will survive the wilds of my back garden. Image cannot be loaded
Supper time.
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Our urban fox has found it's supper left out by a neighbour, has been very regular turning up each evening at about the same time (just as the light has faded more than I would have liked.) Image cannot be loaded
Blowing in the Wind
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Another shot from my wait in vain for Spitfire and or Hurricanes flying over the house as they have been doing recently. Testing out new toy had shot at this rose blowing in the breeze using full zoom - equivalent of 720mm. Was a bit surprised it was not a blurred pink blob. Image cannot be loaded
New Thatch
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
A place I pass on the way to work is having an extension and being an already thatched house the new bit is having a thatched roof from scratch. It has been interesting over the last few days seeing the thatch roof take shape but still has some more work before it is done. I have not seen the craftsmen at work but just the roof growing day by day and it is good to see an old skill still in use. Image cannot be loaded
2001- Dare we venture there?
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
For those of you who remember 2001 the Moon was the listening post to announce when mankind had reached a certain point in our development. Dare we announce it in reality as we do not know who, or what is listening for us? Image cannot be loaded
The Search For Nectar
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
A quick hand held shot whilst in the garden waiting in vain, for a number of weeks now we have had quite a lot of overflies by either Spitfires or Hurricanes. I do not know where they are coming from or going to but they seem to be quite frequent and always on a more or less East West track or vice versa. So there I am waiting in hope but they only seem to appear when camera is not to hand so you will just have to make do with this little flying machine. Image cannot be loaded
Sun-Up
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Cannot make up my mind on this one, took half a dozen shots the other morning on the way to work and there was quite a red sun not far over the horizon. Chucked the camera onto sunset mode and ended up with the cast that you can see, jury is out there. The other conundrum is does it need a crop and if so which way? I have played around with the chopping machine but not sure what if any crop would improve. Criticise away please. Image cannot be loaded
Itchy Back !! oh oh Itchy Back !!
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
As I was taking a pic of wildflowers a couple walked by each walking a donkey. I asked if I could take a picture of them and instantly this one insisted on doing rolly - overs and would not shift for quite a time! Image cannot be loaded
LUNCH TIME
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
This shot is just what it is , horses in a field having a bite of lunch. I did catch another shot later from another angle but one of the horses was not fully visible through some brambles so this is the shot you got. Image cannot be loaded
Fox On The Block
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
The local fox family are still around and I have seen three at least. One does not hang around and first sight of a human with a glass eye and it is gone, whereas this one just keeps an eye on you which does give you a chance for a portrait or two. Image cannot be loaded
Gotcha !
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
After a while taking pics of the local wildlife managed this shot right through a tree to the other side, will not be possible to do that soon once the leafs open. We manage to attract a number of different birds to our feeder and the sparrows have for the most numbers. ( Yes we did take part in the RSPB Birdwatch ) Image cannot be loaded
That Sun- it just keeps coming up.
© Vince Hawthorn (view gallery)
Another day another sunrise another setting and a completely different looking photo to the previous shot from here posted the other day. This time I tried using an hdr setting, it is handy having a set view on the way to work to take shots and compare the look on different occasions. Image cannot be loaded
A Slideshow of Fetcham, in the county of Surrey
