Odds & Sods 2022

It's probably an ideal time to start the 2022 Odds & Sods thread off, with some squabbling starlings....

To view the 2021 thread, click HERE

This pair of starlings were having a right old go at each other, whilst another nipped in to the coconut shell for a food

  • Hello all, the Thrush was singing its heart out. A most beautiful sound, even better than the photo, one might say.

    Here's a set of photos I took earlier on in the year, just to show that fancy cameras and lenses are not needed. It can be a question of luck.

    These were taken with my Motorola Moto E30 entry level (i.e. cheap) mobile phone. First piece of luck: Mute swans are noisy fliers. They can be heard long before they reach you. Second piece of luck: they flew in a wide arc around me, then passed almost overhead.

    The swans are in this photo. They are a two, large white dots, in the middle left of center, just below top of trees; flying left to right. They look better in full sized image in editor. I've reduced their size to upload faster. 

    The swans are turning towards me, and are slightly higher up, just grazing the tops of the tree line

    I kind of lost track of them. By the time I found them (I hate using LCD screens), they were quite close.

    This was the best, I feel

    The birds crop out quite nicely. Not bad for a cheap mobile.

    One problem with my cheap mobile is that it cannot take photos quickly. It takes its time photographing, storing image and getting ready for next photo.

    Yes, it was early in the morning.

    I can't hold camera level.

    Bye-bye swans

    This is what the area looked like before lake was filled in, and the ridge I am standing on was flattened. I was standing approximately in the left corner of the lake, pointing my mobile to the right. Water depth was about 20 feet. Now all solid land.

    90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

  • I like the sequence of your photos. It's good to get a sense of where you are.
  • Such beautiful photos.... even if they were taken with a cheap mobile lol
    The swans just look so graceful (which of course they are!). Well done, and thank you for sharing, these are really lovely pictures Blush
  • I used to think Siskins were sweet and lovely

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • Oh poor little blue tits!!
    Very nice picture though Blush thanks again Linda
  • Thanks Tigerss...just playing about with new camera whilst the rain is off for 5 mins lol

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • Linda257 said:
    playing about with new camera

    Some lovely sharp images there Linda :o) 

  • Cheers PB...Just trying to absorb all the settings...gives me a headache :-(

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • Keep practising and it will become automatic.... apparently .... not sure how long it takes tho lol... muscle memory? muscle amnesia more like!!
  • I have never learned the basics though PB....always just turn on zoom in and click away....I need to write down over and over again like getting lines at school for being bad lol before I absorb it lol

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)