Jani's photo adventures: May 2012

May 31, 2012

Early morning with the cuckoo

On Monday, before I would take the car to the rental agency, I thought I'd like to take me to Redmires reservoir early in the morning.
The clock alarmed already 4:40 and after a quick sandwich, I was going.
The reason that I go away so early, is that I have seen the cuckoo appears to be active in the early morning.
Came out to the reservoirs around 5:00 down with the car window and immediately I heard the cuckoo, drove the car a little closer to the place where they appeared to be. Then it was just to go where the sounds came from, it was not easy to enter the place because it is fully open.
So they where scared of course, but I brought the camoflauge today so I went up to a hill near a tree where they used to land.
Pulled on me the camo and waited, it took maybe half an hour, and they were back, I sat about 6 m away from them.
One of the cuckoo came from behind and flew about 3 m above me laughing on their special way, then where I'm a little frightened was not quite prepared for it. :) :)
I spent about 4 hours to check out this pair, they flew away at times but always returned after a while. Unfortunately was the morning sun rise quite high before I got the first pictures of them and then it was against the sun also which is not really ideal. While I sat there under the camo, I saw something flying towards me, it looked like a bird of prey. but unfortunately it was too close before I could react.
So I took some pictures from behind only to identify it later when I'm home.
The bird was apparently a Short-eared Owl, it was sad to miss the photo opportunity, but now I know they're there.

It was this one who came from behind and landed 6 m from me (male)

Female, listening for the camera shutter noice

Same female

The male sitting 60m away

It was not only cuckoo this morning (Reed Bunting/sävsparv)

Goldfinch/stegligts in morning light

I think the cuckoo is eaten these.

Some kind of moss flower.

May 29, 2012

Hiking in Snowdonia National Park

Last weekend, was I, my wife and four other Swedish friends away to Wales and Snowdonia National Park to hike.
And we could not have had better weather, it was about 25 C warm and sunny.
We went there after my wife left work at 17 (fri), the journey there was mostly on main roads, so we arrived at the campsite where we would camp at around 21:30.
The actual campsite was an incredibly nice place down in a valley with a lake and small river next to it.
When we arrived it was just putting up the tent, have a beer and plan Saturday's hike then sleep. On Saturday morning we went up 8 had breakfast and then we went away by car to a parking lot a few miles away from there because our route would start, we had planned to go round the Snowdon on mountain ridges. A loop of 10 hours, but unfortunately it was impossible to find parking so we went back to camp and took an alternative route up.
Which was not entirely wrong that either, it was very beautiful to first go down in the flowery valley. And then start the trek up into the rocky landscape.
Halfway up we stopped to rest at a mountain stream with beautiful turquoise water, a few went swimming and the rest just enjoyed the sun.
Now we had 3 km left to Snowdon peak (1084m.ö.h) and it was getting steeper.
After an hour, so we stopped for some lunch, to fill up some energy to be able to take us the last bit to the top.
Well in place at the foot of the cliff on Snowdon we could see how steep it is, it was probably the hardest climb I've done so far. But once on the way up so it was just to think about reward there is, in the form of a cold beer / cider. :)
Once up there so we took it a bit easy, enjoined the weather and the views of the sea which lay about 40 miles away.
But now it was time to start walking towards the tent again, the slope was even more difficult now, especially for the knees, which now began to hurt a little.
well down again, so we went up again to an another ridge but not as tough pitch this time, but still steep.
We would take a different route home that was shorter but steeper, but even so, the slope covered with grass and hard turf trying to do everything that we might sprain our feet. I managed to trample down a hole that was covered with grass, but it went well this time. Once down after 3 hours (the whole trip took about 8 hours) it was just to jump into the shower and then off to a village to eat some food and drink some cold. On Sunday it was not especially eager to go, and we went to a seaside village for lunch and walk around in an old castle ruin.

Down in the walley

From the ridge when are going back home, Snowdon on left

Map reading

Lägg till bildtext

The Old House

Blue bells on the slope

Cold water

Going in to the valley

The path to Snowdon

nice views

Me resting on the rocky parts to snowdon

very steep

from the top of the snowdon

from an another top

Snowdon from the another top

The lake

Rock with patterns

May 25, 2012

Heron Hunting Fish

Couple of days ago i went to Endcliff park here in Sheffield to watch if the Mandarin duck was there.
The Mandarin duck is originally from Asia but specimens frequently escaped from collections, and in the 20th century a large feral population was established in Great Britain.
However the Mandarin wasnt there, but instead a grey heron landed on the pond and started to hunt fish. It`s fun to watch them hunting, they are so incredibly fast and precise.

This weekend, I will go to the Snowdonia Natioanl Park, but i will return on monday.
See u :)

First attempt fails

Second attempt

resulted in a

very small fish :)

then it flies away full and satisfied :) :)

May 24, 2012

Hiking in Edale, Part 2

Then it was time for the three remaining days. Third day's adventures, we would visit a village called Castleton and there eat some lunch. And after that go to winnats pass, which looks pretty nice with the high cliffs and the green grass.The weather did not seem so promising, it was pretty much fog on the peaks. We started walking at 10 from the hostel towards Mam Tor and then over the ridge, from here we had a view of Castleton which was only a few kilometers away now. We continued walking down the valley and crossed a few mines and caves that you could visit, but that is for another time. In castleton we ate lunch and drank a beer / ale to it. After that it was time for winnats pass and it did probably not disappoint anyone. from there we went an another route to the hostel, the fog was now close at higher elevations where we went but it was easy walking on big paths so it was no problems. That day, we went for about 2o km we would just go 14 km :)Fourth day: we would take a little bit easier walking towards Lady Bower reservoir, round it, and then back. Although it was 20 km to go, this trek was the easiest so far, because it was pretty flat and easy to walk especially around the lake. And now it was even sunny and warm. This hike went through a lot of different woods ranging from pine, spruce, beech, larch, birch which I like.Fifth day: So would my wife's colleagues be picked up by a taxi at 16 so we took the opportunity to go a little less round to Edale direction but on the mountain, the plan was that we would just take it easy up on some rocky edge. But while we sat there on the cliff and sunbathing for a while, a few of us started a plan to continue walking around some more. :) Said and done 5 people wanted to go a little more so they went and the others stayed behind to sunbathe. We would then meet down in Edale for a last beer and further travel to the hostel. It was pleasant five days with great company, and we were lucky with the weather also, they had promised much rain and wind a few days before, but luckily it turned for the better.