Sparrowhawk and Badger

I have last couple of days been trying to photograph the badger. One of the first evening, I managed to find them and also get some photos even though it was pretty dark where they come out from their hole. I had to use high ISO 20 000 and manual focus because the camera had difficulties to focus being that dark.
Yesterday I went there too but actually neither saw nor heard them. To be fair, the whole area is pretty big and badger burrow is very large with lots of exits. When I was almost back home, I see a badger trot across the street :) The camera was though safely packed away.
This morning just outside the window, lucky me, a sparrowhawk landing in a tree. It stood there for a while in the morning sun, trimmed his feathers and just generally gazed with his 'angry' yellow eyes.

This Thursday I will be going again to the summer house in Croatia and spend four glorious weeks there doing some odd jobs on the house, swimming and of course photographing. I do feel like the 'photographer-block' is passing.

See you soon with new photos!!
                                                                  

Long weekend in Brecon Beacon National Park

I know, I know, it has not been that many posts lately. I'm finding it extremely difficult to motivate myself and photograph right now.
Anyhow, last weekend we were off to South Wales and a National Park named Brecon Beacons.
It has southern England's highest peak, Pen y Fan which is at 886m. Maybe doesn't sound that high, but it is rather impressive so close to the sea and as far south. We managed with two hikes, one called The Horseshoe and it passes 3-4 highest peaks in the area of course including Pen y Fan. The walk is easy with some steeper inclines that felt in the thighs :) Still about 15km long.
The first day's was the so called Waterfall Trail. A really nice path through the forest and it felt a bit like walking through a rainforest with all the water, all the green and moss everywhere. This hike would also be at about 14-15km but we had a bad map and a poor reader (me) ;) so that ended up being about 20km instead.
This weekend, we were meant to go to the Cairngorms NP in Scotland. Unfortunately it seems the weather is going to be bad, so we lets see if south England offers something instead again.

                                                                        

                                                                           

Le Tour De France

Been back in UK for a while now, but it has not been any photographing. Not here and not in Croatia either. It has been mostly work on the summer house so photography will have to wait untill I go back next time.
However, during the weekend Tour De France has been here in South Yorkshire. During the Saturday they cycled from York to Leeds, Sunday was our turn here in Sheffield and today they are cycling from Cambridge to London.
This might be the only time having this kind of event on my door step, and what's the best way of enjoying it? Disposable BBQ, middle of nowhere and some nice company.

Being there rather early gave us the opportunity to choose a good spot, and just enjoy the weather until they would pass us. 

The wait was rather long, although the caravan with all sorts of fun and entertainment started to pass by an hour two before. Which was a bit refreshing.
Eventually when the conductor peloton with leading cyclists swished past it all was over

in seconds, the average speed is around 40-45km/h which is pretty quick ;)



Obviously there were more cyclists further back swishing by in cluster but it felt like it was over when the leading group passed, so we packed up (had already been standing there for almost 5 hours) went home.
The race ended in Don Valley, further into Sheffield, unfortunately its not possible to be in two places at once.
                                                                          

It was impossible to miss that tour de france was in town 

Sheffield center first days race

More signs

People wrote messages on the road and was hoping that the helicopter was going to film it

Crowded

From the caravan

More caravan

Caravan

caravan

More crowds

Soon they are here

And there is one

more

                                                                           

Early morning and Cuckoo

On Friday, I took the bike up to Redmires reservoirs early in the morning to give it a go on finding the cuckoo and to get some pictures. The weather wasn't to bad either which helped :)
I arrived around 5:30 and the cuckoo was nowhere to find. Usually if its active you hear it straight away. Gladly, just half hour later I could hear it calling, which just means now I had to find where it is. It flies around lots, but by mimicking its calling you can get it to at least check out what you are. Lucky No other people were there :)) And the mimicking worked! I managed to get it curious so it flew past me many times during the morning.
The cuckoo is a bit special, as you might already know. It doesn't build its own nests at all, it lays an egg in a nest that already have eggs and preferably of small birds. It can adapt the color of its egg to the hosts! Then the female cuckoo takes away most of the hosts eggs from the nest, and leave its own egg to its fate. The female looking then for next nest and does this about 9 times. Amazing..... 
The birds that end up with a cuckoo's egg take care of it as its own, incubate it and feeds it when it hatch. I wonder what they think when the cuckoo chick grows into a much bigger chicks than they thought their would be :)
Now I'm off to Croatia for 2 weeks, to do some refurbishment on our summer house. Obviously the camera will be going with me!

See you in couple of weeks, Enjoy the summer!
                                                                       

 

 

Curlew

 

Cuckoo

 

Cuckoo

 

Cuckoo

 

Goldfinch

More pics from London

So to the second day in London. By now we had done the touristy parts and it was time to explore the calmer and "luxurious" neighbourhoods. It felt like it anyway because of the gorgeous houses, the fancy shops and the posh sports cars cruising around. Rather close to all of this are the two huge and gorgeously green oases; Hyde Park and Regent Park which should not be forgotten when visiting London.
The area that felt that extra posh was Belgravia, where famous Harrods is and all the nice museums.  We actually never went into the Harrods, it was anyway just another expensive shop ;)
We did though visited both the 'Victoria and Albert' and the 'Natural History' museum that are well worth the walk, even if its just to stand outside and look at the grand façade. 
Going back I took the opportunity to take some pictures of the train station St Pancras which is 'just another' amazing building :))

Today the heavy clouds are covering Sheffield and the rain is flooding the streets, which just means, out and test how waterproof the cloths are :))

Until next time, enjoy!
                                                                      

Buckingham Palace

St Margaret's Church

Belgravia

Belgravia

Harrods

Natural history museum

Natural history museum

Natural history museum

Natural history museum, Stone and mineral collection

 Hyde Park

I liked the tiling on this Underground ststion

St Pancras

Inside St Pancras