After the Rain Two

Once again

2011-10-27T20:47:00.000+01:00

Once again I find myself heading off to Dumfries and Galloway for a bit of wildlife watching.
It seems this area has an abundance of goodies to share with anyone interested in wildlife, and you don't have to go it alone, there's a great programme of events to take you through the Autumn months.
On this particular early morning outing I was heading off to Caerlaverock to see the Geese come up of the Merse as the sun rises. There must have been a few bitten finger ends because, with the gale force winds we've been having, all blowing from the south the numbers of migrants were seriously down.
Then on the Wednesday we had winds from the North East and many of those waiting birds arrived.
About a dozen of us met up at the visitor centre before walking down the Avenue towards the Saltcote Tower and then out onto the Merse, an area not normally open to visitors.
As the sun rose so did the geese, hundreds of them from every direction, heading for the fields around Caerlaverock to feed for the day.
As well as a sight for the eye's it's also a feast for the ears, as those powerful wings beat the air and that mournful, or joyful honking surrounds you. Then it was over and we headed back for tea and bacon sandwiches, both excellent.

Some Whooper Swans fly past

After breakfast there was time to check out the reserve ponds.

Dabchick

This Mute Swan looks to be enjoying its bath

I went onto Dumfries to check out the River Nith for Goosanders, I love watching these little birds dive head first into a raging torrent. Still haven't managed one with a fish yet but maybe next time.

Grasmere

2011-10-12T19:55:00.001+01:00

This is probably cheating a bit, I took this lot of photographs along with the ones of Rydal Water.
It seemed to make sense to split them up as I had so many.
The two lakes are close with White Moss car park in between, I must admit that we go a bit further towards Ambleside and once you've passed the end of Rydal Water there's a sharp right turn over a bridge and then right again into a small but free car park.
Walk around the footpath with the Lake on your right and then head uphill onto the Loughrigg Terraces looking across the lake at Grasmere.
It is possible to keep to a lower level and end up on the shores of Gramere and in all the years we've been coming to the Lake District we've never done that.
No doubt as the knees get creakier it will become our favourite walk.
The views from the Terraces are lovely and there are loads of benches for you to sit while getting your breath back or simply to pause and enjoy the scenery.
Eventually you reach a set of steps to climb up onto Loughrigg Fell, don't be deceived into thinking it's an easy climb and you'll manage it in your flip flops.
As it gets higher it gets trickier and I had a few 'never again' mutters under my breath.
Once you reach the trig point the views are awesome and you have a selection of paths to follow, take a map so you know where you'll end up. We'd left the map in the car so took the route we knew that brought us back down to the remains of the slate mine just five minutes from the car park.
So here are some more Lake District photographs.

Rydal Water on a misty morning

The footpath around the edge of Rydal Water

Looking back from the footpath up to Loughrigg

Coming up Loughrigg Terraces above the mist with the early light burning through, the footpath follows the wall you see in the left corner.

Still some mist over Grasmere

Almost a birds eye view over Grasmere and the hills beyond.

Loughrigg Fell

TT heading back downhill, you can see all the lumps and bumps left from the slate mining operations. Seems hard to believe this was an industrial landscape at one time.

And that's it for another day. I was going to have one discreet ad on my blog but apparently I lack content, who'd have guessed, so you've been spared.

Thankyou for viewing my photographs.

One I've been waiting for

2011-10-07T22:27:00.000+01:00

Last night our local BBC weather showed a photograph of a Water Vole taken at Killhope Mining Museum, just 30 miles away from Gilsland.
It's years since I've been to Killhope Museum and as it's due to close for the season at the end of October I thought today might be a good time to visit.
It's a nice run through the North Pennines, passing through Alston and Nenthead with the Lead Mining scars still visible in the lumps and bumps of the landscape.
The to Killhope, as an OAP I paid £6.50 to get in but that gives me as many visits as I like for a whole year, by gum I do like a bargain!
I got a free map and wandered off to the woods, saw a sign for a Squirrel Hide and like a bloodhound with a scent I was off, hoping the squirrels in question would be red ones.
I spotted the hide and just as I walked up to it a streak of red ran across the path in front of me, oh joy!
Our Red Squirrels are being wiped out by the Squirrel Pox, carried by the Grey Squirrels and deadly to the Reds.
Quite by accident I'd times my arrival to coincide with feeding time and three Red Squirrels were soon scampering around, filling up cheek pouches with peanuts and hazelnuts before zooming off to bury their spoils.
I'd taken my big lens, but the glass in the hide was too dirty for a good picture so I found a space outside of the hide but not to close to disturb the squirrels and I was off snapping.
ISO was at 1000 and even then I was only getting 1/30th of a second for some photographs, so if the Squirrel stayed still I was okay if not it was blurred.
I do prefer a natural look but today I was happy to take what I could get so here are my Red Squirrel shots from Killhope Museum.

An early start

2011-10-04T14:15:00.000+01:00

I knew the fine weather wasn't going to last here in the north so I decided to make the most of it with a trip over to the Lakes.
It meant setting the alarm for 5.30am but that's later than normal for sunrises, by 5.50am we were on our way to Rydal Water, TT was driving so we took a bit longer to get there, he likes to maintain a regular speed to conserve fuel and ignores me rocking back and forwards in my 'go faster' attempts.
As it happens we arrived just after sunrise and in thick mist, so I had plenty of time to get from the car park to the side of the Lake.
The nice thing about mist is that it comes and goes so I was hopping back and forwards as bits appeared and disappeared from sight.
Rydal is one of my favourite lakes because it's normally very still so you can get perfect reflections, and it's about 1hr 10mins drive from Gilsland.

Here are some of the many photographs I took.

Rydal Water

Just a hint of Autumn colour, anoother two weeks and it should be lovely

The mists move back in almost hiding the Island

And the mist goes again

Two for one

Mist is burning off, it's going to be a beautiful day

The path around the Lake with sunlight streaming through the trees.

The path leads you to the Loughrigg Terraces or on a lower level path to Gramere Lake, we took the high path and I'll share some of those photographs in my next blog.

As always photo's are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

Thanks for viewing -I'm having trouble finding a way to reply to comments, I do appreciate you commenting and want to say thankyou for taking the time to write.

Fire in the sky

2011-10-03T13:33:00.000+01:00

After a long spell of poor weather and grey skies, at last we got some nice clear days.
I'd ckecked the position of the sunrise and thought I might be able to capture the sun rising through the trees on top of King Arthur's Well at Walltown, something I hadn't done before.
As I climbed up Walltown Crags the sky was colouring up nicely and I was feeling pretty optomistic, then I heard the bellowing of cows, now I love cows but come sunrise they get skittish and dash back and forwards in front of the camera, leaving ghostly streaks.
So I needed a backup plan.
For ages I've been thinking that I should take a sunrise photograph from Mucklebank Crag, I had planned it for a misty morning and there was no mist but it would be something I hadn't done before so off I went.
There's a good stone path up Mucklebank Crag, it is steep but very stable thanks to the lads of Northumberland National Parks Authority.
Lot's of sheep around but fortunately they were still sheep so here are some of the pictures I took.

King Arthur's Well and Mucklebank Crag, cows are galloping behind me.

Looking east over Cawfields and Winshields Crag, William's Black Faced sheep pose for me.

On the Hadrian's Wall Path over Mucklebank Crag

Sunrise over Allolee Farm

Sheep graze on the Roman Turret as the light catches Walltown Crags

As I headed back to the car I bumped into the farmer from Walltown Farm, he was out feeding his bull, a beautiful blonde Charolais called Emo. As William and I stood chatting Emo was nudging him wanting his nose scratched.

We're back to bad weather again today and yet more high winds are forecast.

As always the pictures are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

To the Tarn

2011-09-20T21:34:00.000+01:00

A wee while ago I saw something in the Cumberland News about Red Squirrels at Talkin Tarn and as my quest to photograph these cute animals is, as yet, unfulfilled off I went to check out Talkin Tarn.

It's a flat area of water near Brampton in Cumbria, managed by Carlisle City Council, they seem to come in for a lot of criticism over the management plans but I have to say I think they've done a grand job.

I found the Squirrel feeding area, alas there was no food and therefore no squirrels.

It was a day of squally showers but I had my waterproof and it's a nice flat 1.3 mile walk around the Tarn so off I went.

Very few water birds, guess it's a bit early for the wintering birds.

Some fungi in the woods but it's a popular area with children who seem to enjoy kicking off the caps of the toadstools, I could be an old grump about it but I bet a time machine going back to my younger days would find me doing exactly the same thing.

Fabulous cloudscapes, because the area is so flat I find it hard to photograph but it works okay when the water is calm and you get nice reflections, alas it was either choppy with the wind or with the rain falling on the surface.

So enough already, here are some photographs of Talkin Tarn.

The old Boat House, now an art gallery with changing exhibitions, in a few weeks time the trees will be full of Autumn colour.

I was standing talking to some dog walkers when I noticed the light hitting the tea room, there hadn't been a lot of nice storm light so I made my excuses and took the shot.

A moment of relative calm, the small boathouse pictured here is now a bird hide.

Fly Agaric on a fairly steep bit of the Beech Wood so I guess it was out of reach of small boys feet

The next two photographs are of birds in my Gilsland Garden, I'm trying to keep a photographic record of the visitors to the seed feeders, some are easier to photograph than others!

Juvenile Goldfinch

Female Sparrowhawk, I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I was to get this photograph!

More rain forecast, where oh where are those glorious September days of old with bright clear crisp days?

as always all photographs in this blog are cpyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission, thankyou for viewing.

Missing delivery

2011-09-16T09:29:00.000+01:00

The forecast was for a cold morning with high possibility of frost and mists.
Mists are my Holy Grail so of course I was out early on Thursday morning rubbing my hands in anticipation.
There was frost on the car windscreen, and a few wisps of mist driving along the Military Road, but as I climbed up to Hotbank Crag and the vista opened out below me I realised that mist wasn't going to be a feature of this particular morning.
Obviously, the delivery of mist to Hadrian's Wall, had gone astray.
Lots of colour in the early sky, I'd had a very early start, I'd dropped TT off at work for 4.30 so I had plenty of time to stop and stare on my way uphill, and to get my breath back it was one of those mornings when I puffed and panted every step of the way.
And it was perishing cold up on the Hadrian's Wall Path, a reminder that Autumn has started and I was glad to have my hat and gloves, also glad no-one was around the see me in my hat!

So here are the photographs.

Waiting for the sun to rise on the Hadrian's Wall Path at Hotbank Crag

Follow the line of Hadrian's Wall as it heads down Hotbank Crag, passes Housesteads Crag and swings left to climb Sewingshields Crag

Early morning light turns the water of Broomlee Lough into liquid gold

Just minutes later and the colours have changed as more light fills the sky, how quickly things change.

The sun breaks through the low cloud and just catches the stones of Hadrian's Wall

On the way down and one last glance back across Rapishaw Gap to Housesteads Crag

in the early morning light.

This morning the grey clouds are back, I was hoping for better from September, still it's early days and no matter what the weather there's always something to see on the Hadrian's Wall Path. Yesterday morning I was entertained by flocks of Pippits dancing along the Wall stones.

As I passed Cawfields Quarry I saw the missing mist delivery but hadn't time to go and check it out.

Have a good weekend.

as always the photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission

Been a while

2011-09-13T21:18:00.000+01:00

Sorry.
Weather has been awful and I've been suffering from Vertigo - okay that's my excuses for not blogging out of the way.
Gale force winds today interspersed with torrential rain so not terribly promising for photography.
But, the clouds were moving quickly so I had the idea of doing a long exposure at Sycamore Gap, trying to get the tree sharp with movement in the clouds.
I thought that if I could get a gap in the rain I might get some shots so I headed off to Steel Rigg.

Light on the land at Steel Rigg

View over Peel Crags towards Hotbank Farm

For a change I went straight up the steps at Peel Crags, probably my least favourite climb up, at one point the steps are about 10" wide, not good if you have big feet like me!

On top you could really feel the force of the wind, I'd read there would be gusts of 40mph and I could believe it.

I was blown over twice as I went up and down steps on the various parts, no coincidence that the steps are in the gaps and the wind was swirling around there.

I was suprised at just how many people were walking the Hadrian's Wall Path, those walking east to west were walking directly into the wind, many of them had waterproof covers over their rucksacs and these were acting like mini parachutes. Hard to walk in the wind never mind having a drag factor as well.

Hadrian's Wall on Peel Crags

Walkers on Highshields Crag

From Castle Gap west to Winshields Crag

Sycamore Gap

So eventually I arrived at Sycamore Gap, I tried the long exposure but the wind was shaking the tripod and the filter holder on the camera lens too much.

I stood for a while waiting for light to hit the gap, I wanted the dark storm clouds behind if possible. I also hoped for a rainbow, but then I hope to win the lottery every week and I don't get that either :)

Had lots of blue sky and fluffy white cloud shots but eventually my patience was rewarded, with the light lasting for about 10 seconds, just long enough to take a photograph.

As I stood there with my tripod several people sidled up to me with their cameras, obviously believing I know where the best viewpoint was - a tripod doesn't mean I know what I'm doing much of the time.

Walked back on the lower path, foolishly thinking I'd get some shelter from the wind, on a wide open plain the wind came right at me, so fierce that the bags under my eyes were flapping. I kid you not.

I'll end with a plea to please put the catches on the gates, doesn't matter if they were off when you went through, Hadrian's Wall crosses farm land and animals pass through open gates. Thankyou

Feels like Autumn

2011-08-26T20:45:00.002+01:00

There's a real feel of Autumn in the air, trees in the garden are starting to colour up and it's getting colder, and even more birds are coming to my feeders
I've been working on my posing perches for bird photography and setting up a water feature, a sort of avian infinity pool is what I'm aiming for.
I haven't got that quite right yet and I need to work out a way of stopping the Blue Tits from wrecking the moss edge in their search for spiders.
Birds also eat a lot more than they drink so I inevitably get distracted by something like a Chiff Chaff in the conifer just as a Dunnock decides to bathe.
After a foggy start it rained, that doesn't put me off sitting in my hide, I just put my plastic mac on the camera lens, up the ISO and carry on.
Here are some of the photogtraphs I took today, and a couple of sunshine ones from yesterday.

Blue Tit on the water feature

Chaffinch reflected

Great Tit in the rain

Chiffchaff looks for spiders, dark legs help the ID (thanks Alison)

Dunnock, perhaps not as exciting as some but one of my favourite birds

Greenfinch, they always seem to have a messy beak.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, this is a young male still showing some of his red cap but getting the red patch on the back of the neck. Doesn't seem bothered at all by the pouring rain.

Garden set up, the red nut holder on the fence has to go and in the winter months the fence gets covered with a camo tarpaulin.

The pole has a nut holder out of sight and it's on a matal stake so the rat can't climb it.

The log on top of a log has a groove for Meal worms.

As the winter season progresses the number of feeders and posing sticks will increase, I also have feeders away from this hub for the shy birds who don't want to be film stars :)

Let there be light

2011-08-22T21:52:00.001+01:00

My alarm calls are getting later, 5 o'clock this morning almost a lie in for me.
I could see a big band along the horizon with clear sky above it , I felt like a walk, so off I went heading east along the Military Road, now my starts aren't as early there';s a lot more traffic on the roads.
Probably people off to prepare breakfasts at the hotels and B&B's.
That dark band I saw through my bathroom window was in fact fog and, the further east I got the thicker it became, so I turned around and headed to Birdoswald.
As I pulled into the car park there I could see the Wall clearly but by the time I got my camera and tripod out, the fog had closed in.
I wandered around the open area to the back of the Roman Fort, heavy dew on the grass had me wishing I'd put my wellington boots on, there's nothing comfotable about wet feet or water percolating up your trouser legs.
Some nice views to the west over Horseshoe View.

Horseshoe View.

With the sky colouring up I turned to see Michael's sheep on sentry duty, standing out well against the morning sky.

On Sentry Duty at Birdoswald Fort.

Sunrise is moving south for the Autumn so it's rising almost in line with the Wall and, because it had to get up above the fog layer, it was big and bright.

I liked to rays of light coming through the tree.

Let there be light

I headed back to the stretch of Wall, pausing at the old oak tree to take another photograph. A few years ago tree surgeons cut this tree right back and I was so upset but in fact it has recovered nicely and looks healthy.

Oak Tree at Birdoswald, just outside the walls of the Fort.

Hadrian's Wall disappearing into the mists

The fog diffusing the sunlight gives some amazing effects and colours, spreading the light around.

View North over Temple Mount

Eventually the Wall appears, it was alive with Pippits fluttering about like butterflies as the early light caught their wings, beautiful to see.

As I was standing there a flock of 30+ Fieldfares flew overhead, birds I usually associate with Autumn, hope that's not a sign that summer is over.

Took this last photograph then headed home for a toast and honey breakfast - and some dry socks.

Storm clouds gather

2011-08-16T19:45:00.002+01:00

Weather hasn't been as good as it should for August.
Torrential rain and really cold, even when it wasn't raining it was overcast, so I haven't been out for sunrise since the beginning of the month.
I've been wanting to get some stormy sky shots, hard as it maybe to believe it's difficult to get the right cloud in the right place, the geology of Hadrian's Wall Crags and the North Pennines seems to push cloud parallel to the Wall.
On Sunday there was enough cloud to go right round and I've just got some new waterproof boots that needed breaking in so I headed off to Cawfield Crags.
Through the day, and especially a Saturday or Sunday, it's hard to get photographs without people in them and you can guarantee that just as the light comes right someone will stand slap bang in front of the camera.
One young man came up to see what I was up to as he approached he said, 'Hello, nice day', we stood watching the way the light danced across the land and the changing clouds. I was in an expansive mode and was saying it was like a great orchestra with clouds the percussion section, waving grasses the violins and the dancing light, flutes and piccalo's.
I turned to see what he made of all this and with a big smile he said.... 'Hello, Nice Day' and I guess that was as much English as he knew :)
Never mind we enjoyed the moment.

On the way up Cawfield Crags

Looking west over Thorney Doors (the gap in the Wall)

Family out for a Sunday walk on Cawfield Crags

Cawfield Crags on the way to Caw Gap

This and the above shot were taken a few minutes apart, showing how quickly things change

As well as the dark clouds we got glimpses of blue sky as well.

And one photograph taken on Saturday evening, looking down onto Winshields Farm Campsite from Winshields Crag with the rising moon.

If only

2011-08-05T20:50:00.000+01:00

I was awake when TT got up for work and 4am so I decided I'd get up, drop him off at the farm, then go and takesome photographs.
It looked foggy but with a nice sky above the fog so I headed for the highest point on Hadrian's Wall, Winshields Crag.
Got to the top in plenty of time but nothing much was happening, some lovely colour in the top third of the sky but it was dull and grey in the bottom two thirds, not ideal.
Decided to give it up as a bad job but then I wondered if the Little Owls would be around at Cawfields and pulled into the quarry car park.
A Dabchick was diving up and down in the water and a Heron took off as I crossed the grass from the car.
Still lots of fog but some of the ducks took off and I grabbed a photograph.

Mallard through the mist

Then I spotted the sun coming up through the fog, amazing what a difference a bit of light makes to a photograph, and I took several shots before the sun was swallowed up by cloud and fog.

Let there be light

I headed up towards the Crags, figuring I was out anyway I might as well get a bit of exercise.

Took my camera and tripod but left my filters behind.

Cows were grazing right next to Hadrian's Wall, they huffed a bit as I approached, I don't think they like the fully extended tripod for some reason, but they moved off the path and I passed by.

One of the Buzzards I photographed last week took off and called above me, crows and swallows swooped and yet again the sound of the farmers quad bike as he checked his stock.

Hadrian's Wall on Cawfield Crags

Took a photograph of the Wall and then one of the brown cow before heading back to the car and home.

How now Brown Cow

Tree in the mist

The fog was still thick at Gilsland, I stopped to take a picture of trees in the fog.

Not one of those WOW mornings but then if they were all great there'd be no challenge to get up and go would there?

as always the photographs used on the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

Kielder Water

2011-08-03T20:46:00.000+01:00

Kielder Water is the largest artificial lake in the UK, opened by the Queen in 1982, surrounded by Kielder Forest and marketed as a holiday destination.

It is also the site of England's largest hydro electric plant.

It's some 16 years since I've been to Kielder Water, and it's another of those places that's just an hours drive from Gilsland, so when a friend suggested we meet up there it was a good opportunity to check it out.
It's heavily advertised with a super website and lots of sporty things to do, fishing, sailing, mountain biking even a Kielder Marathon.
Ospreys nest there along with other birds of prey like Goshawk, but it's a huge area and chances of seeing anything has to be quite slim.
There is a Bird of Prey centre at Leaplish.
It will be great for star watching and there is an observatory.
However, it's not a great place for photographs despite all the sales pitch and after all these years it looks just what it is, a reservoir in a commercial forest so I'd guess it will be a long time before I go back.
But if you're sporty it might suit you so please read the brochure.
It's a notorious place for midges but strangely on Monday there weren't any, lots of big black flies but nothing biting.

The Osprey Ferry waiting to take people on a tour of the lake

Lots of boats

Opportunities for fishing and sailing

Young Pied Wagtail at the waters edge

Lake District: Buttermere

2011-08-02T20:26:00.001+01:00

Another of the English Lake District lakes, Buttermere.
For a change these photographs were taken in the middle of the day when TT and I decided to have one of our 'away days'.
It's a flattish walk around the Lake and if you're energetic, with good knee joints there are lots of footpaths to take you up to the tops of the mountains surrounding the Lake.
The Buttermere Pines are oft photographed but, as I discovered, don't really stand out very well when the trees around them have leaves.
Never mind it's a nice run from Gilsland, with a variety of routes to chose, though the very narrow roads are perhaps best negotiated during the daylight hours.
After the walk we retired to the pub for a very welcome lunch in Buttermere - no shortage of places to eat there.
The photographs are all taken on the circular walk.

Looking back towards Buttermere Village

Looking towards Fleetwith Pike

Fleetwith Pike and the Buttemere Pines

A swimathon across the Lake, most of the swimmers were wearing wet suits, very sensible as the water in these deep lakes will be freezing cold. The canoes were shepherding the swimmers

The ridges on the west side of the Lake are High Style Ridge and Haystacks

Light on Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks

Fleetwith Pike, Haystacks and High Stile Ridge

The footpath around Buttermere.

as always the photographs used here are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission

Lake District

2011-07-31T20:13:00.001+01:00

From Gilsland, it's only an hours drive to Keswick and the north Lakes, so when the weather looked promising I set my alarm and headed off to Castlerigg Stone Circle.
I'd checked the solar calculator and knew where the sun would be rising and after an easy drive down the M6 I arrived at Castlerigg.

Castlerigg Stone Circle

Castlerigg Stone Circle panorama ( click to see it at full size)

From looking at the sun rise on the map I thought it would be rising in the perfect spot, but there were trees, still the sky coloured up and I was able to get some photographs before heading down to the Lake at Keswick.
Saw a couple photographing the boats with the light catching Catbells behind and not wanting to impose I went further along towards Friar's Crag.
It really is a beautiful lake and I pottered about for about an hour, here are some of the photographs I took.

Derwentwater

Derwentwater below Friar's Crag

Morning Mists on Derwentwater, looking towards Cat Bells

View down the Lake

Early morning light

Light on the bay

Friar's Crag pano ( click to see full size)

As you know I don't pretend to be a great photographer and I'm really no good with the Photoshopping stuff but I hope to show you that you can quite easily fill a weeks holiday based in Gilsland so come along and show me just how it should be done.

Hello Sunshine

2011-07-24T20:02:00.000+01:00

From my bathroom window at 4am this morning things looked promising towards Walltown.
Clear sky and a 4 degree temperature should have guaranteed mist, and there was mist at Longbyre as I drove through with yet another Little Owl flying across my bows through the mist.
Got up to the turn to Walltown and it had all disappeared.
I headed along to Housesteads Fort figuring that as long as I was up I might as well get some exercise.
The clamber up to the Fort was hard this morning, don't know why some mornings it takes more puff than others but this morning took a few more breath stops than usual.
Housesteads Fort had some tents up, guess there's a re-enactment group there this weekend, two people in brightly coloured flourescent jackets stood watching me come up the hill, I waved but they ignored me.
Finally I hit a flattish patch and headed along to Cuddys Crag, taking a small detour around the black Aberdeen Angus cow feeding a calf, she had that manic look in her eye so I thought it best to leave them to it.
No mist at all from Cuddys Crag, the sun came up and then it was too harsh and bright for photographs, end of July August is my least favourite sunrise time the early light has no softness to it.

Sunrise over Hadrian's Wall

I must have a dozen similar versions of this shot

One of the cattle tidies up the edges, a green strimmer

Looking west along the line of Hadrian's Wall. I'm standing on the only bit of Hadrian's Wall that is permissive footpath and that runs through the wood at Housesteads.

I thought this was interesting the way the light catches the many, as yet, unexcavated lumps and bumps outside the walls of the Fort.

When I got back to Housesteads Fort I was amused to see one of the 'flourescent jobsworths' had positioned himself to repel any attempt I might make to scale the Wall of the fort and wreck havoc amongst the tents.
Once I'd passed he returned to the shelter of his hut.
The fact that I'm a pensioner with a dodgy hip didn't seem to register, obviously in his mind anyone out at this unearthly hour must be up to no good.

Stopped in at Cawfields on the way home and the Little Owl adult was keeping watch from the telegraph pole, using the car as a mobile hide I got quite close but it's not the most picturesque of settings.

Where Buzzards dare

2011-07-23T22:10:00.000+01:00

I'd gone out to Cawfields Crag hoping to photograph some little birds like the Whinchats, but suprisingly few small birds around and those I could hear I couldn't see.
It doesn't help that my eyesight is so poor, hearing is good though so I can uaually pinpoint the general direction then wait for a movement.
I think most of the birds that were feeding young last week must have them up and away from the nest.
One Tree Pipit sat on the wall in front of me and was snapped for posterity.

I followed the river checking out the patches of Gorse, always a popular spot for small birds, although much of the Gorse seems dead, last winters -20 temperatures must have prooved too cold for it to survive.

I could hear some Buzzards calling a bit further along, helpfully electric wires were prventing me from getting a clear view so I had to move right up to the conifer plantation where the Buzzards 'live'.
What a show they put on for me, two adults and one juvenile, eat your heart out Red Arrows.

They didn't seem to be alarmed by my presence they just were displaying in the warm thermals, the youngster came and sat within camera range.
I was treated to a variety of poses, including the full on stare.

I have to use the big lens on a tripod, not ideal for birds in flight shots so they're not as sharp as they should be, but at least you can see the amazing pumage.
I think it's the sun shining that gives it that yellow colour, I haven't done anything to it in Photoshop, it's as it came out of the camera.

Eventually I left them to it and wandered across the field back to the car, the Little Owls took off as I approached but the juvenile landed in a nearby Ash Tree so I was able to get a photograph. If you stay at Burnhead B&B you can watch the Little Owls from the garden.

I had a lovely afternoon and thankyou for letting me share it with you.

Wheatears and Winshields

2011-07-22T21:39:00.000+01:00

I've had a horrible day for all sorts of reasons, things were going from bad to worse so I decided to get out and walk off my mood.
Off to Winshields with my new compact camera, it's one of those camera's described as a bridge camera with a lens that allegedly goes from 35mm to 850mm.
Because the weather has been poor I've not had a chance to try it out and while it was showery today it wasn't bad enough to put me off.
Climbed to the top of the hill, pressed some button that I shouldn't have and wiped out the battery - it's been one of those days.
Called in to Winshields Camp Site Tea Room for a coffee and got chatting to Billy about Wheatears.

Juvenile Wheatear

He gave me some tips on where to find them so tonight, after tea (TT has been engrossed in the Tour de France coverage) I headed off out again with my 200-400mm lens.
I was really too late for them, found one juvenile fluffed up on a rock but non of the nice males, though I suppose most adult birds will have lost their breeding plumage by now and are reverting back to 'little brown jobs'

I had the presence of mind to put my 18-200mm lens in my pocket and I was so glad I did.
Up at Winshields Trig Point I came upon a technicolour sky.
I have never seen anything quite like it.

You could see for miles tonight, Criffel, the Scottish mountain way beyond Dumfries looked as if it was just a mile away, amazing.

Not much light to the east, just a quick burst on the top bit of the Wall then it was gone.

When I got to the bottom of the hill I looked back and all the colour had gone to be replaced by big black clouds, nature putting on a show.
Now in Gilsland at 9.30pm there's not a cloud in the sky.

Hope you don't mind if I just share one of my garden bird pictures with you, a Nutchatch. We have two adults feeding young although they keep them well hidden in the thicket of the oak tree. I'm hoping they will bring the youngsters down within range of the hide if only to teach them about peanut feeders.

Early one morning

2011-07-13T21:38:00.000+01:00

TT is normally awake before the alarm goes off but he must have been extra tired yesterday so we were both awakened at just after 4am by the ringing of that bell.
As I was awake anyway, I decided I might as well go and take some photographs.
I dropped him off at the farm to start work and I headed towards Cawfields.
There's a spot I like that doesn't take any time to get to, so it's perfect for those days when I only have ten minutes or so to sunrise.
As I came up the crest of Glenwhelt Bank from Greenhead I slowed down to do a 'mist assessment', it was looking good, I took a photograph there on the corner because the sky was nicely coloured and I wasn't sure it would last until I was in position.

Looking across Blake Law to Cawfields and Winshields Crag

There was a fair lot of cloud about and it was quite low, I turned down the road to Great Chesters Farm, I had to watch that I didn't get too far into the valley, and enveloped in mist.

Took my photographs, unfortunately, because I'd come out in a rush I hadn't checked my camera settings and I was taking landscapes at ISO 500, instead of the usual ISO 125 so they're a bit grainy.

Colour in the sky over Cawfields Crag but lots of cloud as well

Sun rising through the morning mist at Cawfields

A field of buttercups catch the early light.

Sun starts to burn off the mist at Cawfields.

This was the last picture from this particular spot.

I headed down to Cawfields Quarry, hoping the see the Little Owl and there it was sitting on the fence, I managed to get out of the car with my camera but jst when I thought I'd get a picture it was off.

Just a few wisps of mist over the lake at Cawfields, yet again there was a camper van parked up for the night though to be honest the sign saying 'no overnight camping' isn't easy to spot, and I suppose foriegners are used to stopping in just this sort of area.

It is denying our local camp sites much needed revenue though.

I drove around past Caw Gap, saw some Roe Deer and Hares.

I really must try and get myself organised to photograph hares, one of my favourite animals.

Had a peek down towards Greenlee Lough, I've heard the Osprey has been seen fishing there this year, that's a sight I'd like to see again although it would probably be too far away to photograph.

Golden light over Greenlee Lough Nature Reserve

That's the morning pictures taken care of and now I have one photograph especially for Alison, one of the ladies who works in the Northumberland National Parks Authority Once Brewed Visitor Centre answering visitors many questions with patience and good humour, that's why it's an award winning Visitor Centre and a 'must visit' for anyone coming to this area.

Juvenile Little Owl at Cawfields

as always the photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission

Walltown wildlife

2011-07-06T15:40:00.001+01:00

I'm not a Naturalist, I have a great interest in natural history and I enjoy nature watching but I'm not privy to the finite differences between some of the species of plant or animal, and I'm getting worse at remembering the names.

So today I'm simply bringing you some pictures from a two hour ramble around Walltown Quarry.

(see bottom of the Blog for a link to a PDF of Walltown Quarry area)

As the name suggests this area was once quarried for stone but now it forms part of the Hadrian's Wall Trail, a pit stop for walkers or a picnic spot for day visitors and locals alike.

The Northumberland National Parks Authority look after it and great areas of wild flower meadow sway with grasses and wildflowers, buzzing with insects.

There are bog areas, dry areas, ponds, woodland areas and mown grass, ducks nest by the ponds and swallows swoop for insects, they're already onto their second brood of the season and can be seen swooping into their nests by the toilets. Plently of car parking space and even refreshments available.

My photographs show just some of the flowers and insects and my apologies for the names, it's not my strong point and I hope that it will whet the appetite of true naturalists to come and check the place out for yourselves.

Pictures today are smaller than usual because there are more of them.

One of the gems of Walltown, a Bee Orchid. This is the first year I have seen them there but I found at least 4 plants in different spots and it's awash with other orchids so maybe I've just not noticed them before.

Common Blue Butterfly a beautiful splash of colour amongst the grasses

Common Blue with wings open.

One of the smaller Darter's, they whirl around your head as you pass by, later the big Dragonfly's will emerge with a real clattering or wings when they fly.

Amazing insects to watch they change posistion in the blink of an eye.

Hawksbeard, insects seeme to be drawn to these open bright yellow flowers.

Common Centuary

Latticed Heath Moth, so striking you might mistake it for a butterfly

Prunella vulgaris

Ragged Robin

Ringlet Butterfly, I counted 75 of these on this ne visit to the site

Small Heath Butterfly

Small Skipper butterfly

Small Skipper butterfly, although they are as fast as all the other butterflies they don't seem to mind you getting quite close to them for photographs and generally chose a nice spot to pose.

Speedwell

St John's Wort

Flower of the Twayblade Orchid, something you could easily pass by and not notice, but they're worth a second look

Twayblade Orchid

Twayblade orchid blends so well with the surrounding grasses.

Birds Foot Trefoil, always humming with insects

Simple Buttercup, a full field of them look amazing

It's been a great year for Orchids at Walltown with the various types flowering from late May onwards

I imagine we have all of the Northern Orchids represented

Orchid, not only a variety of colours and form but sized from mere inches to 3ft tall

A white version of the Orchid

Deeper pink Orchid with distinctive markings on the lower lip

What meadow land would be complete without clover, and both pink and white can be found in the park.

Bees love the nectar rich flower.

So, I hope you managed to get this far, lots more things to see and record I've merely skimmed the surface to give you a little taster, please come and see for yourself, it's a wheelchair friendly area.

A leaflet, with map, from Northumberland National Parks Authority as a PDF for you to print off linked below here

All photographs used in this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

To the heights

2011-07-04T21:01:00.001+01:00

Well when the alarm went off at 3.25 and I looked out of the window I could see mists over Walltown Crags.
Today's destination was Winshields Crag, the highest point on the Hadrian's Wall Path at 1132 ft, strangely enough it's not a particularly strenuous climb and it has some magnificent views in all directions.
I always think it's a shame that so many people walking the Wall from East to West are so 'heads down let's get this over with' that they forget to turn around every now and again and enjoy the scenery.
Masses of mist at Cawfields yet when I got to Steel Rigg there was just a tiny wisp on Crag Lough.

Dawn at Steel Rigg

I headed up the footpath on Winshields Crag, it's been kept cropped by walkers and of course the ever present sheep so it's a nice surface to walk on. It's also dry, going through the longer hay fields, full of dew soaks the feet.

Heading up Winshields Crag

At the top there's a trig point, it's badly in need of a coat of paint but I suppose trig points are obsolete now with satellite mapping and GPS.

The mists over Sewingshields Crag were pretty impressive, the smaller hill on the right of the picture is Kings Hill where I blogged from last.

Morning mists over Sewingshields Crag

The sun started to come up way to the north of my position and with it came mists from Greenlee Lough, a nature reserve maintained by Northumberland National Parks Authority.

I've heard that on Sunday there was an Osprey fishing on the Lough, I don't know if it's a regular visitor or just passing through but I shall be going there hoping to see the bird in action.

Greenlee Lough hidden by mists

Another morning of bright light with next to no cloud to diffuse the sun, it seems I can't get enough of those rays though.

I'm using the new Nikon D7000 for these shots, it's a very suprising camera, the exposure is awesome and I'm finding that I don't need to use my ND Grad filters at all. I was waiting for the D300s upgrade but then of course the earthquake in Japan threw all plans out of the window and I decided to buy the D7000 in the interim.

If this is anything to go by the D300s replacement will be amazing.

View from the top of Winshields Crag to the east over Crag Lough

And another of those 'Golden Hour' shots to finish off with.

From Winshields Crag

On the wooden fence next to the trig point is a small brass plaque in memory of a young man called Darryl

(Daz to his friends) who died fighting in Afghanistan aged 26 so today's blog is dedicated to him.

as always the photo's here are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

The other Golden Hour

2011-07-02T14:03:00.000+01:00

As I said yesterday we get two bites at the 'golden hour' cherry.
Today's Blog has pictures taken up on Kings Hill at sunrise.
Kings Hill is between Housesteads Crag and Sewingshields Crag, kit's a fair old hike but, I hope, worthwhile.
When I set out there was no mist about, I thought conditions were right but when I arrived at Kings Hill there were just a few wisps rising from Broomlee Lough over the top of Sewingshields.

Mist starts to rise from Broomlee Lough and drift across the peak of Sewingshields Crag

I was suprised at the position of the rising sun, in my mind I see Hadrian's Wall running east to west in a straight line but, common sense tells me that's not the case.

I do have a great programme the Photographer's Ephemeris which will show you exactly where the sun, sunrise, sunset or moonrise is at any point of time. Very useful I find.

As the sun started to rise it get very cold, I could see the breath of the Aberdeen Angus cattle keeping me company with their version of the dawn chorus.

Mist increased and it was a constant battle to keep my ND grad filter clear, it's always the same you wait around for ages not doing much and then it's a mad rush to capture images before the moment passes.

My head swivels about checking to see what's happening around me.

Sewingshields Crag

Light changes quickly and I zoom in and out trying to find the best composition.

Leaning across a low point on Hadrian's Wall I catch the sun and the line of the Wall.

Please do not climb on or over Hadrian's Wall, I know it's tempting but it can loosen the stones damaging the Wall and you might fall, one visitor was killed when he stepped back on the Wall at Birdoswald, and fell hitting his head.
I rush back and forwards trying, not always successfully, to stay upright

The Hadrian's Wall Path isn't even and stray bits of rock peak through the grass catching the unwary toe now and again.

Like Excalibur the camera is held aloft while I take the bruises.

The view west along the line of Hadrian's Wall

Couple of years ago I was on Kings Hill at the same time of year. Then the mists were wreathed through the gaps in the crags all the way to Winshields Crag and with the rising early morning sun catching the mist it made a beautiful sight.

I've been hopoing to retake something like that shot but not on this occasion.

The Golden Hour, looking SE from Kings Hill

As I've said in the past I'm useless with Photoshop and try not to do anything other than levels, contrast and sharpening on my photographs (and sometimes I forget the sharpen bit of the process) So colours are as the camera recorded them. I thought this shot was a good example of why it was called The Golden Hour.

Hadrian's Wall as it heads down from Kings Hill and heads up to Sewingshields Crag

I came down to the Pennine Way stile that crosses the Haddrian's Wall Path at this point, making my way up onto the other side of the Wall just for a change of view.

It's a bit of a mad scramble but I hoped it would be worth it. Mother Nature had other plans and hid the sun behind a generous bank of cloud so my efforts came to nothing on this occasion.

Never mind there's always another day.

Thanks for getting this far

As always the pictures are copyright and cannot be used with my written permission.

Golden Hour

2011-07-01T22:30:00.000+01:00

Photographers talk about the golden hour, that hour before sunset and after sunrise, when the light is rich and often golden.
Last night looked promising so off I went.
Called into Cawfields Quarry, it's haymaking/silage making time and fields are being cut literally from dawn to dusk while the weather holds.
I love the patterns made by the cut grass, left in lines to dry.

Field that carries the Hadrian's Wall Path from Great Chesters Farm east to Cawfields

( well if you're walking w-e that is)

Light on the Cawfields Quarry face was lovely, we don't have many easily accessible bodies of water of the Hadrian's Wall Path but this is one. It was here I saw a Little Owl, managed a grabbed picture otherwise I would just have marked it down as a Tawny Owl. I'm hoping to get a better shot, using my 'big' lens, tried tonight but while the owl was in the same spot it was camera shy tonight. I was getting eaten alive by midges so I made a dignified retreat, Round 1 to the Little Owl.

Cawfields Quarry Lake

Some nice clouds in the sky so I went off to Sycamore Gap, while the sun doesn't actually set behind the tree I hoped the cloud to the east would colour up to make a nice background.

It takes 20 minutes from parking the car to the tree and by the time I got there all the cloud had gone from the bit of sky I needed it in.

Took a photograph looking towards Winshields Crag from Highshields Crag, than another looking towards the east and Hotbank Crag, strange how often the sunset colour is better in the east than in the west.

View west to Winshields Crag from Highshields Crag with the Hadrian's Wall Path snaking through the view.

Looking east over Hotbank Crag and Crag Lough, from Highshields Crag

Then the sun went down and it was nearly all over for another night, on the way back to the car I stopped at one of the other areas of water on this bit of Hadrian's Wall, Crag Lough.

You've probaby seen this view many times but it makes a nice full stop to my outing.

I had a few hours sleep then I was out again for sunrise but I'll save those pictures for another time.

Oh and here's the grab shot of the Little Owl, massively cropped as it was taken with my 18-200mm lens a fair distance away. Challenge is now to get a 'proper' shot of it.

as always the photo's used in the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

Birds on the Farne Islands

2011-06-29T21:48:00.003+01:00

As promised some of the bird photographs I took on Inner Farne and on the Serenity II boat trip.
It's an amazing priviledge to be able to get so close to these wild birds and my only regret was that I didn't go earlier in the season then I could have made a few more visits.
The boat trip cost £13 and it's £6.20 to get onto the Island, free if you're a National Trust member so it's not an expensive day out.
I ended up with a short list of 49 photographs and I've selected a few for you here, the rest I'll be loading onto my Flickr page if you'd like to see more Puffins.

Puffin, the Puffins breed in burrows and seem to stand 'on guard' at the entrance.

Puffin in a mass of white Campion flower

Puffin portrait

Classic fish shot of a Puffin

Another Puffin with fish shot, they seem to land with their catch then watch a while to make sure it's safe to go down into their burrow to feed the chick.

Puffin with fish

Shag grooming on of the fluffy chicks

Razorbill

Tern

Bobbing around on a boat

2011-06-28T22:30:00.000+01:00

I've been waiting ages for a spell of good weather so I could head off to the Farne Islands and try my hand at photographing the Puffins and other sea birds.
It's an hour and a half from Gilsland to Seahouses on the Northumberland coast, travelling along the A69 and then up the A, not a bad run.
It was perfect weather and I'd arranged to go with Serenity, the skipper Andrew is @thefarnes on twitter and he kept me updated with all the information I needed for the day.
Got there early and explored the coast, saw some Eider Ducklings with female Eiders.
I love these Cuddy Ducks and had hoped to photograph some males who look very splendid in their mating plumage but alas, most of the drakes I saw were moulting and looked very bedraggled.

Eider Duckling stepping out.

The boat Serenity II, a catamaran, was leaving at 12.15 and I was on board and eager to get underway, I'd taken some pills to avoid sea sickness and it wasn't particularly rough.

View to Bamburgh Castle from Seahouse Harbour

There's a tour around before you land on Inner Farne and to be honest I got on the boat thinking that was going to be a waste of time, but it was brilliant.
We sailed around the Pinnacles, great towers of rock, absolutely covered in nesting sea birds.

The Pinnacles

The smell on a hot day was eye watering, lots of guano giving the rocks a white hue and encouraging lots of flies too, but the birds don't seem to mind it, building nests in tiny cracks or shelves in the rock.

Nesting birds fill every ledge

Andrew and his first mate Keith took us in really close and pointed out the various nesting birds.
Then off past Staple Island and the Longstone Lighthouse with a bit about local heroine Grace Darling.

Longstone Lighthouse with a Grey Seal or two watching the boat.

Northumberland has a population of Grey seals on these islands and as we approached the Island they popped their heads up and posed for photographs.

Grey Seal

Inner Farne

Then it was on to Inner Farne and time for my big lens, but more from that tomorrow, but for now here's a Puffin shot hopefully to whet your appetite.

Hotbank

2011-06-24T22:56:00.001+01:00

At last, a morning worth setting the alarm for.
Out of practice as I am, it was a struggle to get up when the alarm went, but it was a lovely clear morning so I was up and off to Hadrian's Wall.
I was initially planning to go to Sewingshields Crag but I wanted a misty morning for the photographs I have in mind, and, while it seemed conditions were right for mist, there was non about.
A change of plan then and I headed for Hotbank Crag with the idea that when the sun got to bright for east facing photographs, I might be able to move west a bit and take some shots over Crag Lough.
It takes me 20 minutes to get from the car park space up to the Wall, every step of the way I was serenaded by Sky Larks, what a grand way to welcome the day.
Sky was clear with just a wee bit of colour, as the sun came up clouds started to form, catching the light and helping to fill those blank bits of sky.
I pottered around and then started to head west just as a bank of fog descended, thinking that was it for the morning I turned around and saw the sun light coming underneath the fog bank and some lovely light on the land.
Eventually I realised that it wasn't my filter misting up (wish someone would invent some non misting filters), I was becoming enveloped in fog, so I headed back to the car, stopping once to take a photograph towards Housesteads.
Home by 6am to a welcome cup of tea.

Sunrise from Hotbank Crag on the Hadrian's Wall Path

Light on the turf of Hadrian's Wall

The fog bank closes in

Power of light as it reflects in Broomlee Lough

Light over Housesteads Fort.

as always the photographs in this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

Poppies

2011-06-16T21:33:00.000+01:00

Not many landscape photographs of late, weather hasn't been playing ball.
I've been sitting in my hide, in the rain, taking photographs of the birds that come into my garden but you, my fine followers, don't seem to be all that keen on bird shots.
However, yesterday I was meeting people for lunch at the Lion and Lamb in Horsley and, thanks to Twitter I knew I'd be passing some of the Hexhamshire Poppy Fields.
Twitter is a great place for gathering information and two fellow twits kindly sent me maps with "x marks the spot" for the best displays.
TT was driving and we meandered around Hexhamshire, the ones near the Brockbushes roundabout, (take the B6530 towards Bywell) are the easiest to access but we stopped at Chollerford and on the A68 north of Broomhaugh where the yellow Rape flowers are still out.
It looked like jelly and custard with the red and yellow stripes.
As you drive along the A69 you keep seeing great swathes of red and what a magnificent sight they are.
Here are some of the shots I took, including one that was shown on Look North Weather last night.
Oh! by the way the food at the Lion and Lamb at Horsley was excellent, we shall return.

Poppies on the road towards Bywell and Corbridge.

A sea of red

View across the Tyne Valley from the A68 north of Broomhaugh

Poppies and Oilseed Rape near Chesters Fort at Chollerford

Near Chollerford.

While I'm featuring flowers I'll include one I took today at Washington WWT of the Bee Orchid -thank goodness for these flowers, I got nothing worth having from my bird photographs so the Orchid at least saved the day being a total disaster.

Bee Orchid at Washington WWT.

As usual all photo's are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

Someone's out there

2011-06-10T21:58:00.000+01:00

Wednesday morning, the alarm went off and, for a change, there was a clear sky with a bit of colour.
Twenty to four and I'm heading out to Caw Gap, one of my favourite spots for sunrise (okay I know, they're all my favourites - it just depends where I am when you ask).
On the way there I saw a Barn Owl flying over, that made getting up early worthwhile before I'd even taken a photo - big smile on my face at that sighting.
Caw Gap is one of the nice and easy to get to spots, still a bit of up and down but not one of those steam out of the ears clambers and soon I was set up and ready for action.
The sun is way over to the north of Hadrian's Wall at the moment and I just have to hope the sky has enough of a colour spread to make the bit I'm pointing at worthwhile.
I'd been there about ten minutes when over the crest of the hill came a walker, now that's something I don't often see at 4 oclock in the morning.
He told me he'd been wild camping (I'm sure that must be frowned upon by the Hadrian's Wall Heritage people) and couldnt sleep so, he was getting an early start to the day, as rain was forecast for later he probably made the right decision.

Clouds were coming and going at great speed so the view was constantly changing, I'll upload shots in the order they were taken so you can see how much things change in a short space of time.
Once sunrise happens the camera is shooting away twenty to the dozen then it all stops so I'm normally out of the house for less than two hours.
Occasionally I'll visit more than one site but the conditions have to be exceptional after all I'm lucky enough to be able to go he next time it's promising light.
Before you ask, I do have a few hours sleep when I get back, at my age I need the rest :)

An almost clear sky as I set up to wait for sunrise at Caw Gap (4.06am)

A much better sky with clouds to catch the colour of the rising sun (04.40am)

The 'golden hour' light as the rising sun catches the peaks at Caw Gap. (04.54am)

View across to the North Pennines from Cawfield Crags, gives you an idea of

what a great defencive position this was for Hadrian's Wall

The view west towards the Thirlwall Nicks and Walltown beyond.(04.55am)

Hoping to get out one morning this weekend, the weather forecast mentioned mist and my ears pricked up, while since I've been to Sewingshields so that's next on my list, watch this space.

As always the photographs in the blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

Sunsets

2011-06-08T22:12:00.000+01:00

Last night's sky looked promising.
I needed to find a branch of wood to use as a perch for the woodpeckers I'm hoping to photograph and the obvious place to combine a search for a branch and some photography was Walltown.
It was a beautiful night to be out, cold but bright.
I was trying to get a photograph of the quarry workings the had both ends of Hadrian's Wall on so you could see how the quarrymen had simply blasted through this ancient monument.
I didn't get it quite right, needed to be lower which would have had the Wall cresting the horizon.
One for another outing perhaps.
The sun is setting parallel to the Crags and Hadrian's Wall at the moment, perfect for simply standing and watching the spectacle, not so good for photograhic composition perhaps.
I took some photographs, found a nice bit of branch and got some fresh air and exercise, what more could you ask from an outing ?

The Quarry Face at Walltown the first tiny crest to the left of the quarried face has the remains of Hadrian's Wall, so a vast chunk of stone has been removed.

In the background you can see Mucklebank Crag and to the right Winshields Crag. William's barn still hasn't weathered.

The view west following the line of Hadrian's Wall.

Sunset over Hadrian's Wall

Still trying to work out the kinks in the Nikon D7000, it's quite different to my D300 but I shall persevere.

As always all photographs in the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

Misty morning

2011-06-04T22:08:00.000+01:00

June is here and that brings those misty mornings I love.
It's unpredictable, some places it's impenetrable and everything can change in seconds.
I started out at Steel Rigg, I had some friends coming to spend the day with us so I couldn't go too far, I'm lucky that I can get up at 3.30am and be home again by 6am.
I was helped by the fact that there was no cloud so I knew it would quickly become too bright for my lens.
I was using the Nikon D7000 and I'm starting to really like this camera, it has it's quirks but it also has some really useful features.
Not much blurb just a set of photographs, in the order they were taken, starting at Steel Rigg with a quick stop at Cawfields Quarry on my way home.

Three lambs and the view south over Bardon Mill

For a change the sheep stayed within camera range. Some dawn colour in the sky.

Mists rising from Crag Lough and the marshy land below the crags

Sun rising over Hound Hill to the north of Hadrian's Wall, the cows started bellowing to great the day.

You can see how far over the sun rises at this time of the year

Sun's up and it's time for breakfast

Let there be light

This is what they mean when they talk about 'The Golden Hour' that lovely warm light you get within an hour of sunrise. Light catching the Hadrian's Wall Path as it crosses Steel Rigg.

Cawfields Quarry, taken as I headed home.

As always the photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

May

2011-05-30T22:33:00.001+01:00

May has been a really awful month for photography, wet, windy and grey.
Much as I love this corner of Northumberland I would have gladly moved south just to see a bit of daylight.
Yesterday we did get some sunshine but it came with gale force winds that made just standing upright, on the Hadrian's Wall Path, difficult.
Evening saw a slight calming and some nice clouds so I went out to Crag Lough, where the wind was moving the clouds and stirring up the water.
I took a number of photo's and tried one with filters to give a really long exposure try ing to give a sense of movement.

A windy evening at Crag Lough

Light on Winshields Crag

Took loads more shots with the boats in the foreground, but they have blue covers that weren't on properly and the arrangement of the boats was messy, I do miss those lovely old mahogany boats that were tethered in a V formation.

Sun setting behind the barn on Hound Hill

As the light becan to go I moved along towards Sycamore Gap, the sun never sets directly behind the tree but I thought the clouds to the right of the sunset were worth the dash along, and the exercise would bburn off that cheese scone I had after tea.

The sunset sky behind the tree at Sycamore Gap

I was using the D7000 for these and shooting in Raw. I just cannot get away with raw, the colours never turn out the way they should and no amount of fiddling on gets the result I want. I like photographs to be the way I saw them, not tweaked to death, so I shall go bck to my jpegs.

As always the pictures are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without my written permission.

Rain

2011-05-20T21:48:00.002+01:00

A day out, some early dithering about where to go but the thought of driving through the traffic in Newcastle to reach the North East Coast was off putting enough for us to decided to head west, to Ullswater just 40 miles from Gilsland.
The forecast was for rain, TT was optomistically predicting that the rain clouds would clear as soon as we reached Ullswater.
It's not one of the Lake District Lakes that we visit very often, in fact I can't remember the last time we were there.
I did go to Aira Force as a child and I went to one of the excellent plant fairs at Dalamain a couple of years ago but I don't think I went down as far as the lake.
So we ended up in a very wet Pooley Bridge this morning, first stop was for a scone and coffee,in a tea room across from the car park.
The food was nice but the seats of the chairs were horribly stained and, silly though it may be, that really put me off the place.
Eventually it came to the point where we could delay no longer, and headed off down the footpath that takes you to the east side of the lake and didn't the rain come down in torrents.
TT being chirpy reminded me once or twice that it just wouldn't be the Lakes without the rain as I trudged along, specs covered in rain and the new camera in a tesco plastic bag to keep it dry.
On a cold, wet day I can manage quite well without chirpy, thankyou very much.
I did take a couple of photographs, there's even a bit of light in one of them, but Ullswater isn't a particularly pretty Lake, not the way Derwentwater is so maybe I haven't missed much.

A grey day on Ullswater

The steamer that travels down the Lake to Glenridding stopping at various points on the Lake.

The Ullswater Boat House

I walked around to the oft photographed Ullswater Boat House trying to find the spot where most photographs are taken from. I half expected to find a spot with tripod holes or x marks the spot but I couldn't figure it out. I think people must climb over the wall onto the private land to get the right angle for these shots. Here's mine from the road where there's a gap in the shrubbery.

We had a very nice lunch in the big hotel in Pooley Bridge and then went a bit further down the Lake, the sun came out briefly and I caught a bit of light on the easy shore.

I took a grand total of 17 photographs today.

Let there be light.

All photographs used in this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

Trying out

2011-05-19T21:30:00.000+01:00

I got a new camera yesterday and thought I'd go to Washington Wildfowl to try it out.
Then last night I decided that a new camera, with controls in different plac, it might not be a good idea to risk missing the shot of a lifetime because I don't know which buttons to press.
So this morning after a quick visit to Herding Hill Tea room (great cakes!) I went up onto Walltown Crags.
So many people walking the Hadrian's Wall Path, it's great to see and I hope it translates into a good year for our local businesses. (I do wish people wouldn't climb on the Wall though, it is an ancient monument)
I'd taken the instruction book for the camera (a Nikon D7000 by the way) but it was so blowy up there that it was in danger of being ripped to bits, so I forgot about accessing the built in Spirit Level and just used the settings I know and love.
When I got home I had to ferret about in Google to find the plug-in's that allow me to open the pictures in Photoshop Elements, then I discovered it only works in Elements 9 so by the time I'd downloaded, uploaded and generally twiddled about half the night had gone by.
Never mind I think the D7000 and I are going to get along just fine, it's so much lighter in weight than the D300 which was the deciding factor for me.

So here's a shot of Hadrian's Wall at Walltown this afternoon.

Hadrian's Wall as it snakes it way over Walltown Crags, an impressive bit of masonary

One of the undulations of Walltown Crags, with views west over Gilsland and the Solway coast beyond

From the top of Walltown Crags you get a view of the lake, picnic area and to the north the marshland. There's also a strange arrangement of tree guards, this is the Willow maze.

A piece of living artwork in its infancy.

Michael the Ranger, tells me that there are various species of Willow planted so there'll be a variety of textures and colours once they grow.

Fortunately, Willow is very fast growing so we shouldn't have to wait long to see the results.

The Willow Maze

If you have time it's well worth a wander into this bit of Walltown, masses of orchids grow here and they're just starting to bud up now, the wildflowers areas attract many different butterflies and during a quick visit this afternoon I watched Martins, Reed Bunting and Spotted Flycatcher over the lake.

Day out tomorrow, was hoping to go to Ullswater but the forecast wasn't good so it might be the NE coast instead, must remember the instruction book.

If you go down to the woods today

2011-05-10T22:21:00.000+01:00

Here in Gilsland we are blessed with an abundance of Bluebell woods and I've been to three of the nearest ones.
The perfume when you visit these woods, with the bluebells in full bloom, is amazing and it's an experience I'd recommend especially if your feeling at all stressed, imagine sitting in a patch of bluebells with sun dappling through the trees and butterflies dancing amongst the flowers, pure magic.
The first wood I went to was Coomb Crags Wood, one of the places where the Roman's quarried stone for Hadrian's Wall at Birdoswald, it's a very pretty wood with several waterfalls along the way.
It is quite a strenuous walk with a couple of steep bits but I think it's worthwhile, lots of tree types so you get different plants in the understory.
I listed 30 different wildflowers in a one hour walk.
For the circular walk you can get details here

Bluebells in Coomb Crag Wood

My next visit was to Bellister Wood, this is owned by the National Trust and is near Fetherston Castle. This is one of the better known Bluebell woods and when I got to the best patch of flowers I discovered many of them had been flattened by photographers who had been lying down to get their shot. 'Early bird' and all that.

The Bluebells in Bellister Wood

Then I headed off to the Irthing Gorge Woodland often referred to as Spa Wood because it's behing the Gilsland Spa Hotel. This is probably one of the easiest woods to visit, park in the hotel car park, walk down into the woods, cross the Spa Bridge and turn left into the birch wood.

The hotel has a coffee shop and does lunches, so you can make an outing of it.

Irthing Gorge Bluebells, this woodland is managed by the Woodland Trust so it's very natural

Spiders (a second spider is just behind the flower, you can see it's leg) and web surround the flower

I was on my way back to the car when it started to rain and it poured, for once I got back just in time to avoid a soaking.

Something I've been wanting to try, camera was on the tripod and I used a filter to slow the shutter speed right down to give a longish exposure. Press the shutter and move the camera vertically to blur the shot while retaining some definition.

It's probably easier to get this effect using photoshopping but as I've said before I'm a photoshop klutz.

Thankyou for viewing.

Slipping and sliding

2011-05-04T22:04:00.000+01:00

Quarter past four when the alarm went off this morning, it was unbelievably hard to persuade myself that I wanted to get out of a warm bed and head out into a frost covered morning.
I'd looked at Metcheck last night and I knew the weather was about to change so if I didn't go out this morning then it might be a long wait for my next opportunity.
So off I went to Cuddys Crag, I was tempted to stop at Cawfields, some nice mist gathering there but I pressed on to the Cuddys Crag layby.
The climb up was hard this morning, I was puffing and panting fit to bust, I don't know why some mornings I find it more difficult than others, but I do.
Not so much mist about here but it was looking nice with a covering of frost, so I set my tripod into the regulation grooves ( just kidding, but so many pictures are taken from this exact spot that there should be an 'X' marks the spot)

The classic viewpoint for Cuddys Crag with Hadrian's Wall running through the frame.

Once again a lack of cloud meant my opportunity for photographs would be short, the sun is coming up straight into the camera and very quickly becomes too bright.
Twenty past five and the sun was appearing I dashed up and down getting as many variations as I could.

The sun rises over Hadrian's Wall, in the foreground is Housesteads Crag

I read in one of my camera magazines last month that flare in a shot is the new vogue, so I have left some in todays picture, I'm not a fan of flare but sometimes it's unavoidable and it's the very beggar to get rid of in Phoroshop, well for a photoshop-phobe like me it's all but impossible.

Light filters through the gap between Cuddys Crag and Housesteads Crag

By ten to six I was heading over to Housesteads Fort for a quick check, sheep and lambs were just starting the day and I quite liked the long shadows they cast so I'm including that picture as well.

The Bradley Farm sheep grazing around Housesteads

As I was making my way down the grassy slope at Housesteads I slipped and I was carrying my camera on my tripod with ND grad in the holder, the filter broke into several bits and at £50 to replace them it made it an expensive trip. Fortunately it was probably coming up to time to renew it anyway I would have cried had it been a new one!
BTW I love Lee filters but they are almost impossible to get, everywhere is waiting for stock, so I buy HiTech Filters and they work just as well and they're cheaper.

As always photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Great Balls of fire

2011-05-01T11:22:00.002+01:00

Up early and out for a sunrise.
No cloud to speak of so I knew it wasn't going to be a long outing, once the sun clears the haze of the horizon it gets too bright for the camera.
Although it was cold there was no mist, other than a tiny bit in the Tyne Valley so I thought I'd go up onto Winshields Crag, this is the highest point on Hadrian's Wall so the views in all directions are great.
Sheep and lambs were still sleeping as I started my climb, one of the gentler slopes to my mind.
The sky was beautiful, lots of colours as often happens pre-dawn.

On the way up Winshields, 5.15am on the last day of April

Looking over Steel Rigg and Crag Lough to Hotbank Farm

Looking over Hadrian's Wall to the east, the golden glow appears as the sun prepares to break the horizon

Sun is just peaking through to the left of Sewingshields Crag

Natures Golden Globe, with the Greenlee Lough and Broomlee Lough showing in the early morning light.

On the way back down as the sun becomes too bright for my camera, I love seeing the way it lights up the land and the colours it brings to the sky. If this was a painting it would seem too gaudy.

Bradley Farm tups enjoying the rest. These are the rams of the flock taking a well earned rest after fathering the lambs. They are only used for two years on any one flock as once their 'daughters' become stock ewe's they're sold on.

Back to Steel Rigg and the Blackfaced sheep of Hotbank Farm, these sheep jump over the dry stone walls, obviously thinking the grass is greener on the other side and, their tiny lambs soon learn to jump with them. The way the dry stone walls are constructed means there are hoof holds although their antics do help to keep our teams of local dry stone wallers busy.

I have to apologise for my lack of skills with Photoshop (I use Elements 9), no matter how hard I try I just can't do more than the very basic adjustments. My images would, no doubt, benefit from some gentle (and I stress gentle) HDR work but I'm just not able to do that.

I try to get the images right in camera, using ND grad filters but sometimes the extremes of contrast are just too much for the camera to cope with.

I hope by showing these images I can inspire a talented photographer to get out onto our beautiful crags and do them justice in the way they deserve.

As always the images used on the blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

If you are planning a trip to Northumberland I urge you to get hold of the superb publication by Northumberland National Parks available as a download

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Sunshine and sycamore trees

2011-04-28T20:26:00.001+01:00

I noticed the sycamore tree in our garden was looking very fresh and spring like with the new green leaves.
I was asked some time ago if I could provide four images of Sycamore Gap, one for each season and I had one for two for each month let alone each season.
I have probably more than enough photographs of the iconic tree but it never harms to update and anyway I wanted to see if I could pin point a spot to take photographs of the Wheatear that are nesting somewhere around Sycamore Gap.
When I arrived the sky was clear and blue, not always a boon for photographs then clouds started to cross the sky behind the tree making things a lot more interesting.

Sycamore Gap with a fresh green spring foliage

There were masses of visitors and with each wave that arrived at Sycamore Gap there'd be a corresponding wave of Wheatears but my eyes aren't that good and while I could see them sitting on rocks I couldn't pinpoint any one favourite perch.

Castle Gap busy with visitors

Eventually I gave up for today and wandered back, I did see the Wheatears, Jackdaws, Rooks, Skylarks, Curlew, Rock Pippets and Jack Snipe so the area is great for spotting birds.

Busy day on Peel Crags, some visitors were ill equiped for the rugged terrain, it's really not the place to be walking in mules.

Hadrian's Wall at Steel Rigg

This is one of the sections of Turved Wall, rebuilt by workers under the direction of John Clayton, the man who bought up great stretches of Hadrian's Wall to preserve it and it's thanks to him that there's so much left for us to enjoy today. Becasue the Wall was rebuilyt it's not terribly stable, Walking on it is not only disrespectful of an ancient monument it can also be dangerous.
No doubt this coming weekend will be busy on the Hadrian's Wall Path and if you are one of those visitors I urge you to go to the Northumberland National Parks, award winning Visitor centre at Once Brewed and pick up a copy of the 2011 Visitor Guide it's excellent with all sorts of information and walks, like the new Tipault Burn Walk to enjoy.

Lastly, one shot of the Bluebells in the Poltross Wood in Gilsland, my yearly records for the past 8 years we've lived here show the Gilsland Bluebells peaking on the 12th of May, as you can see this year they're early.

As always the photographs used in this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and may not be used without written permission.

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Over the valley

2011-04-27T22:03:00.001+01:00

Worked in the garden today then after tea we went to check the bluebells at Poltross Wood in Gilsland.
As I had suspected they're out already this year, not quit at their peak but out enough to perfume the wood.
I shall have to go back on a less bright day to get some photographs to share, I've found the blues don't take kindly to harsh light.
So as the night wore on and it looked like TT was going to be engrossed in a football match on TV I headed off with my camera and tripod to Walltown.
Behind the Roman Army Museum is a public footpath that passes an interesting tree and I was hoping it would be in the right spot for a picture with the sun going down.

Some nice light across the valley I thought so as well as the tree I took a photograph to show the valley with Longbyre.
The Hadrian's Wall Path goes down to Thirlwall Castle and then crosses the valley to Gilsland a much gentler path for tired legs.

I shall be up for a sunrise tomorrow morning, I'm hoping for a misty or frosty start, keep your fingers crossed for me :)

Kings Hill on Hadrian's Wall

2011-04-24T21:39:00.000+01:00

This Easter holiday has been lovely, perfect weather and I've spent much of it gardening.
I try to get a walk in before the sun sets and, accompanied by TT , I went off to climb up to King's Hill.
It's a fair old hike up a steep hill from Moss Kennels and then another climb if you want to continue up to Sewingshields Crag but I like the views there.

From King's Hill it's another climb up to Sewingshields Crag, the stile takes you onto the Pennine Way

Kings Hill is named for King Arthur, (yes of course he was a Northumbrian :) and to the left of Sewingshields Crag in the picture you have Kings Crag and Queens Crag, it's an area steeped in history and there are all sorts of interesting things listed on this site Keys to the Past most historical remains are marked on the OS maps.

As the sun was setting it became hazy but you can follow the line of Hadrian's Wall as it winds its way along the edge of the various Crags

TT not only carries the tripod when he comes out with me, he sometimes agrees to pose, adding scale to the picture, here he's standing on the lower slopes of King's Hill with Clew Hill and Kennel Crags to the west.

Sun is setting over Broomlee Lough and dusk falls over Hadrian's Wall, the sheep and lambs just wouldn't move into my picture no matter how much I tried to cajole them.

N.B. Tonight we walked through the Irthing Gorge and I was suprised to see that bluebells are starting to bloom already, that's 3 weeks earlier than normal so I'll be checking our other local woods and should have some pictures of Britain's favourite flower to share with you in the next few days hopefully.

As always, the photographs used in this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Birdoswald

2011-04-21T22:07:00.000+01:00

I'd checked the position of the sunsetting at Birdoswald and I thought it would come down behind the fort.
It was just a bit further over than I had anticipated but I had a nice walk out and enjoyed watching Micheal and Sally's lambs .

Sheep and lambs feeding, Sally had just been up on the quad bike with the extra food they get at this time of the year so they're all gathered together.

I'd expected the sun to be nearer the trees surrounding Fort at Birdoswald, have to wait until September now, for that shot.

Sheep and lambs at Birdoswald, even though it was sunset there were still visitors wandering around, enjoying a fine evening. One of the lambs still has it's plastic mac on, this keeps them warm as well as dry.

Hoping to be up for sunrise tomorrow, it's been very foggy the last two morning so I'm hoping for better things tomorrow.

Early to rise

2011-04-17T21:56:00.000+01:00

Alarm was set for 5am and it seemed I'd only just got to sleep when it was waking me up again.
Not much cloud in the sky and frost on the ground, thinking it was about time I got back into the swing of early mornings, I got up and off I went. The thermometer in the car was reading 0 degrees and it was a bit nippy on the ears and fingers, fortunately I had hat and gloves in the carand I was glad of them.
I was suprised there was no mist, I thought conditions would have been ideal, but then what do I know?
Working on the premise that it was the weekend and, after all the people who were out on the Hadrian's Wall Path yesterday, some of the more popular spots might have other photographers, I went to Caw Gap.
I have absolutely no objection to other photographers out in the morning it's just I always seem to need to stand in front of them or at least within their picture frame.
Caw Gap was empty, just me and the birds, there is something so evocative about the call of the Curlew.

Hadrian's Wall at Caw Gap, it might look as if I'm standing on the Wall but I'm in a gap.

Hadrian's Wall is an ancient monument and I try to treat it with respect climbing on it is frowned on and knowing my luck I slip and break something.

My favourite viewpoint is just a bit further west of this spot so off I went, I like good value for my outings and high up on this point of Cawfield Crags you get views in all directions, so if something interesting is happening away from the sunrise you're well placed to capture it.

View towards Winshields Crag, the highest point on Hadrian's Wall.

The sun appears along with some contrails to add interest to the sky.

There was a 10 mile hike over these Crags today for the British Heart Foundation, apparently they filled all the available places in double quick time, I hope people were well prepared for the tricky bits. At least the frost should have gone before they started.

As is my habit I called into Cawfields Quarry, I wanted to see where the sun was in relation to the peak there, and to see if any birds were on the lake. The contrail sky make a nice reflection in the water and then it was back home for a warming bowl of porridge.

Cawfields Quarry Lake

as usual all photographs are the copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

No Contest

2011-04-16T22:26:00.003+01:00

It's been a strange day, weatherwise.
I was out this morning but any light quickly disappeared and even the grey clouds weren't very interesting so when the light began to improve as it got nearer to sundown I thought maybe a trip out would be an idea.
Of course it would mean me missing 'Britain's got Talent' and 'So you think you can dance' but really it was no contest, I went off to Crag Lough.
The clouds were amazing, bold and beautiful and I was hoping the wind would drop enough so the sky would be reflected in the Lough.It's a rare day when there isn't wind on this part of Hadrian's Wall and this wasn't a rare day so I took a couple of photo's and then headed up onto Highshields Crag.

Crag Lough

You climb up to the top of Highshields Crag through woods and as I went through the sun was dappling through the trees and a wren was singing it's heart out, magical.

At the top were some of the Hotbank Black faced ewe's with their lambs, I had intended to go along as far as Sycamore Gap but there was nowhere for the animals to go but ahead of me and I didn't want the lambs going over the edge of the crag. They were quite small and very bouncy.
I took a few photographs of the sheep and as the sun was setting headed back down to the water side.

Blackfaced Ewe's and their lambs on Highshields Crag.

The big red sky I didn't happen tonight but here's a shot of the sun just before it sets over the Hadrian's Wall Path

Hadrian's Wall Path on Highshields Crag

Clear skies tonight so tomorrow might be a good morning to be out and about early, off to set my alarm for a 5am start.

All photographs used on this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Waiting for the misty mornings

2011-04-14T20:32:00.000+01:00

Kicking off today's blog by going straight to a picture taken at Steel Rigg. I long for a good misty morning sunrise just like this one which was taken last September. I chose this because the sun should be rising in about the same place now as it heads towards the summer positions.

This photograph was taken about 5 minutes from the car park at Steel Rigg, as this season starts I'm hoping to get some photographs, with just this type of conditions, from Castle Gap up on the Hadrian's Wall Path with views over Hotbank Farm.
It's amazing how the mist rises as the sun comes up, you can see the difference between the first shot and this one, the next photograph has even more mist, then as suddenly as it arrives it goes.
I've seen it looking just like waves crashing over the Crags, so dramatic, sometimes you just stand and watch in awe, forgetting to press the shutter.

A moment frozen in time by the camera.
I'm hoping Sunday morning will be worth getting up for, I need an early morning fix, I'm fed up with this cough.

I was lucky enough to win a Wacom Intuos4 tablet in the large (A4 size) and airbrush pen to go with it.
Unfortunately my computer skills means it's completely wasted on me. It in an unopened box if anyone is interested in it can you get in touch please?

On the water

2011-04-11T20:45:00.002+01:00

I know my wildlife shots aren't as popular with you as the Hadrian's Wall shots but
life got in the way of photography today so I'm indulging myself with a couple of shots taken recently at Walltown Quarry Lake.

I thought the Dabchicks had flown off but when I checked on Sunday there were at least two of them back on the lake.

They're like tiny little powderpuffs, dwarfed by the Mallards.

I haven't seen a female yet but maybe they are there and there'll be chicks to watch.

The frogs and toads seem to have left the pond and although I haven't seen much toad spawn there's masses of frog spawn.

Weather forecast isn't that grand, hopefully we'll see some brightness over the coming week.

Male Dabchick ( Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis) just 25cm from tip to tail.

Frog doing what frogs do best - just chillin'

All photographs used in this Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without my written permission

www.joanthirlaway.co.uk

Early morning haze

2011-04-10T18:04:00.000+01:00

The alarm rang at 5.20am and I rose to find a clear sky above fog, so I went back to bed, as you do.
But I did get up early and decided to have a trip out to Steel Rigg just to see if I'd missed much.
I was suprised to find a couple of cars already in the car park then I realised, it was the weekend so, people who have to go out to work would be making the most of this fine weekend weather.
It was a strange morning, the sun was a big golden ball but the land was sort of hazy.
Not exactly mist but certainly not clear and the sky just looked grey and uninteresting.
As I was there I took some photographs, but you can get an idea of just how bad it was when I say my total shutter count barely made it into double figures, and it's not unusual for me to have 600 photographs to wade through. I do tend to take the machine gunner approach thinking if I fire enough I'm bound to get at least one hit.
As I was heading back to my car two young men with camera gear came down Peel Crags, they'd been quite pleased with the sunrise ( just as well considering they'd got up at 4.20am to make the journey to Hadrian's Wall) and were heading off to Crammel Linn waterfall.

Steel Rigg and Hadrian's Wall in the early morning haze.

Hadrian's Wall with the crags beyond.

Saw two partridges, which was a plus and several of the Hotbank Farm Black Faced ewe's who'd jumped the field wall to get to the roadside grass, so it's not just us who always thinks the grass will be greener on the other side :)
The day went downhill rapidly from then on, so today I've spent the day gardening with plenty of coffee breaks so I feel rested and basked in sunshine.

Mucklebank Crag

2011-04-09T22:03:00.001+01:00

I love all the names along the Hadrian's Wall Path, Mucklebank Crag is part of the Thirlwall Nicks.
Once known as the Nine Nicks of Thirlwall for the 9 peaks, the name changed when quarrying at Walltown blasted out a couple of the high spots.
Went out looking for a sunset, and being up on the Crag just above the Turret is one of my favourite spots to just sit and watch the world go by.
Last night I watched William and his sheepdog round up the sheep and move them down off the crags for the night and the gentle put, put of a quad bike is an oft heard sound, early mornings and late at night.
The climb up Mucklebank is easy, well probably easier is the correct term, it used to be an awful slipping, sliding and skidding on your backside job, then Michael one of the wardens for Northumberland National Park aided and abetted by various helpers build a stone step path from top to bottom, much appreciated by yours truely.
So, onto today's photographs.

View from the first peak of Mucklebank Crag looking east, no Wall is visible here but you can follow the line of the foundations that have been earth covered for protection.

The view west from the slope of Mucklebank Crag with the remains of a Turret in the foreground, the Hadrian's Wall Path follows the line of Walltown Crags west, then down to Thirlwall Castle.

Sun setting over Thirlwall Common, and Gilsland beyond, from Mucklebank Crag

I'm still struggling with this cold/bug, I suppose I did tempt fate when I declared airily that "I never catch cold, of course you must still come for coffee".

All photographs used on this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

My website is at http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Fly Past

2011-04-07T20:39:00.000+01:00

I was dithering today wondering if the helicopters on exercise over Spadeadam deserved my photographic attentions, I did once long ago see an exercise where the helicopters were firing flares and having flares fired back at them.
Harmless but very dramatic, however there didn't seem to be enough coming and going around in circles for that sort of exercise so I opted for a fly past of a different ilk.
Off to Mawbury on the Solway Coast again, numbers of waders are falling fast as the birds move off into their summer breeding grounds so this was probably my last chance of photographing them in numbers.
I walked down the dunes towards Allonby and then tried heading back north and sneaking up on the birds.
Ha! It was like an elephant trying to sneak up on a mouse, I don't have knees that bend anymore so no SAS type moves on elbows and knees.
I did however sit on the shingle and shuffle as elegantly as possible closer to the flock.
The Curlews were on point duty and they take no prisoners, taking to the air with much noise to alert all the other birds that I was there.
My plan had been to sit in one place and then let the tide bring the birds closer but while the tide came closer the birds did not, they simply moved further north.
Still I can think of far worse ways to spend a warm bright Thursday afternoon.
I found my Jack Pyke camoflague hat that I must have lost on Sunday when I was last there, amazing it hadn't blown away in the wind and I hadn't missed it.
Yes, it will be washed in case passing dogs left their mark.
Three double circuits of the beach was enough for me, carrying my heavy tripod and lens, the further you go the heavier it gets.
So Here are the results of todays outing:

Oystercatchers and a Knot enjoying a promenade in the surf.

Unfortunately litter is a problem on beaches but I left it in the picture to show how tiny these birds are

Fly past of Curlew, while they wouldn't let me get close while they were on the ground they did fly quite close for an action shot.

Fly past of Knot and Godwits

Due to have a very minor op tomorrow, but it will probably involve stitches so I won't be carrying the heavy gear for a day or so, hoping to get out for some sunrise shots over the weekend so watch this space.

Hadrian's Wall at Cawfields

2011-04-06T21:18:00.000+01:00

It was lunch time before the skies cleared today and TT decided he'd accompany me on my sorté.I was hoping to get some more photographs of the Dabchick at Walltown Quarry so I headed there thinking TT would have a walk and come back for me, but I hadn't anticipated the wind being quite so fierce.
The lake was bare of birds as the wind scudded across the surface the birds, and there only seemed to be Mallard around today, were being quite sensible and sheltering behind a wall.
No sign of the Dabchicks or the Tufted Ducks that were there last week.
I sat there thinking, you never know what might appear when a great gust of wind knocked me, and the tripod flying, with the camera end giving me a bang on the head on the way to the ground.

Time for 'Plan B'.
Off to Cawfields thinking that as we were out anyway we might as well have a walk, I just took the camera with me.
The wind at our backs pushed us up Cawfield Crags, and however windy it was a Walltown, it was windier on the tops of the Crags reminding me to say to anyone planning on walking the Hadrian's Wall Path, do it from west to east so you have the prevailing winds behind you.
The footpath men have been to Cawfields with their little green sticks but in my first picture today you can see an area they've repaired, this would have been a groove that's been filled and reseeded.

Cawfield Crags with remedial repairs to the Hadrian's Wall Path

It said on tonight's weather forcast that there had been gusts up to 50mph and I could believe that, it was very warm but you had to keep your outer coat zipped up or you were lashed to bits, and in danger of hang gliding over the Crags.

After the ups and downs of Cawfield Crags you eventually reach the road at Caw Gap

From Caw Gap you can continue up onto the slopes of Winshields Crag, you can see the line that was Hadrian's Wall in the picture, we chose to head back to the car park at Cawfields, taking the lower track that runs parallel to the Wall, making a three mile circular walk.

The lower path looking east to the right of the picture you can just see the Vallum

The views from the lower path up to the Wall are quite impressive, if you think the Wall was 6 metres high when it was built.

The view up to Hadrian's Wall from the lower path, at Thorney Doors on Cawfields Crag

There are lots of visitors about, considering it's so early in the season and mid week, more of the wrinkly set, like me and TT, making the most of our retirement time.

Milecastle 42 at Cawfields with views west over the Fort at Aesica and Mucklebank Crag.

We laugh about the silly things that 'Public Works' and an intransigent attitude do in this day and age but obviously it was no different in Roman times, if the Milecastles had to be a Roman Mile apart then that was it written in stone, quite literally.

You can see from this picture how much easier it would have been to move the Milecastle just a bit to west where the land is flatter.

On several of the Forts and Milecastles along the Crags there's a gateway to the north that opens onto a sheer drop, not at all practical but can't you hear an ancient clerk of works insisting 'it's on the plans so that's how we build it'?

I include this view to the south over the Mare nd Foal standing stone just because I like the clouds

We eventually got back to the car park, spent some time watching a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly enjoying the dandelion flowers, and looking for toad spawn before heading bag home with burning faces from the sun and wind but feeling better for the fresh air.

Toilets at Cawfield Quarry, refreshments at The Milecastle In and Herding Hill Farm Shop.

As usual, all photographs used on this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without my written permission.

More photographs at www.joanthirlaway.co.uk

Peel Crags and that tree

2011-04-03T22:37:00.002+01:00

It seems to be taking me ages to shake this cold bug I've picked up and when the weather is bad I sit at home feeling sorry for myself.

A chink of blue in the grey cloud and I'm picking up my gear and heading off along the Wall, the cloud was changing so quickly that it was hard to decide where to go but eventually I settled for Steel Rigg.

The climb up to Peel Crags is one I hate, no make that HATE! the steps are all sizes and if you have big feet like me and you're carrying a lot of gear, like me, then balance is a precarious thing.
I arrived at the top and all the blue sky had disappeared, typical.
Still I did feel better for the fresh air so I kept on going and taking pictures along the way.
Waste of time as I well know, if there's no "light" there's no picture, it doesn't have to be sunlight just that sort of brightness that makes a world of difference.

Of course I was telling myself that I could Blog that Hadrian's Wall is beautiful no matter what the weather, and it really is, but a bit of light makes it just that little bit better.

A little bit of light over Steel Rigg

To add to my woes the footpath men have been out reseeding the worn bits of the Hadrian's Wall Path and then sticking little green posts in with a white label telling people what they're doing, very photogenic!

The HW Path does take a battering, especially during the wet winter months, all our feet carving great gouges out of the grass, as we tramp along enjoying the view.

The two guys, who look after the outside part of the path, do a sterling job of keeping it fit for use.

The line of green sticks climbs up the path above Castle Gap

Sunlight appears just catching the top of Highshields Crag ( taken a few steps away from the last photo but looking east)

Amazing number of people out walking along the path on Saturday considering the way the Tourism people were worrying about how their funding and lack of advertising would affect visitor numbers this year. I think it will be a good year for business along the Wall, I even heard a few foreign accents (including Scottish )

The Sycamore Tree in Sycamore Gap as you see it coming down from Castle Gap

Just as I arrived at Sycamore Gap the light disappeared so I set up my tripod and waited for it to come back, and waited , and waited. People passed me by apologising for 'spoiling' my shot and I explained I was "waiting for the light" and I thought that could be the story of my life.

Eventually just as I had dismantled my set up the light came again and, fortunately, it waited for me to take the shot before going off again.

The man in the picture climbing to the top of Highshields Crag was telling his companion loads of interesting facts about the Wall, they came back past me just after I heard him saying that the Wall in Sycamore Gap was a great place to see exactly how thick Hadrian's Wall would actually have been.

When he got to me he asked me if I knew what sort of tree it was and I wish I'd got a picture of his face as I said 'Sycamore Tree' and he realised how daft the question was, happens to us all sometimes.

All photographs are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Setting sun over Hadrian's Wall

2011-03-28T21:19:00.001+01:00

The clocks have changed giving us more evening time so I, like quite a few other people, took advantage of a nice night to head out for a walk on the Hadrian's Wall Path at Cawfields.

The light on the quarry face was lovely but a breeze was rippling the water spoiling the reflection, so I headed uphill following the HWP past the milecastle and onto Cawfield Crags.

Birds were singing and mists were rising, I was hopeful of a nice sunset, until I noticed the bank of cloud along the horizon.

Ever optomistic I thought the sun would go behid the cloud and send some ruby coloured rays the light the darkening sky.

It didn't but, maybe next time.

Setting sun over Hadrian's Wall on Cawfield Crags

Mists rising over the Roman Fort of Aesica next to Great Chesters Farm, Mucklebank Crags are on the horizon and the two trees on the skyline to the left as you look at the picture mark King Arthur's Well.

I've changed the layout of the Blog page so you can view the larger size images without having to click on them.

As always the photographs used on this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.

My website is at http://www.joanthirlaway.co.uk/

Walltown Quarry Lake

2011-03-27T22:10:00.000+01:00

I'd seen the Little Grebe when I was out taking the misty photographs at Walltown Quarry, so back I went with my big lens, welly boots and a stool (might as well be comfortable).
When I tried yesterday the birds seemed nervous and kept well away from me, across the far side of the lake, so today I took a camo poncho to drape over the tripod legs and what a difference it made.
This tiny bird took very little notice of me, looking my way when it heard the shutter fire but not nearly as nervous as it had been yesterday.
Guess I shall have to make some camo leg warmers for my tripod!
Saw two pairs of Oystercatchers piping and dancing for the territory, fascinating displays, the Little Grebe didn't like the noise and hid away in the reeds until it was over.
So we have the Little Grebe or Dabchick as it's known and those are the pictures I'm sharing with you today.

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

I think the Dabchick was watching movement under the water, it did this and then flattened it's plumage to dive.

Typical Grebe head

A Caddis Fly for lunch, it caught a variety if insects and dashed them about (at great speed in the water making photo's difficult) certainly no shortage of things to eat.

As always click on the photograph if you'd like to see a larger size.
All photographs used on the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission

Hadrian's Wall at Walltown

2011-03-26T11:10:00.000Z

Full of cold today so it'll be short, and hopefully sweet.
Fog at sunrise so I know there wasn't much point in making the trek to catch the sun coming up.
Checked the NNPA webcams and as soon as I could see a bit of blue I headed out to Walltown.
Fog and mist never quite performs to order and the scene had changed completely when I arrived, the lake was a swirling mass with the island in the middle making a ghostly impression, ducks bobbed asleep in the foreground.

I did notice a Dabchick diving on the lake, it's on my list to photograph so I was pleased to see it back at Walltown.
I headed for higher ground, hoping to get above the mists and find some sunshine to brighten the scene.
There are lots of mature trees on the slopes of Walltown Crags and they were stunning with swirls of mist and rays of light breaking through.
Over on the Pennines a lone pylon breached the fog .

Mists came and went, so just as I thought I'd got enough photographs I turned around to take some more, and I share a selection of those with you now.

The view across the plain over Longbyre from Hadrian's Wall at Walltown

Swirling mists on Walltown Crags

Mist is clearing in the valley below

William's lambs on Walltown Crags

Mucklebank Crags appear through the mist

More of Hadrian's Wall becomes visible as the sun burns off the mist

The Hawthorn tree with a view of Walltown Quarry. The island in the middle of the lake was barely visible in the first picture on today's blog

Mallard sleeping in the sun but keeping an eye on me, just in case.

If you click on the pictures you can see a larger version, all pictures on the Blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and can't be used without written permission.