More Motocross

They came in all sizes at Chippenham, from six-year-olds complete with helmet-cam to the bonkers Aaron Jenner (second from top) who flung his bike about with reckless abandon.

Motocross

Scrambling from the Chippenham circuit today.

Lackford Lakes

It was a dull and showery day at Lackford on Easter Sunday.  Pix here were taken at ISO 1000, the top two on 400mm and the bottom two with added 1.4x converter.  Blurry gull at 1/60th second, grumpy swan chasing away goose from his pond.  All pix in colour!!

Evening Light

More from Lakenheath.

Lakenheath Fen

We were at the Fen on Easter Saturday until nearly dusk.  It was a beautiful sunset.

Making It Interesting

Trying a few different angles at Snetterton last Sunday: the Porsche at the top is overlaid with grain, using the heat haze behind to make the image; the Smart racer was quite quick in the bends but did not have sufficient acceleration on the straights.  The larger-engined Sevens were impressive, and I found that 1/125th second was too slow for really sharp panning with a 400mm lens.  The head-on shots were at 1/640th on a monopod, and the cars tended to outrun the focus ...  

Fluffballs

Ann and I went to Paxton Pits again, and many of the migrants were back, including nightingales (tho our photos were spoiled by their shyness - not enough competition yet to bring them into the open).

Blackcap, top, Chiffchaff and Wren.

Water Birds

Arctic Tern, Cormorant and Black-Headed Gull through the 400mm lens with 1.4x extender and about ISO 1000 on the 7D.  Lots of noise.  Shutter speeds over 1/2500th of a second.

Fisheye Views of Sheffield

Shiny spheres and super-trams contrasted with back alley rubbish and a military chapel in Sheffield Cathedral. (Bottom pic 1/8th sec. @ f/4)

Gallery

This greenhouse near the spheres had tea stalls and a gallery, where this giraffe sort of thing had been made out of cutlery and various bits rotated or made sounds when buttons were pressed.

Sheffield

Ann was talking in Sheffield, so we explored the centre of the city.  They like water - the station square has a wall of water and falls and fountains, and the spheres have water bubbling out of their tops and cascading down the outsides. 

Abney Cemetery

This almost neglected cemetery is still in use, and also functions as a nature reserve.  There is a ruined chapel in the middle; most of the graves are Victorian, and include the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, and his wife Catherine.  Meredith came with us and jumped in every puddle she could find, met a sleepy lion and saw lots of dogs.

New Bits For Bea and Molly

New batteries for Bea (under the rear seats) and new starter solenoid for Molly (no longer attached to the starter motor as in 1972).  Then lunch at Frankies with Pete.

West Stow

Egret at West Stow Reserve, and Marsh Harrier at Lakenheath.