Thomas Hawk's photostream

Thomas Hawk's photostream on Flickr.

Just been looking through Thomas's Photostream and there are some wonderful image. I suggest everyone takes a look on here there is so much stuff its hard to get your head round that it was all taken by one person!

Tamar Estuary Boat Trip

Today was my first trip with Ecosoc, a boat trip down the Tamar Estuary. Not so much a photography trip but a bird watching trip in the hope of seeing some Avocets and some Spoonbills.

From the start it was a beautiful day, although not the warmest due to the high winds.

During the trip we were lucky enough to have a talk from one of the experts on the boat about the eating behavour of the birds which live on the estuary. Below is an image of some Ragworms which he was showing us and telling us how they are eaten by the wading birds on the estuary.

Now onto the important the birds, during the trip we saw  250+ Avocets a few curlew,  3 Grey Herons, 20 Buzzards, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Great Crested Grebes, Mallards, Cormorants  Shags, Mute Swan,  Teal, Tufted Duck, Great Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull, Red Shank, Plover, Oystercatchers  2 Red Breasted Mergansers, Shelduck and 1 SPOONBILL, my first in the UK. 

So here they are the mad lot who came with me on the trip, Laurence on the right who organised the whole thing, then Marcus, Laura, Helena and Kathy.

Swanpool

Back at Swanpool, and what a wonderful day to do so, the sun is shining the skies are blue so off I go. Although the sun had bought out others in large numbers which may have put some of the species into hiding there were still a few surprises the most being a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) which I found at the top end of the lake on some barren strawberry and bramble.

Another thing that I found interesting was that the little grebes are starting to change color into there summer plumage. When I was there I also focused my attention on some of the more common species such as a friendly Black Bird (Turdus merula) which perched nicely on a post and a Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) which was walking in between some daffodil stems. 

Another Image of Kynance Cove

Here is another image I took of Kynance Cove at sunset, put together by a number of images taken at different exposures to create this final image.

Lands End

Another lovely day in Cornwall, so a day of landscapes began. This time down too Lands End, the whole area was one amazing picturesque image. The only thing that drew me away was running out of time on the car meter.

The Sign itself, 3147 miles too New York, I should start swimming.

Just as the sun starts too set on the way back I look out the top mirror just as the sky turns orange. I quickly jumped out the car and off the edge of a farmers field and created a HDR image to capture everything the right exposure.

Marazion Marsh + Kynance Cove

Today I headed over too Marazion Marsh in the hope too improve on yesterdays disappointment, off the road I could see a number of different Grey Herons, 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Canada Geese and lots of rabbits.

Later after walking around the reserve I saw more Herons that I could count, sadly no bitterns but the herons more then made up for it.

After my visit to the marsh I took my first trip to Kynance Cove which was more beautiful then I had imagined. I also saw a stonechat which was perched on the top of the bramble and grose which covered the heathland.

I was also able to capture a number of what I think are interesting shots of the beautiful scenery.

Swanpool + Kennall Vale

Yesterday I headed over to Swanpool in the early afternoon too try and attract the robin back down onto my hand, but this time from a distance using my Canon 70-200mm F2.8 IS lens, which allowed me to use a high shutter speed, which should have frozen the bird in mid flight but no matter how many times I tried I could get the focus right as every time the robin came from a different angle as if playing games with me until it had had it's share of food and disappeared.

After a disappointing start at Swanpool I went over too Kennall Vale where I hoped to see the two dippers which patrol the river, again not a great shoot but I was able to see one of them from a distance.

Danbo

After one evening and a morning he has been created, my little new friend. Still need to name him, anyone got any ideas??

The idea originate from a Japanese comic in which this little robot was called Danbo.

Swanpool + Drive

After handing in all my work I decided to head down to Swanpool and see if I could repeat a image I saw posted by the Sussex Wildlife Trust earlier in the year, in the snow. The image was a robin in mid flight above someone's hand, by putting a small piece of bread in my hand I was able to replicate the image with my own little touch of taking it from a different angle.

After a short visit to Swanpool I decided to go on a drive around the countryside to see what I could see, though due to me not checking my fuel tank before I left I got just passed Gweek before having to head back to fill up, will repeat it again and see how far I get this time and see what I find.