CCC Start to finish day

Thanks to Sylvie Gummery for organising another Start to finish day at her home in Newport. Wether quite overcast and wet. We started at 10:00 and came in for lunch. My goal was to take, process and publish on this blog a few images before 16:00.

A mixture or long exposure, IR with a R72 filter, monochrome and double exposure.

Wicken Fen Walk (with Correction)

Last Sunday I took a trip to Wicken Fen and met up with members of the Cambridge Camera Club and the RPS Nature Group. It was an early start we met at the entrance at 8:30. The idea was to walk down the river and hope to see Marsh Harriers and Hen Harriers. Unfortunately we did not. I did manage to see a Female Kestrel on a tree in the distance (see photo below). I also saw Mute Swans and a Cormorant.

I spent a time across the river from the Konic Ponies. Lovely horses. According to Wikipedia ....

The Konik or Polish primitive horse is a small, semi-feral horse, originating in Poland. The Polish word konik is the diminutive of koń, the Polish word for "horse".

A good day out. I left mid afternoon but stalwarts of the group stayed on to dusk and managed to see some Barn Owls flying. You can see some images by clicking on ....

Ann Miles Blog

Chris Fell Blog

Female Kestrel

Cormorant

Pre Christmas Trip to Saariselka, Lapland in Finland - 5 Last evening and the morning before the flight home

This concludes our trip to Lapland. A wonderful experience and worth it to see the happiness on Aiden's face. A few pictures inside the church and varios snaps from our last day. This last day was the coldest at minus 16 Celsius.

The early morning sky was beautiful ....

Pre Christmas Trip to Saariselka, Lapland in Finland - 4 Off to see Santa

So this was the big day - we were picked up mid morning and driven to Santa's secret location. Quite exciting. It was about a 20 minute coach trip to the coach park and from there we were taken by Skido to the Secret Location.

From this remote location you really got a feeling for the 'Wild Finland'

The Intrepid travellers.....

This was the Sister of out Elf. She looked after us at the Border Crossing area...

The Border Crossing

Border Control Frisking
We then saw Santa's Flight Control room and then taken to the Border Control where we were 'frisked' by an Elf. We then walked about a 1km to Santa's hut.

Along the way we met the local Sami Shaman at which point he chanted over the fire and then took charcoal from the fire and marked each of our nose with 'the Magic of Christmas' and this ensured that the magic would last our whole life.

Sue with her 'Magic of Christmas' mark ....

Warm water flowing ....

Still had time for a game of chase ....

Santa's Front Door ....

Aiden Meets the 'big man' .....

Santa with Evelyn ....