Raptor Foundation

Visited the Raptor Foundation near St Ives today. This was not a photographic excursion as such. We took our Grandson Aiden, he loves this sort of thing.

I just took my camera with one lens (24m - 105mm). It turned out to be a success. I have tried photographing birds in flight now for some time. Today I was very please with the results. (I hope I have the bird names correct)


Harris Hawk

 

Saker Lanner Lugger

 

Turkmanian Eagle Owl
 

Turkmanian Eagle Owl (in monochrome)

 

Lanner Falcon
 

Lanner Falcon
 

A very tatty bird, surprised it could fly with the wing damage. I think it is a Falcon of some sort.
 

 

 

 

Feeding frenzy at the pond
 

 

 

Peregrine Saker falcon (They can reach flying speeds of 90mph)
 

Peregrine Saker falcon
 

Peregrine Saker falcon
 

Peregrine Saker falcon

Aiden with the Owls

 

'You looking at me?'

 

Gyr Saker Falcon

 

Gyr Saker Falcon

 

'Is this your feather?'

 

Someones in a bad mood - Bald Eagle

 

Albino Python

 

A good day was had by all. New plastic pet in the Turpin household - Percy the Bald Eagle :)

(The Raptor Foundation, The Heath, St Ives Road, Woodhurst, Cambridgeshire, PE28 3BT)

 

Margate

A couple of Sundays ago Sue and I went to Margate to visit our Son and his family. It was a lovely sunny day and I popped out down to the beach to take some photos. Grandson Haydn came with me.

 

 

Health and Safety?

 

 

 

 

 Thoughts of my youth.

 

 The New Turner Contemporary Building (a dynamic visual arts organisation according to their web site). We are going to visit this impressive gallery centre in August when we stay nearby for a few nights.

 

 

 

 What was the front entrance to the Pier. The pier was destroyed in 1978 by bad seas (Herne Bay and Whitstable also lost their pier at the same time)

 

 The new Kings Steps. I really liked them but there is a controversy about the removal of the old ones in an improvement to the sea defences The old ones were 400 years old. I have to admit that these are spectacular and far more memorable that the old ones.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new Dreamland is being planned.

 

Points of View Competition

Last Saturday (13th April) The Cambridge Camera Club held its annual 'Points of View' competition. 

We have 5 hours to photograph 5 subjects within a given area. 

This year  we started at the Round Church at 12 noon and we were given a lot of the centre of Cambridge to photograph in.

The subjects were

- Tourist Cambridge
- Corners
- Mood or atmosphere
- Retail therapy
- Metal or Metallic

I was accompanied by my Daughters partner Nick who was visiting from Swindon. We had a great afternoon which included Lunch at the Cornish Pastie Cafe on the Market Place and then later a stop at Fitzbillies for a coffee and world famous Chelsea bun :)

Like always I took Photos of more than just the set subjects. The judging of the competition is in a couple of week. Here are some of the other photos I took.

...... AND it did not Rain apart from a few spots