Mother Duck

North Marine Park

I found this duck perched high on a tree stump in the North Marine Park, South Shields. She was keeping an eye on her chicks who were judicially hiding in a flower bed below!

There is normally a large population of ducks and swans in the South Marine Park on the opposite side of the road but there is a lot of work going on there to restore the park to it’s original Victorian condition, so some of the birds have taken to the other park for peace and quiet. I’m looking forward to seeing the lake refilled and the park looking it’s best, it is one of our finest features on the sea front.

Camera details; Pentax K100D, 450mm lens, 1/350 second, f11, iso 200

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Jarrow Festival No. 4

Great Grey Owl

Wise old owl or a hunting bird?

This Great Grey owl belonged to a falconry display team which also included hawks, eagles, and falcons. Children from South Shields, Jarrow, and Hebburn were certainly captivated by the ability of these birds of prey at the medieval fayre in Jarrow, and it was fascinating to watch them at work.

I was captivated by it’s face more than anything else!

Camera details; Pentax K100D, 82mm lens, 1/125 second, f5.6, iso 200

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Swan at sunset

Quadrus Centre

I seem to have an affinity with swans at the moment, or do the swans have an affinity for South Shields and the surrounding areas, it seems every puddle has it’s own swan these days!

This beauty was found as the sun drew proceedings to a close at the Quadrus Centre, Boldon, just on the outskirts of South Shields, it’s mate was not too far away.

The Photoshop work that was needed here was quite extensive but related only to cloning out a collection of lamp posts and electricity pylons which formed distracting silhouettes on the skyline.

Camera details: Pentax K100D, 28mm lens, /180 second, f11, iso 200

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Inverse swan…..

….or Swan Lake?

We would normally find lots of swans in South Shields South Marine Park, but I photographed this one at the Fellgate Lakeside in Jarrow. Lurking amongst the reeds and bullrushes it almost eluded my attention as I focused on men who were fishing in the adjacent lake.

This swan looked so serene and calm that I could not leave without trying for a glassy reflection in the still water.

How many of you have noticed that the picture has been deliberately posted upside down?

Camera details; Pentax K100D, 450mm lens, 1/350 second, f5.6, iso 200

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Taking flight

Frenchman’s Bay shuttle service

We have large colonies of sea birds at Marsden Bay, South Shields, with thousands of gulls, guillemots, terns, and kittiwakes etc. nesting at Marsden Rock and on the cliff faces opposite. I snapped this small gull patrolling the sea in Frenchman’s Bay, it’s not quite as sharp as I would have liked, I’ll have to get away from using auto focus for shots like this.

Camera details; Pentax K100D, 300mm lens, 1/750 second, f6.7, iso 200

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