Uncategorized: Spring Revival

§ March 19th, 2010

I moved house just before Christmas, and one of my first tasks was to hang up bird-feeders in the back garden. I bought a big bucket of bird feed,  filled the feeders and waited for the crowds of birds that would surely arrive. The garden backs onto some overgrown gardens on Bohermore road and there is plenty of cover for small birds. At the same time, I planted plenty of  bulbs in pots so that I would have plenty of crocuses, daffodils and other Spring flowers to welcome in the new year.

Alas, the cold snap did for both enterprises. For the first couple of weeks, there were plenty of sparrows, finches and tits clustered around the feeders. But once the temperature dropped well below zero, the numbers died away (as did the birds). I had even left out thawed drinking water but there were days on end when no birds landed in the garden. Likewise, the soil in the pots froze, and not a single bud burst through the soil. Before I left for a trip abroad last week, I dragged all of the pots out of the shade down to the back wall of the garden. At this time of the year, the sunshine reaches the back wall for most of the day, and sure enough, when I returned this weekend, buds were finally emerging in most of the pots.

There has been a revival too in the bird numbers. Sparrows appear better than other species at surviving the extreme cold (pr maybe there were just more of them to begin with) but finches are also showing up [not a single Blue Tit or Great Tit appears to have survived in the neighbourhood - they were regular visitors before the freeze]. On Saturday morning, the goldfinch pictured above visited the garden – the first since December – and feasted for about 30 minutes. The feeder he chose was one that most of the other birds shun – because it is close to the kitchen window (and so located for photography reasons).

The picture shows the goldfinch chewing on a sunflower seed, and was taken with a Canon 7D attached to a Canon 100-400mm lens – picture was taken through the kitchen window. The colours have not been enhanced – the plumage really is that beautiful.

Latchiko: St. Patrick’s Day Parade

§ March 19th, 2010


The following is a timelapse of the parade in Limerick yesterday. It was my first attempt at trying this out after buying an intervalometer a while back. It was good fun creating it anad I've learned a few tricks for the next time!


EyeBlinks: Intimissimi

§ March 19th, 2010


Rome

Hugh Chaloner Photography: new face

§ March 19th, 2010


model: Sarah H | mua: Agnieszka Pietrzak | photog: Hugh

McAWilliams: Saint Patricks Day 2010

§ March 19th, 2010

Saint Patricks Day 2010

So I ended up going into Dublin for the Saint Patricks Day parade, again like last year I found myself in the pit where I was last year only this time I must have been later then last year cause the pit was stuffed with people and I found myself at least 3 people back from the edge of the rail.

I managed to get some photos but also managed to get a load that have since been deleted, so I wont be updating here much with parade photos cause they aint worth blogging to be honest, yes I am rather annoyed with my returns, but what a great fun day was had all the same.

Hugh Chaloner Photography: Sarah H

§ March 18th, 2010


Eclectic images: Quick March

§ March 18th, 2010

music sheet for St Patrick's Day


Glasseyalley: Oom-pah-pah

§ March 18th, 2010


EyeBlinks: In my Head

§ March 18th, 2010


Rome

Iced Coffee: Green & White

§ March 18th, 2010

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