Diving Gannets

As promised in my last post I am now showing more images of the gannets taken on the wonderful pelagic trip out from Liverpool.Myself and the other photographers were kept very busy trying to capture the action as the gannets dived close to the boat.The skipper Gary Flint threw out mackerel for the gannets which we had previously caught from the boat.Gary also gave a running commentary as to the whereabouts of the gannets as they circled the boat. It was spectacular action as the birds hit the water at around 60mph to grab the mackerel.

Some of the images shown below capture the moment the gannets hit the water. The gannets wings are folded back just before they hit the water and they look like white missiles as they enter the water with a big splash. It was exciting trying to capture the fast moving action as sometimes a dozen or more gannets were competing and you couldn't be sure which one would hit the water. You can also see the gannets underwater as they pursued the fish.

Hope you enjoy looking at the images below.I certainly enjoyed the experience and it was one of my most rewarding days with the camera so far.Great company and wonderful weather added to this memorable day out from Liverpool aboard "Discovery".I am looking forward to doing it all again when we meet up again next year.

Liverpool Bay...Pelagic Trip

Earlier this month I was very fortunate to be booked on a pelagic photographic trip organised by Richard Steel out into the Liverpool Bay area of the Irish Sea.Last year the trip had been cancelled twice owing to adverse weather conditions.This time the signs were good as settled conditions were forecast and the evening before the message came through to say we were good for go.It was to be an early start leaving Liverpool at 6am and arriving back at 4pm.Paul Foster and I duly arrived at Coburg Dock in Liverpool in good time for the 6am departure.The other photographers arrived in good time and the skipper Gary Flint set sail out into the Mersey in his boat " Discovery "

We motored out at a good speed some thirty miles or so out off the North Wales coast to the vicinity of the Burbo Bank wind farm.It was a bumpy uncomfortable ride out and I was glad when two hours later we dropped anchor and prepared to fish for mackerel.We all joined in the fun of catching mackerel and soon had enough to entice any gannets in the area to come close to the boat.For the remainder of our stay we managed to entice a reasonable number of gannets to the boat so as to photograph them making their spectacular dives.The skipper,Gary threw out the mackerel and as the gannets came close we were all kept busy with the cameras to try and capture the fast moving action.

I have posted images below showing some of the action on board and with the gannets.I will be posting more images eventually showing the spectacular action as the gannets dived in close to the boat.It was a wonderful experience with like minded enthusiasts and a wonderful skipper who provided refreshments and a great commentary as he enticed the gannets close to the boat.The weather was also excellent with blue skies and warm sunshine.We arrived back in the Mersey around 4pm and I have shown images of Gary surrounded by the technology on board Discovery and the magnificent Liver Building as we arrived back safely from our brilliant pelagic expedition out into the Irish Sea.Thanks for looking in and be sure to tune in again for some more action shots from this wonderful day out.

Spotting Flycatchers

It had been a while since I had seen any flycatchers.I hadn't visited the Bowland area of Lancs much this Spring and so had missed the opportunity to photograph the Pied Flycatcher which once the trees are in full leaf can be hard to see up in the canopy.A couple of weeks ago on a drive through the Bowland area I saw a spotted flycatcher in a location where they had bred in previous years.I returned a day or so later on a nice warm afternoon and sure enough the spotted flycatchers were very busy feeding young in a nearby nest.

They had nested in a garden area close by a country church which is situated in a most beautiful part of Bowland.For the next couple of hours I had a most enjoyable session with the camera and managed to get some nice images of the spotted flycatchers as they caught insects in the graveyard and surroundings of the church.It had been a delightful afternoon in beautiful surroundings and it was nice to catch up again with the spotted flycatchers.Hope you enjoy the images below of these delightful little birds as they went about their business of flycatching and it will be nice to think that they will return again next summer.Thanks for looking in and next time I hope to post an account of a trip this week out into Liverpool Bay in the company of other photographers as we met up for an annual get together and pelagic voyage out into the Irish Sea.