Cheetahs battle Impala

Cheetahs battle Impala, Samburu, Kenya

The last shot in my camera [film days] captured this life and death struggle which the Impala finally lost.

The Cheetahs were totally spent after a titanic 15 minute defence by the gazelle and lay panting in the afternoon heat.

Copyright: Kevin Smith

The North America and Pelican nebulae

This may appear to be slightly off topic, apologise if you think so but it is the natural world or out of this world. I do have another interest and that's in astrophotography. This is the North America and Pelican nebulae in the constellation of Cygnus the Swan, have another look and you'll see the Ferret looking over the shoulder of the Pelican.

The North America nebula on the left was discovered in 1786, by Sir William Herschel, but it took 100 years before anyone saw the similarity. Well, I can see the Gulf of Mexico, Central America and Florida, I think that's as far as I can go.

This is a large mass of gas and dust some 1,800 light years away.

This image represents 2 hours 25 minutes of exposure.

I was out last night with the telescope, the moon was out though and it was almost full, that really puts a stop to astro imaging. So, Kev came round and young Kate from next door popped over and the three of us had a good look at Jupiter and the four Galilean moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. We then moved onto have a look at Uranus and saw a small greenish coloured disc, then Neptune was visited next, this was an even smaller greenish spot/disc of light.

The scope was pointed at the almost full moon, that was bright, it was like being poked in the eye with a sharp stick, so we just trained the telescope at the moons edge and kept most of it out of view, the craters at the southern end were razor sharp.

The night was one of those see your breath nights, very cold, and Mr. Smith needed a warm drink. So Kate had another look at Jupiter told me it was a gas giant and nipped home.

Smith then proceeded to eat and drink me out of house and home. Cos he's like that. : ))

Banded Demoiselle, England.

Banded Demoiselle, England.

Most of the time these male insects sit with their 2 pairs of wings neatly folded, one upon the other.

This changes in a quick flurry if a bright green female happens along, as in this case.

Canon 20D + 70-300mm Sigma Apo.

Copyright: Kevin Smith

Today at Old Moor

Mrs. A, KS and I, have just spent a pleasant day at Old Moor, we spent a couple of hours in the hides leading up to the Wath Ings hide, where I managed to grab this photo of the Reed Bunting.

The Lapwings have been pretty skittish all the time we were there and often took to the air in large dreads, scanning the sky didn't reveal any predators.

After a quick drink and bite, we then spent a good 15 minutes watching a Kingfisher from the Reed Bed hide, this put on a beautiful fishing display, hitting the water and occasionally catching a fish. But, much too distant to capture with the camera.

It's fungi time

About 1/2 mile from where I live there's a small lake and a wooded area, where this time of year different varieties of fungi can be found.

This first fungi is Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria, the white spots which cover the cap are the remains of a covering which offers protection as the toadstool is pushing its way up through the ground,  as the toadstool matures this covering splits and clumps together forming the spots, which eventually fall off.

If eaten, this fungi is poisonous it can cause loss of consciousness, hallucinations and may prove fatal.

The second, Candle snuff or Stag's horn fungus, Xylaria hypoxylon.

Fungi lack leaves, stems or roots and has no chlorophyll, it reproduces by spores. The visible structures which contain the spores are sometimes referred to as fruiting bodies.

Stinkhorn, Phallus impudicus when mature, the olive green coloured spore mass covering a honeycomb like conical head is supported by a white cylindrical shaped column.
Smell very unpleasant and perceptible from a distance.

Blackbird with Rowan berry

We have a Rowan tree ( Mountain Ash) in the back garden which was planted by my wife's grandfather 30+ years ago. Each year it gives a good crop of berries, at this time of year it is almost totally denuded of said berries because of the Blackbirds which take a few weeks to strip the tree. This is a female Blackbird, the male is black with a yellow bill.

Canon 10D, 500 mm f4 lens, 1/500 at f5.6

The Autumn. 190909. England.

Comma butterfly on blackberries.

Canon 40D + 24-105mm Canon IS lens. Fine jpeg. 1/80 @ f11. Hand held.

How often do we go out looking for this and end up finding that.

This the result of a woodland walk looking for fungi.

Copyright: Kevin Smith