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Northumberland – land of dreams

Bamburgh castle, seen from Bamburgh Beach AD547-1066

I spent nearly a week in this part of the world last month and I wish I had spent more time there. Breathtakingly beautiful with Roman ruins, 9th century Anglo-Saxon churches and majestic castles dominating dreamy coastlines and sitting up high on hills. With silky sand beaches and soft feathery grass dunes and well kept roads which wriggle and curve, then dip and shoot up into the sky when you least expect it, like a fairground ride or a scene from Mary Poppins.

Northumberland has a timeless quality. I’m definitely going back.

You can see the above photo on BBC News, England’s Big Picture week of 17th July. It was taken on an iPhone. I liked the position of the castle from the beach.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-66217730

Northumberland is like this everywhere. Your eyes do all the work. Spoilt for choice stunning scenic photo opportunities with perfect composition almost at every turn, for you to capture.

The people of Northumberland are like perfect porridge – hard to beat. The lovely people I met were friendly, courteous and seemed to bounce along with big smiles, getting on with their lives. They go with the scenery. A perfect melting pot.

Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island

Idyllic. A short drive across the causeway (tip! check tide times) to Holy Island and you are there walking along the coastline with the stone wall here leading you to the most beautiful 16th century grade 1 listed castle with a captivating story about a wealthy Edwardian bachelor. This was my favourite castle by far and it took less than an hour to investigate. Not the best photo, but it gives you an idea. Closed Mondays fyi.

Loki, our miniature schnauzer enjoying the tranquil view in Hexham, at the foot of Hadrian’s wall before his attempt to climb. A few squeaks later, he thought better of it! The walk up is easy enough, but the steps narrow at the top and some can be a little steep. My daughter tells me the view at the top is worth seeing, but the herd of cows there were a surprise and might be a problem for travellers with small dogs in arms or bags!

Loki enjoying the blooms at Clumber National Park, Nottinghamshire. A stop off, half way to Northumberland. A must see! Much loved and cared for gardens. I wish I had taken a photo of the hardworking friendly gardeners there.

Flowers at Clumber Park, Nottinghamshire

The descent from Lindisfarne Castle …

and then a rest in the dunes or a walk along the shoreline into the village for a cuppa and a small crowd of friendly faces (humans and dogs)!

Next… the mystery of the little hamlet, Edlingham near Alnwick.

A welcoming 9th century ancient parish church and the remains of a castle barely standing, dating mainly from the 14th century. First, I want to research the story of a Northumberland heiress, Ms Constance de Pontrop. With a name like that she might have a fascinating story to tell. I will investigate further …

Remains of Edlingham Castle, a fortified manor house. The remains are those of the solar tower (living quarters).

See you soon!

Let’s catch up!

One thing I’ve learned about myself over the past few years and through the pandemic is that it’s ok to explore your creative urges and have a go at something new, even if you don’t intend to finish what you’ve started. It’s also OK to have a break from something. So I have been developing my writing – more poetry, comedy scripts and then I had an idea for two children’s picture books and after many drafts, I finally sent the manuscripts off to literary agents. A few rejections later, I am hopeful, but expecting more rejections to come. Was this my creative curve evolving or a mid life crisis! Meanwhile, my poor camera was zipped up and trapped in its bag in a cupboard, longing to see daylight, whilst I relied on my iPhone camera for convenience. Through the pandemic an obsession with dog walking, coffee beans, board games and hot cross buns with thick butter, got me through. The caffeine shot won and I lost the passion for photography during this time. I just didn’t feel like it.

Until …

a juvenile heron turned up one morning in my garden unexpectedly, in October 2022. I was gazing out the bathroom window and there it was, resting on a bed of golden leaves in my Acer tree. Running to my bedroom, I knew I had barely seconds to grab the phone and take the shot. Acer trees, are particularly stunning in the Autumn. This is the shot.

Heron in my garden Acer tree: 7th October 2022

It was considered an unusual sighting so I sent the picture to local papers, a few facebook pages and the heron had its minute of fame online and in the local Gazette and Tribune. This young heron brought me luck that morning and gave me a sense of purpose when I was feeling a bit stuck. I felt it was important that locals heard about it to lift their spirits!

Fleeting moments can pass you by, if you are not really seeing the opportunities or looking at what’s there right in front of you. I tend to miss these opportunities myself, because I’m searching for more complicated opportunities to give me satisfaction.

Last week, I went to Northumberland with my mum and daughter. If you haven’t visited this part of England before, PLEASE GO!

The lure of Kew gardens in early Spring

Peacocks, swans, geese, garden birds, pheasants, woodpeckers, flowers, butterflies the list goes on. What I like about Kew gardens is that you can visit during the week and find yourself alone in the farthest corner of the woodland with the hidden wildlife and all you can hear is the sound of the birds up high in the treetops. It is always a challenge to photograph wildlife on the move and I get a buzz from closely observing their behaviour in natural surroundings.

I was fascinated by this exotic cerise flower outside the orchid exhibition.  I love the combination of vivid cerise pink and yellow buds and how this flower gives the impression that it has been handcrafted with great care, intricately woven with fine wire.  I couldn’t believe this beauty was actually real!

Exotic flower - Kew

 

My favourite colour is blue and this confident, friendly peacock fascinated me with his jade and electric blue feathers. I was really grateful to him for allowing me to perch so close with the macro lens so I could pick on his fine detail.

 

Peacock Kew

peackock 2 kew

peacock feathers always catch my eye. Some are jade mixed with bottle green and others resemble butterfly markings.

peacock feathers kew

peacock kew preening

a wild swan will always be an attraction for me wherever i Am!

Swan 2.1 KewWhite Swan Kew

and a goose eating grass …notice how the outer rim of the eye matches the colour of the beak.  I love the colouring of this waterfowl.

Goose eating grass kew

and finally … my favourite photograph of the day out in the woodlands mid afternoon.

bird in kew forest

 

 

bird in kew forest

For the love of macro photography… amphibians and bugs!

I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend a day at London Zoo on the macro photography course.  Tutored by Wildlife Photographer Dave Stevenson. I found him to be helpful, patient and amusing.

My new macro lens was put to the test and I was so lucky to have the opportunity to be part of a small group of enthusiasts and to have the opportunity to capture giant Galapagos tortoises (named Dolly, Polly and Priscilla), they loved a good neck rub. An Australian boa constrictor, giant beetle from Madagascar, giant African millipede, jungle nymphs or stick insects – (scientific name: Heteropteryx), giant African snail, Australian white tree frog and an African tarantula to name a few.

I learned so much from the guys behind the scenes who look after these beautiful creatures and the zookeepers who handle the animals with such a gentle hand and their devotion for these small animals was clearly apparent.   I realised there is very little I know about the life of most of our planet’s smallest creatures and listening to stories of evolution and the zoo’s conservation practices was enlightening.

Here are some of my favourite pics of the day, taken with my canon 100mm Macro Lens. I was within 30cm of these beautiful animals and so their characteristics and detail are clear and in focus. Was I nervous? No! The lens between us was a perfect barrier, just long enough for me feel comfortable. I was lost in the moment, focusing mainly on the eye of the animal as I wanted this sharp. I was captivated.

Snake on Macro Course

This was not an easy capture. Waiting for that long tongue to flash in and out and catching this by pressing the shutter button bang on time… i was just lucky! It was a long wait!

 

African giant millipede London Zoo

Resting my lens on the edge of the table allowed me to take a photo of the millipede crawling (or running) towards it. They move very fast!

Giant African millipede 2 LZ

Giant African Millipede curled

The giant African millipede curled up, reminding me of a beautiful piece of wooden jewellery.

Giant African Snail LZ

The Giant African Snail. Slow but curious. The shell as seen close up has beautiful patterns and textures:

Giant African Snail's shell LZ

Now for spider.  The African tarantula with its gorgeous bright orange hairy knees! Loved capturing this arachnid from above. Hairy knees can be beautiful (if they are orange and on a tarantula!)African tarantula LZ

African Tarantula LZ 2

The stick insects, or otherwise known as jungle nymphs are amusing to watch. They are like contortionists, adopting funny yoga positions…

 

Malaysian Jungle Nymph sitting down

love their spikes!

Malaysian Jungle Nymph (stick insect)

 

Couldn’t resist taking a picture of Polly’s foot. The Giant tortoise from the Galapagos Islands. Her foot placement was just too cute to miss.

giant tortoise foot

 

And finally, the African Beetle from Madagascar: he breathes through tiny holes, releasing air from his abdomen (spiracles) which sounds just like a can of fizzy drink being opened. Cute hey!

Giant Beetle Madagascar LZ

 

 

 

 

Back in time …Clissold Park, Stokey

Clissold Park is a haven for dog owners and their companions, children playing, sport lovers and the one or two photographers like me, interested in nature and wildlife.

I found myself at the park around New Year’s Eve 2018, with my new canon macro lens 🙂 I walked past early blossom, other winter flora and then I spotted ducks, geese and other waterfowl, cruising the lakes.  My favourite waterfowl will always be the drakes.  Their stunning emerald heads and bright yellow beaks make them the perfect wildlife model.  I met a dad with his young son in the park and they took an interest in my obsession with  the horse chestnut trees. I explained I was drawn to the shape and strength of the trunk and the way the chestnuts look through a lens, as though they are suspended in mid-air decorating the trunk.

These are my first pictures with my new lens on an overcast day in the park.  Comparing this lens with my zoom lens, some of the images appear very different, they have a timeless quality, as if they are old photographs which have been pulled out of a forgotten Victorian treasure box tucked away in the attic.

 

duck clissold park 3

brown goose 3 clissold

and the winter blossom…so early but a treat to see in the park in December

winter blossom clissold park 2

dreamy Winter flora surrounding the lake …

Dreamy winter flora of Clissold Parkduck clissold park 2

horse chestnut, I wanted to capture the strength of this beautiful trunk  

horse chestnut tree clissold park

horse chestnuts suspended in mid-air …

chestnuts suspended in air

 

Two male friends, having a social swim to welcome the New Year in …

two drakes swim off to celebrate New Year's Eve

Brown goose’s back of perfectly formed caramel feathers …

back of brown goosebrown goose 4 clissold

Kensington Gardens

I have yet to explore the whole of Kensington Gardens, but what I experienced the other day on my brief visit in the cold, was quite scary.  At one of the entrances near The Royal Albert Hall, I was hoping to take lots of shots of the many squirrels roaming around the wooded areas. There were around ten squirrels going about their business, hunting for food, scurrying up trees. I realised as I was setting up my camera on manual and fiddling with the ISO, shutter speed etc. (as quietly as possible), that a few of the squirrels were intrigued and moved towards me, completely unperturbed by my presence. I like to keep some distance from my animal subjects, (out of respect for their space and habitat),  so I backed off. But, a few of them scurried onto the footpath and started chasing me as I walked away.  They became a gang of predators and I was their bait. I increased my walking pace and ended up running – afraid of these squirrels! Of course, they increased their speed and ran after me!

I can’t express how relieved I was to spot one of the park’s gardeners digging a flower bed further up the footpath. I shouted to him “what’s wrong with these squirrels?  Why are they are chasing me – is this normal?!”  I was actually quite scared by their behaviour!

Then it clicked – I realised the nutty squirrels were after the selection of hazelnut chocolates in my camera bag, which I was hoping to snack on later.  I am learning that to be a wildlife photographer, you need to be patient and calm, but more than this… unflustered and fearless.

I have to get myself sorted out before I meet the king of predators – the Big Cats! 

The squirrels below were the cute ones I saw up a tree just across Kensington park from The Royal Albert Hall and near to where the gorgeous, friendly parakeets were congregating.

Squirrel in Kensington Gardens eating an apple

Squirrel in tree in Kensington Gardens

Beautiful Green parakeet, so friendly and sweet and there are many in Kensington Gardens. They love humans!

 

paraquet kensington gardens london

I had to put the next shot in the blog. When you are an amateur and you have a reasonable camera and a good zoom lens, mistakes happen. After holding the lens for so long (zoom lenses are really heavy if you don’t use a tripod) – this poor parakeet lost the top of its beautiful head. Sorry beautiful. There’s nothing better than sharing a moment with a bird, animal and freezing that moment on film forever.

parakeet kensington gardens

Please see my instagram posts: wildswans_photography and facebook page: wildswans.photography for more updates. Happy Christmas!

Urban Squirrels – Sophie’s Story…

City squirrels can be quite tricky to photograph, they are always on the move! The one in the photograph (I call her Sophie), spent a long time digging a hole in the leaves looking for food, in a North London playground. Sophie was in the right place by the bin and came across this discarded apple core. She jumped on top of the bin and happily started munching her way through the apple, unconcerned by me nearby, with my long lens peeping through the playground railings. I cherish these moments with animals and birds. When they stop and concentrate on something or rest for a few seconds! It gives me time to set up my camera to ensure the image will tell the story and I can really be with them in the moment. Through the lens, you can see them up close and study their coat, their eyes and mannerisms. Freezing those moments in life that you will never get back.

 

Grey squirrel feasting on an apple coreSquirrel eating apple core in London playgroundsquirrel's breakfast

BBC website have recently published my photo of Siskins eating on a bird feeder in the New Forest:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-46541814

You can see more of my wildlife photos and other images on Flickr, Instagram: nicola.taggart.54 and Facebook page: wildswans.photography. Please visit me!  Next blog coming up, Kensington gardens visit.

 

The Wild Swans of Regents Canal

preening swan 2

There was a small glimpse of sunshine in London this morning after days of grey, so I ventured out to Regents canal just along from where I live.  A few swans were leisurely cruising around on the water.

I have learned, that although beautiful to look at, swans can be quite vicious! They didn’t seem to mind me bending down close to them at the edge of the canal footpath, but I had to be alert, as their behaviour towards any dog and their owner passing by was quite scary. They became vipers, hissing at the poor dogs! It was a bit of challenge to focus on taking good shots.

The drama aside, I have always loved the shapes swans make with their beautiful long necks and their elegant balletic moves are lovely to capture on camera.

Here are some more of the images I captured this morning of these beautiful creatures.

Canal Swan

Up close and personal …

Wild White SwanWhite swanspeckled swanCurious Swan

If you like seeing photos of swans, other birds, nature and wildlife, you can follow me on Instagram and Flickr and please visit my Facebook page: wildswans.photography

I’m also very happy to hear your comments and general feedback. Thank you!

All images on this website are subject to copyright protection. 

 

 

New York at Sunset

IMG_1855-4View from the top of The Rockefeller Tower, N Y October 2018

Photographing New York at sunset, or at night can be really exciting, especially when you get a clear sky.  By far, in my opinion, the best view is from the top of The Rock late afternoon, when the sun is just setting. I took this shot with my canon camera and macro lens. The modern office buildings in the foreground, with their sharp, clean lines are silhouetted against the extraordinary red sky behind.

More city scenes, nature, wildlife and landscape coming up!

Photographic image New York at Sunset

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

There is always a story behind an image and for me, the photograph has more meaning if I have connected to the subject.  Look at this friendly and amazing coot which was hanging around St. James’s Park in London. The lens sees so much more than the human eye and I love how the camera freezes the moment, which would otherwise be lost to us.
I hope you enjoy browsing my photographs of city life, nature, landscapes and wildlife and that they resonate with you in a positive way.

You can also view my images on flickr.com and my Facebook page.

IMG_0405The Journey Begins coot photograph St. James Park London