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03-12-2006, 06:29 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sunny Doncaster
Posts: 4,334
| | | Formby
A few of us plan to go Formby next weekend and I was wandering if anybody has experience of the red squirrles there. I was rather hoping I may get off with using just my 105 mil macro lens. Does anybody know if that will be long enough? |
03-12-2006, 06:44 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: N.E. Derbyshire
Posts: 1,422
| | | Re: Formby
Hi,
I've been to formby a couple of times and you will get some shots with the 105mm as they come close and take food from your hand.The area I went to is around the national trust car park.
I would also take something in the 200-400mm range as a lot of the wooded bit is fenced off near to the car park area.There are still plenty of branches and stumps to get the squirrels to pose on.Just shake your bag of nuts and they'll come running 
Does get crowded with locals though!
You'll have a good days shoot I'm sure.
Neil |
03-12-2006, 06:47 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NW England
Posts: 1,977
| | | Re: Formby
When are you going Boddie?
I'm only 30min away - I may be able to pop along.
__________________ Oy 'Owning a camera makes you a photographer in the same way that owning a guitar makes you a musician.' www.OYPhotos.co.uk |
03-12-2006, 07:06 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sunny Doncaster
Posts: 4,334
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oy  When are you going Boddie?
I'm only 30min away - I may be able to pop along. | We are going to be in that area next Sat and Sun. John, Pete (Eeyore) and I are coming up and will probably camp on Sat night. I particularly want to photograph Red Squirrels and the Anthony Gormley works on Crosby beach at sunset. Stu said he may pop along for a while too.
Should be a good weekend |
03-12-2006, 07:09 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Yorkshire Dales
Posts: 747
| | | Re: Formby
This might be off passing interest. It's an article, about the threat to the Red Squirrels at Formby from an outbreak of Squirrel Pox, that appeared in the Manchester Evening News. Red squirrel refuge under threat
As I recall the squirrels are fairly tame and used to visitors but I'd agree with Neil about the need for something longer than the 105mm just in case they are not being cooperative.
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Rob |
03-12-2006, 07:13 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sunny Doncaster
Posts: 4,334
| | | Re: Formby
Cool, thanks Guys. I will have the 100-400 too. How far is the car park from the animals. Dare say it wont be too much of a bond to return but I prefer to be in and out of the boot as rarely as possible, for obvious reasons |
03-12-2006, 07:19 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: N.E. Derbyshire
Posts: 1,422
| | | Re: Formby
They run under the cars!!!
But the area i like is about 30-50 yards at a guess.
Neil |
03-12-2006, 07:21 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sunny Doncaster
Posts: 4,334
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by wildlifesnapper They run under the cars!!!
But the area i like is about 30-50 yards at a guess.
Neil |
Crikey I hope they dont run under my car. I had a bird make that mistake last weekend.
Cool so we should be able to keep an eye on the motor then. I may even take a mat so I can join them on the floor |
03-12-2006, 07:27 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: N.E. Derbyshire
Posts: 1,422
| | | Re: Formby
The car parking area is manned,there's a hut type thing where you pay as you go in(unless you're a NT member).So if you park near there you should be fine.
Neil |
03-12-2006, 08:02 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greater Manchester
Posts: 2,930
| | | Re: Formby
We went to Formby in the summer, we arrived about 11 o'clock, the car park attendant told us that the best time to visit is early morning but I think that might because of the summer heat. We only saw two while we were there but the trip was well worth it. This time of the year I expect there will be many to see hopefully. We are hoping to visit this Tuesday, weather permitting. Hope you all have a great time.
Barbara  |
03-12-2006, 08:32 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sunny Doncaster
Posts: 4,334
| | | Re: Formby
Thanks for that Neil. I joined the NT this week, especially for this visit.
Barbara, you will have to let us know how you get on and if you could ask the chaps what time is best that would be great.
Cheers |
03-12-2006, 10:36 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 442
| | | Re: Formby
I've photographed the Reds at Formby Point on many, many occassions using cameras ranging from a simple P&S through super-zooms to DSLRs. On a DSLR, I'd say a 70-200 f2.8 zoom would be as near ideal as you can get. It's one of the few places you'll go where that zoom ring will get a real workout.
Expect light levels to be extremely low even if it's a sunny day. I did 2 sessions there, one morning, one afternoon, over a long weekend at the beginning of November and was blessed with sunshine both times. But the low angle of the Autumn sun meant that the tree trunks were blocking out almost all of that light creating very challenging conditions for photography. A month on now and it'll be worse. I fact, I did a session there this exact weekend last year and had to use flash.
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Paul |
05-12-2006, 05:31 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greater Manchester
Posts: 2,930
| | | Re: Formby
Well after a dull start to the morning, we decided to head for Formby and hope that the weather would clear up, and boy did it, as soon as we reached the A580 heading toward Liverpool there wasn't a cloud to be seen just blue skies. We took a short detour after we missed our turn off ooops but we soon got back on the right road.
We arrived at at our destination at 11am. We paid £3.30 to park which I thought was really good. I asked the car park attendant what time was best to visit to see the squirrels at this time of the year and he said it's difficult to answer that one they are a bit like us they get up when they want.
We drove on past the disabled parking areas and soon found a spot to park becasue there were not a lot of people about.
Armed with cameras we set off and headed back toward the car park hut and came across the entrance to the squirrel walk. Even though the sky was clear it looked like the lighting would be a problem. Once on the trail you are presented with option to turn left or right. We chose left because we took this turning on our last visit and hoped to see the squirrels where we had seen them before. On and on we walked and not a squirrel in site again we came across the option to trun left or right, we took the let turn again still no squirrels  By now I was beginning to think it would be a no squirrel day. We arrived back at the point where we could have turned right and proceeded to walk down the slight slope. We met a lady with her dog and asked her had she seen any. YES she said just around the corner. Round the corner we went and still not a squirrel in sight and by now we were heading upward back to the start of the trail. Then just out of the corner of my eye I spotted one. I threw a monkey nut and he came running down then another three appeared and what a performance they put on for us, up and down the trees and coming up ever so close to us. They were absolutely wonderful to watch, chasing each other and running up and down trees, trouble was they didn't stay still for very long, so a lot of my pics weren't suitable.Luckily the sun was shining through the trees so I kept throwing monkey nuts into the sunny spot. At one point one I threw a monkey nut onto the floor and one came right up to us. I think you will all have a wonderfull time there and get a lot better pictures than I have.We did have to depart early though because the rain came In all we saw nine squirrels on the trail and one as we were leaving at the car park hut.
Barbara      |
05-12-2006, 05:37 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Nottingham
Posts: 11,463
| | | Re: Formby
They are superb shots Barbara, well done! The others have something to live up to now!
I just wish I could come.  |
05-12-2006, 05:38 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Sunny Doncaster
Posts: 4,334
| | | Re: Formby
That sounds like a good day you have had and the pictures speak for themselves. I am looking forward to it even more now |
05-12-2006, 05:44 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greater Manchester
Posts: 2,930
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by glsammy They are superb shots Barbara, well done! The others have something to live up to now!
I just wish I could come. | Thanks Graham, I was trying different settings to try to get the best pic, I guess I should have used my tripod for these shots, I just knelt down and rested my elbows on the fence and they can be really fast, and I fell in love with their ears. You must visit Graham if ever you get the chance you'll love it. |
05-12-2006, 05:47 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greater Manchester
Posts: 2,930
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boddie That sounds like a good day you have had and the pictures speak for themselves. I am looking forward to it even more now | Thanks Andrew, I'll bet you are, hope the weather stays nice for you and I look forward to seeing all your pics. |
05-12-2006, 06:20 PM
|  | Dame Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: exmouth devon uk
Posts: 5,143
| | | Re: Formby
Well done Barbara what fantastic shots I have never seen a Red Squirrel I do love the tufted ears so cute
__________________ :) A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked:D www.cherrybees.co.uk |
05-12-2006, 06:27 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Leicestershire
Posts: 3,564
| | | Re: Formby
They are great images Barbara.
I would have loved to have joined the guys for this trip, but I have other things pre-planned for this weekend, first and formost I'm photographing a large rock gig on Saturday night, great fun but no way near as photogenic as Red Squirrels.
I hope you guys bag some good images,have a great time, and hopefully don't need to make any trips to hospitals this time 
Last edited by Fourwings; 05-12-2006 at 06:28 PM.
Reason: Typo's
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05-12-2006, 06:52 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Greater Manchester
Posts: 2,930
| | | Re: Formby
Thanks cherrybee and Fourwings, yes you tend to notice the ears straight away. I really enjoyed it I am glad we took the decision to go. We decided to carry on up to Southport after for some Haddock,chips and mushy peas, yummy, but the rain was so bad by this time that we ended up eating them in the car before heading off home. Good luck on Saturday Fourwings |
05-12-2006, 07:50 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Coventry
Posts: 5,719
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fourwings and hopefully don't need to make any trips to hospitals this time | I'm with you on that one.
John |
05-12-2006, 07:54 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Chilterns
Posts: 7,717
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fourwings ... and hopefully don't need to make any trips to hospitals this time | too true , there is no way we are leaving a car loaded with camera equipment outside mersey general
I am bringing a spare torch for "mr bump"
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"new improved eeyore , now with added tact..... for that whiter brighter finish" |
05-12-2006, 08:06 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Coventry
Posts: 5,719
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by eeyore t
I am bringing a spare torch for "mr bump" | Hey, behave. |
06-12-2006, 03:45 PM
|  | Frozen | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Leeds West Yorkshire
Posts: 174
| | | Re: Formby
well I certainly haven't got shots like these but I have some contributions re Formby in the gallery hopefully later on.
I don't know where you were standing but I was at the bottom of the hill near the fence. The first time I went by I saw them up in the tree, scattered some food but - no they didn't want it so went for a walk - came back and there were five. And they were all around my feet!!
The light was pretty bad hence high iso and hand held so a little soft but hey - gives me inspiration for next time.
Dorcas |
06-12-2006, 04:02 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Wirral
Posts: 1,940
| | | Re: Formby
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorcas well I certainly haven't got shots like these but I have some contributions re Formby in the gallery hopefully later on.
I don't know where you were standing but I was at the bottom of the hill near the fence. The first time I went by I saw them up in the tree, scattered some food but - no they didn't want it so went for a walk - came back and there were five. And they were all around my feet!!
The light was pretty bad hence high iso and hand held so a little soft but hey - gives me inspiration for next time.
Dorcas | I have just had a look at your site Dorcas, I think you have some very nice images indeed, Jon
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