Formby Squirrels

eeyore · #11 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev Lewis

I'm planning to spend the day at Formby tomorrow (Monday 26th) as the weather forecast looks good and I have a day off so I'll nip across from Anglesey

Any suggestions or tips about the place? best viewing locations? how early can I get in?

If anyone fancies meeting up I'll be the guy crawling around in the dirt with a 600mm lens lol

one other tip kev - take some hazelnuts with you , they look much more natural in the pics than the peanuts you can buy on site

i agree with the others on lens choice by the way - 600mm is much too long , when i was there last i used the 90-300 on most shots plus the 90mm macro for close ups

i'll be going back this spring but i am waiting for the bluebells to come out

Kev Lewis · #12 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boddie

Problem with the 600 is the fences Kev. You cant get down infront of the fences and to set up shots will be hard with the scant population there at the mo.

Fences? no one said anything about Fences !. I assume they are there to keep us on the straight and narrow path so to speak?

Barbara · #13 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eeyore

i'll be going back this spring but i am waiting for the bluebells to come out

I didn't know they had bluebells at Formby I bet it will look lovely, first time I went was late last summer

jdoherty · #14 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 07:33 PM

Hi Kev. I took quite a few red squirrel shots (see my WAB Gallery) when I visited Formby and found that the squirrels could be tempted to feed out of my hand with monkey nuts in their shells. There is a fence which keeps visitors on a trail but I didn't find this too much of a disadvantage as the squirrels were often so close. I'm going back this year in Easter Week.

John

eeyore · #15 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev Lewis

Fences? no one said anything about Fences !. I assume they are there to keep us on the straight and narrow path so to speak?

they have low wooden post and rail with mesh on the bottom rail to ground level - principally i suspect to keep dogs out. - you can shoot through the gaps with a modest sized lens but i suspect that your monster 600mm might be a bit wide at the front for that

eeyore · #16 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbara

I didn't know they had bluebells at Formby I bet it will look lovely, first time I went was late last summer

i could be completely wrong - suprisingly this isnt unknown

but thats what i was told by a local member

Boddie · #17 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 07:37 PM

Quote:

I took quite a few red squirrel shots (see my WAB Gallery) when I visited Formby and found that the squirrels could be tempted to feed out of my hand with monkey nuts in their shells.

This must be a seasonal thing as there is no way they were feeding from the hand yesterday.

Quote:

you can shoot through the gaps with a modest sized lens but i suspect that your monster 600mm might be a bit wide at the front for that

Yep, thats how I see it. The 600 end would be far too large for 3 inch square holes in the fence

Kev Lewis · #18 (**permalink**) 25-03-2007, 07:57 PM

It sounds like I may have to take my own props sheeesh don't people make taking simple photographs hard!

Kev Lewis · #19 (**permalink**) 26-03-2007, 07:07 PM

Well you were kinda right about the 600mm but I took it anyway lol If you walk out the back of the wood there arent any fences to worry about and you can get right into the trees. These are just a few images from today but I'll upload to the Gallery if you want any more Red squirrel images

I started with the 600mm and got this:

then gradually used shorter and shorter lens until I was shooting with a 10-22mm zoom. The squirrel just loved hazelnuts

and this is just the first card ! I have another 6Gb to process (or throw away lol)

Boddie · #20 (**permalink**) 26-03-2007, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev Lewis

Well you were kinda right about the 600mm but I took it anyway lol If you walk out the back of the wood there arent any fences to worry about and you can get right into the trees. These are just a few images from today but I'll upload to the Gallery if you want any more Red squirrel images

I started with the 600mm and got this:

then gradually used shorter and shorter lens until I was shooting with a 10-22mm zoom. The squirrel just loved hazelnuts

and this is just the first card ! I have another 6Gb to process (or throw away lol)

Crikey. Are Steve, Mark and Nigel really that scarey?