Formby Squirrels

[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

[Boddie]

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

We went yesterday Kev

It had far less squirrels than previously and all but one was in a scabby state. They were far less approachabale than before too. It was pretty damn disappointing for myself, Steve (Fourwings), Mark (MTR) and Nikon Nige

Also, the problem with a long lens is that you are not at eye level. You'd be better off with a macro, as they do come close but all but one had badly depleted tail hair

[Fourwings]

They are quite a challenge to get a good image of Kev, the light conditions vary wildly from bright sunny patches to murk & shadows.
Buy some of the Squirrel food from the guy on the entrance gate, you will need it to tempt them into the brighter areas if you want good bright images without having to resort to ISO800.
Andrew is right about the 600mm Kev, you won't need it in there, the Squirrels are very close to you & they move fast!
The two attached images are from yesterday, both taken with a Sigma 150 macro lens. One in a sunny patch and one in the deep shadows, also notice the one in the gloom is shedding its coat as most of them seemed to be doing.

Having said all that I really enjoyed my time there yesterday,I ended up keeping about 20 good images out of the 80+ I took, so have a good time there Kev & I look forward to seeing the results here.

[paulthomas]

Originally Posted by Kev Lewis

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

Earliest I've been there is about 9:30am.

Originally Posted by Kev Lewis

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

A 70-200/f2.8 would be better.

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

They are quite a challenge to get a good image of Kev, the light conditions vary wildly from bright sunny patches to murk & shadows.
Buy some of the Squirrel food from the guy on the entrance gate, you will need it to tempt them into the brighter areas if you want good bright images without having to resort to ISO800.
Andrew is right about the 600mm Kev, you won't need it in there, the Squirrels are very close to you & they move fast!
The two attached images are from yesterday, both taken with a Sigma 150 macro lens. One in a sunny patch and one in the deep shadows, also notice the one in the gloom is shedding its coat as most of them seemed to be doing.

Having said all that I really enjoyed my time there yesterday,I ended up keeping about 20 good images out of the 80+ I took, so have a good time there Kev & I look forward to seeing the results here.

Thats more assured mke that I was the only one disappointed. It was for me, but I compared it to a visit when they were in better condition and far more obliging

[Kev Lewis]

Thanks for the info folks I'll still be there with the 600mm as I shoot from ground level alot anyway and prefer to setup a shot and then wait rather than grab what I can when it happens. I will make sure I have the shorter primes with me on the other body. I can always use the 600mm on the tripod as a lens support for the other camera lol

[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.

[Barbara]

Super images fourwings, glad you all had a good day out. I just love that place. What a change though from a few weeks ago when there where Red Squirrels averywhere.

Did any of you manage to spot the Fox while you were

[Fourwings]

Originally Posted by Barbara

Super images fourwings, glad you all had a good day out. I just love that place. What a change though from a few weeks ago when there where Red Squirrels averywhere.

Did any of you manage to spot the Fox while you were

Thanks Barbara, we didn't see the Fox although a few people mentioned it to us whilst we were there.
This was my first visit to Formby point, but it certainly wont be the last

[Barbara]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

Thanks Barbara, we didn't see the Fox although a few people mentioned it to us whilst we were there.
This was my first visit to Formby point, but it certainly wont be the last

No we didn't see it either a few weeks ago, I reckon Pauline is keeping him all to herself

If ever you guys are visiting again, me and Greg wouldn't meeting up you if you wouldn't mind

[eeyore]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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

[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)

[Boddie]

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?

[Kev Lewis]

Originally Posted by Boddie

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

Ummm I did dip the hazelnuts in some brandy before I used them and I was on my own. It did take this chap a couple of hours to even think about getting close to me

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by Kev Lewis

Ummm I did dip the hazelnuts in some brandy before I used them and I was on my own. It did take this chap a couple of hours to even think about getting close to me

I still think they are scarey

[matt_xyz]

blimey Kev, that first one is stunning.

Matt