Photo Project 365 – Week 10 – March 2018

This week’s theme is Season – Spring

I have to say that it is looking pretty spring-like here in Andalusia compared with the UK who have had lots of cold weather and snow. It has been very windy and rainy here with quite a few thunder storms but it has been warm, usually between 12 and 20C during the daytime so I can’t complain at all!

Visible migration has also been quite amazing some days in between the showers with hundreds of Black Kites and White Storks going over on some days, heading north.

Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
64/365 Some type of asphodel growing everywhere at La Janda
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
65/365 Flowers of the squirting cucumber plant
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
66/365 Flowers growing in the garden. Certainly does look very spring-like!
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
67/365 I can’t even get a rubber plant to grow this well inside the house at home – let alone outside!
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
68/365 Lavender growing in the garden.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
69/365 Herbs growing on the windowsill – we are under instruction from the house owner to make sure they are watered – hasn’t been a problem with all this rain though 🙂
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
70/365 Not very spring-like. Rain all day…

Wow, I can’t believe I’ve done 70 days already, where has all that time gone…

This week i’ve been using the following while working on my project:-

My iPad which I love!!

Instax Share SP2 Printer

(note that there is now also a newer model out, the Instax Share SP-3 Printer)

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 20 shots

though for my project I have now bought the Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 100 shots pack to get me started.

The sketchbook I am using for my journal is the square, black Seawhite 140mm x 140mm 140gsm artist’s sketchbook I have bought two of these and using a page a day I reckon each one should last me 6 months.

The above links take you to Amazon UK where there is information about each product. Any purchases made using the links given above will give me a teeny, tiny bit of commission which I will put to good use during future weeks and future projects.

 

Visible migration

Visited both La Janda and Barbate. Probably the only two places still accesible by vehicle after all this rain.

Between the rain showers the migrants must have been pouring across the Straits from Africa. Hundreds of Black Kites and White Storks were seen. There were also plenty of other migrants around – Short-toed Eagles, Booted Eagles and Hoopoes.

Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Black Kites - La Janda
Black Kites taking a break from migration, resting up on the electric poles at La Janda
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Hoope - Barbate
Hoopoes seem to be finding plenty of insects anyway.
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Yellow Wagtail - Barbate
Quite a few Yellow Wagtails around at both La Janda and Barbate. This is one of the Iberian sub-species
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Black Kite - La Janda
Black Kite in flight shot

There were also lots of Serins around at La Janda today – some very bright ones in amongst them.

Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Serins - La Janda
Looking very colourful!

 

Bluethroats

With all the rain all of the ditches are flooded. Bluethroats, being skulky little devils at the best of times have found a new favourite bush that I can park near, using the car as a mobile bird hide, I staked out the bush for two hours and managed to get some half-decent photos. The three birds (one which had colour rings) were active for all of those two hours – they seemed to be finding plenty to eat. Also present were White Wagtails and a lovely Black Redstart.

Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Bluethroat - La Janda
Still skulking…
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Bluethroat - La Janda
Skulking
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Bluethroat - La Janda
Almost got you – just the tip of the tail still hidden…
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Bluethroat - La Janda
Quick – press the shutter, it’s out in the open!!

Plenty of other birds around too

Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Black Redstart - La Janda
Black Redstart
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - White Wagtail - La Janda
White Wagtail – there were at least half a dozen of these guys in a small patch of washed up debris, finding plenty of insects.
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Barn Swallow - La Janda
The Barn Swallows were also busy hawking for insects over the floods

Some images of the flooded fields complete this post (the water height at the sluice down the main channel can be see in this week’s Photo Project 365 as I took photos of that on three different days).

Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Floods - La Janda
The fields were flooded at La Janda for almost as far as the eye could see…
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Floods - Irrigation - La Janda
I somehow don’t think this irrigation machinery will be needed this week…

People often ask me what bird field guide do I use in Spain, well, I use the same one that I use for the UK, which is, in my opinion the best of all for Europe.


I usually carry the paperback version with me while out and about and have the hardback at home.

I also have this one though these days I pretty much know where to go and I have my own personal favourite spots

My equipment for bird photography: Canon 1DX Mk.II with 600mm lens and Canon 2x Extender

The compact flash card I use is this one, the Sandisk Extreme Pro, and I like it a lot, I have no problems with it buffering

Photo Project 365 – Week 9 – February and March 2018

This week’s theme is Buildings

Lots and lots and lots of rain this week. Hey, whatever happened to “the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” Clearly disproved! Some of my photos this week were not strictly buildings, more structures but as it’s my own personal project i’m feeling free to interpret the projects as I wish. I’m sure you’ll understand 😀

Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
57/365 Front of the house
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
58/365 Ian checking out what birds have been seen back at home in the Hebrides…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
59/365 Vejer de la Frontera. Love this town. Photo taken from underneath my umbrella. Rain all day. Sat in the bar La Bodeguita and caught up on online stuff…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
60/365 After all the rain we headed to La Janda, the water level is the highest i’ve seen it. The sluice was open – just as well because the water was going around the side of it…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
61/365 Sluice again. Rained all night and there is yet more water!
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
62/365 The kitchen
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
63/365 OK this really is the last sluice photo! Got to be at it’s highest point now. La Janda fields very flooded but managed to get some Bluethroat shots 🙂 See other post.

Well the Seawhite sketchbook i’m using to put my printed out photos into is working out great, though it’s getting hard to close now and it’s only a third full! Don’t quite know what it will be like by the end of June – will report back then 🙂

Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
Even after only 63 days of the project it’s already very satisfying to look back at my daily photo journal.

My iPad which I love!!

Instax Share SP2 Printer

(note that there is now also a newer model out, the Instax Share SP-3 Printer)

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 20 shots

though for my project I have now bought the Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 100 shots pack to get me started.

The sketchbook I am using for my journal is the square, black Seawhite 140mm x 140mm 140gsm artist’s sketchbook I have bought two of these and using a page a day I reckon each one should last me 6 months.

The above links take you to Amazon UK where there is information about each product. Any purchases made using the links given above will give me a teeny, tiny bit of commission which I will put to good use during future weeks and future projects.

 

Eyebrowed Thrush photo makes Birdguides weekly review

Just goes to show, it doesn’t matter where you are you should always have your camera handy! The Eyebrowed Thrush – a last minute dash over to Cadiz to twitch this bird after hearing about it during lunch on the 24th February paid off nicely. The fourth record for Spain though two of those had been recorded as dead birds during Song Thrush hunting (yes, I know, I also wonder what the heck is the point of shooting Song thrushes??).

The bird was very confiding and seemingly not put off by the canoodling couple on a bench nearby (who likewise didn’t seemed put off by us birders hanging around with our bins and cameras). As there is a plentiful supply of food in the form of olives on the trees and a nice water fountain the bird might hang around a little longer…

Click here for the full Birdguides weekly review – scroll down there for the write up on the thrush in the Western Palearctic news.

eyebrowed thrush - cadiz - spain - bird photography - rarity - 2018

eyebrowed thrush - cadiz - spain - bird photography - rarity - 2018

eyebrowed thrush - cadiz - spain - bird photography - rarity - 2018

Photo Project 365 – Week 8 – February 2018

Still in southern Spain and the weather so far has way surpassed my hopes – warm, sunny and bright blue skies. Looks like there will be bit of a downturn next week though!

This week’s theme is Landscape

Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
50/365 La Janda. Looking for eagles…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
51/365 The garden is looking so lush and green
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
52/365 Sancti Petri one of my favourite places for sitting having coffee after a hard mornings birding 🙂
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
53/365 From the top of El Picacho, a tough climb up but an amazing view from the top!
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
54/365 OK one of those after dark oops I haven’t taken a photo yet today moments. So, internal landscape…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
55/365 The park at Cadiz where the Eyebrowed Thrush was (see other post for photos of the thrush)
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
56/365 View from the terrace. Thankfully the army haven’t been back, camping out there, since our first week here.

My iPad which I love!!

Instax Share SP2 Printer

(note that there is now also a newer model out, the Instax Share SP-3 Printer)

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 20 shots

though for my project I have now bought the Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 100 shots pack to get me started.

The sketchbook I am using for my journal is the square, black Seawhite 140mm x 140mm 140gsm artist’s sketchbook I have bought two of these and using a page a day I reckon each one should last me 6 months.

The above links take you to Amazon UK where there is information about each product. Any purchases made using the links given above will give me a teeny, tiny bit of commission which I will put to good use during future weeks and future projects.

Photo Project 365 – Week 7 – February 2018

This week’s theme is to take the daily photo using the Hipstamatic camera app rather than using the iPhone’s native camera. Some of the images have had further editing work done on them (because I like to play!).

Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
43/365 One of those oops I haven’t taken a photo days… Ian asleep, snoring gently on the couch, late evening. Hard work this birding…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
44/365 The wee house we are staying in during our two months in Spain.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
45/365 the garden is full of these hairy caterpillars today, the food plant seems to be this which has yellow flowers. I have no idea what species of moth the will be. Will update this post if I find out.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
46/365 A lovely day out with friends and checking out a restaurant ahead of the GONHS meeting on Saturday.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
47/365 Tiles at the motorway services station, La Palmosa, near Alcala de los Gazules. Wonderful!
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
48/365 Early morning mist
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
49/365 The terrace

My iPad which I love!!

Instax Share SP2 Printer

(note that there is now also a newer model out, the Instax Share SP-3 Printer)

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 20 shots

though for my project I have now bought the Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 100 shots pack to get me started.

The sketchbook I am using for my journal is the square, black Seawhite 140mm x 140mm 140gsm artist’s sketchbook I have bought two of these and using a page a day I reckon each one should last me 6 months.

The above links take you to Amazon UK where there is information about each product. Any purchases made using the links given above will give me a teeny, tiny bit of commission which I will put to good use during future weeks and future projects.

 

GONHS trip – La Janda

It was great to meet up with old friends (and also to meet some new people!) today at La Janda for the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS) outing. As La Janda has kind of become our local patch while we’ve been here we were asked to lead the convoy, stopping in strategic places where the birds were.

The official report on the days outing can be found on the GONHS website at: www.gonhs.org/news/101-la-janda-outing

Bird of the day for me was the Spanish Imperial Eagle that was sitting on the irrigation equipment – a distant but great view!

Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Spanish Imperial Eagle - La Janda
Distant even with my 600mm lens!
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - Spoonbills - La Janda
Just love Spoonbills!

Mid afternoon we all headed over to Benalup for a long lunch – one of the best things about birding with the Gibraltarians 🙂

Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - GONHS - La Janda
Watching the massive House Sparrow, Spanish Sparrow, Chaffinch, Serin and Brambling flock near Benalup
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - GONHS - La Janda
14 of us in total but plenty of car sharing
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - GONHS - La Janda
Yvonne, Keith and Rob
Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Bird Photography - Spain - GONHS - La Janda
Benalup in the distance. And Pete taking photos of the photographers…

Photo Project 365 – Week 6 – February 2018

This week’s project is Abstract

I wasn’t too sure what I would do for abstract. I mean, what is abstract? What does that actually mean? I have to say though that I have really enjoyed this week it has given me the opportunity to be a little experimental and imaginative. See what you think…

Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
36/365 Hob
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
37/365 Cactus
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
38/365 Bowls
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
39/365 Picnic under the pine tree (aka brocolli tree, our rather silly name for it)
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
40/365 Firewood. Lena in spanish though it should have a little squiggle over the n which I can’t seem to be able to do on my laptop…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
41/365 Shadows. My favourite of all my photos this week. It looks so much like piano keys. The music was provided by the birds.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
42/365 Fence posts. Way out and whacky! Love spanish fence posts though they are so randomly shaped. No uniformity for them.

My iPad which I love!!

Instax Share SP2 Printer

(note that there is now also a newer model out, the Instax Share SP-3 Printer)

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 20 shots

though for my project I have now bought the Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 100 shots pack to get me started.

The sketchbook I am using for my journal is the square, black Seawhite 140mm x 140mm 140gsm artist’s sketchbook I have bought two of these and using a page a day I reckon each one should last me 6 months.

The above links take you to Amazon UK where there is information about each product. Any purchases made using the links given above will give me a teeny, tiny bit of commission which I will put to good use during future weeks and future projects.

 

Photo Project 365 – Week 5 – January and February 2018

This week’s theme is Creative

A full month now done and it hasn’t seemed to onerous. There has been the odd day when i’ve got side-tracked and almost not taken a photo creating a bit of an oops moment and last minute panic. So, onwards to the next month. Travelled to Spain on the Portmouth -> Santander ferry this week (thankfully calm!), three nights while travelling then arrived at the final destination, in southern Andalusia, on Saturday afternoon.

Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
29/365 Sara gave mum and me some lovely daffs, they are now fully out in flower.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
30/365 View from my porthole. Sailed from Portsmouth early in the morning. Thankfully calm! Nothing much to see out there though…
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
31/365 View from my porthole 2. Arriving in Santander. Blue sky, sunshine but a cool wind. Looks fabulous though!
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
32/365 Monfrague national park. Wonderful birds – lots of vultures. Collecting textures to use in my artwork. Shadow selfie.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
33/365 Exploring Extremadura. Looking for bustards and sand grouse. Fabulous sunny Spain!
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
34/365 Arrived in southern Spain. Warm enough to sit out on the terrace for beer o’clock! View to the sea and salinas. Very happy.
Photo 365 project - Hebridean Imaging - Yvonne Benting - Photo a day - Mobile Phone Photography
35/365 Late afternoon sunshine on the terrace.

This week, for my project, I have been using:-

My iPad which I love!!

Instax Share SP2 Printer

(note that there is now also a newer model out, the Instax Share SP-3 Printer)

Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 20 shots

though for my project I have now bought the Fujifilm Instax Mini Film – 100 shots pack to get me started.

The sketchbook I am using for my journal is the square, black Seawhite 140mm x 140mm 140gsm artist’s sketchbook I have bought two of these and using a page a day I reckon each one should last me 6 months.

The above links take you to Amazon UK where there is information about each product. Any purchases made using the links given above will give me a teeny, tiny bit of commission which I will put to good use during future weeks and future projects.