Angling for a fish!

[Ann1e]

Two consecutive sunny days - yesterday was colder but still very pleasant, today far warmer than one would expect for the UK in December. We took advantage on both afternoons to walk along the towpath, as is our custom. Although we usually leave the house soon after 2.00 pm, that only really gives us a couple of hours before sunset at this time of the year. Today, to take advantage of the warmth we managed five miles and it was most enjoyable. Below are two pix, one from each day.

I titled the thread 'Angling for a fish' - in fact it is possible both human and bird were looking for their supper but I suspect the former would have returned his catch to the water.

1. A very contented soul enjoying the solitude (until we turned up! ) -



2. It is unusual for us to come across herons on the towpath side of the canal - they are usually on the opposite bank but this one was so engrossed in the task in hand that he was not concerned about either us or all the noise and comings and goings on the moored boats beside him -



Both taken with the OM-D E-M1, 75-300mm lens.

Regards,
Ann1e

[Guest]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Lovely light and excellent clarity, Annie. It does seem that you are getting unseasonal warm weather and our summer hasn't begun.
Edit: Nicely framed fisherman and I love the shot of the heron especially.

[Ann1e]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Lovely light and excellent clarity, Annie. It does seem that you are getting unseasonal warm weather and our summer hasn't begun.
Edit: Nicely framed fisherman and I love the shot of the heron especially.

Many thanks for looking in and commenting, Mark. Yes we are being spoilt with the weather at the moment - New Year's Eve is a favourite time for a snowstorm in this area making venturing out to parties hazardous. Today was warm once again and still which made for a very different day - we started with fog first thing which didn't totally clear and left a pretty murky day.

Regards,
Ann1e

[Guest]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Many thanks for looking in and commenting, Mark. Yes we are being spoilt with the weather at the moment - New Year's Eve is a favourite time for a snowstorm in this area making venturing out to parties hazardous. Today was warm once again and still which made for a very different day - we started with fog first thing which didn't totally clear and left a pretty murky day. Regards, Ann1e

[CENTER]Hard to believe that this post escaped attention. I'm sure it will attract the interest it deserves this time, Annie.

[Wee man]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Nice shot We have a heron which will let you get close it spends alot of time near the local duck pond and has got used to people maybe yours is the same along the canal?

[Floribunda]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Both your subjects look very contented sitting by the canal Ann1e.
It is hard to imagine a sunset at 2.00pm in the afternoon! Our days are now longer and quite light at 8.00pm.

[Imageryone]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Very serene and restful, Annie, these mild spells are very pleasant.

[Ann1e]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Nice shot We have a heron which will let you get close it spends alot of time near the local duck pond and has got used to people maybe yours is the same along the canal?

Like yours, our herons are very used to people and dogs! The stretch of the canal near us is very busy with walkers (with and without dogs) and cyclists but generally we have the towpath on one side only and the herons and many other species choose to stay on the other side. Herons sit for hours fishing and are the most patient of birds which is why they are some of the easiest to photograph.

Regards,
Ann1e

[Ann1e]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Both your subjects look very contented sitting by the canal Ann1e.
It is hard to imagine a sunset at 2.00pm in the afternoon! Our days are now longer and quite light at 8.00pm.

I didn't make myself very clear, Lyn - our days at the moment are very short with dark mornings and early evenings but not quite that short. If we leave our house at approx. 2.00 in the afternoon, we walk for a couple of hours by which time we see the sun setting at 4.00/4.30 and then it becomes dark quite quickly after that, particularly in the last week when we have had some pretty murky, misty spells and only limited sun.

Regards,
Ann1e

[OlyPaul]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Very nice Anne, no2 is a cracker with that juxtaposition of the canal boats.

[Tordan58]

Re: Angling for a fish!

The second one is beautiful, superb light. I would perhaps have cropped off the leftmost parts/pathway, with the boats only in the background.

[Ann1e]

Re: Angling for a fish!

Many thanks Paul and Tord for your comments.

I attempted to crop just the path and the left of the pic, leaving the smoke from the narrowboat and some of the top of the pic but I found the balance to be wrong (to my eyes anyway) so I have cropped quite tightly but I do quite like the effect. Certainly it brings the heron very much to the fore and there is probably just about enough of the boats to give a contrast. The distant light is lost but it's an alternative view!



Regards,
Ann1e

[banjukes]

Re: Angling for a fish!

great shot of the Heron. I recently saw three of them together but unfortunately they took off before I could get the camera ready. Lovely to see the canal boats too.