Starlings, A Big Fish and some Cows...

I had such a relaxing day, yesterday, I didn't take a single photo and mostly watched DVDs and TV. I should have spent longer attending to Blip, too, but catch up promised now, later...

So, I was eager to get out for a long walk first thing this morning. BBC weather online promised a bright sunny day, the best day of the week, in fact. So, polarising filters packed I got the first bus out and followed footsteps I had taken a few times before, though not for a while.

Walking up from Downton, up onto the Down, the sun was very shy indeed and it was cold, with a nagging breeze. Was I going to get any decent photos, at all? A field of cows, up on the slope above me were curious of me, kept looking - but I wanted far more from a picture than some goofy moo cow, which could be taken literally anywhere.

Then these birds, which had been on the ground amongst the cows suddenly swirled up - three grabbed shots with the Tamron SP 70-300mm VC lens and they dispersed. This was my favourite. This is a black and white conversion, as it was mostly in shades of grey, anyway. Works well in .LARGE too.

I then walked through to Coombe Bissett, where I had to wait nearly two hours for a bus back to Salisbury. The hourly bus service is now three hourly... so I investigated the lovely church there and got some nice pics. So a worthwhile walk, if nothing else from the 7 or 8 mile walk exercise and the fresh air - and this pic, which I do rather like.


I phoned Des last night and he thanks everybody who viewed and commented on his portrait. He read my text and some of the comments. His official line is that he approves of the photo. As he most probably won't be reading this, he did say that he actually liked it and that it is probably the best picture of him taken, which says a lot for all the others!! I emailed it to him to use, should he wish to do so