Dino Adventure sep 17 th 2012

For a change, a quick trip to Chester zoo as the weather not too good, especially for the mountains.   really enjoy going to the zoo , always something to photograph but this time it was a fun day walking around the Dino exhibit :)

but first, a few shots from around the Zoo on the way to the gardens where the Dino's are set out.
first to see where the bush dogs, always fun to watch running around following each other :D

                            walking past the raptors i have managed a shot of one of the owls in the aviary

           and one of the two gorgeous tiger cubs :)  which have now been sent away to form new breeding pairs in Europe :(    will miss seeing them!

       Right!  its Dino time, i have not a clue what to expect. starting next to the "realm of the  Comodo dragon "   with this bronze statue

walking through the entrance i can see a small Dino in the bushes  but then came face to face with this!!!!!!

  i have just been soaked as it spits water! wtf!     so funny really :D  very realistic with all parts animated moving backwards and side to side then bending down to eye level .

  further down the path i have come across this huge head!   haha  not moving though

                                around the corner is Triceratops with little babies :) cute!

                                                 they merge is so well in with the gardens

                                                                peanut head Dino :)

                                                    must be feeding time for the Dino's lol

                                                Tyrannosaurus Rex , with a youngster

 

baby in the bushes :D

stuck in the mud???????

that was the last of the Dino exhibits

walking around the rest of the i take a few shots before it starts to rain, sigh!

                                                 a face only a mother could love  haha

i have taken shelter in the tropical house, but is so dark in here i am really struggling to  shoot anything, managed this lovely image using iso 4000 to get enough shutterspeed.

                       i have chased this sunbittern around for ages , this is the best i can get.

i stop off in the jaguar house, not a sign of the big cats but for once the sloth is in a position to photograph is face!  Yay    iso 6400 for this one as its very dark , but is first time i have ever seen its face :D

                             the end of a unusual day to say the least , really enjoyed it :D

A Stunning Autumn in Snowdonia national park 2nd Nov

After all the recent trips up to the Cumbria i thought a change of scenery was in order, i haven't been to Snowdonia that much this year so with the autumn colours looking good and a bit of snow on the mountain tops it was a perfect time to have a look around my favourite spots :)

I have just come through the village of Llanrwst  and having taken the road over the bridge heading to Trefriw ,i have turned off to go through the forest towards Hafna where the old mine workings are.  the colours are looking really good this year.

                                    here are some of the mine buildings all overgrown now

            looking across in the opposite direction looking towards the snow capped mountains

it looks stunning with the coloured trees around the mine workings and snow on the top of Moel Siabod in the distance  ( i think   lol )

i have now driven down to Cors Bodgynydd nature reserve to have a look around,this is where i photograph Dragonflies and Damselflies in the summer HERE , i have come across three long horns grazing, the back lighting looks really nice in this image :)

                                  a couple of images looking across Llyn Bogynydd

i am now heading for a quick look at Llyn Geirionydd now, the road runs along its shore line so easy to see if any good photo opportunities.  its looking good and zooming in with long lens the colours look great!

leaving this lake i have now moved on to visit the viewpoint looking over the valley near to swallow falls , i stop to take this image first before walking through the forest.

getting to the viewpoint , the view is stunning today, beautiful colours and snow capped mountains!  don't think we see this very often in uk!

i have now driven up the main road along the Ogwen valley past Llyn Ogwen and have parked near to the white cottages to begin my walk up the cym idwal waterfalls up to Llyn Idwal beneath the Devils Kitchen.     here is the view from the path at the start of the walk looking at Tryfan covered in snow :)

The classic view taken from next to the wooden bridge looking up the waterfall and the "lone tree" with

 Y Garn in the background , must climb up there soon me thinks :D

the path weaves its way all way up to the lake from here , also the path divides and goes up to another set of waterfalls on its way up to Llyn Bochlywd and then up to TRYFAN

As i walk/clamber up the waterfalls path i shoot the different views as i go , the light is constantly changing and the blue sky keeps getting clouded out!   Arghhhhh

                     The view down the path looking towards Llyn Ogwen,lovely blue sky now!

i have made it up to the lake, but the light is awful now , bloody typical as it was really nice 10 mins ago while on way up!     makes for an atmospheric image with the Devils Kitchen behind :)

a huge hail storm has just come over the Glyders range but luckily it has just missed me and is heading down the Nant Ffrancon valley.  looks a bad one !

walking down the main path now it is starting to sleet and snow  , but still great views , think i will head down to visit another final waterfall before heading home .

nearing the bottom of the path the sky has turned blue again, amazing how quickly it changes up here!

i will now drive down the Nant Ffrancon valley towards Bethesda and stop off at waterfalls at the bottom end of the valley , there is a great view just next to the car park looking back up towards the mountains :D

                                                     the falls in their autumn glory

that was a great day travelling around all my favourite spots , just need more snow now :)