I was there too
An Asian hornet was spotted in Cork recently. If they gain a hold in this country it could be very bad news for bumblebees like the one in this photo.
This particular bee had 3 of us surrounding her with cameras trying to photograph her as she fed on the nectar of this little flower.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 4000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Kitte Kat stares out from the bushes at us as she contemplates making friends, or enemies. She chose the former and walked out after myself and my dog, Diego. She allowed me to rub her head before wandering off into the garden again at Carbery Guest Lodge on Sheep’s Head, Co Cork.
She was raised by the family dog, Sisken, from an early age and thinks she’s a dog, but sometimes they get confused when she doesn’t run from them!
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 1250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
An evening walk along the River Lee near the Inniscarra Hydro Station a few years ago and we were rewarded with a lovely sunset shining on the banks of the river.
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 65mm |
| ISO | 125 |
| Shutter speed | 1/80s |
Coumeenoole Beach at the end of the Dingle Peninsula is a favourite spot on a drive around that headland. It’s dangerous to swim there, but it’s such a picturesque area we always end up there every time we visit the area.
Coumeenoole Beach gained international fame after being featured in the 1970 film “Ryan’s Daughter,” directed by David Lean, which showcased its dramatic cliffs and sweeping scenery to audiences around the world
| Aperture | ƒ/8 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/100s |
Several years ago on Sheep’s Head we went for a walk and discovered a lovely horse nearby!
Did you know? Horses have nearly 360-degree vision due to the placement of their eyes on the sides of their heads, allowing them to spot predators from almost any direction without moving their heads.
| Aperture | ƒ/1.8 |
| Camera | SM-G998B |
| Focal length | 6.7mm |
| ISO | 50 |
| Shutter speed | 1/100s |
Two young baboons in their enclosure in Bioparc Valencia, caught in a playful moment.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 120mm |
| ISO | 250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
At the PolskaEire Slavic Festival in Cork yesterday, owls were part of the festival, with kids getting a chance to hold one, much to their delight.
The tawny owl, featured prominently in the foreground, is known for its distinctive “twit-twoo” call, which is actually a duet between a male and female—one calls “twit” and the other replies “twoo.”
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 1000 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
A young antelope stands in water at Bioparc Valencia, Spain.
The animal in the photo is a sitatunga, a type of antelope known for its semiaquatic lifestyle. Its splayed hooves help it walk easily through marshy and swampy habitats.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 205mm |
| ISO | 250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1000s |
Robert’s Cove in Co. Cork looked particularly spectacular this afternoon when I visited. We arrived to a sudden shower of rain, but it soon stopped, and we wandered up the path alongside the cliff away from the beach.
Panoramas really don’t post well online. I need to do something like they do on Instagram where they break it up into 3 identical sized images and the gallery allows you to scroll from left to right smoothly. An idea for a new WordPress block?
Two podcast episodes you might like:
| Aperture | ƒ/4.5 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 24mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/640s |
Two people walking along the road by the south harbour on a pleasant, warm day in 2013. I haven’t been back there in a long time, but hopefully, I’ll make a return this summer.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | Canon EOS 6D |
| Focal length | 105mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/250s |
Three flamingos at Bioparc Valencia, October 2023.
| Aperture | ƒ/6.3 |
| Camera | ILCE-7M3 |
| Focal length | 240mm |
| ISO | 1250 |
| Shutter speed | 1/500s |
Cherry blossoms bloom on a tree at the other end of my park every year, but I always forget to bring my camera to photograph it until this afternoon.
| Aperture | ƒ/4 |
| Camera | ILCE-7RM5 |
| Focal length | 75mm |
| ISO | 100 |
| Shutter speed | 1/1250s |
