Blashford Lakes Showcase

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Geoff
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Hi all - infrequent visitor/poster at this forum so please forgive - anyone who has visited or plans to visit Blashford Lakes Wildlife Reserve in west Hampshire may be interested in my 'Blashford Lakes Showcase' which I've just got round to putting up and which shows some of the great photo-opportunities to be had there (mainly birds):

http://www.geoffdore.com/gd/showcases/blashford/blashford-index.htm

Photos accompanied by some info too.

Geoff
 
Well worth posting i enjoyed having a look (y)

Regards

Richard
 
Geoff,
Some stunning stuff in the albums,and really enjoyed the chat and stories behind the shots.

Some of those shots are very hard to get ,and tricky to shoot,and the quality is superb.

I have bookmarked it in my favourites for a proper look,and many thanks for posting and promoting the venue,and also the chance to see your excellent photography.

Cheers,(y)
Pons
 
Geoff,
I have bookmarked it in my favourites for a proper look,and many thanks for posting and promoting the venue,and also the chance to see your excellent photography.

Thanks - it's part showcase of my photography but also part showcase of a nature reserve that is becoming a really great place to visit for wildlife (mainly bird) photography - hats off must go to Hampshire Wildlife Trust for developing the reserve.

cheers

Geoff
www.geoffdore.com
 
Geoff, many excellent and 'different' photos on your site. (y)
 
The problem with some of the hides at Blashford is the oneway film on the glass and non opening windows.

Yes, but this is only a problem on two out of the six hides at Blashford, and both of these still have two windows that open - I've not actually shot through the oneway glass to see what the quality is like but I know they drop exposure by two stops.

One has to bear in mind that the primary purpose of these hides is for general viewing, especially for children and their education. But they still provide useful places for photographers to sit and wait - usually quite a lot of waiting.....

cheers

Geoff
www.geoffdore.com
 
Great update, as you say it is rather limiting with non opening windows and with one way film to boot, it's almost as if they are putting obstacles in the way of bird watching.
 
You got me interested in this reserve. It's not that far from me in South Dorset, and looks like it might be great for a day out in the spring. Why have they got glass in the hide windows?:thinking: Cheers.(y)
 
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You got me interested in this reserve. It's not that far from me in South Dorset, and looks like it might be great for a day out in the spring. Why have they got glass in the hide windows?:thinking: Cheers.(y)

As with any wildlife reserve/photography, it can be hit and miss and depends on your luck on the day - different hides are good at different times of the year - Ivy North Hide is good at the moment as it's the most likely part of reserve to see Bittern, depending on how long you're prepared to wait! :cautious: and also Water Rail, Great Egret and Cetti's Warbler have been showing well too.

But at least there are usually plenty of birds around there.

The one-way glass is used in two hides (Ivy North Hide and Woodland Hide - see my Blashford Hide Guide) and this is because the main purpose of these hides is children's education - the kids can be relatively noisy (are they ever quiet? :shake:) but as the birds cannot see any movement related to the noise they are less likely to spook and fly away (or if they do fly off at Woodland Hide they come back to the feeders quickly).

I've wondered why they didn't have opening windows but with one-way glass, so best of both worlds (as at some other reserves) but warden Bob is adamant that the birds would be disturbed too much, espcially in the case of Ivy North Hide where they believe the Bittern only began showing well when they stopped opening the windows.

Geoff
 
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a very nice set of photos on your site....just a small note, the little ringed plovers are a schedule 1 nesting bird,so if you happen to find these..you will need a licence to take photos ...although its probable ok in your case, because it was a hide...mark

Absolutely, and I do say so in my Blashford Hide Guide, though not in the LRP gallery - will rectify this. Yes, it seems that, because the bid has chosen to nest next to the permanent hide, there is no need to obtain a license to photograph from the hide and the birds appear totally unfazed by the noise and gesticulations from the hide windows just a few metres away, not to mention the many large lenses that may be poking out of the windows! :eek: and seems to accept this in return for the apparent benefit of fewer predators such as crows which seem reluctant to come near the hide, even when there are no people around.

To photograph LRP from other than fixed structure - such as portable hide and maybe even the car - one would require not only a license but also maybe references or past history of Schedule I licenses or nest photography.

Geoff
 
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