Squirrels Formby Pine Woods *and now a Fox too*

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Jon
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Pretty pleased with these :) Formby Pine Woods are great for seeing these creatures close up, and when they stray into the small pools of evening light they really stand out.

All taken with a Sigma 70-300, and the last two are hand-held @ 1/60 :nuts:

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Wish I'd not missed the tail on the last two :bonk:

I then donned the 10-20mm and tried to make the best of the evening light

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I'd love to hear any comments you have :D
 
For me the best one is No5. Been a long while since I was down in the pinewoods. Must go again.
 
Very nice. If Id have to choose a favourite it would be that last/wide one. Followed by the pose on that second to last one. Shame about the tail, like you say.

Are they more active now? We went a few weeks ago with my wife and kids, and there was nary a squidger to be seen. Either they were still hibernating or the bank holiday had taken its toll on their nerves.
 
There were a few knocking about. Must remember to take some bait next time though!

There was also a scraggy looking fox on the prowl - it chased a couple of squirrels up a tree. This is the best I managed to get of it
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Oh and apparently they don't hibernate - we were told this by the guy on the gate during the autumn when we last went. I had thought they hibernated too.
 
Gorgeous ! x x x

really love the last close-up, shame about the tail but it doesn't spoil it too much,
 
I went back this evening, and, well, it was far from a "scraggy" fox...

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Quite a fine example I think (I'm no expert), and very friendly - It walked right up to me to within about 6 feet of my outstretched arm which was holding a few peanuts (I'd brought bait for the squirrels this time ;)). Its seems to fancy itself as a bit of a poser anyway :D
 
Very nice set ( both Squirrels and fox)
The fox certainly looks in good condition, when they start to moult the hair falls out ( usually) on the back first, in patches hence the expression "mangey Fox" as the look so tatty
 
JPS said:
And explain please why people like to chase these with hounds...... well ok, save it for another day - great shots (y)
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Thats illegal now. however have you ever seen what they do once in a hen house or a garden with pet rabbits or guinea pigs? I have!
Without all the death and distruction they cause, in these instances, they are the main carrier of fleas that you pets pick up, and bring home as a present, the urban foxes spread rubbish from skips and bins in shopping areas encouraging rats to forage the spillages. Maybe hunting with hounds was / is not PC but they need to be controlled
Light touch paper and retire :D

 
It doesnt actually look tatty to me...its hair looks in good condition... it has quite dark markings though...what with the feet too. Doesnt look too well though, what with those eyes. :(

The fox which comes and steals the badgers' peanuts from my front garden each night is red all over... no dark legs or dark tail.
 
kool shots, the fox is there all the time, it has a den in the sand dunes.

last time it came about 12ft away from us but it looks like he is getting braver which isnt necessarily good news.

Formby is a great location if you go again in a week or so give us a shout it would be great to meet up with fellow tpers. I was put off formby after a photographer was attacked there around 6 months ago stealing £8000 worth of kit
 
photo-request said:
I was put off formby after a photographer was attacked there around 6 months ago stealing £8000 worth of kit
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OMG. I live in Formby & I hadn't heard that.
 
i cant find it on the net i read it in a photography magazine, apparently a group of youths saw this guy in the woods on his own at dawn and gave him a bit of a rough up and took his rucksack.

ive always felt safe there but when you read these things you do start to feel a bit un easy
 
if you are carrying that much kit around its always worth going in 2 or 3 of you, specially in the wilds.

The fox looked a bit ill last time i saw it, may not have been, but it was getting very close to people and thats always a worry, is great for taking pics though.
 
Thanks for the comments guys :D

I have spent the afternoon figuring out how to add a signature to my pictures using PS. Can you tell me what you think of it please - position, distracting etc.
 
The fox shots are fantastic. Perfectly sharp and really well framed :clap: I think your signature is fine, legibale but not too intrusive IMO (y)
 
Formby dunes and pinewoods are one of my favourite places in the World to walk and explore. Your pictures are absolutely fantastic.
 
lovely shots, particularly of the fox, I prefer to see the squirrels eating nuts without them being in chocolate bars and wrappers:)
 
paulc said:
I prefer to see the squirrels eating nuts without them being in chocolate bars and wrappers:)
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Absolutely! This one was sat in the car park licking that wrapper without a care in the world - it would have been rude not to take a few pictures ;)
 
Lovely shots, tag is just fine. 1 or two look a little over processed ( sharpened ? ) otherwise just fantastic.
 
Lovely set of images, especially the last one of the squirrels and first/last of the fox. Dfficult to judge whether going to these places alone or not is a good thing....too many peeps and the animals won't come, but totally alone......?

Given the story you relate, probably going in two's best but not always practical. Bl***y world we live in..........having been a "victim" of photography robbery myself, I'm personally won't go anywhere alone now (to take pics) and rarely venture out of the garden unaccompanied when camera in tow.
 
Cobra said:


Thats illegal now. however have you ever seen what they do once in a hen house or a garden with pet rabbits or guinea pigs? I have!
Without all the death and distruction they cause, in these instances, they are the main carrier of fleas that you pets pick up, and bring home as a present, the urban foxes spread rubbish from skips and bins in shopping areas encouraging rats to forage the spillages. Maybe hunting with hounds was / is not PC but they need to be controlled
Light touch paper and retire :D

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That is no reason to chase them with a pack of dogs and rip them to shreds. People like you have no idea how to live in harmony with nature. If humans didn't create so much filth then these animals wouldn't have to forage through it in order to eat. I cannot believe how ignorant that post is tbqfh. The only species that needs to be controlled is the Human one.
 
Right, no more discussions on the need for fox hunting please.

If you want to discuss that, take it to its own thread. Thanks :)
 
lovely pics. the last 2 squirrel shots stand out as they're on the same level as you giving them a much more intimate feel. more like you're eye to eye with it than looking from a distance/above.
 
v_mancunian said:
1 or two look a little over processed ( sharpened ? )
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Thanks, thats useful to know. I'm guessing you're referring to No3 of the fox shots? I try to keep the sharpening to a minimum, as I find its very easy to over-do! Typically in PS I'll use USM 50%/1/0, and if it needs anymore I'll experiment up to 100%/2/0 - are these generally ok figures?
 
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