My fowl friends (mostly)

Hello all, I have got into the habit of trying to post some pics on the forum every weekend and here is today's handful. I recently picked up a new Sigma 100-300mm f4 lens and this was my first chance to give it a run out. I popped out to my favourite part of Richmond Park to see the ducks - so apologies if you don't like ducks!

Overall impressions of the Sigma are very positive. Seems sharp, focusses quickly and feels good to use (to my mind); and seems an all-round step up in quality from the 70-300 APO.

Anyway - here we are. It was a very nice morning although also very early so the sun was low...

First up, Bluebells - these are everywhere now:



Next, a pair of Mandarins pretending to have a lie-in...






Finally - a couple of groovy reflections... The park is almost in full bloom (beautiful to see) so some of the reflections are fantastically coloured from the banks of flowers:



and these are just plain freaky (the duck is a Pintail):



I hope you like these. I took loads of pics this morning but not yet processed most of them. As ever, any C&C appreciated.

Best Regards

Mat W

Mat,

lovely Ducks! Great shots!

Is your favourite part of Richmond Park Isabella Plantation, by any chance? The reflections of azaleas & rhododendrons.....

I used to virtually live up "The Park" when I was a kid. In Wiltshire now.

Regards,

Roger.

Roger - you are exactly right. I love the Plantation and normally find myself in there one way or another every weekend... Just now it is an absolute riot of colour! Mind you, Wiltshire's nice too

Regards

Mat W

PS - thanks for the comments about the ducks

Mat

The bluebells are nicely composed. I like the pintail, too.

Regards,

Andrew

Agree about the reflections, really adds to the image, cracking lens.

The groovy reflections are great, but I prefer the image of the male mandarin just before it, the contrast looks better and the colours on the duck stand out more against the water. All cracking shots though, the light on the bluebells is lovely.

Well shot Mat, and the new lens seems to be working well in your capable hands.

Good definition on all the shots, particularly liked the composition of the Bluebells - well taken,

Thanks everyone, comments much appreciated. I like the Bluebells shot too - i was lucky that it was a sunny morning yesterday to back-light them. I never get bored of the ducks, and I agree that the Mandarin shot from above has much better colours/contrast than the one from the side - I just couldn't resist all those coloured reflections. I was back there again this morning... Now my only headache is processing about 6 Gigs of raw files...

Regards

Mat W