SHH! SLEEPING SISKIN IN RAMSEY - CRITTERS

Sleeping Siskin
Babooshka

Shh! Sleeping siskin. You know what happens they fly into our windows and I sit with them until they come round. This little male, was a little dazed and confused, but flew away eventually. Sometimes they come round in minutes, sometimes hours. This one had a little nap before he flapped off. Me being me, I just had to take his little snap when I knew he was hunky dory. Any references to me being a Manx fairy, a bird whisperer, or a white witch are just not true, and George the siskin can verify that fact. What siskins don't talk to you?

Ramsey is actually full of sikins now. They are becoming very common garden birds all year round, rather than the visiting migrating birds to here they used to be. We often have about 30 of these in the garden. Have you any idea how much a tiny bird can eat? Want to attract siskins to your place. Try niger seeds to attract them, and then white sunflower heatrs to keep them. Works a treat, but be warned, they won't leave. By the way this a Europoen siskin, which is quite different to the American. Put siskin as a seacrh word on my blog and you will find posts all about the differences.

Now a message for all CDP users. Voting for the 2009 Jan 01 is taking place. It's your chance to pitch in with your choice. Don't forget to use the forum. It's a great place to exchange ideas, have your say, ask questions, get help and see what's generally going on in the community.

For more wonderful camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters and be sure to leave a nice comment for Misty' s own outstanding posts.

RAMSEY HARBOUR ,COURTING SWANS, CRITTER SUNDAY

A couple of weeks ago I posted the black and white version of this image. Blue and purple light on the monochrome image are quite pronounced as a stream of white light. This is the image as shot. For the monochrome I simply used photoshop "desaturate" to strip the colours from the image. Again it's just been re sized for the blog. You will notice I shoot a lot over, near, by or onto water. It's because it's so reflective and can really enhance tones and hues. The colours are reflections from the harbour boatyard. Also shooting towards the sun helped to elongate the magenta light onto the gravel.

These two swans were again a fortuitous shot. I had been snapping away at one of the elusive cormorants. It just wasn't happening. Cormorants are shorebirds with dark feathers, almost black, but on closer inspection you see green, blue and purple when the light hits. Very poor light and basically the wrong lens for the distance meant time call it a day. I Always take the opportunity to take a few spontaneous shots on these days. I had noted the swans were about to pass near to the better light, the reflection, and as they are white knew they would make up for the cormorant. The magenta light onto the gravel I like purely as it's unbalanced for the shot. Again I could of cropped just for the swans, but personally I'm just a sucker for purple.


As some people really don't get my humour I have gone for a very straightforward post with a smattering of photography tips, without the patronising tone of you could never take this shot. On the contrary. It demonstrates that there are some days when you just can't get the shot you want, but if you improvise, know one will ever know. Well not unless you're me and you shoot and tell.

For more camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters.

RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO CAUGHT BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

RAMSEY DAILY PHOTO my blog under the guise of Babooshka

I am a photographer, and I er take photographs
I upload some of my personal ones for your visual pleasure
I pass on practical photography advise and unravel a few photographic myths and mysteries
I try to encourage others, at whatever level, with any suggestions at their request only
I only leave positive feedback. Why be negative?(see above point)
I keep my writing light, whimsical, informative and more importantly my style as I speak naturally.
I try to convey Ramsey, warts and all honestly. Mainly it's marvellous, with a smidgen of room for improvement.
I try to show the Isle of Man is more than, bikes, cats, and the Finance Industry.
I am not a journalist, historian, teacher, or litter monitor, just a resident photographer of Ramsey, Isle of Man.
My name is Babooshka, and I have a confession to make. I am a blogger.

Thanks so much for all the lovely comments, questions, suggestions for posts, inquiries etc. To the majority out there who understand that I have fabulous sense of humour but none when it comes to litterbugs thanks for joining in the banter, answering trivial or important questions I pose, for joining in the word games. For the many awards, some I will be collecting soon, again thank you. I will pass them on wisely. For understanding that you may not always get my best high res, large file photography, (because I have to sell that) but you will always get something interesting, challenging or one of my soapbox rants about wildlife or litter pics. For understanding that I live in one of the smallest places of the Daily City Photos, so I have a minuscule amount to photograph compared to the luxury of a huge city. At least it makes you far more creative, and has opened my eyes up to my own town. I've made some amazing discoveries and I hope to make many more. Are you still in for the roller coaster ride?


Not the post I planned at all or the image. Rocks of Ramsey Beach taken randomly, practise shot for white balance. That's it for the shot today.

I am going to say this once. I do not have moderation on my comments because I believe in Free Speech. I upload images and write a few words daily in connection with Ramsey as part of the Daily City Photo. I am not better or no worse than any other blogger. It is not a competition.
Either support each other or the system fails, and we let the negative individuals win.

No need to comment on the text today. I've had all the support from you before. Just tell me why you blog instead? My ego can share the bloglite, unlike others.


Alernatively just make me laugh, this is all too serious. Pesky people out there irking me!

ODD SHOTS MONDAY - ARE WE THERE YET?

Ramsey, is just plain weird. Last week my odd shot was a footprint from a series of footprints that guide you part way round the town. Well across the road from those footprints was this oddity. What do you make of this?

Sadly it's recently been taken down. I took the shot before it was removed, again just documenting the town for posterity. How odd is it though? If you come into town by bus, right across the road from the bus station was this enormous sign on a slopping tree, pointing straight into town. So no need to approach a local. Look up ( you really couldn't miss it) and follow the pointed finger, and then follow the footprints. How simple is that! Irony is, Ramsey is so small, you actually don't need this rather threatening giant hand with the finely manicured nails
(gender indiscriminate) pointing out the direction, the place is too small to get lost.

Please, please put this sign back. I love it. It's just so quirky like the bright green footprints, the shocking purple house, and the swinging bridge. These are the oddities that makes Ramsey, well Ramsey. These are what make this town, from this funny little island unique.

What then in your town distinguishes it from any other place?

Want to join Odd Shots Monday?

Then see KATNEY

CRITTERS SUNDAY- THE DECLINE IN NUMBERS OF THE HOUSE SPARROW

SAVE THE HUMBLE HOUSE SPARROW

This is a house sparrow chewing a fly for his lunch. It was odd for me to snap a garden bird along the beach, but perhaps not so now with this particular bird anymore. The poor house sparrow used to be the commonest garden bird in the UK. Every garden had dozens of these friendly little birds, not so now. So why has the bird declined in numbers?

Modern living. I could elaborate and do a weeks worth of blogs in one post, but to put it in a nutshell that's it. What though do I mean by modern living?

Modern housing estates. It's all very well building nice shiny little boxes to live in, but please plant some hedgerows with them. These cute little birds thrive amongst the hedgerows. No hedgerows, no sparrows.

Off road car parking. Again a great idea, but birds don't live on a pile of concrete. Would it hurt to surround car parking areas with a little greenery for nesting birds.

Less gardens. Again birds don't live on gravel drives.

Too tidy gardens. Mow your lawn by all means, trim your hedges too, but don't obliterate the foliage. Keep it neat, but keep it.

Birds don't live in apartment blocks. Renovate existing building, not throw up new faceless ones. Birds love eaves. Where have all the eaves gone?

Save parks and and Nature Reserves! For all of us really. We really don't need another empty office block or supermarket buying land they will flatten and never use, just to stop a competitor buying it. Sparrows need green areas, hedgerows, trees and grass. In fact don't we need those too. Sure you dog that needs walking or your children kicking a ball would agree!

My garden has the house sparrow as a visitor. We too live in a modern house, but we have a garden, full of nuts, seeds and water. A tree to hide from sparrowhawks. Space under the guttering to nest.

Too find a humble house sparrow, scavenging for food along the beach, competing with the more adept shorebirds just wasn't right. We share this planet, we don't own it.

For more camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters.

ODD SHOTS MONDAY - MARTIAN FOOTPRINT?

Ok, you got me. It's not to my knowledge a Martian, or any other kind of visiting alien footprint, but is a little bit of an X File. I noticed these footprints when we first came to Ramsey. Wherever you wander around the central town streets you come across these strange painted footprints with the little Chad type figure on. They only go in one direction though, which is odd in itself. A bit like Ikea when you get shunted in one direction from start to finish, and can't deviate. If you follow them you will actually do a circuit of the town. Useful then perhaps if you're a visitor. Tried to find out how old they are, but most people don't notice them anymore or think I'm weird for asking. Imagine the looks I got taking this! I hope you like the chewing gum decoration, not me, but probably the litterbug who I berated on my blog before.

Does anyone else have anything like these cute footprints in their part of the world?

The next bridge shot in the IOO shots series is tomorrow. By the way the footprint, Saturday's bridge shot, and Fridays metal theme/skywatch shot were taken with my handheld tiny Olympus. No fancy lenses, no zoom, no filters, on a sun setting. I do take most of photos on my Nikon D50(and even I want a better camera now) with a number of lenses, but I just wanted to encourage all those that only have a small point and shoot, great shots can still be taken. After all it's you that composes and times the shot, not the camera.

No footprints or aliens were hurt in the making of this post.

Want to join Odd Shots Monday?

Then see KATNEY

RAMSEY RUGBY TO THE TOUR DE FRANCE

Well the rugby season is over and I'll have to wait now to take anymore. It's not just he Isle of Man TT we have here sport wise. Rugby, football, kite flying, and of course don't forget Mark Cavendish. Some of you may of heard of him if you followed the Tour de France. He won a couple of Races, a Yellow Jersey Winner, and yes he's an island resident. In fact we used to work at the same place, at different times. In fact my old work station was previously occupied by him, then me. The hot seat.

I'm a bit pushed for time tonight, so this is a good time to dish out some more blog awards.

This time I received another Arte y pico from Jackie in GLASCOW

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award, creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogger community, no matter of language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award-winning, has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the ward itself.
4) Award-winning and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y pico"blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) To show these rules.

My choices today are for blogs you need to visit.

CORSICANA for having 2 other terrific fun blogs too, dedication
JAMJARSUPERSTAR excellent music reviews
SAN FRANSICO BAY a mad talking cow and terrific research
PORT TOWNSEND beautiful images, fun posts
Terrell Daily Photo poignant, thoughtful and wonderful research

Now you Lucky people it's just for fun, but I enjoy coming to your blogs, and I know others will too they just need diresctions to get there. So folks follow the links. Recipients copy and paste the award from my blog and pick your 5.

As Friday is skywatch and theme day( metal) I shall be combining the two in a series of images.
Hopefully it will work.

ABC WEDNESDAY - B IS FOR BLACKBIRD

My other ABC is The Bay of Angels, Nice, France, which you can find on the new ABC WEDNESDAY

The blackbird above may look like it's singing, bit it's not. One simple reason for this, it's a young female, and female blackbirds don't sing. What she was actually doing was fluffing out her wings and for want of a better word sunbathing. Yes we do occasionally have sunny days here.

Another Manx Cat Myth

This little ditty it seems is authorless. Not exactly a haiku, but certainly sums up another fishy story of how the Manx cat became tailess.

“Noah, sailing o’er the seas,
Ran high and dry on Ararat,
His dog then made a spring,
And took the tail from off a pussy cat,
Puss through the window quick did fly,
And bravely through the waters swam,
Nor ever stopped, till, high and dry,
She landed on the Isle of Man.
Thus tailless puss earned Mona’s thanks.
And ever after was called Manx.”

More myths and legends to follow. Not ust the cat variety either!

MRS NESBITT'S PLACE
Mrs Nesbitt is the host for ABC Wednesday, where you can find details for joining, her own ABC shot to comment on and a list of fellow bloggers who are playing today, who would also appreciate your comments.

CAMERA CRITTERS - PURRFECT KITTY AND MANX CAT MYTHS

I am a confirmed dog lover, but sometimes even I crumble for the cat. This dear little pure white one with sparkling green eyes meowed his hello and proceeded to pose for several photos. He was rewarded with a tummy, under chin, and behind the ears tickle. I hope to see him again as he's so photogenic.

He's not a Manx cat, a stubbin. They as you may recall from another cat post are cats with no tails. Lots of myths and legends surround the origin of the Manx cat. Here is one for today. The rest will follow. Even with the tale, there are variants on the myth.

The Manx cat was invited onto Noah's ark to avoid the great flood. He refused the offer having found food and shelter on land and thought he would be safe from the flood. Only when the rising waters became so high the Manx cat fearing for his life ran to the Ark. Noah by this time had given up on the Manx cat and started to shut the door. The Manx cat jumped towards the closing door. Thrusting his way through the tiniest gap, he managed to squeeze almost all of himself through. Alas, his tail was not so fortunate. Poor Manx cat's tail was severed as Noah slammed the Ark's door shut leaving the cat now without a tail. Forever more no Manx cat was born with a tail on the Isle Of Man

Is that myth not just the cat's whiskers! So have you seen or owned a Manx cat?

For more camera critters see MISTY DAWN Camera critters.

RAMSEY SERENDIPITY

After yesterdays naughty bit of graffiti(I just shoot the facts, like them or not) I thought a nice pretty little pic would redress the balance. To all those people who haven't read the blog header and what the blog is all about and left very negative comments, try reading it properly. I say I will show all sides of the town, as it is whether that be good bad or indifferent. Today we have the good, the pretty, through rose tinted leaves!

Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve, has a series of nature trails meandering through it. I decided to follow one of these and came across these very vivid rich red leaves on a recently planted sapling. The sky seemed to be one enormous dirty white blanket of cloud, so I knew that the reds would pop out against it. Just how white the backdrop would be I didn't realise as the camera had been on the wrong ISO. When I uploaded I could see the white was completely bleached out. Normally I don't favour this look, but I just went with it and now don't mind the image. Serendipity and photography really do go hand in hand sometimes.

So have you had a serendipitous moment with your camera?

BABOOSHKA AND THE CORMORANT

I adore the cormorants that hang around the harbour, but for the life of me can I take a photo of them I am happy with? These birds are my nemesis! I have more chance of catching a darting swallow with the wrong speed setting on than catching the difinitive cormorant shot I desire. I seem to be in the minority though. Other people really get a kick out of it. After all the buying public know best. I am merely the lunatic running around Ramsey or Rhumsaa if you want the Norse, the Manx version of the town name chasing the shot in my head they may not actually exist. I like it as an action shot, but it's not my favourite bird shot. It is however, the one that outsells the others.

The reason for this photo today is to illustrate photography, in the main, is in the eye of the beholder, not the photographer. I often get asked to critique work and was asked by a fellow blogger if I would like to pitch in with a post he was publishing concerning photography tips. I did, but I also said that I would transfer people over to his blog and his post, as he has written a really great article about it all, succinctly and very user friendly. He's also a really fantastic photographer with a very down to earth honest approach to the business of photography and life of a photographer. For all of you out there who would like to advance your skills, learn a little more, or just purely enjoy an outstanding body of work, hop over to 365 BRETT TRAFFORD
You will learn more about photography here than most places I have been on the net and will want to pay frequent visits as I do. It's always great to appreciate anothers work without the responsibility of having created the images. Can't empahsise enough how worthwhile for the budding photographer at whatever level the hop over to his blog is. The particular post you are looking for is entitled "Eating Raoul"

Today I'd be interested to know, to you print the images you take as photographs, or are they for pc use?

ABC WEDNESDAY - V IS FOR VA VA VROOM!

As you've noticed I've an abundance of "Ramsey Day" images and partcipate in a few nemes. Um? So why not combine the two again and again and again! A couple of weeks ago I used a photo for sky watch called "flying bike." This is the the same motorcyclist, and this is the shot I took before the skywatch one in a frame of three during the trick. As you can see, part of his act was to jump over the compere. All very carefully rehearsed to comedic effect with the motorcyclist pretending to almost plough into the compere on the first attempt. This trick was definitley one for the visiting voyeristic viewers.

Special(ahem) mention to "manx4 manx" or as I prefer to call them "mad manx". Thanks sooooooooo much for your dreary little email. I do hope you enjoyed yesterdays beautiful stunning post!

Like to join ABC Wednesday? Please got to this link, MRS NESBITT'S PLACE
Mrs Nesbitt is the host for ABC Wednesday, where you can find details for joining, her own ABC shot to comment on and a list of fellow bloggers who are playing today, who would also appreciate your comments.

RAMSEY HARBOUR UNDER MANNANAN'S CLOAK

Ramsey Daily Photo, and Babooshka have company in the Isle Of Man. Guess what they're also from Ramsey. I want to introduce you to the wondeful world of MANNANANS CLOAK

As you know the other day, I was a little down after the TT and the lack of island interest in my photography, when ironically I have a worldwide following and buying audience. Little did I know there was another island website out there in virtual land. Mannanan's cloak found me, intoduced themselves and I thought I'd take a peek, just to get a flavour. Five mins. turned in to an hour. Couldn't tear myself away. Fascinating stuff.

It's a fully comprehensive website jam packed with wonderful items such as lifeboat shouts, pub guides, TT, photo quiz... and well I don't want to reveal all here, when you can hop over and lose yourself for a while virtually on the island. If you click the link for MANNANANS CLOAK you'll be there. It's already a link now on mine, bookmarked and hopefully promoted in todays post. It was really relaxing for me too be the veiwer, rather than the author for a change. All the pleasure without the responsibility. For all you Isle of Man Lovers, I can't recommend it enough.

The photo is an archive, as I'm still a little camera fatigued. It's Ramsey Harbour very early one morning when only me and the shore birds were about. I went to photograph sunrises and photographed resting boats instead. It seems to sell mostly as a postcard or greeting card. If you click this link SIMPLY SCENE, IMAGE REVIEWS you can see what I mean about worldwide rather than island recgognition. This might be why it's a good seller. Who am I too judge. My favourites are the ones that sell the least.

ODD SHOTS MONDAY - CAPTAIN DEFINITE

"Captain Definite" is the alter ego of the Btitish Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Remeber yesterday in my blog I said Gordon Brown was in for a shock, this is why. I also mentioned that my living room floor is covered in painting of footballers and politicians, well Captain Definite is one of those paintings. Captain Definite was created on my living room floor last week by my partner, Gary Barker for the BBC Politics Show Website.

Look closely at the image. It's my photo, of Barker's cartoon. Now this is the odd bit. If you look closely you will see that the image I have taken is actually on the tv. Can you imagine sitting down to your to sunday dinner to have the image you have been living with in varied incarnations appear on your own tv. Surreal. Just had to snap it fo the odd shot.

Captain Definite is part of a BBC cartoon strip created by Barker. See BARKER BITES BACK! if you want to see the entire strip, posted one a day from today. Also while your there can you tell him Babooshka would like to hoover, so pick his bloody drawings up.

Want to join Odd Shots Monday?

Then see KATNEY

ISLE OF MAN TT, SUPERSPORT 1

ABC Wednesday had to be T for TT. Same as post yesterday, a bunch of images , no particular. order. As I've before, said posts all hit and run this week, got to be out and about.

This is the Monday Race, The Supersport 1. Quick who's who in the pics. 73 is local Guy Peter Hounsell who finsihed 42. Next is Chris palmer 14 and Adrian Archibald 13. They finished in this order in 11 and 12TH place respectively. Next Keith Amor, No. 4 who finished third. Following that is John McGuinness No 3 who finshed second. Steve plater is the next image, rider 1o and the eventual winner( Bruce Anstey was disqualified.) Final pic is Michael Dunlop 23 who finished
a respectable 1oth.

No racing today, but it was Ramsey Day. These pics may have to wait until next week as there is more racing tomorrow, the sidecars Pierre( I couldn't do the sat race). Ramsey Day is a fun day of stalls, sprint racing, stunts and kiddies entertainment. A bit of light relief and a day off for the riders. Not the photographers though.

Oh yes, have to say thanks to the magazine photographer who tried to get me into the media enclosure to have better access. He argued the point that I was actually the only one with Ramsey Daily Photo on the shirt and a local. Typical Isle of Man mentality, the answer was no. Laxey Lass, I agree with you about the courier, but it's international magazines that have approached me, never the island, and yes it infuriates me.

I'll get a T.shirt pic sorted at some point. Time for bed.

Like to join ABC Wednesday? Please got to this link, MRS NESBITT'S PLACE
Mrs Nesbitt is the host for ABC Wednesday, where you can find details for joining, her own ABC shot to comment on and a list of fellow bloggers who are playing today, who would also appreciate your comments.




SUPERSPORT STATS.

1, Steve Plater 1.14.01.07 (122.338mph)
2 John McGuinness 1.14.04.46 (122.245mph)
3Keith Amor 1.14.12.28 (122.030mph)
4, Ryan Farquhar 1.14.14.25 (121.976mph)
5, Ian Lougher, 1.14.15.50 (121.942mph)
6, Gary Johnson 1.14.50.89 (120.981mph)
7, Mark Parrett 1.15.26.86 (120.020mph)
8, Mats Nilsson 1.15.32.16 (119.879mph)
9, Cameron Donald 1.15.33.15 (119.853mph)

CAN YOU SPOT THE BIKERS WAVING AT BABOOSHKA?

Here they are then the TT tourists! These images portray a tiny fraction of the thousands of people that are setting foot on the island as I type. It's been building slowly, but this first friday always see the great swelling of numbers.

The images are in no particular order, just a mix to give you a flavour of my town around 6pm friday evening. I took them from 3 different sides of the crossroads at Parliament Square. You can see glimpses of the Swan and Central pubs, the Town Hall and Library and Ray Motors Garage. Compact is a word that comes to mind. For UK readers if I said Ramsey reminds me of Trumpton, they would understand the sentiment. Trumpton was a 70's kids tv show, a tiny town which had all facilities more or less within inches of each other. Not aware of it having Pubs though! That's why I draw the comparision between the two.

This post is a bit of a hit and run. Didn't get to the laptop 'til late so a quick upload, grab a few, quick crop, desaturate and post. They're just to give you an idea what happens to a kind of "Smallsville" town during the biggest even of the year. So did you spot the two bikers (yes two, if you enlarge) waving at me and the Japanese tourist resetting his camera missing all the action. I hope it's gets the setting right before the races or he won't stand a chance.

Collecting the T.Shirt and will be wearing later today. I'll give you all a wave on the T.V if they fim my way