Mission accomplished

 Bev and I took a drive over to Burgess Hill, just outside Brighton, so that I could purchase a new (for me) camera body. Park Cameras, in The Victoria Business Park, have provided the bulk of my camera equipment and have never let me down. Their staff are always very helpful and do their very best to ensure you leave the showroom with the kit which is best suited to your situation. Today I went there hoping to purchase a pre-used (that's posh talk for second hand) Canon EOS 90d and I wasn't to be disappointed. The same guy, as sold me the replacement EOS 70d body, was on hand and talked me through the pros and cons of this latest acquisition. He did me a great deal and I left the shop with what I'd hoped for and £50 still in my pocket - result! So I now have two cameras available to me, both of which I intend to use regularly. What this means is that I won't need to be constantly changing lenses but, instead, will use the EOS 70d/18 - 55mm IS lens for my angling self take efforts and scenery shots and keep the 100 - 400mm USM IS lens on the EOS 90d for my wildlife stuff. We didn't get back home until around 16.00 hrs, thus I've not had much chance to play around with this new toy. I did watch a couple of tutorials, on Youtube, but they were aimed at folk who want more from their hobby than blogging accompaniment. I have managed to grab a couple of record shots of the same Hedgehog as yesterday through the, now dry, double glazed back window and have to say I'm rather impressed for a first attempt.

I'll have plenty more time to play around with this kit and it will certainly be in my tackle bag for the PAC event on Saturday.

New Year and a fresh start

The New Year started with absolutely abysmal weather conditions..With the wind gusting to nearly 60 mph, and later accompanied by heavy rainfall, there was very little enthusiasm to get outdoors. I've seen very few birds, so my year list sits on ten species as a result. Bev and I had seen in the New Year watching Jools Holland's "Hootenanny" on the t/v. The howling wind meant that I failed to see a Hedgehog on the final day of 2024, which was a bit of a gutter, as I'd seen them on every other night of December. Still, I've managed to start 2025 with a sighting and grabbed a record shot complete with the QPR vs Watford result from today's game.

Taken through a, rain soaked, double glazed window

I haven't made any plans for what I'd like to achieve but, am formulating a few ideas which should provide a basis as the year unfolds. I am, hopefully, taking a drive across to Burgess Hill in order to purchase the new (for me) camera body which should raise my photo quality above what I am obtaining at present?  Obviously, whatever I do, it will revolve around my love of the outdoors and the ability to share my experiences with the visitors to this blog.