the newts.net

Two twitchers caught these amazing pictures after a long wait to get a glimpse of a rare visitor to our shores, the Grey Phalarope.

This picture above is an elusive Grey Phalarope.  Not the Grey Phalarope in question, just a nice close-up so you can get a good look at the bird in question.

The two bird watchers had been stalking out for some time hoping to get a glimpse of the Phalarope when their luck turned and one flew in to camera range near their hide in Cornwall.

Unfortunately (for the Phalarope) a Buzzard was also in camera range, and the bird watchers had noticed it taking an unhealthy interest in our rare visitor.  Seconds later the Buzzard was on the wing and speeding towards its prey.

With a high speed slam the Buzzard grabs it’s dinner, and flies off with the Phalarope secure in it’s talons!

(Click the images to enlarge)

A spokesman for the RSPB  described the  photos  as a “one in a million” moment.

Made all the rarer due to the fact that Buzzards  like to eat carrion, and small mammals that they can swoop on, but they also eat a lot of beetles and worms.  Buzzards are not really active hunters and don’t use speed to catch prey so for one to catch a bird is a very unusual event in itself.

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Surfing around tonight I discovered this fantastic effect which can be applied to photographs using photoshop (or similar image editing software) to give the scene the illusion of being in miniature.

The following photos are all real, natural scenes that have had the tilt shift effect applied to them to make them appear miniature…

Amazing stuff I’m sure you’ll agree.  I’m going to have a go at it myself – it’s just a case of getting that killer photograph to start with.

You can see more examples of these pictures at these sites…

Smashing Magazine

Digital Artist Toolbox

And if you’d like to have a go for yourself, these sites will show you how to do it…

Visual Photo Guide

Tilt Shift Photography

Staying on the subject of amazing photographs but moving away from tilt shift, from the Smashing Magazine site, check out these awesome pictures and effects…

High Speed Photography

High Dynamic Range-technique

Motion Blur

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So this guy called Ian Usher from Darlington, who emigrated to Australia six years ago, gets dumped by his wife and decides he needs a new start away from the constant memories of his ex. No messing around for Ian though, he’s selling his house plus all it’s contents, car, motorbike, jetski, parachute, friends and job in one big lot on eBay.

The 44-year-old said he hoped to earn about £185,000 for his Perth lifestyle but just a few hours after the bidding opened the highest bid had already reached £314,000. With 7 days still remaining on the auction bidding is over AUD $720,000, equivalent to £350,000!

You can follow the auction here, and I’ll update this post with the winning bid whan it happens.

UPDATE:
I noticed the auction got to $2,200,000 AU or over £1million! There’s obviously been some spoof bidding on there even though all bidders are supposed to have been pre-approved. The current bid is back down to $300,000 AUD, £150,000 ish.

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