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Exocet
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Exocet! :lol:
Brilliantly descriptive title Aidan. Fantastic sense of speed
and motion, great colours and composition.Rob.
Close … Golden and White-Tailed Eagles if the dice fall the right way up :-)
Aidan some great shots recently, are you sure you havefinished work and all. I agree with Rob but really like your second post. Must get the details of were exactly the reserve is. There is an exhibition of 40 years of the troubles, pictures describing the time cunrrently on in the Ormeau baths, almost directly facing the BBC in Ormeau Avenue if you get a chance to visit.
Hope you enjoy Skye.
SodaThanks Carl. The way out to it is easy enough:
Head out along the dual carriageway past the City (George Best) Airport. Stay in the left lane as you approach Tescos and the Stormont/Newtownards juntion (1/4 mile after airport). Take the slip road off and turn left at the top. Follow the next round about to the right and you’re going past Sainsbury’s. After the B&Q there’s a secuity check that is just open all the time. You’re now on Airport Road West.
Now, I spend most of my time at a little beach just to the right of there. There’s a small lake and a pool there full of Shellducks, Teal, Godwits, and Redshank. The beach is covered in Oystercatchers and gulls. It’s full of life at low tide. The best place to park is to turn right off of Airport Road West, go over a narrow stretch of road and park on the left on a stony overlook (slow 1st gear to mind the oil sump). If I get good weather (looks likely on Wednesday) I might try set up my hide over looking here for an hour or two before work (about 300 yards from here).
Further along the road (a few hundred yards) you drive past a lawn on the right that over looks the water. At the far end (at a bend in the road) there’s a place where you can pull in and park. Again … slow in 1st gear and stay and the edge of the entrance to avoid potholes and damage. My car is low to the ground so that’s something I have to pay attention to. You get loads of birds flying past here.
Further down the road a few hundred yards (you’re now behind the airport) you come to a section on the right where there’s some trees and then a small parking area. This is the RSPB Belfast Harbour/Lough Reserve. There’s three buildings. The one on the left is the visitor centre/hide. heated, double glazing, lots of small birds close up, etc. Double glazing ruins the shots plus this is open only during limited hours. The one on the right is open all of the time. It’s just a wooden structure with shutters that you lift up to view the birds. Perfect for photography. There’s another hide further to the right that you have to go down a gate to. It might actually be the best one to view the birds but you have the sun in your eyes in the evening.
The entrance I described at the start is not open on Sundays (possibly not Saturdays). An alternate route is to come up from the other end of Arport Road West …. you turn off before Albert Park on the dual carriageway, turn left and take the last exit on a round about (1st brings you to Queens Island/Odyssey). The reserve is a mile or so up the road. You’ll know you’re at it when you see the trees on the left. Then you’ll hit the corner with the parkway and then you’ll hit the beach.
It’s a pity that I am ending early in many ways. I’m actually spending less hours a week in my car at the mo, even with the commute every Monday and Friday. Plus I was hoping to travel about the North at the weekends when the weather picked up. Wanted to do the mountains, the coast, Glenveigh in Donegal and a trip to Raithlin Island.
Another time maybe … my last permanent employer is based in Belfast and has been asking about my availability :-)
Map here:
http://www.sustrans.co.uk/default.asp?sPOIName=RS007&resplacex=-5.855498&resplacey=54.632452The beach is circled and the reserve has the wee bird icon.
Description of site here:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/belfastlough/index.asp
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