Colm Fitzpatrick LIPF

The Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) is a member of the deer family Cervidae that inhabits much of East Asia. It is found in mixed deciduous forests to the north, and mixed subtropical deciduous and evergreen forests to the south. The Sika Deer are closely related to Red Deer, Central Asian Red Deer and elk. Their name comes from "shika", the Japanese word for "deer". Sika Deer have been introduced into a number of other countries including Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Britain, France, Ireland, Jolo Island (south of the Philippines), New Zealand, Poland, Morocco and the United States (Maryland, Texas, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Kansas). In many cases they were originally introduced as ornamental animals in parkland, but have established themselves in the wild. In Britain and Ireland several distinct wild and feral populations now exist. Some of these are in isolated areas, for example on the island of Lundy, but others are contiguous with populations of the native Red Deer. Since the two species sometimes hybridise, there is a serious conservation concern.

The Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus, meaning "hooked-nosed sea pig") is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus. It is also known as Atlantic Grey Seal and the Horsehead Seal.

Scientific name: Lepus timidus hibernicus. The Irish Mountain Hare has inhabited this island for many thousands of years. The bones of an animal found in Co. Waterford are over 28,000 years old. The Irish mountain hare is recognized as a unique subspecies. It does not turn white in winter like other European populations, and in Ireland it inhabits lowland habitats. The mountain hare has long ears, slightly shorter than the length of its head, and long hind feet. Its coat is usually reddish brown in summer but changes to grey-brown in the winter months. The top of the tail is usually pale to white. The Irish hare is found in every county but numbers have decreased in recent years. It lives in open areas on uplands, farmland and grassland. It is usually nocturnal but is sometimes active during daylight in spring and summer. Hares rest above ground in shallow depressions called 'forms', and in some areas will dig shallow burrows. They are usually solitary animals, but sometimes gather in large numbers to feed. Irish hares eat many different plants, including heather, herbs, gorse, plantain, dandelions and grasses. Like rabbits, hares ingest some of their droppings, passing food through their stomachs twice (known as 'refection') so they obtain the most nutrients from their food. Breeding usually occurs between January and September. There are often squabbles at this time and males kick and box and chase each other, hence the phrase "as mad as a March hare". Breeding females usually have two or three litters each year, and there are one to four leverets in each litter. Leverets are born fully furred and have their eyes open, and are weaned at three weeks. Only about one-fifth of young hares survive their first year.

I finally made it out on to the Saltee Islands last weekend, the sea around the Island can be treacherous at times and to get onto the Island itself is a bit of a scramble along slippery rocks, but it was worth the effort as when I got there the place was teaming with birds. I got to see my first Puffins also, they do really look like Clowns !

Last weekend I travelled to the University Of Limerick for the Irish Photographic Federation National Club Championships & Distinctions Judging. I submitted my panel of ten images for my licentiateship and im happy to say I was successful. I had put a lot of time and effort into assembling the images. Time now to start work on my Associateship !

Last weekend I went on a trip to Norfolk in the UK to photograph some of the wildlife there. The area is absolutely full of wildlife (Birds mostly) so it was right up my street. I also paid a visit to a Seal Colony just off the coast, but didn't get any satisfactory shots of the Seals im afraid, all was not lost however as some of the new shots of birds on the site where taken on the trip.

The 2009 IPF National Nature Finals took place in Dublin Zoo on Sunday 22 March 2009. The standard was very high, as the images had come through regional qualifying rounds. The judges were John & Margaret Sixsmith from the Hoylake Photographic Society in the UK. Im delighted to say my shot of the Fox entitled "The Hunter" won Best Wildlife, and also came second overall in the printed Image section. I think this win will encourage me to focus more on Wildlife and Nature, which im beginning to think is what really inspires and interests me.

A good friend of mine is cycling solo across Australia from Perth to Sydney. Leaving Perth Western Australia on Sunday 5th of April 2009, and traveling the 4,143km journey east to Sydney's Opera House. He is rasing money for a very worthwhile charity called The Burren Chernobyl Project which was founded in 1993 to help the victims of the fallout from the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor explosion. His website can be found at www.pedalpowered.ie please donate if you can.

Last weekend i submitted 3 prints to the Leinster regional round of the 2009 IPF Nature competition, im happy to report that all three prints got through this round and will be judged in the final to be held later this month in Dublin Zoo. The standard was quite high but my shot of the Fox made it into the top 10....which was nice. I know i will be up against some very tough competition.

At the moment im trying to put together a panel of 10 photographs to be submitted to the IPF (Irish Photographic Federation) for my Licentiateship. Its a tough challenge for a novice like me, but i feel it will be a good exercise, and will hopefully improve my photography skills from mediocre to average. My panel will consist of mostly birds with a few four legged creatures thrown in for good measure. Judging is in April so i have a little time still to get some more shots taken, wish me luck !

I hope to start working on my images from NY over the Christmas period. With 1400 shots to choose from i have a lot of culling to do. I will not be displaying any images here on the website as it may defeat the purpose of me doing the book! which reminds me, i must finish writing it too.

While surfing through eBay recently looking at camera equipment, I came across a Canon EOS 600 35mm film camera. Having used a film SLR for many years before being caught up like so many of us in the digital revolution, I realized there is of course still use for such equipment, so I purchased the camera. eBay is awash with such equipment, it seems nobody wants it any more, although I don’t know why. We all seem to need to have the latest equipment, and with camera's now boasting higher and higher pixel count, im not sure where will it all end, or indeed if ever increasing pixel counts are actually necessary? Perhaps we are all slaves to the marketing Department. In the age of blu ray and super audio CD, why is vinyl back in style? 35mm film has a much higher dynamic range than any digital sensor currently on the market, and is forgiving of over exposure, also with a limit of 24 or 36 shots on a role of film, it will certainly make you think twice before you press the shutter, hopefully encouraging you to spend more time composing your shot before you take it. My first outing with the 600 was to the Zoo, I took 6 shots. Every time I took a shot I looked at the back of the camera to review my shot on the screen, there was no screen…..

Field Trip In October. Connemara (in Irish: Conamara), which derives from Conmhaicne Mara (meaning: descendants of Con Mhac, of the sea), is a district in the west of Ireland comprising of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway or south west Connacht. The Conmhaicne Mara were a branch of the Conmhaicne, an early tribal grouping that had a number of branches located in different parts of Connacht. As this branch of Conmhaicne were located by the sea they became known as the Conmhaicne Mara, i.e., of the sea. Connemara lies in the territory of Iar Connacht, "West Connacht", which is the portion of County Galway west of Lough Corrib and the portion of County Mayo in the barony of Ross. Connemara was traditionally divided into North Connemara and South Connemara. The mountains of the Twelve Bens and the Owenglin river, which flows into the sea at An Clochán/Clifden, marked the boundary between the two parts. Connemara is bounded on the west, south and north by the Atlantic. Connemara's land boundary with the rest of County Galway is marked by the Invermore River (which flows into the north of Kilkieran Bay), Loch Oorid, (which lies a few miles west of Maam Cross, and the western spine of the Maumturks mountains in the north of which the boundary meets the sea at the Killary a few miles west of Leenaun.

After a spell away from updating the website im back on track, and gearing up, so to speak, for my impending trip to New York. Ill be pounding the pavements there for 6 days trying to get all the shots i need for my upcoming book mentioned elsewhere on this site, I just hope its clear and sunny while im there.....You will probably find me in Jimmy's Corner on W 44St most nights ! You may also notice that Prints of my work are now available for sale, after many hours defining ICC profiles for my printer i think i have it sorted.

Field Trip In August. Powerscourt Estate (Irish: Eastát Chúirt an Phaoraigh), located near Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland, is a large country estate which is noted for its house and landscaped gardens, today occupying 19 hectares (47 acres). The house, originally a 13th century castle, was extensively altered during the 18th century by German architect Richard Cassels, starting in 1731[1] and finishing in 1741. A fire in 1974 left the house lying as a shell until it was renovated in 1996. The estate is today owned and run by the Slazenger family. It is a popular tourist attraction, and includes a golf course, an Avoca Handweavers restaurant, and a Ritz-Carlton hotel.

I had hoped to be able use my new Graduated ND filter over the summer months to correctly expose the bright sunny sky with the land below, however I seemed to forget the fact that I lived in Ireland, and that long hot summer days are a dim and distant memory from my childhood. However, all is not lost, as I also purchased a regular ND filter (102) which I have also not had a chance to use yet. I plan to take some long exposure daytime shots of a waterfall near where i work with this filter and use the dark dull summer days to my advantage. Watch the galleries for results.

I recently purchesed a printer, the Canon Pixma Pro 9500 a professional 10-colour pigment ink based photo printer which is capable of creating large fine art prints. I had been planning to get a printer for a while and all the reviews said this was a great machine so I took the plunge and have not been disappointed. I hope to be able to offer print sales here on the website at A3+ size, (approx 13 x 19 inch) in the near future.

A rather hastily arranged trip to London is planned for next week. I intend to make the most of my time there, getting out and about with my Camera. I would like to take some night shots of the London eye and houses of parliament among other things, and also try out my ND filter for daytime long exposures which i have not done yet. Keep an eye on the galleries for results !

Lensbaby camera lenses are a line of camera lenses produced by Lensbabies that mate a simple lens with a bellows for use in special-effect photography. Lensbaby lenses can be used on cameras which accept interchangeable lenses, mainly of the 35 mm or digital SLR formats. The focal length of the Lensbaby is approximately 50mm, making it a normal lens in 35mm format.
The front standard can be manipulated off axis to move the sharpest area of focus (called the "sweet spot") to almost anywhere in the frame. You can therefore render the important part of your subject fairly sharp with everything else out of focus, even if it is the same distance from the camera. Aperture is controlled by a series of interchangeable discs (basically a Waterhouse stop). The Lensbaby naturally focuses at approximately 2 feet; closer focus is achieved by pushing the front of the lens out, and infinity focus is achieved by pulling the front of the lens toward the base of the lens.

Field Trip In July. Dublin Zoo (Irish: Zú Átha Cliath), in the Phoenix Park, Dublin is the largest zoo in Ireland and one of Dublin's most popular attractions. Founded in 1830 it is the fourth oldest scientific zoo in the world, after Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, London Zoo, and the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. The zoo receives over 500,000 visitors per year. The zoo describes its role as conservation, study, and education. Its stated mission is to "work in partnership with zoos world-wide to make a significant contribution to the conservation of the endangered species". Covering 12 hectares (30 acres) of the Phoenix Park, it provides a habitat for more than 235 species of wild animals and tropical birds. The zoo includes: World of Cats, World of Primates, Fringes of the Arctic, African Plains, Birds, Reptiles, Plants, City Farm and Endangered Species

I have recently begun reviewing photographs I have taken over the years with various digital cameras, from simple point and shoot up to my last prosumer camera before switching to DSLR in 2007. I hope to update the site with some of the better work taken with these cameras over the coming weeks.

Field Trip In June. Bull Island (Oileán an Tairbh in Irish) or more properly North Bull Island (Oileán an Tairbh Thuaidh in Irish) is an island located in Dublin Bay in Ireland, about 5 km (3.1 mi) long and 800 m wide, lying roughly parallel to the shore off Clontarf, Raheny, Kilbarrack and Sutton. The island, with a sandy beach running its entire length, is a relatively recent inadvertent result of human intervention in the bay.
The island is primarily a sand structure, with a small alder marsh at the end facing Sutton. The coastal margin is flat beach, backed by marram-grass-anchored dunes, and then comprising scrub and marsh. Between it and the shore is the body of water known as Crab Water or Raheny Lake, into which several of the city's small rivers and streams enter, notably the Naniken River, flowing citywards, and the Santry River, Fox Stream, Blackbanks Stream and Daunagh Water, flowing towards Howth Head.
Dublin Bay had a long-running problem with silting, notably at the mouth of the River Liffey, and at the same time, held major sand banks, notably the North Bull and South Bull, to either side of the Liffey mouth, and the Kish Bank over 1 km to sea. Between the North and South Bulls, a sand bar existed, rising over time, limiting access to the city quays.
After years of primitive dredging, an attempt to maintain a clear channel more effectively was begun when, in 1715, the first piles were driven of what was to become the South Bull Wall, completed in 1830. This barrier was breached by storm action some years later, and in 1761, a stone pier was commenced, working from the Poolbeg Lighthouse, 1768, back to shore, the construction of massive granite blocks being completed in 1795. It was during this period that the building of a North Bull Wall was also proposed, and when it was seen that the South Wall did not solve the silting problem, the authorities responsible for Dublin Port commissioned studies on the matter. Captain William Bligh, of Bounty fame, surveyed Dublin Bay for the Ballast Board in 1801, highlighting the potential of the North Bull sandbank.
A wooden bridge, the first Bull Bridge, was erected in 1819 to facilitate the construction of a stone wall, based on a design by Ballast Board engineer, George Halpin. Started in 1820, the wall was completed in 1825, at a cost of 95,000 pounds. Over the succeeding 48 years, the natural tidal effects created by the walls deepened the entry to the Liffey from 1.8 m to 4.8 m. Much of the silt now scoured from the river course was deposited on the North Bull, and a true island began to emerge.

Field Trip In June. Ireland's Eye is a small-uninhabited island off the coast of Dublin, situated directly north of Howth Harbour. The ruins of a Martello Tower and an 8th-century church are the only signs of previous habitation. The church functioned as parish church for Howth until recent centuries, eventually being replaced by a church in the village due to the limitations of having to take a boat for every service. In Celtic times the island was called Eria's Island. Eria was a woman's name and this became confused with Erin, derived from Éireann, the Irish name for Ireland. The Vikings substituted the word Island with Ey, there Norse equivalent, and so it became known as Erin's Ey and ultimately Ireland's Eye. Ireland's Eye comprises the main island, a range of rocks and an islet called Thulla. The most spectacular feature is the huge freestanding rock called "the Stack", at the northeastern corner of the island, which plays host to a large variety of seabirds, including thousands of guillemots, razorbills, fulmars and gulls. Ireland's fifth gannet colony became established on the Stack in the 1980s, and there are now a few hundred pairs breeding there each year. There is a large cormorant colony on the main island, and a few breeding pairs of puffins. Grey seals are abundant in the sea around the island.

Field Trip In May. In 1846, a sea wall was built to enclose 2,400 acres of Wexford harbour, reclaiming it from the sea. Now known as the North Wexford Slob, it is three metres below sea level and the necessary pumping continues to this day. A series of storms in the 1920's washed away the southern sand spit protecting the Raven Sand Dunes. Trees were planted along this path to protect the dunes from washing away, and the area has since matured into an impressive walk.

Field Trip In May. Lady's Island Lake is a brackish lake in the south of County Wexford. The lake is technically a back-barrier seepage lagoon, one of only two in Ireland (the other being nearby Tacumshin Lake. The lake has no outlet, but is separated from the Atlantic Ocean at the southern end by a sand and gravel bar 200 m wide. Salt water seeps through the barrier, while fresh water flows into the lake from run-off from the land around the lake. This means that the lake is neither fresh nor salt water but somewhere in between. Every so often, storms break through the sandbar and salt water flows in from the sea, increasing the salt levels considerably. The lake is an important breeding ground for terns. It is estimated that the lake is home to over 1,200 breeding pairs of Sandwich Terns and, more importantly, to 76 breeding pairs of the rare Roseate Tern.

Field Trip In May. The Táin Way is a 40km, circular walking trail on the banks of Carlingford Lough in County Louth . The trail both starts and ends in Carlingford. Surrounding landscape features include Rockmarshall forest, the River Cronn, and the Golyin Pass which is a wide grassy track on the southern side of Slieve Foye offering spectacular views down to Carlingford and across the Lough to the Mourne mountains.

Field Trip In May.

The Saltee Islands (Oileán an tSalainn in Irish) are a pair of small islands lying 5 kilometres off the southern coast of County Wexford. The two islands are Great Saltee and Little Saltee Together, the islands form one of Ireland's largest bird sanctuaries. Many species of seabirds are found there, including gannets, cormorants, puffins, razorbills and guillemots, as well as a colony of grey seals. The Saltee Islands St. Georges Channel are situated approximately 5 kilometres off the coast of Kilmore Quay Co.Wexford. The larger island, Great Saltee, is very popular with both day-trippers and birdwatchers.
They also lie on an important migratory route and a popular stopping-off place for spring and autumn migrants. The Great Saltee also has a breeding population of Grey Seals, one of the very few in eastern Ireland.