A break to Malta

 

This post, and the next few as well, will not be about Copenhagen but Malta, as I've just been there for a short break from winter coldness. It wasn't exactly summer but spring was definitely coming. The photo here is a view towards the entrance to the Grand Harbour of Valletta with the saluting battery of Upper Baracka Gardens in the foreground. As it was the day of the feast of St Paul's Shipwreck the noon salute was not just a single shot, but the whole eight-gun salute.

 

Colours in the snow

Winter is perfect for black-and-white photography, but I like colours too, so when out and about I try to capture a bit of both.

Getting creative

Winter is a good time to get creative with your camera. Why not go for some detail shots of how the snow covers trees and bushes?

I am flying

The grey herons seem a bit clumsy when they're spreading their wings but then they do have a big wingspan, up to 2 meters of feathers.

On thin ice

This young hooded seagull have found some thin ice to stand on. It seems to be contemplating taking a dive in the could water of the lake in Frederiksberg Garden.

The grey herons

The grey herons of Frederiksberg Have doesn't look like like they enjoy the winter weather as they stand on the frozen brink of the lake. Maybe they're wishing they had flown for warmer climate this winter.

Camouflage

The hooded gulls are not exactly invisible, even in the winter dress, as they rest and walks on the snow of the park Frederiksberg Have Frederiksberg Garden).

Walking the dog

With snow covering the ground you can really get some different shots of people and animals. The white background here almost make it seem like the lady is walking here dog in the clouds.

Watch out for the traffic

The deer of Dyrehaven are used to people, so they don't mind waiting for others to clear the roads before they cross. This fallow deer fawn has already learned the lesson.

For royals only

When Danish King Christian V decided that he needed a place to hunt and found an area north of Copenhagen for it, the area was fenced in and all the people living there were removed. A village, Stokkerup, was demolished, and today only the village pond and part of one of the farms remain.

Hunting lodge or palace?

The Eremitage Palace in Dyrehaven north of Copenhagen is actually a hunting lodge for the royals. It was built  in 1734-36 by the architect Lauritz de Thurah for king Christian VI. Here the dinners and other social occasions could be held after the parforce hunting. That is still it's function today. 

Winter foraging

 

Normally red squirrels are shy creatures and difficult to get close to, but in my experience they're much more docile in winter. Maybe it's because food is scarce and the squirrels are desperate to get their fill, so that you can get close enough for long enough to snap a few photos. This one accepted me standing a few meters from it for minutes without moving much, even though the blackbird next to it soon tired of my presence and fled. The squirrel stayed put and I was the first to leave.

 

Winter landscape

 

Dyrehaven north of Copenhagen offers nice opportunities to get a few nice photos of landscapes, even (or maybe especially) in winter. A good hill, some open landscape bordered by trees and a lone tree in the middle and you have a nice setup.

 

Battles

The change of seeing a mock battle between the stags in Dyrehaven is quite high, even out of season. Here two of the young ones are having a quick mock one in the winter frozen park.

Feeding the deer

With so many deer in the Dyrehaven north of Copenhagen, it's necessary to feed them in winter for them to survive. Hay, straw and beets are on the menu at the feeding stations.