# it's that time of year...



## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

i was at the london wetland centre at the weekend. saw 9 common lizards on saturday and 6 on sunday. well, 6 and a bit.










this little (and i mean little) chap(ess) was soaking up the heat on a handrail of a bridge. one of the wardens had passed it minutes earlier and it wasn't there, so i was very lucky.










i got three shots before it scrambled away.

we stood still for a bit and then...










just how cute is that?










the last shot was with a smaller lens as the others were at minimum distance and it was still too small to focus on at times! i got the one shot with the 90mm macro before the wee one ran off for good.

shame i'm away this weekend as i know of two other pregnant females, so more babies will be around soon. :flrt:


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## ForeverHams (Sep 9, 2008)

Great shots!

It is indeed that time of year, have started seeing young lizards at my favourite reptile spot now. Its amazing how small some of them are, almost black and no more than 2 inches long including the tail.... spotting them in the grass can be very difficult!

Alex

EDIT: what 90mm lens is it? not a tamron 90mm f2.8 macro by any chance?


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

indeed, the Tamron 90 macro. i think all the regulars at wetlands have that lens... Canon, Nikon and Pentax versions. it's a cracking lens, apart from the movement. i use it on manual when near the lizards as otherwise it scares them!

the babies are so small. i almost missed that one, had it been lying along the grain i wouldn't have spotted it. last year someone asked me why i was photographing 'poo' - it was a baby lizard.


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## Testudo Man (Aug 3, 2005)

As I said on your other thread mate, really good shots here:no1:


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

i had a great photo session on saturday. approx 11 babies (they don't keep still) in three different locations and some very cooperative adults.

the wee ones were shy at first...



but soon ventured out

and after much stealth they got to trust me



and i went in for some close-ups





this one was taken with a 28mm lens and extension tubes. a friend, standing nearby, couldn't believe how close i was. i couldn't tell, but he said it was a matter of a centimetre or so.



this one was with the Tamron 90mm macro and an extension tube. it was the first time i'd tried that combo and it was on the old camera, so i had no 'green button' to help get the shutter speed.



not bad consideing the lizzie is horizontal on the wood and i an on my belly, leaning over the edge of the wooden 'wall' with the camera on manual.



that one is from a group of 4 siblings that were basking in some sunshine between showers.

here is one enjoying the last few moments of sun



after this, just as i changed to 'extreme close-up' lens setting, the rain came and off they ran.


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## Testudo Man (Aug 3, 2005)

Great update...

And fantastic shots as usual here...thanks for sharing these photos mate:no1:


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

cheers mister.


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

another good weekend just gone...

this one was slightly bigger than the other baby lizards and it's losing the darkness of its new born skin. probably only a few weels old still



by the way... it was holding onto a vertical piece of wood in that shot.

here's a very new one...



here's mr vertical again



a wee one trying to hide behind grass (and almost doing so)



baby on a big mushroom



and, just because i could... extension tube overload... 50mm lens and 90+mm of tubes







i spent a couple of hours with these chaps - there were three adults (including one that was shedding) and approx 4 youngsters - it's had to count them as they dart about and are very small, so vanish into small cracks in the wood. the final shots were done with the lens within millimetres of the lizard.

i love these guys :flrt:


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## snakewhisperer (Nov 13, 2009)

Those close ups are fantastic!!:no1:


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

These are amazing pics!!


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