December 2015 Beautiful Northern Pintail coming in.

This has got to be one of my favourite birds.

Northern Pintail

December 2015 Cranes aggressive behaviour

At last the sun came out today and it was great to get out again with the camera. These Common Cranes put on a beautiful exhibition and showed also how aggressive they can be to each other.

Common Cranes

Common Cranes

December 2015 Lots of aerial acvtivity at Slimbridge WWT on the Severn Estuary UK

Its a great buzz seeing so much in flight activity down by the Severn Estuary in winter.

Bewick's  Swan take-off

Bewick's Swan

Canada Goose

Lapwings

Shell Duck

December 2015 Shell Duck fight

These Shell ducks showing plenty of aggressive behaviour even though we are far outside the breeding season.

Shell Duck fight

December 2015 back to the summer holiday on the Isle of Mull

When you get amongst a pod of Dolphins its just so exciting!  This one is from a boat trip out of Portree Harbour on the Isle of Mull. Scotland UK.

The thrilling Common Dolphin

December 2015 Pied Wagtail regular visitor to the garden.

Love this regular visitor to the Garden.  He looks in prime condition at the moment, maybe because the winter has been very mild so far.

Pied Wagtail

December 2015 Buzzard. Always like pictures of raptors.

Common Buzzard from the archives. Its great to go over some of your old pictures from the past.  I had completely over looked this Buzzard Image but now find it quite pleasing

Common Buzzard

November 2015 Back to Archive. Salt Water Crocodile Australian NT

What superb animals these are to have survived from when dinosaurs ruled the earth.  Took this Salty in Yellow Water Billabong in the Northern Territory.

The dangerous Salt Water Crocodile

November 2015 Fieldfare. Winter visitor in the UK from Northern Europe.

At this time of year the hedgerows are full of the thrushes that winter in the UK from their summer territories in Northern Europe.

The handsome Fieldfare

November 2015 Back to the Archive from the Gambia 2012 Red Billed Hornbill

When the weather is murky and there is no real decent light to use I quite often go over old images to reminisce.  Really enjoyed this Red Billed Hornbill coming back to its nest right next to my hotel in Kotu The Gambia.

Red Billed Hornbill

November 2015 Grey Heron

Another Grey Heron but I do love them.

Grey Heron

October 2015 Stalking through the reeds. Grey Heron.

This Grey Heron came out through the reeds patiently stalking prey.

Grey Heron

October 2015 Grey Heron the speed of the strike. Awesome!

Watched this Grey Heron stalking through the water.  They are so still and patient sometimes.  Then the speed of the strike when they spot a fish is amazing.

Grey Heron

Wow! The speed!

October 2015 Just got back to 2008 again Rainbow Bee Eater Queensland Australia

Bee Eaters are so rarely seen in the UK.  Its great when you travel to get some different birds and they seem all the more exotic!

Rainbow Bee Eater Northern Queensland Australia

October 2015 One from last years holiday in St Lucia. Antillean Crested Humming Bird.

Going through some pictures from last years holiday.  It really adds to the holiday to find some nice birds to photograph.  St Lucia 2014

Antillean Crested Humming Bird

October 2015 Crane Re-introduction project UK Great success.

What a great success the Great Crane project has managed to get three fully fledged Cranes away this year.  Looking forward to see more of these around in the coming years.

Crane from the Great Crane Project

October 2014 One from the archive Rainbow Lorikeet Queensland Australia

It's great to look back on your old memories and images.  I always remember exactly where I took each photograph.  This one is from Port Douglas Northern Queensland when I visited there in 2008.

Rainbow Lorikeet

October 2015 Secretive Water Rail

These birds like to stay in the cover of the reeds and vegetation.  I was really pleased to get this image.

Secretive Water Rail

October 2015 Kingfishers I must admit I'm addicted.

 

Its so exciting when a Kingfisher arrives near by!

 

Female Kingfisher

October 2015 Water Rail UK

I was talking to a guy in the hide and he was saying ah well at least I caught sight of the Water Rail.  You could only see its rear end in the reeds.  Just after he left it swam across the stretch of water and climbed up on this stick.  Couldn't help but smile!

Water Rail

October 2015 Kingfisher has caught a Water Boatman. UK

It's not always fish, this Kingfisher has caught a Water Boatman. It must be a small snack!

Kingfisher with small morsel.

October 2015 Juvenile Goldfinch among the natural seeds. UK

This juvenile Goldfinch seems to be getting the hang of finding its own food.

Juvenile Goldfinch feeding on seeds

September 2015 Grey Heron & Liitle Egret UK

Fish do take a real hammering from all the fishing birds around.

Grey Heron

Little Egret

September 2015 Kingfishers. These could easily become addictive.

Really happy got my first decent shots of a Kingfisher.  I am sure I will want to get a lot more of these beauties.

Caught a nice fish

Beautiful Male Kingfisher

September 2015 Grey Heron in thick vegetation. UK.

This Grey Heron picks his way carefully through the thick vegetation on the hunt for a meal.

Grey Heron in the thick!

September 2015 Gadwall. More lovelly than what you get at first glance!

Some birds are a lot more beautiful as you look at them closely.  I like this image of a male Gadwall taken last week in the morning light.

Male Gadwall

September 2015 Checking my Short Eared site my new friend came out!

Went to see if the Short Eared Owls have arrived. No luck but at least I seem to have a new friend that regularly comes out the beautiful Roe Deer buck.

Roe Deer

Roe Deer

September 2015 Heron Take off. UK

Caught this Heron just taking off. What amazing large wings they have!

Lift off! Grey Heron.

September 2015 In the Little Egret's world. UK.

Looking through my images from last weekend.  Really like this one as it almost feels that you are in this watery world.

Little Egret

September 2015 Pretty little Yellow Hammer. Cleeve Common UK

Pleased with this image of a Yellow Hammer from Cleeve Common during my walk.

Yellow Hammer

September 2015 Black Tailed Godwit time for a bath. UK.

After the breeding season is over in Iceland Black Tailed Godwits migrate to the milder UK.  This one finds time for a wash and brush up. It's amazing the instinct in nature to keep everything working in top condition.

Getting stuck into a real exhilarating wash

Brushing up.

September 2015 The secretive Water Rail

These really are secretive birds that disappear into the reeds and vegetation and can be difficult to see.  This one popped out of the edge for a short while allowing me to get a few images before vanishing back into its own world.



Water Rail

Water Rail

September 2015 The beautiful Roe Deer buck. Cotswolds Hills UK

This buck seemed to accept my presence and by standing quietly still every time he looked toward me, I managed to get a few nice images.

Roe Deer

September 2015 Black Tailed Godwits UK

These beautiful waders breed in Iceland and spend the post breeding period in the UK.  I love to see them and spend some time getting images.  They spend a lot of time with their bill probing in the mud and it can often lead to a large number of images with no head or bills showing!

Black Tailed Godwit

Resting for a few seconds

September 2015 Swallows are gathering together for their migration. Cotswolds UK

We are into early September and the Swallows are beginning to gather together ready for their migration to South Africa.  It would great to go down there in the Winter and see them!  It would also seem quite strange to see them hawking over the fields in December!

Gathering on the wires

The beautiful Swallow

September 2015 Summer Visitors still present on Cleeve Common UK

The Wheatear is one of our very smart summer visitors.  There is still a family present feeding on the ground on the top of Cleeve Common.  They will soon depart to their winter quarters in central Africa.

Wheatear

Wheatear