Nature

Looking at Pooh!

I heard reports recently that there were good views to be had of three Short-eared Owls at Farlington Marshes nature reserve.  So I set out this afternoon more in hope than expectation of seeing them.  I was to be pleasantly suprised as I saw a pair of them fairly close up hunting over the fields. I took a short video of them flying and one later on sitting nearby in

Red Grouse in heather on Blakey Moor

Whilst up in the Yorkshire Moors I spent a couple of days photographing wildlife on the moors.  The first days results are in this previous post.  These wildlife images are of course, therefore, from the second day, which I spent walking locally around Westerdale’s nearby moorlands, and this day was much more productive. I’ll start though with another sheep image. This was not the first wild animal seen though, this

Adult and Juvenile Little Grebes

Here is a short video of an adult and juvenile Little Grebes, taken at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve today.    

Duck!...No Seagull!

Took a Good Friday visit to Blashford Lakes, on a bright spring afternoon.  As spring starts, so does the battle for the best breeding sites.  This pair of black-headed gulls were laying claim to this floating raft on Ivy Lake, near the front of a hide.  They squawked at any attempted trespassers and flew often in circles round it.  Making a good platform to photograph this common seagull. This first

Blue Tit (1)

Over the past weekend, the woodland hide at Blashford Lakes, has been free at times to photograph some of the wild birds out of the windows.  There have been a lot of Siskin there this year, and the selection of birds photographs taken over the weekend starts with a selection of shots of them. Other winter visitors included a Lesser Redpole and Reed Bunting. More all round visitors to the

Treecreeper

I was fortunate to see a couple of Treecreepers today at Blashford Lakes, and managed to get this one in the frame, before a barking dog scared it off. In the rush I had not quite dialed in enough exposure compensation, so had to lift the bird in Adobe Camera raw.  I am fairly pleased with the rescue of the shots. This first shot I have rotated into portrait format.

Long-tailed Tit

Today’s images all come from the Woodland Hide at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve.  And fittingly they are all of Woodland Birds.  It was nice to see a flock of Long-tailed Tits feeding on the suet feeder.  Which even in dull overcast weather gave an opportunity to photograph them as they approached the feeder. Here are the best three images that I got today of them. Later on after walking around

Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)

Finally a bright Saturday in 2016!  After many grey days at the weekend it was a pleasure to walk around Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve today, and chase some of the elusive wild birds that are there.  Well not literally chase, but try and get them in the frame of the lens, not easy, as the birds seem to have a sixth sense that means, once you point the lens their

What's up ?

Whilst Storm Clodagh blew through on Sunday, the best location in my mind was to be inside, and the bird hides at Blashford Lakes beckoned.  With the adverse weather the light was low and so a higher than normal ISO was required to get a shootable speed.  After the tern hide, and Ibsley hides provided nothing close by in relating to wildlife, a short visit to the Woodland hide provided

Squirrel Feeder

One of the major attractions of Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, is the ability to see Red Squirrels up close and personal.  I had the pleasure of visiting the Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve there on the Island, twice in October, when the squirrels are actively feeding and hiding nuts for the winter ahead.  They come very close to people, even sitting eating on the tables right next to you. Here