My Week In Photos

The weather has been vile this week so I've barely left the house. It's allowed me to catch up on my reading but i'm itching to get out. I managed an hour photographing Pleiades, but other than that the only other photos I took were on a hike at the weekend...during Storm Darragh's wrath!

M45 - The Pleiades

This open star cluster is one of the most famous. It is easily viewed with the naked eye and is usually the object people spot and ask "what's this!". The cluster is just 444 lightyears from Earth making it the nearest object in the Messier Catalogue. Next time the sky is clear, have a look for this cluster!

Saturn

I was impressed that I managed this between the clouds, but sure enough I managed a shot! This is Saturn, one of the gas giants! As Saturn spins it's rings are angled to Earth to varying degrees, currently they are almost parallel to our view of Saturn which makes them appear as skinny slices. In a few years they will be much more visible!

Wet and Windy Walk

On Saturday (Saturn-day...bet you didn't know that?), I went for a good'ol family walk! It was dreadfully windy and wet, but on the whole a lovely walk in the Peak District!

Such a cold week this week! I've been out photographing the stars, which might sound straight forward but I assure you it is not! Not only do you need specific equipment like star trackers and dew heaters, but the processing of the images you get is more maths and science than it is art!

M42 - The Orion Nebula

I started off with a target which is super bright and fairly close to us, some 1,300 light years. This is the heart of the Orion Nebula! This area of our galaxy is a hot mess of violent star formation! The bight young stars shine out and illuminate clouds of gas and dust, which after a long journey to us, we see as light! This image comprises over an hour of exposure time over several hundred images.

Horsehead and Flame Nebula

Part of the same cluster of nebulae as the Orion Nebula, these two are well know for their distinct shapes. They are much fainter than M42 but with over an hours exposure it's possible to create stunning images.

M33 - The Triangulum Galaxy

M33 is a spiral galaxy located some 2.7 million light years from Earth. The galaxy is faint but with long enough exposures, and good tracking, images like this are possible. I've got much more work to do to improve this image, but as it stands I'm happy so far!

The weather in the UK has been weird this week to say the least. We had a storm come through which brought with it a lot of precipitation. This coincided with a week of freezing temps which gave a bucket load of snow to higher elevations. I took advantage of this to hit a bucket shot!

Winter Wonderland

This was the view as I walked down to the woodland where the red squirrels live.

Snowy Squirrels

Photographing red squirrels in the snow has been on my list for a long time. I've tried many times but failed, more often than not by a lack of snow when forecast! This day was different though, and I finally got my shots!

Hazelnut For Dinner

The national park authority feed these squirrels to help them maintain a healthy population given their plight. The squirrels will check the hazelnuts for quality before either discarding them or taking them away to be stashed for a rainy day.

Another quiet week for photography. But I still managed to get some shots to share!

Lawyers Wig Fungi

Coprinus Comatus is the Lawyers Wig Fungi. It's a type of ink cap that can be found all over the place in autumn. The huge bulbous caps soon give way to a slimy inky liquid as they melt away.

Sunset

Here is a photo of the sunset from a scouting location near to my house. I come up here for short eared owls, none yet, but there is time!

Orion, Flame, and Horsehead Nebula

I received some new kit this week for taking longer exposures of the night sky. Here is a wide field shot of the Orion Nebula and it's nearby neighbours. This nebula is 1350 light years away from Earth!

Autumnal woodland bonanza this week! Here are my top pics from an autumnal walk in the woods!

Towering Giants

Not huge in the grand scheme of things but my fish eye lens really makes them look like giants! The colours here were magical!

Fisheye

Here is a unique perspective on the autumnal trees. The 8mm fisheye really brings everything into the shot giving a crazy view!

Birch Bracket

Birch trees in this woodland are covered in these fungi. The fungi destroy the tree from the inside, sapping it of it's life. Over the years, these trees will die back and end up as lone standing deadwood...which is great for woodpeckers and owls! It's amazing how fungi like this are the creators of habitat for birds! The web of life.

A fairly drab week in Doncaster so this week hasn't been a great wee for photography. However, I did manage to get out at the weekend and was able to create some cool photos.

Prime Kestrel

Few raptors have the charm of a kestrel. Such a small and nimble bird of prey, seen hovering by the side of motorways up and down the UK. The kestrel can be challenging to photograph due to their skittish nature. On a short walk at the weekend I spotted this kestrel sat atop a tree with a stunning autumnal background. I made for a lovely image!

Heron

I've said it many times, I love herons. I really enjoy photographing these birds because that have tonnes of character and almost look like dinosaurs.

Orion Nebula

Ok, I might be cheating here, I didn't take this image today. The Orion Nebula is a diffuse nebula which is about 1600 light years away from earth and about 25 light years across! This image was taken back in 2021. But I reprocessed this data this week after 3 years of software innovation and hardware improvements. These advances have made it far easier to process complex astro photos and I can't wait to do more!

I was still in the Lake District on Monday so wanted to share a photo from the drive home. I then didn't do much in the week owing to poor weather but did get out at the weekend with a trip to Bradgate Park.

Ambleside (near)

This is a photo I took near Ambleside on the drive home from Coniston. The drive up from Ambleside towards Patterdale involves a climb up 'The Struggle', a steep road that takes you up the mountain side. The views from the top are breathtaking so i hopped out and captured a few.

Highland Cooooo

At the top of the steep incline I spotted a highland cow in a field and have to stop for a photo. Here the cow is flanked by the Red Screes Ridge which stands at 776 m above sea level!

York Castle

Here is a photo of York Castle taken on my phone. I was out with family at Halloween, my least favourite seasonal holiday, and I noticed the Ursa Majora, the Big Dipper, sitting right above the castle. I was able to create a pleasing image despite not having my camera with me.

Deer at Sunrise

I spent Sunday morning at Bradgate Park photographing the red deer. I struggled to get anything that was ground breaking but I was able to create this photo which shows some hinds with a dominant male. The male kept his head down so it was challenging to create a photo of him alone, but the wider angle shot with the herd as the sun rose over Leicester was pleasing.

This week was new camera lens week, and while I was disappointed because the lens was not described as it should have been, it's got scuffs on the front element, I was still able to put it to good use. The lens is in a format new to me, 8-15mm fisheye!

Curled Rope

I spent the weekend in the Lake District and boarded a cruise on Coniston Water on a steam powered vessel built in the 1850's. It was awesome to see Coniston Water from the water and the weather was a pleasure! Most shots this week are from this trip bar the final bonus shot.

A Steam Engine on Water

The steam boat, unsurprisingly, was powered by what I can only describe as a steam train but inside the boat. I'm not sure what I expected but it wasn't this! I spent some time watching this engine go, channeling my inner engineer!

Boat Buddy

On the boat a little caddisfly landed on the railing infront of me and appeared to sit and pose for a photo. I snapped this shot with my new 8-15mm lens and immediately fell in love with the perspective it provides. It is super sharp and gets nice and close, but includes the whole background too!

Bonus Merganser

This was an awesome experience, watching a merganser try to swallow whole a full rainbow trout. The fish was far to big for this birds bill, but try it did! This went on for about 10 mins before the merganser was washed down stream out of view.

Autumn is here and the colour show is in full swing! Unfortunately I wasn't able to get out much so this week is mainly a selection of kingishers from my local patch.

Tree Perch

It was unusual to see this bird go up high in the tree, however it did provide for an awesome angle to shoot at. I love the colours and the diffused background.

High Speed Reflection

Another in flight shot of a male kingfisher as he headed over to a nearby perch. Catching these birds in flight is only possible with lots of practice, a hint of luck, and some support from fantastic autofocus!

Vibrant Feathers

There are very few birds which match the kingfishers striking appearance, especially in the UK! This shot shows a male with stunning evening light. The colours pop off the screen and I love it!

Bonus Aroura

This weekend we were treated to an insane solar light show with the northern lights. I headed to my local national park to photograph this phenomenon with my good friend, Dave, it was incredible!

New camera day is often characterised by overcast skies, rain, life admin, and literally everything other than getting out and shooting! This week was different! I happened upon a great deal on a Canon R5 which I couldn't resist, so as soon as it arrived I was out the door and on my way to my local nature reserve giving it a try!

Humble Pheasant

A common bird round here but nonetheless impressive, the male common pheasant is covered in vibrant feathers and striking patterns.

A Winter Sign

Robins are stunning little birds with huge character! The bright red breast of the robin becomes more and more commonly seen as we approach winter, a very welcome sight to many.

Backlit Kingfisher

As you know, I love kingfishers. This superb little bird whipped past seemingly at the speed of light, which makes it all the more incredible that I managed to get some shots. The light was superb and the orange complimented this kingies stunning blue plumage.

As I close in on my University deadline, I'm struggling to get out with my camera, however I do still set aside a little bit of time to get some fresh air, and my camera often comes with me. These images are from a single trip out to Potteric Carr this weekend.

Little Egret

Like their larger cousins, little egrets still amaze me every time I see them. This bird was having a lovely time foraging for food in the shallow marsh and made for some lovely photos.

Heron in Flight

I love herons, I think they are incredible birds and I really enjoy photographing them. This heron flew past me with great light and actually called out right as it passed by adding some interest to the image.

Female Kingfisher

At the Piper Marsh hide there is a perch in front of the hide for the kingfishers to land on. They rarely do and to this day I've only seen this 5 times. I was willing the distant kingie to come forward and land on the perch in the beautiful light. To my disbelief the bird did just that and I was able to fire off several images of this superb female kingfisher.

I was still in Prague on the Monday so the first image is from this trip. Following this I struggled to get out due to university commitments but I still have some shots I want to share.

River Rats

I wanted to wander down to the river to see the levels of rise after torrential rain in Europe. I was surprised to see some river rats foraging for food on the bank. I was without my camera so had to shoot with phone but managed a nice photo of the rats.

Geranium Bokeh

I shoot film with a Zenit-11 and I figured it would be nice to adapt these old manual lenses to my R6 to see what images I could get. This is a test shot I created with one of these manual vintage lenses and I really like the swirly bokeh.

Autumnal Crow

Wandering through a local park I spotted a carrion crow with a beautiful autumnal background as the oak trees start to turn. I snapped a few shots and was really happy with this one. Sometimes the common birds make the best photos!

A mix up this week as I share some photos from my trip to Prague! I love a city break, experiencing local culture and seeing the architecture. These shots are all from Prague.

Jet Sunset

I love flying and I enjoy photographing from the window. We flew out late so had a superb sunset from above the clouds. Here you see the full transition as the atmosphere scatters the sunlight creating a beautiful blue to red transition.

Prague Skyline

Most people are familiar with the astronimcal clock, the oldest of its kind still working. This photo was taken from right above the clock with an ultra wide angle lens. I loved how the buildings lined the streets and the colours of the tiles.

The State Opera House

I was lucky enough to be taken to the Czech State Opera to watch Copellia by the National Ballet. The Opera House is stunning after recent renovation and I couldn't not share this superb building.

A mixed bag of photos this week but primarily birds again, I'm enjoying my regular walks and my camera always comes with me!

Great White Egret

This year I've seen so many GWE that I'm starting to become less enthused by them in principle, but then I see one and I'm blown away by how elegant they are, and just how large they are!

Rainbow

It never gets old sitting in a bird hide with a flask of coffee when it's raining outside. I had to snap this photo of the beautiful Piper Marsh at Potteric Carr with a rainbow in the distance.

Surprise Bittern

I was sat in a hide considering leaving for the day when a bittern leaped out of the reeds, flew a circuit before diving back into the reeds. I was able to fire off a few shots of this amazing bird!

We finish this week with the meteorological transition from summer into autumn, although we have to wait until September 22nd for the astronomical autumn to begin.

Highland Cow

These domesticated creature are perfectly adapted to survive on the cold and rugged terrain of high peaks and cliff edges. These cows reside on Baslow Edge in the Peak District and in August can be photographed nibbling on the purple heather.

Baslow Edge

Baslow Edge is one of many rocky cliff sides in the Peak District National Park which overlook rolling hills and valleys. The terrain isn’t grand by any means but is nevertheless spectacular.

Stonehenge

After attending a wedding not far from Stonehenge it was only right to pop by and have a look at this ancient monument. Stonehenge is about 5000 years old and to be honest with you, is showing its age. The place was packed but we opted for the free of charge footpath that runs alongside the paid entry path. All in all it was worth a visit to lay eyes on a creation build by our ancestors.

This week I had a great surprise at my local nature reserve. Some days are boring and slow but the odd great day totally makes up for it!

Two Great White Egrets

Before 2024, I'd never seen a great white egret, this year I've seen no less than four! Two of which were at the same time at Potteric Carr. Magnificent bird whose presence is always a treat!

Aerial Predator

At the same time as seeing the two egrets, I spotted a hobby buzzing around picking off dragonflies on the wing. Hobby are a remarkable falcon and definitely worth watching a while as they hunt and eat on the wing!

Posing Moorhen

The regulars at ponds and lakes often get overlooked but in the right light and with the correct composition, they shine! This bird posed lovely on this branch and I had to get low and take the shot.

This week I spent some time photographing a local kingfisher. I picked up some really nice shots of a heron while I was at it too!

Kingfisher Sunbathing

A very lean male kingfisher perched enjoying the sun. He sat there for at least 20 mins as the sun poured down on us. I love how one day they look blue and others green!

Cormorant Drying It's Wings

This is a common sight where cormorants are involved. This bird had been pottering about for hours before jumping up onto this stick for a good old dry out.

Top Gun Heron

Heron never fail to capture my interest when they fly by, they remind me of a flying dinosaur! Here this heron executed a graceful wing dip as it flew past as if to show off it's aerial skill!

This week was quite exciting with a lifer added to my list! I didn't do a great deal but did head to my local reserve for a few hours. Here's what I photographed!

Caspian Tern

Not a lifer but the first time I've been able to get some nice photos of this bird. We don't get many Caspian terns in the UK but we do get a few reliable sightings each year. This time was a first record for my local reserve! It's hard not to be in awe at that bright orange bill!

Lifer! Black-tailed Godwit

This was an unexpected sighting, two black-tailed godwit. These birds are very similar to the bar-tailed godwit, which I first saw on the south coast, and look equally as amazing in flight!

Roe Deer

Walking back from some time in hides can reveal anything from deer to fox to badger, on this occasion it was a very brave roe buck. I saw him walking towards the path so I held back and waited. He spotted me on the path and paused before heading off one he heard the sound of my 1DX rattling away! This camera is great but damn it sounds like a machine gun!

Ok, so after a few slow photography weeks I was back at it with full force this week. The two hight lights of the week were a hike up to Win Hill in the Peak District and a trip to Old Moor.

Sunset in the Peaks

A friend and I had planned to hike up to Win Hill to photograph the blooming heather with a stunning sunset. Naturally this didn't happen last year so we made an effort to do so this year. After seeing the heather had started to bloom, we took the next free evening to give it a shot. Thankfully it all came together nicely!

Great White Egret

I spotted my first GWE about 2 months ago on a morning bike ride. This sighting was far better though. I was sat watching some spoonbills when an egret flew in, it was only when I actually looked at it that a realised it was a great white! These birds are huge, about double the size of a grey heron, and have an obscenely long neck. The bird hung around for about 30 mins before flying off. I'll be updating the photo in my life list to this one!

Eurasian Spoonbill

This is what I'd headed out for in the first place. I had heard there were a few at a local reserve so headed over there to see them. On arrival I counted 11 birds, which is the most I've ever seen at once! Spoonbills are great birds to watch as the sift through the silt for food.

The riots in a nearby town brought over the Police Helicopter which spooked all the birds on the scrape. This did give me a chance to photograph them in flight which was a nice opportunity.

With my recent trip to Finland, I've been playing catchup do not a lot of time for photography this week. That said, I did still snap some interesting shots of the clouds over Doncaster which I think are still worth sharing!

If you didn't know, I'm currently 29th in the world for cloudspotting ☁️

Stormy Skies

As I walked out of the cafe I noticed this huge, turbulent cloud system forming above. I think this is a combination of cloud types, perhaps Mammatus at the base of a Cumulonimbus, which isn't uncommon to see. Surprisingly, no rain.

Storm Brewing

This shot was taken on the way home of another storm system brewing nearby. As this was in the distance, you can see the laters of the cloud forming as the humid air interacts with the warm and cool spots. Super cool.

Following on from my trip to Finland. My last two days were not marked by bear sightings, but instead another special mammal...wolverine!

This week I'll share a selection of images of the wolverine I photographed in Finland.

On The Rock

One of the hides we were in sat opposite a large rocky outcrop. I willed for a wolverine and a bear to walk over the rock and incredibly, one did!

Waters Edge

The ponds in Finland are beautiful. They sit so still and barely move its amazing! This photo was taken during the light hours as the wolverine surveyed the area for bears.

Reflection

Following on from the above, the reflection of the ponds made for amazing photos. Wolverine are not quite tall enough to get clear reflections, however this individual did manage to get close enough to the water to create a reflection. There is a subtle mist on the water too hence the blue hue!

Two days late as I've been in the Finnish wilderness and WiFi has been very hit and miss. So this weeks update is coming from a very sunny Finnair flight from Helsinki to Manchester.

This week will be covering just one species iconic in Finland, Ursus Arctos, commonly known as the Brown Bear!

Cotton Grass

During the summer, cotton grass covers Finland's swamps, this coincides with some of the best bear habitat which makes for some beautiful compositions.

Pine Forest

About 70% of Finland is forested with much of that dominated by Pine forest. These trees tower above the wildlife below creating a beautiful backdrop when watching these amazing beasts go about their business.

Omnivores

Like most bears, brown bears are omnivorous so they enjoy feasting on a range of food sources. This area of Finland has large numbers of wild berries, including cloudberry, which the bears seem to love!

Last week I alluded to the bird that I 'twitched' not far from where I live. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take any photos because it was too dark; However, this week I managed to get back and I was lucky enough to photograph the Black Winged Pratincole! This is such a special bird it will take up the whole of this week in photos!

Non-descript Field

This flooded field is fairly remote and only accessible by walking down an over-grown lane. The grass field has flooed at one end, creating a flash perfect for birds! The main resident are lapwing with a few avocet and black-headed gulls knocking about. Of course, the Caspian Tern was here last week too which was amazing! The whispy cirrus and fibratus clouds were great to see too!

Black Winged Pratincole

Pratincole is a latin portmantau pratincola derived from the words prātum (meadow) and incola (resident). The bird is known for spending its time among the grasses beside the water before hawking for insects like a swallow.

Yorkshire Rarity

This pond straddles the Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire border meaning depending on where the bird flies, it could be in either county. Notts' had a pratincole a few years ago in a different area, but according to records, the last on spotted in Yorkshire was 1909! That makes this a rather special bird in it's current location!

Another busy week, but I did still manage to get out to some local spots to see what was about. This includes checking up on the kingfisher families in Sheffield.

Heron Perched

It always surprises me when I see a heron perched out of the water. Their long spindly legs clasping onto the branches. I think this heron is a juvenile bird as it's still not get full heron colouration.

Adult Kingfisher

After what will have been weeks of heavy fishing, this adult male appears to be taking a break and catching some fish for himself. A juvenile was spotted nearby but was not getting given fish which makes me think this adult will have been feeding several hungry bills for a week. It much be hard work!

Juvenile Kingfisher

Juvenile Kingfishers are identified by their shorter bill, grey feet and dust looking plumage. This adorable little bird was sat begging for fish from a nearby adult. Eventually this bird did dive into the water but didn't manage to catch a fish. These few days after the parents stop feeding are crucial for a young kingfisher. If they don't get the hang of fishing, they may well die.

This week has been an exciting one for sure! It started off as standard, and I even managed a half day at Potteric Carr. But Saturday evening turned very special after I decided to 'twitch' a bird that was literally 10 mins from where I live.

Coot Attack

Coot are spotted pretty much everywhere you find water. They are a fairly dull bird, with a blackish plumage and white bill/forehead. Where the lack in looks, they make up for in attitude. Its common to see coot bee-lining for a nearby intruder in a water skipping fashion.

Common Tern

Tern may by lumped in with seagulls by those who are uninitiated, but to me there are super special. Not only are they a fishing bird (I like birds that have a taste for fish) but it's an elegant one at that. They fly with a bouncy enthusiasm and are so aerobatic that they wouldn't look out of place in Top Gun.

Lifer! Caspian Tern

Ok, this is a special one. The photograph is poor even by some of the worst standards, but it was taken at nearly 10:30 pm in the dark! Caspian tern are a widespread and are seen in the UK each summer, but are scarce. I was actually out looking for a rather rare bird to the UK, a black-winged Pratincole. I managed to glimpse of this bird in the grass before getting a great sighting of it in flight. Shortly before leaving, a fellow birder spotted the Caspian tern which just doubled up on the productivity of this local jaunt!

Another busy week, but I did still manage to get out to some local spots to see what was about. This includes checking up on the kingfisher families in Sheffield.

Heron Perched

It always surprises me when I see a heron perched out of the water. Their long spindly legs clasping onto the branches. I think this heron is a juvenile bird as it's still not get full heron colouration.

Adult Kingfisher

After what will have been weeks of heavy fishing, this adult male appears to be taking a break and catching some fish for himself. A juvenile was spotted nearby but was not getting given fish which makes me think this adult will have been feeding several hungry bills for a week. It much be hard work!

Juvenile Kingfisher

Juvenile Kingfishers are identified by their shorter bill, grey feet and dust looking plumage. This adorable little bird was sat begging for fish from a nearby adult. Eventually this bird did dive into the water but didn't manage to catch a fish. These few days after the parents stop feeding are crucial for a young kingfisher. If they don't get the hang of fishing, they may well die.

Unfortunately this week is not a 'my week in photos' because unusually I didn't take any! Actually, that's a lie, I took some of my cat looking cute and I did photograph a cuckoo but didn't end up processing the images.

The first week back from travels is tough! I had lots of work to catch up on and had uni work looming. So, this week I'll be sharing some more photos from my trip to the Isle of Skye!

Common Seal

I've photographed grey seals extensively over the years but never have I been able to do the common seal justice. During our ride out to Loch Coruisk, we happened upon a colony of common seal. The vantage point from the boat combined with the still water made for some stunning photos!

Loch Coruisk

This is a freshwater loch contained within the centre of the Black Cuillins, a mountain range in the southern parts of the Isle of Skye. The loch is fed by streams from the mountains and flows out into the sea, as seen in the bottom left. This was a unreal experience.

Lealt Falls

This photograph is of the lower falls, which when combined with the upper falls, covers a drop of 90 metres. We hiked down the cliffside to get to the bottom falls which was totally worth it. The viewing platform of the upper falls was just as epic but not conducive to photographs.

Toby

In order to ensure I am meeting the purpose of this blog, here is a photo I took this week. This is the cat of my life, Toby, enjoying the sunshine.

Damn, I'm a day late on this one! In my defence I was travelling a lot on Sunday so I didn't really get chance to draft up this week. So here it is, on a Monday!

I spent the week exploring the Isle of Skye with Claudia so I've got plenty to share. I'll go with 5 photos this week as there was so much to see and share! I will be drafting up a blog post with more photos from this trip so check it out here! <- I've not published it yet!

Lifer! Manx Shearwater

This is one of those birds that I just never knew existed until recent years. When I was on Mull last year, I really hoped to see one, however I was unsuccessful. Manx Shearwater are rarely seen from land so you need to jump on a boat to get close to them. I was lucky here, one our return leg from Loch Coruisk, Claudia spotted a bird and snapped some shots. I later identified it as a Manx shearwater!

Neist Point

Neist Point is familiar to most people when they see it. Of course it is it...it's iconic! Neist Point is the most westerly point one can drive in the UK without getting a boat. It is actually more west than Dublin and Belfast! Westerly facts aside, this spot is stunning. The cliffs are alive with seabirds and the grasses teeming with Wheatear and a special little bird, the Twite! I've shared a 360 Panorama of this location which you can view here.

Lifer! Twite

Perhaps about as unassuming as one can get when it comes to birds. The Twite is a small finch closely related to the Linnet. The bird is brown with a streaky pattern. The only way I knew for sure this was a Twite and not a Linnet was because of the pink rump I spotted as it flew off. Twite are becoming more and more rare in England so it's really important we manage habitats to best ensure they can survive. If not it will join the long list of extinct species hardly anyone knew about.

The Old Man of Storr

Skye's most popular attraction. The Old Man of Storr is a pinnacle that sits below the highest peak of the Trotternish Ridge called The Storr. In front of the old man there is another pinnacle called The Cathedral, named such because of the holes in the rock which look like windows of a ruined cathedral. We hiked up to the Photographers Knoll, a viewpoint, to take in the sights and snap some photos. Thankfully we got up there before the crowds as this spot started getting busy as we made our way down. Superb, if not very bleak and desolate, views across the Trotternish Ridge which runs the full length of the northern most peninsula.

Otter!

It wouldn't be a true trip to Scotland without sighting an otter and Claudia came through with this one again! She spotted the otter on Mull last year and did the same again here. We were walking to a coffee trailer when she called out that something was in the water, I put my bins on it and knew instantly it was an otter! We made a beeline for the van to get our cameras and was able to fire off some shots as it moved across the bank of Loch Slapin.

I’m writing this weeks’ update from a very wet campsite on the north-eastern edge of the Isle of Skye. Here’s to hoping it brightens up for the rest of the trip! Despite the poor weather, we have had some nice opportunities to photograph the Scottish landscape.

Ben Nevis Range

The drive from Doncaster to Skye is about 9 hours so we decided to stop off for the night at Fort William. I’ve driven through many times, but never have I been able to enjoy the scenery. Thankfully, the weather was amazing and from our campsite I was able to create this amazing panorama of the Nevis Mountain Range.

Red-legged Partridge

Earlier in the week, on my morning bike ride, I spotted a brightly coloured bird sitting on a rock beside the path. I quickly pulled my camera from my bag and snapped a few pics. I’ve never got this close to a red-legged partridge so the encounter was welcomed!

Lifer! Common Crossbill

The common crossbill is a bird I've sought for a while, albeit with low effort. I remember at least a few occasions looking for this bird but have not been successful until a chance encounter today when exploring the pine forests on Skye. Once you see them they become very distinguishable with their orange plumage and chunky head!

This week was one of those busy weeks again where I didn't get much change to get out before/after work. We also had some wet weather which is rarely conducive to excellent nature experiences! That said, I still managed to pull off some rather special photographs!

Hungry Stoat

Nature is cruel, we usually learn this from a young age but you're still never prepared. As I walked down a path with Claudia, she spotted something running towards us (I was distracted by a reed warbler!). We soon realised what it was and I managed to fire off a few shots. Stoat are well known for taking down prey larger than themselves, and this coot chick was no match to the fatal accuracy of a stoat bite.

Meadow Pipit

A bird which has somehow escaped my observation. I have seen a few before, there were loads on Mull, but I've not added any to a list or photographed them. That technically makes this a lifer. I have in the past probably confused these with skylarks as they possess a similar aesthetic, although on reflection they are unique when you train your eye.

Common Cuckoo

I've been trying to photograph the common cuckoo for far too long. Admittedly, I've probably not put in enough effort in the past, however this year I was determined to do so. As I plan to travel to Canada early next year, I'm on a mission to photograph species that I won't see there. So the Common Cuckoo was on the list. After a dreadful storm, the skies cleared and I decided to give a local spot where I'd heard a cuckoo calling recently. To my amazement, upon turning a corner, there was a cuckoo, perched on a tree...It's moments like this which make all the effort worth it.

I should note that I had cloned out an annoying twig in this photo.

I didn't manage to get out too much this week due to cracking on with my Uni work and some other commitments, but I did still manage to get 2.5 lifers before Sunday! I'm going to break convention and share four images this week, because I can't not share them!

Great White Egret

While not technically the first great white egret I've seen, it was the first I've seen in England. I saw one in Florida in 2016 and while that was my first sighting, it wasn't the best. On 17th, I woke up at 5:30am to ride to a local nature reserve. In the distance I saw what I thought was a swan. On closer inspection I noticed it was standing too tall, this was when I realised it was a great white egret!

Grasshopper Warbler

This one is a lifer for me. I've heard of grasshopper warblers, but I didn't know what they looked or sounded like. I should have known what they looked like...most warblers look identical! On the same morning as the egret, I heard a bird song like nothing else...I had to use Merlin Sound ID to finally figure out what it was, even if in hind-sight it was obvious!

Common Greenshank

The greenshank is one of those birds I ought to have seen before, but haven't. I'm only 35% birder (65% photographer) so there are plenty of birds like this which have escaped my gaze. Regardless, this was a great sighting at Potteric Carr. The heat haze was really bad so the photographs were no good, but I still thought it was worth sharing!

Osprey Returns

Here is the bonus image! This time of year, the UK is marked by a whole range of bird migration. One of which is the osprey returning from the south, Africa. I heard reports from the fantastic, and dedicated, birders of Doncaster that an osprey had been spotted at a local spot, I had to go and see it! I hope to get back and see this bird a few more times, but if the chance doesn't arise, I'm still happy with these shots.

This week started off pretty normal but turned quite extraordinary at the weekend!

There is some really special images here this week so I hope you enjoy!

Dipper Chicks!

I've been following a family of dippers for about 5 weeks now, and on Friday I headed over to see how they were doing. Much to my amazement I was able to photograph one of the dipper chicks perched at the entrance to the nest hole! How amazing to be able to see this!

Hungry Garden Warbler

If you have ever tried to spot one of the many warblers that grace our bushes, reeds and tree this time of year, you'll know how difficult they can be to photograph. I was walking home one evening when I heard the delightful song of a garden warbler. I was then lucky enough to photograph it with a small red damselfly in its bill. This was also a lifer for me (check out my photographic life list here.

Aurora Borealise

I wasn't alone with this one. Thousands of people across the UK were able to witness the incredible Northern Lights in the early hours of Saturday morning. It was an incredible show and I'm so glad that so many people were able to observe such an incredible natural phenomenon. Check out my blog posts for more photos - Aurora Borealis in Doncaster.

Ok, so two weeks ago, my local zoo effectively banned me from visiting by revoking my annual pass membership and offering me a partial refund; I'm yet to get the refund. Anyway, this has meant that I've been exploring other local spots more, it's been a pleasure for sure! This week has been predominantly Potteric Carr, which is less than a mile from my house.

Although the dippers don't feature in this weeks feed, I have been photographing them and they are busier than ever feeding their chicks! You can now hear the chicks calling for feed when an adult pops into the nest hole. I love it!

The Confusingly-named Wagtail

Grey wagtails are a fairly common sight in healthy stream/brook ecosystems in the UK. These little birds, with their grey head and back, and bright yellow chest are always active, flitting about catching flies. I personally would have called this one the Yellow Wagtail...but who am I to judge!

Aerial Acrobats

For at least 3 years I've been trying my hardest to take a nice, pleasing photograph of a barn swallow. They are so iconic, being the harbingers of spring, yet until this week, I've never managed to do them justice. This is one of about 2,000 images I took to try and get a nice sharp shot against a nice background. Aren't they gorgeous‽

Marsh Harrier Food Pass

This is a first for me! For the first time ever last week, I saw two marsh harriers together. Today (the 5th) I saw two passing food to one another! Actually, it gets even better...I saw three march harriers at the same time. Two adults and one juvenile. I saw the juvenile erupt from the reeds infront of the hide in what could have been it's maiden flight! The juv landed on a raised bank and the adults brought food to it; An incredible sight for sure.

This week was spent obsessively checking in on my local kingfishers, photographing the dipper family I've been following and checking out some local nature reserves. It'll not come as a surprise that this week is then a collection of Kingfisher, Dipper and something super cool from my local nature reserve.

Busy Parents

The dipper family I've been following at Porter Brook in Sheffield are still hard at work feeding their chicks. They have been doing so for nearly two weeks now and yet their activity is unrelenting. It's no easy task for these remarkable little birds.

Shift Change

At this time of year, Kingfishers are busy incubating the eggs of their first brood. Every few hours they swap over to allow the other bird to eat. They will do this for a few weeks till the eggs hatch, then it will be full steam ahead feeding all the hungry bills

Eurasian Spoonbill

Mid week I popped into my local nature reserve to see what was about. This time last year we saw a pair of black-winged stilts start nesting so it's always worth a try. I was amazed to see a spoonbill in full breeding plumage sifting the silt for food. I last photographed a spoonbill in July 2016 so this was a very welcome sight!

A quieter week indeed but nonetheless excellent. We’re at that point in spring when many of the birds are sitting on eggs so activity levels tend to drop. This week is a dipper bonanza!

Dipper Trio

The dippers I’ve been following are now hard at working feeding their chicks. Both adult birds are in and out of the nest frequently as they bring back food for the hungry bills within. During a well deserved break, a third dipper came onto the scene much to the pairs dislike. One bird chased the intruder off.

Perched on a Rock

Dipper are super unique in the UK, they are our only aquatic song bird. Dippers belong to a group of birds called passerines, which we colloquially refer to as song birds. Although, unlike all other song birds, they don't eat seeds (you wont find one in your garden!). They forage underwater for small bugs and shrimps (shrimps is bugs).

Hungry Bills

Both adult dippers have been coming out of the nest chamber and returning with bills full of invertebrates such as dragonfly larvae. This leads me to believe they are bring food back to hungry bills. I must have watched them return to the nest 15 times today over a few hours. Busy indeed!

This week was excellent! I booked Friday off work and headed to RSPB St Aidans before popping over to my local spot for kingfisher and dipper. Both locations were very successful!

Three Great Bittern

I've only been lucky enough to see a great bittern twice before, once at YWT Potteric Carr and once at NWT Attenborough. Never did I think I would see THREE flying together!

Black Necked Grebe

RSPB St Aidans is home to 30% of the UK breeding population of BNGs. The UK only sees around 50 pairs stay to breed so to have such a high density at one site is remarkable. On Friday I counted 13 individuals, all but one were in pairs.

Hard Working Dipper

The dipper is the UK's only aquatic passerine bird which forages for its food in fast flowing streams. Dippers can "fly" underwater which allows them to catch their prey which are usually invertebrates such as caddisfly and insect larvae.

Another busy week of photography as is becoming a habit lately. My main trip out this week was to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's Attenborough Nature Reserve. The place was teeming with Great Crested Grebes and chiffchaffs. I also had a great encounter with a Cetti's warbler!

Fishing In The Rain

I spent a good half an hour photographing several Great Crested Grebes from a small jetty on the main lake. It started raining which made for some interesting shots. This grebe popped up with a huge catch!

Spring Has Arrived!

Incredibly, until this week, I'd never managed to make a clear photograph of a chiffchaff that wasn't a tiny bird sat at the top of a tree. This stunning bird perched at eye level and begun singing away. I managed to fire off several shots before it moved on swiftly.

Heron Ballet

Have you ever seen a heron do a pirouette? Neither have I, but this male looked to be in this photograph. The heron is quite happy fishing near to people. I decided to use my 50 mm lens to take some wider shots of the heron to showcase how close to the houses this magnificent bird was going about it's day.

This week was a kingfisher bonanza with lots of activity at my local spot. The birds are currently readying themselves for their first brood. Over the next few days the female will start laying her eggs which both birds will take turns to incubate. It's all kingies this week!

Sharing A Meal

I sat and watched this pair of birds almost all day. The male was keeping his mate fed by bringing her fish ever half hour or so. She was assessing his ability to bring in a stead supply of fish; a test for when the pair have up to seven hungry bills to feed!

Brood One Begins

After becoming suitable impressed by the constant supply of sticklebacks, the female allowed the male to mate with her, sharing genetic material with a 'cloacal kiss'. Yes, thats the correct term for mating across almost all birds.

The Life Of A King

Kingfishers have to eat fairly regularly to keep themselves fit and healthy (and alive). Here the male bird photographed above carries a fish from the water to his nearby 'bashing perch' where he will bash the fish to kill it. On occasion the fish doesn't die before being swallowed whole resulting in the bird squirming a bit as it's meal wiggles around.

A less busy week from a photography perspective as I battle through university assignments. I did manage to get out to a local spot to see if the short eared owls are still out, which they are.

The Lark Ascending

One of my all time favourite pieces of music. The Lark Ascending, composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, captures the flight and song of the skylark perfectly. The skylark is an unassuming and small bird but its song is far from it. Once you hear a skylark sing, you never forget it.

Building Energy For Migration

The short eared owl has resident and migratory populations in the UK. This year has seen vast numbers of them come to our shores in search of their favourite meal, voles. Vole numbers are sensitive to a range of environmental factors and if they has a slow down in reproduction, the owls are forced to look elsewhere. A particularly cold winter in Scandinavia could be the reason for the high number.

Busy Building

It's that time of year when birds of all shapes and sizes begin building their nests ahead of breeding season. Here the adorable little wren collects an old withered leaf to line it's nest.

This week was a week of birds! At the time I was spending a lot of time in Sheffield photographing the kingfishers there. Along the way I usually pick up a range of photos including photos of species most don't bother to photograph.

Skylark

I remember heading to the local spot where I find short-eared owls. Up on the hill there are many skylarks building nests in the long grass. I was able to capture this beautiful photograph of a skylark perched on a grassy tuft.

Battle of the Coots

Like most bird species, coots can get very aggressive around mating season. Here I think several birds are either fighting for a mate, or disputing over territory. Either way, it's great to see them battle it out on the water!

Kingfisher Pair

It's great watching kingfishers as they pair up for the season. The male will bring fish to the female to demonstrate his ability to their chicks when they hatch. This is a relentless time for the males as they are essentially feeding two adult birds at the same time but is good prep for when the chicks come along.

These images are actually from the back end of last week, but they were in the first week in march so technically feel like the fit here. I just can't not sure them!

Squirrels in Snow

Dave and I have been trying to get squirrels in snow for a long time. This was a great opportunity as heavy snow fell on the peaks of North Yorkshire. We headed there promptly! Unfortunately the snow was weak in the woods so didn't really get the shots we wanted. EDIT: We managed this 23rd November!

Red Grouse

This time of year game keepers are doing their best to boost numbers of grouse ahead of the August start to the shooting season. This gives a bumper crop for photographers to get up and photograph them before their unwarranted demise!

Another Red Grouse

Here is another image of a grouse. I love these birds so much. It breaks my heart to know they will be shot dead 5 months from now...If you want to learn more, I recommend the book Inglorious by Mark Avery. Link takes you to some of my notes.

This week I had a surprise encounter with a magnificent bird of prey...the sparrow hawk!

Famale Sparrow Hawk

This is a female sparrow hawk which killed one of the pigeons which nests in the tree in our back garden. Look at the piercing eye and powerful check muscles!

Pigeon for Lunch

Sparrow hawks don't usually take pigeons as they are too large, but this female managed on this occasion. Only the female of this species is large enough to attempt this.

Eyes Bigger than your Belly!

The bird eventually decided to try take the pigeon away, but couldn't fly with it so ended up eating it on my lawn. It took half hour to clean the feathers up!

Another awesome week visiting Tschuna after work.

Tshcuna in Golden Light

The light was superb on this evening! opted for a wide aspect ratio to fit in her long tail!

Drink by The Pond

Tschuna drinking water by the pond!

Tigers Eye

No description is required for this one!

This week I headed to a new wildlife park called Peak Wildlife Park, with a good friend. They have squirrels there among other awesome animals.

Red Sqiggle

Is there anything more endearing than a red squirrel with their little ear tufts and white underparts?

Polar Bear

Rather self explantory, polar bears are beasts! I love to photograph them, but so far only in captivity.

Magma Eye

The eyes on this Lemur are magnificent! I couldn't not photograph them!

This week we had snow! This isn't that common for us in Yorkshire, but this week we got a decent dusting and what else better to do than to photograph amur tigers in the snow!

Red Panda

Firstly, I can't not share this stunning image of a red panda in the snow. So adorable yet perfectly adapted for this weather.

Snow Cat

Here is my favourite tiger of them all, Tschuna. I owe this tigress a lot (read more here) and photographing her in the snow is one of my favourite things!

Snow Goose

Of course this is not a snow goose, but a greylag!

This week I had a surprise trip to London, and bagged some photos of a new species to me!

Tower Bridge

This is my first time seeing Tower Bridge despite visiting London many times! It's a nice bridge, a bit fancy if you ask me.

Male Stonechat

Stonechats had always evaded me but this week I was able to take some photos of them. This male was perched on a fence and allowed me to creep close for this shot.

Female Stonechat

The female was a bit more skittish but I still managed to land a few lovely photographs.

It's kingie season! This week I spent some time at my local spot for kingfishers. I got more than just the kingies though!

Kingfisher in a tree

I can't remember the name of this tree but the catkins go a lovely lilac colour. The contract with the bright green behind brought this colour our more. The lovely dapples light made for some stunning bokeh.

Golden Gull

Often overlooked as common, gulls can make nice images too. This black-headed gull in winter plumage looked great in the golden sun.

Moorhen Exploration

This moorhen was screaming to be photographed, the lovely golden light added to the image.

Ok, this week I'm going to be sharing some cool images of some of my local captive creatures. These were taken at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Leopard Cub

I still can't get used to this one being named after the village of Auckley, but regardless, she is a stunner!

Gaining Confidence

I spent most of my week photographing Auckley after work and here is a photo of her exploring her enclosure!

Killer Eyes

One advantage of heading to the park after work is that lovely golden sunlight. The keepers allowed me to stay 10 mins late to nail these shots of Auckley playing on the log.

Back to work! This is always a tough week to get out. Back to the grindstone. I did manage a few shots regardless!

Quirky York Pup

My girlfriend took me to see Vivaldi's Four Seasons by a string quartet in York. It was an awesome evening! This pub I saw on the way caught my eye. I only had my phone but snapped a pic anyway!

Microscopic Algae

Here is a cool image I created this week with my microscope, its some kind of algae. I think it's about 30 micrometers in length!

ASB

Unfortunately the antisocial behaviour at the owl spot seems to have pushed the owls away, many quads up there today and no owls to be seen.

Starting this porject off with some cracking images from the year! Here are some shots of my local Short Eared Owls.

Intentional Camera Movement

I shot this image with a slow shutter speed to try show the often chaotic nature of the owls flight. Its not easy to get right but can be a nice visual if it works.

Dive Bomb

It's awesome to watch these owls turn 90 degrees might flight and drop to the deck in an attempt to catch some prey. Makes for a challenging photograph too!

Redwing

Photographed at my local zoo, this is a Redwing searching for berries.