A pictorial diary of my walks around the parks and wild areas of Leicestershire, and occasionally farther afield.

If you're new to my blog, you might like to have a look at the pictures in the older post as well (click on button at the bottom of the page).

I am also a writer, using the pen-name John Gwynant, and I'll occasionally announce my latest book release on the blog.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

From a sunnier time - 27 December 2012

The weather at the moment isn't conducive to good wild life photos. So I decided to look back over the year, to some of the interesting pics of the summer and autumn.


These two of the blue tit are favourites of mine, they may not be technically perfect, but the action in them is interesting. The first one, as you can see, is about to take off. He seems to be working his wings up to launch speed.

This one is interesting because of the folded wings, it was difficult to get him properly framed, so the tip of his tail is missing. He was dropping like a stone before spreading his wings to settle.


This mallard chick was very precocious, always off on its own and that's what allowed me to get such a good shot.

This young Fallow Deer in Bradgate park was asleep, I managed to approach behind a wall and as I took its picture it looked around with the dopey look that seemed to ask 'who woke me?'

Finally for now this autumn picture of Thornton reservoir and an angler trying his luck.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Latest Release

Now Available - My latest book

Murder at the Abbey


A "Who Dun It" in the classic English style
Now Available 
In Paperback and Ebook editions.
from Amazon
(Click on the cover picture)

Thursday, December 20, 2012

No-Go

Well after all that effort and the mix up over dates, the Beeb only used 3 otter stills and none of them were mine.

I am of course slightly miffed about it, but what the heck, I probably reach enough people through this forum anyway.

So as soon as I can find some more of the elusive wildlife we'll have some more photo's for you to view.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Otterwatch special

The Otterwatch special is on BBC2

20th of December at 8 pm

I have amended my original post but this is in case you don't see that.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Winter is Here - 13 December 2012

There has been some good frosts recently and most of the lakes are frozen. The birds are keeping under cover so after a hard year for finding wildlife, it has now got harder. The other day I did see a Goosander, but it was being swept rapidly down a swollen river and the light was going, so I didn't get any pictures.

Today I went out in the frost, I only managed a few photos.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/250 @ 5.6, iso 400, 400mm

By the bridge at sheepwash lane,  I saw this Burdock plant coated with frost. It'd probably make a good Saturnalia decoration if the ice didn't melt.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/200 @ 5.6, iso 400, 100,mm

We moved on to Swithland woods, but the only bird we saw was this Robin
Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/80 @ 5.66, iso 800, 390,mm