Black Headed Gull in winter plumage

Take off

1/3200 @ f6.3, ISO400, 400mm

Oyster Catcher at Thornton

Well the tide's out where are the oysters

These man made seas are rubbish

1/4000 @f5.6, ISO 800, 400mm

Harris Hawk

Hawking (not Stephen)

1/2656 @ 5.6, ISO800, 400mm

Have a little fishy - Thornton 13 May 2015

This is an interesting sequence that played out in front of me as stopped for a rest by a bench. I was hoping for some Dabchicks, but this Great Crested Grebe was worth seeing. I think the other Grebe was hoping for a share but was disappointed.

1/1328 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/800 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/800 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/1000 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2000 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2000 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2656 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2000 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2000 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/1600 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/1600 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/1600 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/1600 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/1600 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2656 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2000 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

1/2000 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

All taken on Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L series lens

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High Speed Chick - 8 August 2013

An interesting afternoon at Thornton, as soon as we arrived we heard there was a rare visitor that seemed to have settled at the waterside. A Night Heron, we don't get many of them in Britain, but this one was shy and I couldn't get a picture of him. I did manage to see him through a twitchers scope, but as they are active mostly at night I couldn't wonder that he wouldn't show himself.

1/1600 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Back at the car park this Great Crested Grebe chick provided us with some entertainment.

1/1600 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

The mother seemed to want to cut the apron strings, but this young un was having none of it and the speed he could travel through the water was amazing.

1/1328 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

She would dive and come up great distances away, the chick would be searching all round for and screaming for her.

1/1328 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

When he spotted her he would swim at amazing speed, he looked like one of those bath time wind up toys as it sped through the water.

1/1328 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

When he found her, she would often dive again and he would be left looking around and screaming

1/1600 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

Eventually he caught her and tried demanding food from her, despite being able to dive and feed himself.

1/1328 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

These birds turned up and the nearest to identifying them I can get is they might be Scaup, but they are a bit dark.

1/1328 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

If you have any suggestions please put it in the comments.

1/1328 @ f5.6, iso 400, 400mm

All taken on

Canon EOS7d with EF 100 - 400mm L series Lens

A tale of two waters - 28 May 2013

A wet day yesterday and we set off for Swithland woods, on the way while driving across the Cropston reservoir dam I saw a twitcher looking intently through his scope at the waters edge.

We stopped and asked if there was anything interesting, he pointed down and said "there's a Sanderling!"
When I looked over the camouflage of the Sanderling was so well matched to the rocks of the dam that the first thing I saw was a Pied Wagtail with a beak full of nesting material.

1/200 @ f10, iso 800, 400mm

Then the Sanderling moved and I saw it, this is a rare bird so far inland, Leicestershire is in the middle of England and many miles from the nearest sea, where Sanderlings are normally found.

1/320 @ f10, iso 800, 400mm

He seemed quite happy hopping along the waterline collecting insects. But I suppose it was the recent strong winds that brought him here.

1/320 @ f10, iso 800, 400mm

We drove on to the woods but it was so dark we decided to go to Swithland reservoir instead.

1/100 @ f10, iso 800, 370mm

The first thing we saw over the fence was the cygnets (below) and a family of mallard chicks. The Mallard mother didn't trust us though and took her babies away into the reeds.

1/160 @ f10, iso 800, 100mm

The Mute Swans weren't concerned about us and continued to snooze.

1/250 @ f10, iso 800, 330mm

The Cob did see off some mallards that got too close to his babies though, so he was observant even while resting.

1/80 @ f10, iso 800, 200mm

The Pen didn't raise her head though, she must have been tired from looking after her babies.

1/200 @ f10, iso 800, 200mm

All taken on a 

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm 'L' series lens.

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Another Good Day - 3rd February 2013

Whenever I pass the Bradgate Park, I look over the wall to see what's moving about.

The first things I spotted were two Fallow deer who weren't moving at all. They were enjoying the sunshine, eyes closed and relaxed.

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/2000 @ f5.6, iso 800, 330mm

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/2656 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm

 The next one didn't seem impressed at having his picture taken and stuck his tongue out.

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/6400 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm

Then we moved on to Thornton Reservoir and this tufty became camera shy and dived under the surface. He was so quick only his DA was visible by the time the shutter clicked. 

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/500 @ f5.6, iso 800, 330mm

 Of course some of them weren't shy at all and this female Mallard came for a closer look - or maybe it was to see if I was going to feed her.

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 340mm

I think her partner was jealous though and stormed across the lake towards me - or maybe it was the child standing next to me throwing food to them.

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/640 @ f6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/400 @ f6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/800 @ f6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/1328 @ f6.3, iso 400, 400mm

 The Mute swan family came in really gently and collected the dropped food. the male came in, only a couple of feet from where I was sitting and seemed to want to make friends - until he realised it wasn't me with the food - they can be really fickle these birds :o)

Canon EOs 7d, EF 100 - 400mm, L, Lens
1/1328 @ f6.3, iso 800, 120mm

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.