Swithland Woods - 20 February 2013

There was a cold wind through the Swithland Woods and I think most of the small birds were hunkered down to keep warm.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/160 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Robins can usually be relied on to make an appearance and this one didn't disappoint. The light was dropping off so I had to up the iso and hope.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/200 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

A Nuthatch soon followed the Robin and enjoyed the feast

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/200 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

It wasn't long before a second Nuthatch joined in and helped his/her self. They are so fast. it's like a dart coming in from each side.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/320 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

They know what they like and are prepared to search for it.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L lens
1/200 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

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

Small Bird Central - 27 January 2013

Friday morning and the snow was still frozen to the ground, we visited Swithland woods. Maja took the dog for a walk while I remained in the car. On her way out Maja spread some bird food on the stump of a tree that we'd parked close to.

For five minutes I was thinking "Oh well if the birds don't come I'll take some photos of the snow laden woodland." Then the avalanche started, birds were flying in from everywhere quicker that I could focus on them they fed and left. The first to arrive was the robin.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/250 @ f6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400, L Lens
1/1000 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

He discovered the food on the ground first and was soon watched closely by the magpie.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/100 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

The Carrion Crow wasted no time in getting to the main source of the food.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

A feisty Nuthatch, always ready for a fight, saw off the crow and took possession of the stump. Another Nuthatch quickly followed but peered over the edge to be sure the other one had gone before climbing up and feeding

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/640 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400 L Lens
1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

A great tit came for a look but retreated to a tree until the Nuthatch left.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/500 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

When the Robin settled in the tree, I couldn't turn round far enough to get a picture through the front window. So I opened the rear sliding door, half expecting the sound would scare him off. I was wrong, he just sat and looked at me.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/2656 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

Not the sharpest of the pictures but I love the pose of this blue tit, I was lucky to get him like this and to be honest I didn't know I had until I saw it on the computer.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/800 @ f6.3, iso 800, 390mm

I was just wondering why I hadn't seen a chaffinch when this one arrived for her share.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/320 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

This Robin was surprised when the Nuthatch landed just before him and he had to do a flypast.

Canon EOS7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/640 @ f6.3, iso 800, 390mm

But not being a bird to back down from a fight, he returned to press his argument.

I took nearly 300 pictures in about three quarters of an hour, but the light was variable and some of them were too dark despite a picture taken a second later being bright and clear, see the reflection in the Crow's eye, yet the next one of him was unusable.

They were coming in so fast it was difficult to get a picture before the next bird came along, a really great morning, particularly when I remember all those months without a decent sighting.

Cold weather wildlife - 23 January 2013

After looking for months and having very little luck, suddenly the weather turns bad and they all come out to play.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ 5.6, iso 400, 260mm

This Robin at Watermead park is a perfect example of what I was saying previously, he's puffed up like a furry ball, but it didn't stop him coming to see what we had to offer him.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/200 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Back at the car park, this Robin was waiting for food, a number of visitors leave bird food on top of the fence posts for them and this one was waiting for the squirrel to finish. Robins are feisty and will take on most things but I think the squirrel was just too much for him.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/320 @ 6.3, iso 400, 285mm

This furry bundle was waiting for us as we drove into the car park and was still there when we got back from our walk. He didn't retreat far when we went to put the food out and was quickly back to his feeding station.

Canon EOS 7d, Ef 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ 6.3, iso 400, 400mm

Another one sat in the snow, waiting his turn. I don't know what the Robin thought about that, but it was still sitting on the fence as we left the car park.

Let it snow - 20 January 2013

With this recent spell of snow and cold, don't forget to put food out for the wildlife. 

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens.
1/250 @ f5.6, iso 400, 260mm

Robins like this one may look fat, but he's fluffing out his feathers for added insulation.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens.
1/500 @ f8, iso 400, 400mm

A wren might be a rare sight at your bird table and very small, but they need as much food as the others.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens.
1/1600 @ f5.6, iso 1600, 400mm

You may not be a fan of the Grey Squirrel and he may not be an indigenous species in the UK, but he doesn't deserve to freeze or starve.

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

They're nice to see and the Robin is never backwards in coming forward.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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

Otter Watch

Otters

If you are interested in Otters, the BBC spring/autumn watch team are doing an Otter special on December 20th at 8pm.

With luck one of my pictures of this Otter will be shown.

Bradgate Park - Friday 23rd November 2012

We decided on a visit to Bradgate Park to see if there were any deer about. But the first thing we came across, just inside the main gate, was this Red Tailed Hawk being exercised by the owner. Unfortunately he had to keep it on a long leash, it was part of the agreement with the park trustees. 

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/200 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm 

It attracted a lot of attention and sometimes it was difficult to get pictures without people in as well.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/250 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm

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

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/320 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/250 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm

The flight photos were more difficult, with trees and people in the way.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ f5.6, iso 800, 400mm

It's interesting watching a bird of prey flying straight towards you.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/160 @ f6.3, iso 800, 400mm

At rest it seemed to enjoy posing and wasn't nervous about the people close by.

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

In the open area between the rocks and Lady Jane Grey's house there were several small groups of deer and this Red Deer stag seemed to be keeping watch over a group of does. So maybe the rut isn't over.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/125 @ f6.3, iso 1600, 400mm

On the way back to the car, Maja noticed a red head in amongst the green heads of a group of mallard, of course it belonged to this Widgeon.

Canon EOS 7d, EF 100 - 400mm L Lens
1/40 @ f6.3, iso 3200, 190mm

And Finally this Fallow deer was by the stream and close to the gates