Speyside

11th- 16th March 2018.

Mrs D and I have just returned home from a week in the Scottish highlands joining up with son Dan and his good wife Mary and their two young children  Martha and Theo.We were  based in Nethybridge which is in easy reach of all the wildlife hotspots. Although more of a family holiday I of course managed to slip away quite often with my camera, and when on walks together ( usually places I suggested he he) it was a given that I may wander off in a different direction or maybe just hang behind the others. They know me well!. Anyway some fantastic wildlife was seen in some wonderful scenery.

Frozen River ,Findhorn

Red Deer-Findhorn valley

Red deer ( mid chew)-Findhorn valley

Red Deer -Findhorn valley

Red Deer-Findhorn valley

Red Deer calf-Findhorn valley

Red Deer calf-Findhorn valley

Mountain Hare-Findhorn

Mountain Hare-Findhorn

Mountain Hare whiteout-Findhorn

Wild(ish)Goat -Findhorn

Goats-Findhorn

Snow Bunting- Cairngorm

Red Grouse-Findhorn

Goldeneye-Nethybridge

Treecreeper-Loch Garten

Mallards fighting on the ice--Boat of Garten

Mallards on ice-Boat of Garten

Badger-in a field beside the road in the middle of the day.

Red squirrel- Loch an Eilein

Red squirrel-Loch an Eilein

Red squirrel-Loch an Eilein

Red Squirrel-Loch an Eilein

Glaucous and Iceland Gulls

1st February 2018.

I spent most of the day loafing around Newlyn Harbour in West Cornwall, trying to get some photos of the adult and juvenile Glaucous Gulls and juvenile ( 1st winter) Iceland Gull that have been present for a while now, but alas no sign of the Kunliens Gull that was also around. I have seen and photographed Iceland Gulls before now , but as for Glaucous , although I've seen a few , I haven't got a decent photograph since one at Par ( also Cornwall) back in 1998, twenty years ago! There seem to be quite a few of these two species around Cornwall & Devon at the moment so wont get a better chance of seeing them.

Adult Glaucous Gull in Newlyn Harbour

Adult Glaucous Gull

Adult Glaucous Gull adult portrait

Adult Glaucous Gull

Juvenile Glaucous Gull

Juvenile Glaucous Gull

Juvenile Glaucous GUll

Juvenile Iceland Gull

Juvenile Iceland Gull

Juvenile Iceland Gull

Juvenile Iceland Gull flight

Juvenile Iceland Gull feeding

Juvenile Iceland Gull with a piece of rope!

Juvenile Iceland Gull flight

White Rumped Sandpiper

2nd November 2017.

I love waders and White Rumped Sandpiper is one species I've only seen once before ( and the photos were not too good), so with one being present down at St. Gothian Sands nature reserve near Hayle (Cornwall) for a few days gave me the chance to catch up with another. A good job I chose to go on this day as it wasn't seen again. ( It was still present and feeding well when I left so it wasn't me that made it decide to move on!) A rare vagrant from North America and like many American waders it was quite approachable , feeding on a small pool. I watched for some time and took a few record shots ( as you do), without being disturbed by the many dog walkers, who I must say for once were very understanding and on seeing me and my camera/tripod gave me a wide berth and stopped their dogs from going into the pool. I observed the direction in which the bird was going and decided to lie on the ground some way ahead of it, the Sandpiper approached and took no notice of me whatsoever and continued to feed just feet in front of me. I love it when this happens as getting down to the same level as the subject always adds a little more feeling to the photograph.

Spain birds - The best of the rest.

26th September 2017.
 A few more of the commoner species photographed on the recent trip to Spain.

Serin. Only seen a couple in the U.K.,but always seems fairly common in Europe.

Serin

Coal Tit

Goldfinch

Chaffinch

Great Tit

Grey Wagtail

Mistle Thrush

Red Legged Partridge

Tern (Little)?

Tern (Little)?

Black Winged Stilts

Greater Flamingos