As an extension to the ongoing "I saw my first kingfisher today" thread, I thought it might be interesting if people wanted to post and share any wildlife pics that they've taken. As I said on the other thread, that way instead of just talking about what birds and other wildlife we've seen, we can also show photos of them. 

 

Hope you think it's a good idea.

 

As the current topic in the "kingfisher" thread is herons, I thought I'd start with a couple of pics of them that I've taken...

 

Juvenile heron (looking very interested in a dragonfly)

 

Heron in sunset silhouette

 

Next up, a couple of pics of blackbird chicks, which I was lucky enough to get while looking out through a window at home.

 

 

 

Come on then, show us what you've got. The only condition is that the photos are ones you've taken yourself.

 

I love hoopoes and their unique sounds. Here in France they arrive by April/May and they left pretty early (July/August).

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This afternoon with a borrowed camera as I forgot mine.  Pretty birds, sadly the dog scared them off before I could get too near.

Forgot Dave - what sort of dog have you got?

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This afternoon with a borrowed camera as I forgot mine.  Pretty birds, sadly the dog scared them off before I could get too near.

 

Wonderful birds - just so unusual in so many ways. I wonder what the entity or force responsible for their existence was thinking!

Forgot Dave - what sort of dog have you got?

Jack Russell x with something else small?

Wonderful birds - just so unusual in so many ways. I wonder what the entity or force responsible for their existence was thinking!

a hiccup, like the tree that got the Timebandits in trouble in the film of that title, the pink Bungado or something similar sounding if my memory serves me well(ish)

Thought I'd post a link to this camera footage of London taken from the back of an eagle......

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-30114824

This is Lantana camara, still in profuse flower here, and a great candidate for bonsai, comes in a myriad of colours now thanks to intense cross breeding, so I'm looking at digging up some established plants this winter to put into pots and train as bonsai, at least that is my plan, it may constitute a move to a bigger place.

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This is Lantana camara, still in profuse flower here, and a great candidate for bonsai, comes in a myriad of colours now thanks to intense cross breeding, so I'm looking at digging up some established plants this winter to put into pots and train as bonsai, at least that is my plan, it may constitute a move to a bigger place.

Dave. It's great to see plants in bloom like that. It's been raining in Manchester for the last 18 hours. Dark and miserable. Just starting to brighten up. Still all this rain keeps the dust down.

Steve

Dave. It's great to see plants in bloom like that. It's been raining in Manchester for the last 18 hours. Dark and miserable. Just starting to brighten up. Still all this rain keeps the dust down.

Steve

Not a bad day here at all. In fact, we're having quite a nice spell at the moment.

Dave. It's great to see plants in bloom like that. It's been raining in Manchester for the last 18 hours. Dark and miserable. Just starting to brighten up. Still all this rain keeps the dust down.

Steve

We are due some rain Steve, and as long as it comes about once a fortnight I don't mind, it's grey at the moment, but warm enough, so I can't complain.  The first of the narcissi are in flower, but too far away for me to get to photograph them this year.  Just 3 months until the spring flowers start showing, until then the bougainvilleas, bignonias, hibiscus, lantana and aloes will keep me happy. 

Standing with a gun yesterday he said oh look a Dove, I said oh yes , it was a Sparrowhawk..=^))

Standing with a gun yesterday he said oh look a Dove, I said oh yes , it was a Sparrowhawk..=^))

Obviously not a countryman!  Shame that in such cases the hunter can't be hunted

 

This cauldron of boiling water was taken on the  afon llugwy above betws y coed and about a mile below swallow falls and believe it or not the river was very low due to insufficient rain fall.

Managed to see four dippers, three grey wagtails, plenty of long tailed, great and blue tits, a few herons and a male bullfinch. No pictures unfortunately

 

Steve

Forgot Dave - what sort of dog have you got?

This is he Peter, sleeps a lot, but goes like a bullet when he needs to, has his own passport too.

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This cauldron of boiling water was taken on the  afon llugwy above betws y coed and about a mile below swallow falls and believe it or not the river was very low due to insufficient rain fall.

Managed to see four dippers, three grey wagtails, plenty of long tailed, great and blue tits, a few herons and a male bullfinch. No pictures unfortunately

 

Steve

You got your new camera yet?

You got your new camera yet?

Russell. I,m caught between a rock and a hard place at the moment. Do i pay the rip off uk price of £1600 or buy a American import without a uk warranty for £1100 or do i wait six months for the price to drop by around £500 

 

Steve

Russell. I,m caught between a rock and a hard place at the moment. Do i pay the rip off uk price of £1600 or buy a American import without a uk warranty for £1100 or do i wait six months for the price to drop by around £500 

 

Steve

Hmm, I see your problem. However, based in that equation the simple answer in my view is to wait. Spend the £500 saved on some additional kit or a weekend in Amsterdam or some 45s or…or…or… 

Yes I know there is no wildlife on these pics, well apart from sheep, but thought I would share a few photos taken on my walks up Romaldkirk, Teesdale near where I live

Suz x

Woodland, Teesdale 4 mile away

Saw a robin this morning, not a juvenile and no red breast, he was all over black.  I know there's a black robin native to New Zealand, but wondered if it's just a case of too much melanin, i.e. the reverse of the white melanin deficiency type?  If the weather improves I'll take my camera out and try to get a shot if he's still around, but it's wet at the moment and not too inviting. 

Saw a robin this morning, not a juvenile and no red breast, he was all over black.  I know there's a black robin native to New Zealand, but wondered if it's just a case of too much melanin, i.e. the reverse of the white melanin deficiency type?  If the weather improves I'll take my camera out and try to get a shot if he's still around, but it's wet at the moment and not too inviting. 

Did you catch sight of its rump? If not, could it have been either a black redstart or a black wheatear?

 

Waiting for the weather to improve? I thought it was always sunshiny in your neck of the woods…   

Did you catch sight of its rump? If not, could it have been either a black redstart or a black wheatear?

 

Waiting for the weather to improve? I thought it was always sunshiny in your neck of the woods…   

Yes, Russell, saw it's rump, all black, all over, definitely a robin, seen it twice now, first time I dismissed it as a black redstart, which there is at least one locally, but this is different.

We need rain desperately, and I'm happy if it comes about once a fortnight, but when it comes it tends to come in buckets.

Dave. Got plenty of spare buckets here mate. The sun is actually shinning at the moment. Have just seen a butterfly as I'm typing this. Didn't get chance to see what type, it just fluttered past the window. November 29th. WOW.

Steve

Saw a robin this morning, not a juvenile and no red breast, he was all over black.  I know there's a black robin native to New Zealand, but wondered if it's just a case of too much melanin, i.e. the reverse of the white melanin deficiency type?  If the weather improves I'll take my camera out and try to get a shot if he's still around, but it's wet at the moment and not too inviting.

Dave. It could be a female black redstart. They look very much like a black robin.

Steve

Dave. It could be a female black redstart. They look very much like a black robin.

Steve

OK Steve, I'm not convinced, but I'll take it on board.  This bird was jet black all over though.

Edited November 29, 201410 yr by TattooDave

OK Steve, I'm not convinced, but I'll take it on board.  This bird was jet black all over though.

Dave. Just been looking through all my bird books and I can only see the one bird like you have described mate either a female or immature male black redstart. The black wheater has a white tail and rump.

Steve

Dave. Just been looking through all my bird books and I can only see the one bird like you have described mate either a female or immature male black redstart. The black wheater has a white tail and rump.

Steve

I still think it could be a robin with too much melanin, I've known it happen before, hopefully I can get a photo if I can find it again.

Thanks for having a look Steve, I don't have any bird books here.

 

Dave

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=black%20robin&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDgQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kcc.org.nz%2Fchatham-island-black-robin&ei=-zR6VLelJMyV7AapjICwDQ&usg=AFQjCNGPPnNxQNfiHS5IpPnDvciS_0KxiQ&bvm=bv.80642063,d.ZGU

Dave . Theirs hope for the black robin. That's if the link works

Steve

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=black%20robin&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDgQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kcc.org.nz%2Fchatham-island-black-robin&ei=-zR6VLelJMyV7AapjICwDQ&usg=AFQjCNGPPnNxQNfiHS5IpPnDvciS_0KxiQ&bvm=bv.80642063,d.ZGU

Dave . Theirs hope for the black robin. That's if the link works

Steve

I have seen one, many years ago caged in New Zealand, I don't know where they got it from though, looked quite perky and obviously well loved.

A nice pair of Goosander fly past ... a gentleman and his lady 

 

A nice pair of Goosander fly past ... a gentleman and his lady 

 

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Have you ever seen one close up Martyn?  Surprisingly they have big teeth!

Have you ever seen one close up Martyn?  Surprisingly they have big teeth!

No Dave ... I shall keep a look out for that now

No Dave ... I shall keep a look out for that now

I was sat on a bank eating my lunch when a pair swam past slowly, their teeth were the first thing I noticed as I was going to throw some bread, then I thought that beak is meant for something far more serious than bread.  Lovely birds, but they have a prehistoric look to their bills

We have a couple of Little Egret up at the reservoir, managed to get a few shots of this one

 

 

I was sat on a bank eating my lunch when a pair swam past slowly, their teeth were the first thing I noticed as I was going to throw some bread, then I thought that beak is meant for something far more serious than bread.  Lovely birds, but they have a prehistoric look to their bills

Dave you needed the fishes to go with the loaf. All sawbill ducks are fish eaters.

Steve

Dave you needed the fishes to go with the loaf. All sawbill ducks are fish eaters.

Steve

I haven't eaten meat or fish since I was a teenager, and the last time I touched any was to feed a guillemot that I rescued when it was covered in oil, surprisingly it liked sardines in tomato sauce, that was all I could find in the convenience store on a Sunday night.

martyn pitt, on 30 Nov 2014 - 4:54 PM, said:

A nice pair of Goosander fly past ... a gentleman and his lady 

 

430_077.jpg

 

 

TattooDave, on 30 Nov 2014 - 7:46 PM, said:

Have you ever seen one close up Martyn?  Surprisingly they have big teeth!

 

 

martyn pitt, on 30 Nov 2014 - 9:52 PM, said:

No Dave ... I shall keep a look out for that now

bird.png

Daffy now gets respect!

Talking of fish eating birds, this Cormorant had caught a small pike, which was proving a bit of a challenge to get down, it was at it for ages trying to eat it, eventually it gave up and flew off.

 

Unfortunately it was all taking place on the far side of the reservoir so was a hell of a crop on the images, but you get the idea, just wish it had been closer to us so I could have got some better shots.

 

 

 

Love the simplicity of this virtually black and white picture of these redshanks

 

Steve

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Love the simplicity of this virtually black and white picture of these redshanks

 

Steve

Steve the camera's sensor has been fooled, you need to be adding +EV 1 or 2 stops.

 

Do you have any image processing software at all?

Steve the camera's sensor has been fooled, you need to be adding +EV 1 or 2 stops.

 

Do you have any image processing software at all?

Martyn. I was shooting into the sun which was very low in the sky. Could hardly see myself. Big thanks for advice again thou mate   always appreciated

 

Regarding image processing . I have the Cannon supplied dpp software which i don't use apart from to crop my images

 

Steve,

Edited December 3, 201410 yr by Winsford Soul

A Blackbird was watching me today eating some shortbread in the garden so I chucked some down for him and as soon as I turned my back he swooped down and gobbled it up..

I was watching a Blackbird eating berries today

 

Saw a few ducks as well, some Gadwall & Shoveller

 

 

I was watching a Blackbird eating berries today

 

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Judging by the light it looks like you had a lovely autumnal day!

Judging by the light it looks like you had a lovely autumnal day!

It was early this morning, sun was low, sky was clear ... and it was freezing cold 

I managed some shots of a female Reed Bunting munching on the Phragmites reeds

 

 

 

 

I managed some shots of a female Reed Bunting munching on the Phragmites reeds

 

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 Y

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Martin. Fabulous pictures as always.I'm always amazed how good nature's camouflage is. The reed bunting is exactly the same colours as the reeds it takes its name from.

Steve

Martin. Fabulous pictures as always.I'm always amazed how good nature's camouflage is. The reed bunting is exactly the same colours as the reeds it takes its name from.

Steve

The reed bed is right in front of a hide, there were two Reed Buntings about 10m out from the hide, they were not easy to spot, the movement of the reed stem was the thing that gave their position away, indeed excellent camouflage.

 

Snipe are tricky, I once watched one fly in towards the shoreline in front of me, all the way through the air, the moment it landed by some reeds and stood still I lost sight of it, until it moved.

 

Owls are unbelievable, great bird bird, stands on a branch at the junction with the trunk and disappears from view 

Edited December 6, 201410 yr by martyn pitt