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.

 

The calm before the rut

Steve

This Stag was sat separate from those in the earlier picture. looks like he,s the main man

Steve

Edited October 8, 201311 yr by Winsford Soul

IMG_5819.JPG

This Stag was sat separate from those in the earlier picture. looks like he,s the main man

Steve

Looks like me and you Steve ... old and past it 

Looks like me and you Steve ... old and past it 

Martyn  How very dare you.

 

Steve ( the younger ) As opposed to Pitt the elder

Edited October 8, 201311 yr by Winsford Soul

IMG_5819.JPG

This Stag was sat separate from those in the earlier picture. looks like he,s the main man

Steve

I was beating on Calke estate when a big red got up and jumped over a 6ft+ blokes head the next one hit him chonk and knocked unconscious, big things to fall out with =^\

Looks like me and you Steve ... old and past it 

I dare you to say that to the stag's face.......

Edited October 9, 201311 yr by mellytee

I was beating on Calke estate when a big red got up and jumped over a 6ft+ blokes head the next one hit him chonk and knocked unconscious, big things to fall out with =^

Stop trying to kill them then Kev....you might become mates     

Stop trying to kill them then Kev....you might become mates     

We was only after pheasants,you would have eaten them at one time Mell..xx

I may once have been a pheasant plucker indeed Kevski........always been too poor for venison though

I was beating on Calke estate when a big red got up and jumped over a 6ft+ blokes head the next one hit him chonk and knocked unconscious, big things to fall out with =^

 

I was sitting on the banks of the river Kennet in the Benyons Estate on Halloween, good while back now, first light on a very foggy morning, when I heard what sounded like distant thunder.

 

The rumbling got gradually louder, then a figure appeared out of the mist, a man in a black tail coat. white waistcoat and breaches, on a black horse rode passed me and doffed his top hat...........I sh*t myself and nearly jumped in the river!

 

The rumbling got even louder and I contemplated hiding in the willows next to me......then out of the mist came two harts followed by a pack of hounds and thirty odd mounted huntsmen in hot pursuit.

 

The "sleepy hollow" figure was presumably the leader of the hunt who had ridden along the river's edge to keep the deer from straying in that direction.

 

Put the wind up me at first I can tell you.!!!

Great little thread this, I've only just started looking through. I managed to snap this lovely bird this evening, which I found resting on my upstairs window ledge. I tried for several mins to urge it not to jump but it didn't listen. Luckily it could fly pretty darn well!  Any ideas what it is as I'm not sure.....

 

My two young girls wanted to open the window to try & stroke it, until it turned around and showed off it's lethal looking beak! Bless 'em.

 

Cheers, Steve

 

Great little thread this, I've only just started looking through. I managed to snap this lovely bird this evening, which I found resting on my upstairs window ledge. I tried for several mins to urge it not to jump but it didn't listen. Luckily it could fly pretty darn well!  Any ideas what it is as I'm not sure.....

 

My two young girls wanted to open the window to try & stroke it, until it turned around and showed off it's lethal looking beak! Bless 'em.

 

Cheers, Steve

 

photo 1.JPGphoto 2.JPGphoto 3.JPGphoto 4.JPG

Nice one Steve

 

I reckon that's a Little Owl. How big was it - and don't say little! Normally they are between the size of a robin and a black bird. Very much on the decline - 25% in twenty years.

 

Peter

 

Great little thread this, I've only just started looking through. I managed to snap this lovely bird this evening, which I found resting on my upstairs window ledge. I tried for several mins to urge it not to jump but it didn't listen. Luckily it could fly pretty darn well!  Any ideas what it is as I'm not sure.....

 

My two young girls wanted to open the window to try & stroke it, until it turned around and showed off it's lethal looking beak! Bless 'em.

 

Cheers, Steve

 

photo 1.JPGphoto 2.JPGphoto 3.JPGphoto 4.JPG

Hi Steve. Welcome to our little wildlife thread.

Me thinks its a young  kestrel that probably left the nest a day or two early. nice pics by the way 

 

Steve

Steve

The more I look at the pictures you posted the more im convinced its a Kestrel

 

Steve

Hi Steve. Welcome to our little wildlife thread.

Me thinks its a young  kestrel that probably left the nest a day or two early. nice pics by the way 

 

Steve

You could be right Ste.

 

Peter

You could be right Ste.

 

Peter

Peter Hope your well my friend. It was only when I enlarged the picture that I realised it was a kestrel. The dark bars on its wings are the giveaway for me

 

Steve

Peter Hope your well my friend. It was only when I enlarged the picture that I realised it was a kestrel. The dark bars on its wings are the giveaway for me

 

Steve

Hi Steve

 

Yes, all well here mate. I hope its the same with you.

 

Your bang on the money - it is of course a young Kestrel. Well done mate.

 

Me wildlife cred has gone - Little Owl!   

 

Take care matey.

 

Peter

 

thought it was a fledgling of some sort.........but does look hawk-like ?

thought it was a fledgling of some sort.........but does look hawk-like ?

Steve's right mate - it's a young kestrel.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=young+kestrel&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=lVpYUtO7CMSn0AWOxICYCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=651#facrc=_&imgrc=jMK0fq113utKIM%3A%3Bpx6l-vkvTLS2fM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.animalphotos.me%252Fbird2-kes_files%252Fyoung1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.animalphotos.me%252Fbird2-kes.htm%3B623%3B624

 

Peter

Hi Steve

 

Yes, all well here mate. I hope its the same with you.

 

Your bang on the money - it is of course a young Kestrel. Well done mate.

 

Me wildlife cred has gone - Little Owl!   

 

Take care matey.

 

Peter

 

 

All good mate thanks

Steve

cool to see the young dude at close quarters like that   .......hope he survives the moggies and maggies though

Thanks everyone! I thought it might be a young Hawk or Kestrel. It was flying between our house and one opposite for quite a while, so maybe lost or just couldn't decide which it preferred. It deffo had black wing tips when it flew, but it was then starting to get dark.

 

Hang on a minute...Hawk / Kestrel / Manoeuvers in the Dark...OMD! Sorry that's bad isn't it, quoting pop group like that on a soul site like this  

 

Cheers all. Will be back with some more hopefully (photos...not jokes)!

 

Steve

 

Not posed, it just jumped on....

Aahh..............

Nice one Steve

 

I reckon that's a Little Owl. How big was it - and don't say little! Normally they are between the size of a robin and a black bird. Very much on the decline - 25% in twenty years.

 

Peter

 

 

 

Some interesting photos on the BBC / Natural History Museum websites this week, for the "Wildlife photographer of the year" awards, although the judges clearly weren't made aware of this thread hey! Lol

Just been out in the garden  and a Peacock butterfly was enjoying the sun resting on one of my fence panels, tried to get a picture but it flew off.

After setting up a new bird feeder in the back garden, managed to capture this shot....

 

 

Edited November 1, 201311 yr by Steve S 60

After having around 7 years of a wide variety of birds on a regular basis I've seen 1 Blackbird in the past month, the reason next door have got a moggy that seems to spend all it's time in my yard.                                           

Just going through some pics I took this summer and found this little beauty which I managed to get real close to as it was resting on the washing line.

 

Not a bird...but it does have wings! + actually looks like it's smiling!

 

Just going through some pics I took this summer and found this little beauty which I managed to get real close to as it was resting on the washing line.

 

Not a bird...but it does have wings! + actually looks like it's smiling!

 

P1040287.JPG

Nice Picture Steve.Looks like a brown hawker dragonfly but not sure. Martyn Pitt ( the elder )is the man to ask

Steve

After having around 7 years of a wide variety of birds on a regular basis I've seen 1 Blackbird in the past month, the reason next door have got a moggy that seems to spend all it's time in my yard.                                           

Not sure how you would stand in the eyes of the law but your defending your property so just shoot it.Problem solved

Steve

Not sure how you would stand in the eyes of the law but your defending your property so just shoot it.Problem solved

Steve

I'm not happy about it Steve I do send it packing when I see it but I can't hurt it, I will look for anti cat stuff in Wilko's and try that, missing the Nuthatch's the most beautiful bird.

I'm not happy about it Steve I do send it packing when I see it but I can't hurt it, I will look for anti cat stuff in Wilko's and try that, missing the Nuthatch's the most beautiful bird.

Just for you

Steve

http://rense.com/general96/shots.html

 

Already had to refill the bird feeder.  Looks like they've all told their mates about the free eats.

 

 

 

http://rense.com/general96/shots.html

 

 

Amazing

A few dragons from Lanzarote (pretty similar to the Common Darters we get here)

 

 

 

Hi all, don't come on here much these days... but great thread with great stories....

 

no stories to tell, as work and live in London!!!

 

but I was out on Tuesday and took a couple of photos... bit grainy as light was falling...

 

(Richmond Park)

 

were to big will repost....

Edited November 15, 201311 yr by mischief

made a lot smaller... now...

 

Here's a picture of a 'Spiny Orb Weaver Spider' I saw on a recent holiday in Bermuda. Thankfully it's only as big as a fingernail.

 

A 'Antiguan Anole Lizard' also seen in Bermuda.

Edited February 7, 201411 yr by Missing Link

Here is a winter visitor, a Redpoll ... stuffing itself with willowherb

 

Here is a winter visitor, a Redpoll ... stuffing itself with willowherb

 

395_055a.jpg

Nice picture Martyn. Not seen a Redpoll this winter. In fact not seen many winter visitors this year apart from a few Red wings and fieldfares. Steve

Nice picture Martyn. Not seen a Redpoll this winter. In fact not seen many winter visitors this year apart from a few Red wings and fieldfares. Steve

There were about 12 - 15 of them up at the reserve, they are great to photograph as they are pretty tolerant of humans, as long as you do not move too quickly it is possible to get fairly close to them, especially if they are preoccupied with the willow herb seeds.

Thought it about time I added some more of my own pics. These were taken around our old house, which we moved out of in December. Now we're in a 2nd floor flat in the middle of town, so opportunities for wildlife shots on our own doorstep, so to speak, are going to be rare.

 

Male House Sparrow

 

Magpie

 

Starling - they put on a fantastic display to attract a mate during the breeding season. This was taken from out an upstairs window looking down and across to the top of the work unit opposite. The birds built nests under the eaves until the owner blocked up all the gaps, which was a real shame.

 

 

 

 

 

Rockies, Canada 2012.

Slightly different picture . Jupiter and its 4 moons

Drove down the M40 this morning south from Cherwell services north of Oxford to the M4

saw loads of red kites at least 40

Drove down the M40 this morning south from Cherwell services north of Oxford to the M4

saw loads of red kites at least 40

They haven't made it to Manchester yet. I've seen them in between Chester and helsby and just outside Llandudno. Steve