Hello and welcome

I have always had a keen interest in wildlife and the great outdoors;

I was an Angler for over 30 years but gave it up a few years ago to

concentrate on photographing wildlife. I lived in Runcorn; Cheshire a

short distance from the M56 that gave me great access to the Wirral,

Northwales and Lancashire, with some great countryside on my doorstep

I didn't have to travel too far in search of wildlife and photographic

opportunities.

Some of my wildlife photographs range from as far afield as Cuba,

Antigua, Saint Martin, Saint Lucia, Dominican Republic, Tuscany ,

Corfu, Turkey, Spain, Portugal.

I now live in the Charente area of western France.

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Charente 2020

January 13, 2020

Great Spotted Woodpecker

0Y2A4701 0Y2A4705 0Y2A4713

Review of 2019

January 03, 2020

It’s that time of the year when I take stock of the photographs.

In January I returned to the UK and had a day out on the coast at Meols. I took a few photographs of Curlew using the 100-400 lens and my 5Dmk iv.

The birds were too distant to provide any good detail, but its not always about that.

Before returning to France I photographed some Waxwings along with Redwings feeding on Rowen berries in Warrington.

Back in France and Firecrest is one of my regular sightings when out walking my dog.

February saw me back in the UK for high tide at Meols with my friends to photograph waders

March in the Garden and the feeding station saw lots of activity with Greenfinch, Goldcrest, Willow Tit, Chiffchaff, Black Redstart, Redstart, Cirl Bunting, and Nuthatch, Whilst the rising sun provided a great backdrop. During the day Roe deer would often put in an appearance at the bottom of the garden.

Black Redstart

Redstart

Cirl Bunting

Chiffchaff

Goldfinch

Greenfinch

Roe Deer

Willow Tit

View from the House

In April with the weather warming up European Green Lizards started to also make an appearance which I managed to photograph before going on holiday to Kefalonia Greece.

It was difficult to find any birds locally where I was staying. On trips out I had some success with Black-Eared Wheatear, Baillon’s Crake and a Moorish Gecko which I found on a wall.

Moorish Geko

Baillon's Crake

Black-Eared Wheatear

On returning to France Hoopoe were in the garden most days.

Hoopoe

At my friends house a Tree Frog turned up and, in my woods, I managed to photograph an Edible Dormouse.

May and cuckoo have arrived in the valley flying over the garden several times a day.

At our other house I couldn’t resist taking a few shots of the little Owl and Black Redstart.

Little Owl

Black Redstart

Red-Legged Partridge and Stonechat also provided a distraction from my garden maintenance.

Red-Legged Partridge

Stonechat

In Mid-May Western Whip snakes started to come out of hibernation and the pond was full of Frogs.

Painted Frog

Marbled Newt a new visitor to the garden pond

Western Whip snake

June and we were off camping in the Gorge Du Tarn: Southern France where the target was Griffon Vultures.

Griffon Vulture

Libelloides coccajus

European Green Lizard

Back home and it was time to photograph the Cuckoo

Cuckoo

Cuckoo and Blackcap

July and put out the Moth trap and try to Photograph Foxes and Brown Hare

July......A shot trip to the Brenne

Wild Boar, Red Deer, Black-Necked Grebe, Turtle Dove, Night Heron

Wild Boar

Red Deer

Turtle Dove

Black Necked Grebe

Night Heron

Mid-July: Distant shot of a Bee eater

Kestrel---Red-Legged Partridge in the garden.

Kestrel

Red Legged Partridge

Spotted Flycatcher

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Scarce Swallowtail Butterfly

Broad-Bordered Bee Hawkmoth,

July 25th very hot

Lappet Moth

Lime Hawkmoth

Privet Hawkmoth

August:

Stagg Beetle

Red Backed Strike.

Spotted Fritillary.

Holiday to the Rhone Alpes:

Milky Way.

Praying Mantis

September: Home Tiger Beetle.

Long Tailed Blue

October: Mediterranean Cruise.

Monk Parakeet.

Ring-necked Parakeet

November.

Western Whip snake

A visit from the Sparrowhawk

Green Woodpecker in the garden.

Crane migration early morning.

Dawn Breaking at the bottom of the garden.

Green huntsman spider Firecrest.

December:

Wallcreeper.

Next year’s challengers: Wallcreeper, Cuckoo, Hoopoe, Bee Eaters, Golden Oriole, Red Backed Shrike, Bluethroat.

Great White Egret

December 25, 2019

Great White Egret:

620A5725 620A5744 620A5767

Sunday Exposure

December 21, 2019

Sunday Exposure:

620A4825 620A4830 620A5650 620A5669 620A6261 620A6262 620A6282 620A6285 620A6287

Something for the Weekend

December 20, 2019

Just a few more Nuthatch.

620A6749 620A6728 620A6700 620A6726 620A6712 620A6676 620A6715 620A6669 620A6671

Nuthatch

December 20, 2019

Nuthatch: Sitta Europaea

620A6641

That fly looks good to eat.

620A6276

620A6646 620A6652 620A6647

620A6292

Long-tailed-tit

December 19, 2019

Long-tailed-tit

620A6206 620A6212 620A6214 620A6216 620A6217 620A6221 620A6223 620A6226 620A6227 620A6229

Jeepers creepers

December 18, 2019

Treecreeper.

620A6600 620A6608

Wallcreeper

620A6586

620A6573

620A6533

620A6445 620A6385

620A6375

Closed on Tuesday

December 12, 2019

I returned to the Chateau at La Rochefoucauld to find its closed-on Tuesday I only managed a few shots all at distance.

620A6123 620A6122 620A6056

I will have to try again when the weather improves and its open.

Wallcreeper

December 11, 2019

Wallcreeper: Tichodroma muraria

I tried to photograph this bird last year at Saint-Germain -de Confolens but failed. I only saw the bird once and it flew away.

After seeing reports of sightings at La Rochefoucauld on the walls of the chateau I decided to try again this year.

620A6014 620A6015

620A6016 620A6017 620A6018 620A6024 620A6025 620A6026 620A6027 620A6028 620A6029 620A6039 620A6040

Holly Blue Butterfly

December 03, 2019

Holly Blue Butterfly: Celastrina argiolus

620A2014

Photographed in the garden this summer

620A2013 620A2012

Cuckoo

November 29, 2019

Cuckoo

620A2777 620A2775 620A2725 620A2746 620A2719 620A2556 620A2584 620A2524 620A2548 620A2468 620A2138 620A1600

Last of the Cuckoo photographs taken in the garden 2019.

Blue Tit

November 28, 2019

Blue Tit

620A5269 620A5264 620A5245 620A5192

Green huntsman Orb Spider

November 27, 2019

Green huntsman: Orb Spider

IMG_4693 IMG_4694 IMG_4699 IMG_4732 IMG_4740

Praying Mantis

November 26, 2019

Praying Mantis

IMG_4610 IMG_4668 IMG_4667 IMG_4666 IMG_4661 IMG_4617

Home»Blog