https://www.grahammanson.com/ https://www.grahammanson.com/links.html https://www.grahammanson.com/about.html https://www.grahammanson.com/otheritems.html https://www.grahammanson.com/gallery.html https://www.grahammanson.com/news.html https://www.grahammanson.com/hare-colour https://www.grahammanson.com/urban-wildlife-peregrine-falcon https://www.grahammanson.com/presumed-dead-or-worse https://www.grahammanson.com/the-mountain-of-near-doom https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-cairngroms https://www.grahammanson.com/weed-and-grebes-as-well https://www.grahammanson.com/moorland-adventures-grouse-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/the-reds-have-arrived https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/osprey-loch-insh-kincraig-wildlife https://www.grahammanson.com/stockton-heath-wildlife-warrington https://www.grahammanson.com/grebe-aggression https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-sparrowhawk-wildlife-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/bitterns-wildlife-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/random-roaring https://www.grahammanson.com/bwpa-awards-margaret-walker https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-wildlife-photograph-otters https://www.grahammanson.com/dalendrien-birds-ardnamurchan https://www.grahammanson.com/snow-time https://www.grahammanson.com/page54340.html https://www.grahammanson.com/page70626.html https://www.grahammanson.com/page54343.html https://www.grahammanson.com/page51666.html https://www.grahammanson.com/page57999.html https://www.grahammanson.com/mammals-uk-wildlife-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/bird-photography-graham-manson https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-graham-manson https://www.grahammanson.com/wild-scotland-cairngorms-ardnamurchan-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/meadows-fields-wildlife-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/moors-wildlife-wildlife-photography https://www.grahammanson.com/hedgerows-woodland-birds-photography-wildlife https://www.grahammanson.com/photography-coastal-birds-graham-manson https://www.grahammanson.com/little-grebe-graham-manson-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1939783299684200a755a43.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso400 One of a pair of Little Grebe comes out from the lily bed which has now replaced the algae bloom nest site. The change over happened overnight and the birds have been busy building a new nest in the folds of the lily pads. It takes some looking into the bed of lilies to spot them, as their name suggest they are tiny and hidden by a Lilly leaf take some spotting even when you know they are there. The birds take in turns to come out for a wash and preen before returning to gathering items for the nest. The following day the birds had abandoned the lily pads and moved to a new site in the middle of the pond ! https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52190512.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_46971198466f1833784962.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 An otter enjoying and eating messily a crab fresh from the Loch. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-kite https://images.on-this.website/21764_14634809875aa4160507cf0.jpgRed Kite - Calidris ferruginea Canon 400mm f4.5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/whinchat-frodsham-marsh-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_205828274764b45d61dbc37.jpgWhinchat - Saxicola rubetra Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/250th @ iso500 A Whinchat on rape seed flowers down on Frodsham Marsh. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53675725.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_2195670856876905a19830.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5 for 1/2000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/bottle-nose-dolphin-moray-firth https://images.on-this.website/21764_13679374824fef1ebda2040.jpgBottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus 160mm f7.1 for 1/1250 @ iso400 Photograph taken at Chanonry Point, Black Isle. https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_11632656985c5f3f92b9ecf.jpgCuckoo - Cuculus canorus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Cuckoos arrive in the UK around late March and into April - year on year one or two stop off around the Moore Nature Reserve area. This shot was taken from the bottom field by the Birchwood Pool with the bird sitting on top of the trees which border the meadow and on to the dog walking field. Later that year whilst out watching the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/barn-owl-sefton" target="_blank">Barn Owls</a> Ian and I were pleasantly surprised to have a juvenile Cuckoo land on some bulrushes' right in front of where we were stood. The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34023160.html" target="_blank">Barn Owls</a> continued hunting the mice and voles of the meadow whilst we concentrated on the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-juv-cuculus-canorus" target="_blank">Cuckoo</a> which although was close was sitting into the sun which meant lots of mucking about with exposure settings as it moved to been the various reeds seeking out Cinnabar caterpillars. https://www.grahammanson.com/grasshopper-warbler-locustella-naevia https://images.on-this.website/21764_10987938375c827abad5e8d.jpgGrasshopper Warbler - Locustella naevia Canon 800mm f8 for 1/400th @ iso400 Another one from Frodsham Marsh - this warbler arrives in the spring from north or west Africa where it migrates to during the UK winter months. The RSPPB have the bird at Red Status. The call of the Grasshopper Warbler sounds like the sound made by a grasshopper a long and low reel. https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-wildlife-photography-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_16797623395cc1c2bcd3706.jpgWheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso400 A Wheatear newly arrived into the UK probably from somewhere around the Sahara - now in North Wales and using a rocky outcrop favoured by sheep as a rubbing post to watch across the moorland. These birds spend a lot of their time running around the hillsides searching out insects interspersed with short flights between the vantage points which range from mole hills through to larger rocky outcrops. Frodsham Marsh being a migration point often sees reasonable numbers of these birds arriving to rest and feed up before they move further north on their migration routes. Another visitor from Africa to both the marsh, the hills of North Wales along with other locations around the UK is the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/minera-whinchat-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Whinchat</a> this bird uses the same nest site each year or the same nest site is used by a pair of Whinchat each year - along with the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-cuculus-canorus" target="_blank">Cuckoo</a> and the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-frodsham-marsh-photography" target="_blank">Wheatear</a> these birds make long migrations to raise a family and spend the summer in the UK before returning south. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo47002911.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_6129572916307d16fa45e8.jpgBar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 A Redshank and Godwit have been feeding in the same pool, getting closer and closer each busy with their beaks in the mud. The Redshank is about to get a warning that it is feeding too close to the Godwit https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50367493.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1189176391656dddc502dd5.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/800th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_1854503895c4dd56a5689d.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/160th @ iso1250 Head down and looking to challenge this Black Grouse moves off the main lek. The sun still to come up over the hill and the grass still wet from overnight rain this impressive bird offers a few seconds of low shutter speed photography. Often as the sun rises over the hill and the first sunlight hits the lek, it is like a switch is flicked and all "combat" ceases and with some unseen or heard signal the birds all take off at once - to forage in the heather out on the moors. Fights between the males are usually brief and often don't involve any contact, whilst others end up with feathers being ripped out. https://www.grahammanson.com/october-stag-hind-conaglen-stronchreggan https://images.on-this.website/21764_15841020625e0e5e531c239.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/80th @ iso1000 I was waiting for this Stag to either be isolated from the hinds and other stags which had collected together on the lower slopes of the hill following a night of feeding on the lower ground that border the loch. The sun rising slowly in the east was just creeping above the peaks that rub shoulders with the "Ben" At this time of year and post the change of the clocks the sun is neither high n the sky and the hours of daylight are short. A mist began to roll onto the hillside blowing down from the north and very quickly enveloping the hillside - it was a case of press the shutter at 1/80th and almost hope for the best - and in moments thee small herd of deer were hidden by a thick and chilly mist. Our visit to Ardnamurchan was a week or so later than usual and the rut had finished - the keeper telling me that it was over within two weeks. The stags now all wandered about feeding collectively and the hillsides and valleys were quiet with no bellowing and certainly no clashes of antlers. https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcons-urban-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_518264854557dd7c3312c4.jpgPeregrine Falcons - Falco peregrinus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/640th @ iso1600 The fledging of the Peregrines now marks the fact that year is almost half way through, like clockwork, unless the eggs have failed the chicks are ready for the "off" a week or so before the longest night of the year in June. Like last year three chicks have been reared successfully in 2015 through to fledging. https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-worlds-end https://images.on-this.website/21764_16828397015c4cfde6d957d.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso800 A pair of Stonechat in a regular spot on the moors are compared to the Stonechat pairs on Frodsham Marsh proving more difficult to photograph than expected - perched on the top of the heather this female Stonechat provided a brief second or two to grab a photograph. During the "white out" on the hills the male did offer an opportunity to get a photograph on snow capped heather neither of us where quick enough to get the shot !!! Hopefully both birds survive the artic like conditions and freezing temperatures that have descended on the moors. https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-minera-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_11179727105cfffe4a29483.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/640th @ iso400 A Black Grouse issues a challenge to other males on the lek. Spring on the moors in North Wales opportunities to photograph migrants from as far south as Africa. The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/whinchat-north-wales-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Whinchat</a> is an early arrival and the males appear to arrive ahead of the females. <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-wildlife-photography-north-wales" target="_blank">Cuckoos </a>by late April are well established on the hills in North Wales -calling to each other across the valleys. The Cuckoos can both be seen and heard, when in-flight they look like a Sparrowhawk and many of them when flying about on the lower slopes of the hills are "mobbed" by <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/meadow-pipit-north-wales" target="_blank">Meadow Pipits</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon https://images.on-this.website/21764_1561239975c9a78b4a6d6c.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso400 Feeding time - one of the juveniles gets first pick of the latest offering brought in by the adult bird. The juveniles are now able to feed themselves so it is literally first come first served. The adult birds are busy <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-urban-wildlife" target="_blank">flying in</a> with various prey items. As well as usually flying off to hunt in the open spaces of the local parks and further out to the countryside east of the mill the birds also hunt around the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">buildings</a> were pigeons, magpies and starlings are the intended "targets". More Peregrines <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-photography" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/robin-erithacus-rubecula https://images.on-this.website/21764_187072374462f156bd2300f.jpgRobin - Erithacus rubecula Canon 600mm f4 for 1/400th @ iso800 A juvenile Robin in the ferns of Dalendrien House. https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-charadrius-morinellus https://images.on-this.website/21764_2250698496321c524ebc88.jpgDotterel - Charadrius morinellus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 A late in the day decision to go and try and get some photographs of the three Dotterel on the Great Orme, three later turned into four later in the day. I am not a stranger to photographing in North Wales which offers a wide and varied selection of wildlife. So a short sixty mile trip down the A55 up the hill and park, I was not sure of the location, the Orme in general terms is not a huge area but can feel like it if you choose the wrong car park based on a WhatsApp map sent to you. Anyway when Ian joined up with me an hour or so later he had less of a walk as I had managed to correct his map and find the actual spot. The sun blazed down a fine September day and the Dotterel although juveniles did what Dotterel do - pottered about worming, slept got up and pottered about worming - repeat. As the sun got lower just Ian, a chap sketching the birds and one other photographer who turned out to be a Flickr contact watched the normal colours of the birds turn orange and almost golden. As the sun dipped below the horizon over Anglesey we made our way back to cars, well Ian’s car and he gave me a lift down to the Church car park and then it was off home. It would not be until April that there would be an opportunity to photograph <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-great-orme" target="_blank"> Dotterel </a> on the Orme again. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40864755.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17336336335e39cde14a9ba.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/320th @ iso400 A kingfisher on one of the lakes at Moore Nature Reserve near Warrington. A sizeable reserve with several large lakes, Kingfishers can be seen flitting about on most of the lakes at most times during the year. They tend to catch predominantly sticklebacks, an ongoing discussion with the warden and the fish stocks in the lakes. Compared with the levels of diving birds up on Appleton reservoir which is a fishery and is well stocked with varying sizes of fish, the lakes at Moore always seem depleted of diving type birds. Although the lakes at Moore do have some huge carp which can be seen during the spawning season there seems to be a lack of medium to small sixed fish which f available must surely increase the numbers of birds on the lakes and so on...… the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/stickleback-moore-nature-reserve-kingfisher" target="_blank">Kingfishers</a> seem to eek out a living on Sticklebacks. https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-tetrao-tetrix https://images.on-this.website/21764_10826297115c3b97fbb9c3d.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/160th :@ iso1600 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53633595.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1015710513686ecb95b802e.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso800 Long-eared Owl bobbing its head, this is known as motion parallax. Owls cannot move their eyes in the sockets, as humans can, in essence they are fixed in the socket, the head bobbing allows them to see from different angles, building up a 3D image of what is around them. This increased depth perception enable them to hunt very proficiently. For a short video of this Owl <a href="https://youtu.be/7MYmupzgiY0" target="_blank">Click Here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/long-eared-owl-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_4555013596675d166c5974.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 A Long-eared Owl on the hunt for small mammals through the long meadow grass. Thanks to Mark for the directions, thanks to Ian who had been that way previously and did the driving, a good long long (yes two longs as it was a LONG) drive due to not one but two motorway incidents, one on each leg of the journey !!! Ian and his brother meeting up with Peter, all had got some very good images and I thought after a year it was about time I joined them to see what it was all about. To be honest as much as a few LEO images would not go amiss, I was particularly interested in getting some stoat shots in some very photogenic settings, Ian’s brother having bagged some last year when out and about in the area. https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-north-wales-bird-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_4838235462fe444deee2c.jpgWheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe Canon 600mm f8 for 1/2000th @ iso320 Steve had turned up from his French chateau and was slumming it in the U.K., in an effort to assist him in getting some ordinary wildlife photos, as opposed to the exotics he gets without even leaving the grounds of his property, we ventured out into the wilds of the Welsh moors. I was quite surprised to find even with my early start that I was last on the hill, in fact both Steve and Ian were only visible in the distance via the optics of the 600mm ! By 7am it was hot up on the hills and this did not bode well for later in the day and photography as a heat haze was already visible across the heather. The early risers (must be an age thing) had already photographed Stonechat and Skylarks and so by the time I caught up with them they had moved to the vast area of ferns and the target species was Whinchat. Five Whinchat in total flitted about, all a bit distant, nevertheless we pressed the shutter button and deleted loads when home ! Time passed the temperature rose and Steve discussing the delights of his new swimming pool did little to help us all except perhaps wish we where all in his garden in France. On the way back it was Ian who spotted some movement on the old field wall. A total of 5 fledgling Wheatear, three of which can be seen in this photo had come out from the wall, where no doubt the nest was and where being fed by the adult male. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50367629.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1748251288656de06cb2a35.jpgLong-tailed tit - Aegithalos caudatus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/stag-conaglen-red-deer-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_168418268526d647d989b7.jpgRed Deer Stag - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm - f5.6 for 1/640 @ iso800 Over the Deer Fence which "protects" the gardens of Conaglen House there is an area of land - which also includes a small airstrip - for 2013 a "new" 8 pointer stag holds this ground with 30+ hinds he spends his day making sure they do not slip off into the woodland and defending the hinds from the advances of other stags who come off the hillside. https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-heather-wildlife-moors https://images.on-this.website/21764_14323194365c4cfc9482483.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photography-red-deer https://images.on-this.website/21764_1052703166652d979b45724.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 Announcing his presence to two other stags with hinds this stag moves through the marsh. https://www.grahammanson.com/hare-leveret-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_20956836225c64652901f32.jpgMountain Hare (Leveret) - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f5 for 1/250th @ iso800 The sun was setting rapidly and we were preparing for home along the single track mountain road - the sun all but gone suddenly lit up the hillside to a "blood red" colour. It was quite an unbelievable sight one of those moments that stick in the mind for years to come. A Mountain Hare leveret raised it's head from the heather allowing literally the last couple of clicks of the day. De-saturation was the order of the day for this shot as the colour red was so intense as captured by the camera. We left the leveret to whatever nocturnal rambles it had planned, climbed into the car to the sounds of the <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-calling" target="_blank">Red Grouse</a> calling and also somewhere out on the now darkening moor a Curlew called signalling the end of the day. https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-hunting-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_5702753495367ddb32cf49.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 300mm f4 for 1/5000th @ iso800 Did you know Peregrine Falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica, making them one of the most widely distributed birds. To see more Peregrine photographs in an urban setting <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/urban-wildlife-peregrine-falcon"> visit my City Living blog</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53048942.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_10093946446807f92398725.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5 for 1/5000th @ iso400 To watch a video of a pair of Grebes <a href="https://youtu.be/S6F_YzQ9R-s" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53373194.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_175431558868447fca37170.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Its has been a while since the 800mm has been on the camera body, and I had forgotten how heavy it is, compared to the 600mm which is both very portable and easily hand held. The other element I had forgotten about was how straw like the view through it is !!! Perhaps not too bad after using it for a short while but video through it is a challenge and ended up with more foreground when I thought I had the subjects dead centre in the frame, a fact that was further highlighted when the birds facing towards mated - the fact that I chose video over still was my first mistake, the second was with the sun over my shoulder and glaring on the LCD screen did not help - but satisfied I had captured the moment and clouds building I left the pond. Doubts began to niggle on the short trip home and when i got home and a quick review of the footage the male bird from the neck up was out of frame !!! Anyway it is what is and for a short video of other Little Grebe activity To see a short video of the Grebes <a href="https://youtu.be/_HBmLH5n3aM?si=tbFgm_GhOaFjJ56Q" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/dunham-massey-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_176841377568417b9d9fd87.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 600mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Finally, and after a number of visits to check on the progress of the Little Grebes, they have finally started to build a nest in the middle of the pond. The nest is a very flimsy structure on the remains of the huge algae bloom which had covered the pond in a sticky green mass during the hot weather. The green mass is now receding and all that remains is a small island of green in the middle of the pond. Unfortunately for the Little Grebes the nest location is on the direct route that the two Mute swans take as they go from one of the pond to the other and in addition also on the direct flight line the cob takes as he does short take offs and landings on the pond, a short flight which causes chaos to all the residents of the pond ! The pen is currently sitting on a makeshift nest - no eggs but she appears to have chosen a nest site at the edge of the pond. To see a short video of the Grebes <a href="https://youtu.be/_HBmLH5n3aM?si=tbFgm_GhOaFjJ56Q" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/greylag-goose-loch-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_14082012866673fb052875.jpgGreylag Goose - Anser Anser Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2500th @ iso400 A small flock of Greylag Geese sharing the loch shore with a number of Canada Geese. There seems to be increasing numbers of Canada geese in and around the lochs, during May most have goslings amongst their medium sized flocks. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37377720.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1406595135c61c7be78e1f.jpgCrested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/320th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography-graham-manson https://images.on-this.website/21764_95080825964f9cfedde7d9.jpgStoat - Mustela erminea Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso400 A chance encounter when out looking for <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-conaglen-estate" target="_blank">Red Deer</a> in one of my favourite spots to photograph them. A relative of the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a> one of which had been reported as a recent visitor to the house we where staying in, Pine Martens are not uncommon visitors in this part of Scotland and west of the Corran Ferry I reckon most houses either have them in the loft or as garden visitors. Sadly no sightings of the Pine Marten at the house, a predominantly nocturnal wanderer, I am not unconvinced by some of the sounds from the loft space that it is still in residence. https://www.grahammanson.com/owlet-long-eared-owl-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_2115649110686e4de3668d1.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/250th @ iso1000 One of three Long-eared owlets now mobile but still being fed by the parents, their plaintive cries for food very audible. We met up at our usual spot up the path, with views across the meadow - two drawbacks from this spot the wind turbines unless any hunting owl is well lower than the distant hedge line mean there is a good chance of a turbine blade in the background. The second drawback is that any owl that sits up on one of the dead trees is very unlikely to happen as there are none in this area. A bonus for me was the chap who been there all down in fact from 05:30 had a Canon R1 so good to see it in real life and the other bonus was to get to look through that massive viewfinder the R1 has. Post a fly by of an adult Owl hunting to feed the ever vocal owlets - there was an opportunity to compare the number of shots achieved. It has to be said the tracking on the Canon R1 left my IDX Mk3 behind somewhat - I lost focus as the bird flew closer before dropping into the grass. The screen on the R1 showed I guess a complete set of flight shots. https://www.grahammanson.com/whinchat-saxicola-rubetra https://images.on-this.website/21764_8236879666120e80a09c83.jpgWhinchat - Saxicola rubetra Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 Whenever I look a this image I am never quite sure about the balance to it, but I do like the way the Whinchat is perched on the stem of the fern frond, which shows how light the birds are, this combined with the shape of the fern. Up on the "hill" there are usually a few pairs of Whinchat arriving in the Spring to breed before returning to warmer climates. It is very easy to be distracted by the likes of the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-minera-north-wales" target="_blank">Black Grouse</a> who can prove t be very dynamic photographic subjects, especially if the light is "fast" and the birds are locked in <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/grouse-lek-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">combat.</a> Sometimes it pays to move on and find other subjects to photograph before the sun gets too high and the wildlife moves further out into the moors. https://www.grahammanson.com/barn-owl-parkgate-wirral https://images.on-this.website/21764_16864012005c9a0e5b16ab5.jpgBarn Owl - Tyto alba Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/640th @ iso1600 With the sun having set the Barn Owl is out hunting for voles and mice. The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/short-eared-owl-parkgate-wirral" target="_blank">Short-eared owls</a> have already been up and about hunting for several hours before the Barn Owl puts in an appearance. https://www.grahammanson.com/leveret-cairngorm-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_18373886475ab023970e277.jpgMountain Hare Leveret - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/400th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/courtship-display-great-crested-grebe https://images.on-this.website/21764_1464630289642406e114b60.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Midway though their courtship routine, the male bird breaks off to attack and chase off an intruder who has entered into this pairs territory. https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-beach-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_61640465364f9d0bba2bc0.jpgDunlin - Calidris alpina Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 A small flock of Dunlin on one of the beaches on Ardnamurchan - the Dunlins where accompanied by Sanderlings, Turnstones and Plover. Getting close to the Dunlin without spooking them was not too bad except for the bit which included lying on the wet sand. Getting close to the Turnstones still resplendent in their breeding plumage was near impossible, as they mixed with the Plovers who took flight at the slightest movement and flushed everything around them. https://www.grahammanson.com/woodchat-shrike-daresbury-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_846319167685712df24904.jpgWoodchat Shrike - Lanius senator Canon 600mm f4 for 1/5000th @ iso400 A scarce visitor to the UK, but one showed up at Daresbury on the side of the Bridgewater canal, spending its time between a pylon and a hawthorn tree underneath the pylon, with occasional visits down the to main railway line running high speed trains from London to Scotland. The bird was probably one of the most photographed and scoped in the UK during the month of June. A palpable wave of excitement from the birding types all trudging along the canal side to either claim a tick for one of the lists they keep, and in their huddles words such as "lifer" and "county record" could be heard !!! Nonetheless we did wander the relatively short distance from the fox and her cubs to get a couple of snaps, not sure why we gave it time from the foxes but we did, but only once the initial throng of birding diehards had been, seen, ticked and moved onto the next specimen someone else had spotted for them. Not a lot to say about it myself, and here is a photo of it doing what it did all day long reducing the local bee population - a feeding habit it was very adept at, catching and spiking its prey on the spikes of the hawthorn or devouring it in one go. Just like Kingfishers and Owls after having filled on insects it would cough up a pellet consisting of the hard outer cases and other indigestible bits, before starting the process all over again. https://www.grahammanson.com/wren-troglodytes-troglodytes https://images.on-this.website/21764_3064264905ab551770af7f.jpgWren - Troglodytes troglodytes Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1250th @ iso400 More photographs at <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dalendrien-birds-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Dalendrien Birds</a> A Wren singing on the old weather worn lichen covered posts, these posts have now been replaced around Dalendrien House. Spring on Ardnamurchan can be a great time to see wildlife as the long winter months come to an end and the days get longer. The beaches both the sandy and pebble strewn shores of the sea lochs come "alive" with <a href="https://"https://www.grahammanson.com/ringed-plover-ardnamurchan-wildlife" target="_blank">Ringed Plover</a>, and in the woods both the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34273611.html" target="_blank">Red Squirrels</a> and <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/pine-marten-strontian-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a> are taking advantage of the longer days and warmer weather. <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-loch-eil-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Otters</a> can be seen on the loch shore feeding during the ebbing and flood tides. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34273611.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1342508865aa99f0243860.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-wiildllife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_6217628075c7fde9ebdf08.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f6.3 1/125th @ iso400 Turning right as I walked out of the carpark and onto the lane which leads to the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-moore-natur-reserve" target="_blank">Kingfisher</a> venue - there was a young fox walking towards me. Having only the 800mm attached to the MKIV body with it's one 1.3 crop factor I was not equipped photographically for such a close encounter with such a relatively large animal. The fox was hesitant and I lay down to grab what turned out only to be a couple of shots as the fox went into the undergrowth. Getting myself up off the road I made my way to the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-photography" target="_blank">Kingfishers</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo48898099.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_92642752964555c4f3ec20.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso500 If this photograph had a caption "Rejection" would be a perfect fit. The female had been sleeping amongst the weed, which has come up in the bay over the last week, and this area of water is now full of carp, mooching about in the shallows and maybe waiting to spawn in the warm shallow water. The male bird arrived from the main lake and there was a cursory head bobbing session between the birds, hardly a full on session and both birds where some distance from each other whilst doing this. The male bird (on the right) then proceeded to collect copious amounts of weed and presented them to the female bird. When I say presented them to her, I mean dump them on her and collecting more weed he proceeded to flick his head to throw the clumps of weed at her at her !!! He then dived and brought up a stick and literally threw that at her, the stick landing on her back, with the light dipping and f5.6 only achieving 1/800th of second I captured the "throwing" of the stick but the beak of the bird is blurred. All this time the female bird looked away from the male, as for the stick across her back she removed it and gave it him back, he grabbed at the stick and for the moment there was some pushing of the stick with both birds holding on to it, as she attempted to pass it back and he tried to get her to take the stick. In the end the male bird made some "clucking" sounds and dived into the weeds and was off into the main lake - rejected. https://www.grahammanson.com/waxwing-winter-warrington https://images.on-this.website/21764_10400444115c53cdf691be9.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso400 A winter visitor from Northern Europe to the UK, Numbers year on year fluctuate, the birds coming to the UK to feed on berries when food supplies are short in their country. About the size of a starling the birds when they arrive in large numbers descend on the berry laden trees and strip them bare, often competing with starlings, blackbirds, fieldfare and redwing. Other arrivals at those berry "rich" trees are the photographers ! Supermarket car parks are a very likely venue to see these birds and year after year the birds arrive at the same locations. The Renault garage in Warrington is one such venue - photographers mixing with the car buyers and sellers ! https://www.grahammanson.com/yellow-wagtail-frodsham-marsh https://images.on-this.website/21764_12780904885c94edea71fd9.jpgYellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 From Africa to Frodsham Marsh - one or two pairs of Yellow Wagtails tend to show up at Frodsham Marsh every year. Like both the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-river-alyn"" target="_blank">Grey</a> and <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Pied</a> Wagtails they spend a great deal of time running about on the ground catching insects or making short upward flights to catch any insects they flush as they hunt about. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-stags-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_119067994656e29c0da93a.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso1250 Two Stags on the Estate battling it out - as both where fairly evenly matched the fight went on for a few minutes. Light was the problem and would have liked both faster light and the tripod, but handholding the 600mm I was able to get a few frames and resting the lens hood on one of the strands of the deer fence was also able to get a short bit of video. Click <a href="https://youtu.be/8xEGH_cDsJ4?si=H8ClcJKVbuf_Dhst" target="_blank">here</a> to watch the video. https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-frodsham-marsh-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_5737271555d03e30879159.jpgWheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso400 The early Spring migration of Wheatear from south of the UK arrived at Frodsham Marsh - in lesser numbers this year. The birds seem to be making use of the new trackways put in for the wind turbines. Hopping from newly installed fence posts to the gravel service roads. This female Wheatear shared the fence posts and barbed wire with a <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/whinchat-north-wales-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Whinchat</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_551596038644a2cd8b9c6f.jpgDotterel - Charadrius morinellus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/4000th @ iso400 A female Dotterel, unusually in the bird world the female Dotterel is more brightly coloured than the male. This bird along with other Dotterels are making their migration to the breeding grounds most likely to be in and around the Cairngorms. The birds arrive mid-April and are heading back south by late July and August. The last time we had a chance to photograph Dotterel was on the Great Orme when three juvenile<a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-great-orme-north-wales" target="_blank"> Dotterel </a> had stopped off on their migration route south. https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-wildlife-photography-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_5916606325ce1a9923811f.jpgCuckoo - Cuculus canorus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso400 Up in the hills of North Wales a brief encounter with a Cuckoo. Over the next week there where to be a couple of more opportunities to see and photograph Cuckoos in the surrounding valleys. A short <a href="https://youtu.be/nP2LSwqlJis" target="_blank">video clip</a> of a Cuckoo accompanied in the tree by a couple of Meadow Pipit who do not hold back in mobbing the Cuckoos either inflight or perched. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-fox-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1309837682581b9bce75e46.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/200th @ iso800 Autumn arriving and the fox cub has grown up - having lost the lean and leggy look that it had as a <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/photo29523240.html" target="_blank">cub </a> - the fox is now out hunting on it's own. The <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/fox-wildlife-photography-cheshire" target="_blank">vixen </a> had three cubs this year - two where found dead at the same time - their bodies taken away as a suspected case of poisoning was being considered as the cause of their untimely deaths. https://www.grahammanson.com/waxwing-helsby-photography-cheshire https://images.on-this.website/21764_4970904265a0024905c67.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Driving through Frodsham town centre and out of the village just past the turn off for the marsh, where Ian was chasing Fieldfare, I rounded the bend towards Helsby sitting on the top of the trees where the instantly recognisable shape and colour of a small flock of Waxwings where sitting about on the top of a tree. Unlike the flock that I had seen on my own drive to the marsh a few weeks back, sat on top of the tall trees by the Chinese restaurant, thanks to Simon I was aware that the birds where in the Helsby area, his ticking habits do come in handy from time to time. Doing a u-turn I parked up in the bus stop and made my way to the birds who where spending their time feeding on a berry tree and then sitting on the top of the tree over the road or in the tall trees next to the berry tree. If you stand about in a public space with a camera you will never be lonely ! Joined by a Nikon user I bagged a few shots before moving the car from the bus stop to the bike lane, and returned joined by Ian off the marsh to get a few photos of the birds. Three cameras on a pavement meant a couple of cars joined the parking space and a couple of people got out armed with binoculars took a thirty second look and back in their cars. Another chap in a work van rolled up camera at the ready - another Nikon user who then proceeded to use his iPhone, I am writing nothing or saying anything about that !!! Although it is fair to say I have never seen a Canon user do that !!!! https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49400882.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_72410633564b1baf7214d2.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso400 Time passes easily when waiting for a Kingfisher to appear, whether it is watching the Coots settle disagreements or a stroll down many memory lanes of photographic opportunities long gone, or for potential opportunities that remain, or just simply compiling wish lists of photographic subjects and in what situations those subjects should be in. We are regaled with tales of past Africa trips and every so often a folder of 6 x 4 photos will be wheeled out, containing usually a plethora of exotic species, lions and leopards quite often with those animals holding an unfortunate Impala or similar, usually around the neck. YouTube videos always around photographic species and trips for another mainstay of conversation, along with works by Hemingway, various photographic books such as Light and Dust a great coffee table book and also the likes Jim Corbetts time as a hunter of man eaters. Just random conversations interspersed with the very rare nowadays arrival of a Kingfisher, adding up the hours probably not that fruitful anymore but….. For a short video clip of a Kingfisher fishing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSodnTiMNds"target="_blank">click here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/blackcap-sylvia-atricapilla https://images.on-this.website/21764_14859630346461e2961398d.jpgBlackcap - Sylvia atricapilla Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/grebes-graham-manson-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_27668124868263a68131d8.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5 for 1/4000th @ iso400 To watch some video of this pair of Grebes <a href="https://youtu.be/S6F_YzQ9R-s" target="_blank">click here</a> From the largest to the smallest to watch a short video of Little Grebes <a href="https://youtu.be/_HBmLH5n3aM?si=tbFgm_GhOaFjJ56Q" target="_blank">click here</a> The two Grebes have moved from their original nest site, which was situated between two fishing pegs. The birds are now in the open water and built the nest quite quickly, almost an overnight job ! It is just before change over time as both birds take in turns to sit on the nest, whilst the other bird stays relatively close fishing and preening post their shift on the nest. The bird standing is actually using its wings to fan and cool down the nest site whilst the other bird adds more material to the nest. https://www.grahammanson.com/bottle-nose-dolphins-black-isle https://images.on-this.website/21764_20853994954f833759bf916.jpgBottlenose Dolphins - Tursiops truncatus Canon 400mm - f7.1 for 1/2000 @ iso320 Photograph taken at Chanonry Point. https://www.grahammanson.com/swallow-scotland https://images.on-this.website/21764_3647339245c646524ef0fb.jpgSwallow - Hirundo rustica Canon 300mm f3.2 for 1/2000th @ iso640 We came across a group of six or seven juvenile swallows all sitting on a wooden jetty. Two adult birds kept them fed on a regular basis flying in with beaks full of insects.. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53019228.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_947590758680299aad9ff0.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Emerging from a dive the Grebe has caught itself a decent size Roach. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54520277.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_9403450486916f211d5f1d.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/160th @ iso500 A brief stop for this Dipper on its flight path to the other side of the river. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54876121.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_77269039769aead989abfd.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/ringed-plover-charadrius-hiaticula https://images.on-this.website/21764_28177923562fcbd27a1049.jpgRinged Plover - Charadrius hiaticula Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/grouse-lek-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_3848028685cdc745a80ac2.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1600th @ iso800 Even at shutter speeds in excess of 1600th of a second the Black Grouse fights can be hard to capture. The bird on the left of the photograph has taken the upper hand and with a beak full of feathers is about to send the bird on the right off to the outer edges of the lek. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52831496.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_183264021267d6ea6c83034.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f4 for 1/4000th @ iso400 One bird had been out on the lake, fishing and looking for a fight or a combination of both ! The other bird was calling to its mate and generally after a they have been apart for any length of time there is upon their reunion a degree of "head shaking" and displaying, the birds came together and duly displayed and then went straight into a "weed dance" - both birds dive collect sticks, leaves or other such debris from the bottom of the lake and swim towards each other, before "standing" upright on the water and displaying, offering each other what each bird has collected. Fortune was on my side - they where close and just fitted in the 600mm lens !!!!! https://www.grahammanson.com/common-sandpiper-actitis-hypoleucos https://images.on-this.website/21764_162711361266672c4c1a5ca.jpgCommon Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo47002908.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_19035600826307d16d21e5e.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-footed-falcon-staffordshire https://images.on-this.website/21764_14376942785ca4fc33429ad.jpgRed-footed Falcon - Falco vespertinus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/200th @ iso800 Not native to the UK - however one turned up in Staffordshire and stayed around for a few weeks. These rarities do not normally have me setting off on a journey to see them - this bird was though only two junctions down the motorway and both Steve and Ian where paying it a visit and so it was once the throngs of those who have yearly lists of birds to tick off and then repeat the process ticking off the same birds the next year had moved on - we made the journey down the M6. Most of the time it sat on the wire and did little else. These birds come from eastern Europe and Asia their numbers are dwindling but coming to the UK they dwindle even quicker - full story as reported by the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-34910110" target="_blank">here</a>. I think we made two trips to photograph this bird hoping for something more than a bird on the wire. Ian even brought his son James with him - he (James) needed something from the car which was parked within a few paces of the five barred gate we stood at. James acting on strict orders to lock the car after retrieving whatever he had wanted from it - did exactly as he was told and locked the car door when he had finished - the problem being he had left the keys in the car when locking it - this being a couple of years back before keyless entry had come onto the market. Ian's wife then had to make the journey down the motorway with the spare keys !!! https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_1714056475c856cb372249.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/160th @ iso1000 With no real distance between us - this stag on the Conaglen Estate had been resting up on the lower slopes of the hill behind David's house. He (the stag) was surprised to see me and to be honest I was unsure of what was to happen next and equally surprised by the fact he was so close to me - during the weeks outside of the rut - he would have been off and running straight up the hillside with a stop and backward look when some metres away. He just stood and stared and stared I clicked the shutter in all honesty caring little for aperture, shutter speed and iso - my sole thought being that there was a good half mile of open space behind me and any "sanctuary". A distance the stag could cover in seconds ! Taking the stance that discretion would be the best policy I sidled away into the scrub oaks putting distance between us. The stag watched and listened to me making my retreat - he was not for moving on ! https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-juv-cuculus-canorus https://images.on-this.website/21764_6335827595c86b4044bf0b.jpgCuckoo (juv) - Cuculus canorus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/160th @ iso800 Whilst out on Lunt Meadows with Ian in search of <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34023160.html" target="_blank">Barn Owl</a> this juvenile Cuckoo literally plonked itself down near enough right in front of us. Whilst there was a small amount of light in the sky for owl photography the sun having dipped below the horizon presented a few difficulties in terms of photographing this bird. The bird flew off to feed on Cinnabar caterpillars these caterpillars with their distinctive yellow and black colour pattern can be found on Ragwort, eventually they turn into the Cinnabar Moth. Earlier in the year an adult <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-moore-nature-reserve" target="_blank">Cuckoo</a> was at Moore Nature Reserve for a day or so, very mobile but did stop once or twice long enough to enable a photograph. https://www.grahammanson.com/dunham-wildlife-little-grebe-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1485619742687c04b856ae7.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 600mm f7.1 for 1/1600th @ iso400 The fifth and final egg hatched in the last 12 hours and now the parents have five hungry mouths to feed. A pattern or routine has emerged, one adult bird will sit on the nest with the majority of the young on it's back, I say majority as usually there is one hungry youngster loitering at the edge of the floating nest waiting for the other adult to return with food. Food consists of small fish, a lot of damsel flies and what appear to be leeches. At regular intervals the adult bird will simply stand up as caught in this moment and those young on the adults back are unceremoniously dumped onto the nest, and as four of them recover themselves, the adult who has been out on the pond returns with a fish which is grabbed by the youngster. Then both adult Little Grebe will go out into the lake and catch food items for the young, and a feeding frenzy ensues. This process is repeated and repeated - along with a fair amount of rebuilding the nest in between feeding the young. <a href="https://youtu.be/CP4gfXu2IpU" target="_blank">Click Here</a> for a short video of the first chick being fed. https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-photography-graham-manson-photographer https://images.on-this.website/21764_190520078466bbbdbc0c87e.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Front cover image for a few weeks, a dog otter in the early morning. Sitting out in the early morning light with a small cloud of midges above his head, I to probably had a similar cloud of midges, but in the moment they where not noticeable and nor did I care, it was just a moment in time, me, an otter and an early morning sunrise - nothing more. https://www.grahammanson.com/long-tailed-tit-aegithalos-caudatus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1504224222656cf3eb6e7ea.jpgLong-tailed tit - Aegithalos caudatus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/slavonian-grebe-podiceps-auritus https://images.on-this.website/21764_4284828345ab01ce90a13c.jpgSlavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-photography-fallow-deer https://images.on-this.website/21764_48538054268cec4c208b0b.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso400 A Fallow Deer buck exhausted from the rut, takes the opportunity to sleep. Whilst the buck sleeps a Jackdaw takes the opportunity to forage through the deer's hide. https://www.grahammanson.com/rook-photography-cheshire https://images.on-this.website/21764_25107677565a002a3b8b91.jpgRook - Corvus frugilegus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Getting shouted at by a Rook !!! https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37190972.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_19370565375c2b72674b980.jpgBar-tailed Godwit Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo38106636.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_3678015645cc0b02963fdf.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso400 Whilst the moors hold a reasonable number of <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Black Grouse</a> the Red Grouse numbers far exceed those of the Black. The Reds are under the protective care of the keepers and whilst an array of other wildlife benefits from the protective measures the keepers employ in keeping predators "down". The keepers do have a lot to contend with from off road drivers, fly tippers people who want to camp and have open fires - I mean who drives to the top of a hill to dump the likes of a fridge or a dozen or more gas cylinders but people do... https://www.grahammanson.com/redpoll https://images.on-this.website/21764_142612657765132c171fd2f.jpgRedpoll - Acanthis flammea Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/song-thrush-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_3300852555c5dd0bbf1864.jpgSong Thrush - Turdus philomelos Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso800 Up in the North West of England the Song Thrush was a common sight now classified by the RSPB at red status they are unfortunately nolonger a common sight. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50162573.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17903699806532c575d850a.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso400 When the roaring and walking side to side is finished and neither stag backs down from that - antlers lock and epic battles commence. https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-worlds-end https://images.on-this.website/21764_18584486375cd170f518ee6.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso800 Early May to be precise the 4th May and heavy snow falls across the Welsh hills. Further down the valley Spring continued as it should do and the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-photography-north-wales" target="_blank">Cuckoos</a> having completed their annual migration from Africa where seeking out mates and nest sites to lay their eggs in - leaving a hapless Whitethroat or Meadow Pipit to cope with the feeding and raising of their young. Ian and I were out and about looking for <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/barn-owl-parkgate-wirral" target="_blank">Barn Owls</a> to photograph - as dusk fell a <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-juv-cuculus-canorus" target="_blank">juvenile Cuckoo</a> landed close to us, although the light was dipping quickly with the sun almost below the horizon and the bird sitting into the light it would have been rude not to have taken a few shots. https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-appleton https://images.on-this.website/21764_3658802845c5db529e5738.jpgGrey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea Canon 800mm 6.3 for 1/640th @ iso500 When out photographing the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dipper-north-wales" target="_blank">Dippers</a> there are often <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/photo37330292.html" target="_blank">Grey Wagtails </a> on or around the weir. https://www.grahammanson.com/sparrowhawk-cheshire-garden-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_501222728644f6c7c9907c.jpgSparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 A female Sparrowhawk on top of the neighbours garage, not a Sparrowhawk on woodland stump, but nevertheless it's now almost natural habitat, both the male and female spend time on the arm of the neighbours garden bench, maybe even more time than the neighbours sit on it. With the increase in bird feeders, it is only natural that the predators follow the food source and across the like of Flickr and FB there are a multitude of Sparrowhawk and fence panel or similar photographs. This pair are not uncommon visitors to the gardens the catch is getting to photograph them ! I have caught the male on <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/sparrowhawk-accipiter-nisus" target="_blank"> camera </a> previously when it caught a Blackbird. Sitting tucked into the conifer just to the right of the Sparrowhawk was one of the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/collared-dove-appleton-wildlife" target="_blank"> Collared Doves </a> certainly a lucky escape for the Dove, and equally a moment of good timing for the Doves mate as it had wandered along this area of the garage moments previously, perhaps the Sparrowhawk had been perched up in the oak trees and the Dove was it's intended target. https://www.grahammanson.com/crow-appleton-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_99612330465af9ee5741fb.jpgCarrion Crow - Corvus corone Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso400 Just off shot is a Herring Gull, another Crow and a Swan Mussel frozen onto the surface of the pond. Really with that old benefit of hindsight I should have gone to video, but then again with the number of aerial drone video views stacking up and several years worth of photos needing organising..... The Herring Gull had possession of the Mussel and was busy breaking opening the shell to get at the contents, up close there is some size comparison between a Gull and Crow and this is the point I should have gone to video as the few stills I took don't do the Crow tactics any justice. One crow would stand just in front of the Gull and just out of striking range, the second Crow would approach the Gull from behind and firmly grab the Gull's tail feathers causing the Gull to turn around and at that point the Crow who was standing in front of the Gull would make a dive for the contents of the Mussel Shell, whilst the Gull was preoccupied fighting off the attacker from the rear. After a few attempts the Gull got wise and was keeping a watch on the Crow behind it and as it approached would warn the Crow off with a strike of it's beak. https://www.grahammanson.com/duckling-appleton-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_16882163436841ff680c1ca.jpgMallard - Anas platyrhynchos Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2500th @ iso400 The lone duckling !! As with every spring the Mallards who cannot find nesting space on the pond invade the gardens in the road to nest. This year was no exception, with various neighbours reporting on "their" ducklings progress. One Mallard had a brood of around 13 ducklings a huge flowing train of peeping ducklings following her about. At some point and for reasons known only to her she left the safety of the pond and went wandering. There was a few various FB posts as traffic was stopped to allow the family across one of the main roads ! Then there was a report of a rescue a couple of roads away of 13 ducklings which had fallen down a grid. Amid all this and despite a couple of Mallards on the pond having smaller and more manageable broods, there was a lone duckling who spent much of its time under the branches of the oak which hang over the pond. It seemed to be thriving and ventured out to the lily pads from time to time. Lunging at insects and dabbling about from the lily pads. As an update the Mallards who had smaller broods now have large almost adult size ducks following them about but there is no single bird of that size. The unfortunate reality is that many of the ducklings become a snack for is the Heron, Gulls, Magpies and Crows. Even the pair of Canada Geese are not adverse to attacking and killing them. https://www.grahammanson.com/short-eared-owl-parkgate-wirral https://images.on-this.website/21764_17720537445c9d3a8c7961c.jpgShort-eared Owl - Asio flammeus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1250th @ iso1250 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49030054.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1558650173646d21b8078c2.jpgRobin - Erithacus rubecula Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso320 One of the pair of Robins who have nested in the ivy at the back of the pond in the garden. No need for props, there is enough garden paraphernalia and junk dotted about the garden. The birds sought worms, a multitude of insects from various perches, including the watering can, the trampoline and from the top of the spades and trowels lying about the garden since the onset of the warm weather, which has made the tidying up of the garden less like an arctic expedition during the months previous to April when cold and wet weather was an almost daily occurrence ! Easy or even perhaps lazy photography sitting in the sun letting them go about their continuous forays for food for their ever growing chicks, and getting a snap of them whenever they alighted. I resisted all temptation to clamber around the back of the pond to peer into the ivy and see how many youngsters they had. One thing I did find fascinating was the ease at which they found worms in the lawn and in the flowerbeds, whenever I attempt to dig any for fishing I find none, yet this pair of Robins brought back seemingly a bucket full of them. https://www.grahammanson.com/vixen-fox-cheshire-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_8147798355c82aaedcdd54.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 300 f4.5 for 1/320th @ iso400 A close encounter with the vixen - for once her eyes clear as over the last few months they had been almost permanently half closed and "runny". Perhaps the absence of her cub indicated that he had now moved on and there was less pressure on her having raised the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-foxes-moore-nature-reserve" target="_blank">cub</a> on her own post the demise of the dog fox. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43658159.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_925266548611baf4541b30.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso500 Probably a photo for a caption competition !! A Mountain Hare looks back at the camera, David and I had been for a wander across the hills to see what we could photograph, a dull and grey day on the hills. https://www.grahammanson.com/little-grebe-nest https://images.on-this.website/21764_300417439686821bcba05d.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Tucked away in the lily bed the Little Grebes after at least three attempts at nest building have finally constructed a nest and are incubating eggs. The photograph I would like to get is of the chicks on the backs of the adults, the problem is I am not sure when the eggs where laid. They are discoloured now so hatching must be soon, either way after dipping out on the Great Crested Grebe humbugs this year, it is now going to be a matter of regular checks on progress. Photo dedicated to "Camo" Ian - I know you said you looked !! I did hear Specsavers have a deal on... just saying ! https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37697402.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_13463112155c95504353c24.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/bar-tailed-godwit https://images.on-this.website/21764_9628729765c54a12f86806.jpgBar-tailed Godwit Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso400 The promenade at Meols was once again empty after a deluge of photographers and bird watchers had descended on it to tick and photograph some rarity or other - the bird having departed and with it the masses. The beach at low water had the usual supply of Redshank and Curlew, on the fringes of these birds a small number of Godwits argued with each other over patches of sand to feed on. An extremely elegant bird, wintering in the south these birds have nothing short of a stunning summer plumage and of the best places to photograph them is Iceland where they return to breed. A <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-falco-peregrinus" target="_blank">Peregrine</a> disturbed the relative tranquillity of the feeding waders. Further out on the sand banks the Peregrine put up flocks of Shelduck, these large colourful ducks moving in unison to avoid the predator who changed tack and chased the Redshank - all at eye level with the prom and what a sight, the speed of the Peregrine and the twisting and turning of the waders and ducks as they desperately sought to avoid the talons of the predator. Failing to catch anything the bird flew off the beach and headed inland, tranquillity and order returned to the waders. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-calling https://images.on-this.website/21764_15515083475c4cfd2ce222f.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso640th A good tile for this photograph would be "Call of the Wild". On the moors which in reality are for most of the time devoid of people, the common sounds are the "honking" of Ravens and the calls of the Red Grouse, the latter staking out their territory and defending the female Grouse from other males. https://www.grahammanson.com/cormorant-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_12752282255c86743edfe78.jpgCormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo Canon 400mm f7.1 for 1/400th @ iso400 There is a sizable roost of Cormorants at Moore Nature Reserve - they initially arrived in small numbers now the number of birds can be in excess of thirty the trees now stained white by the birds. Occasionally the birds sit on this long dead tree to preen or dry their wings before joining the main roost in the evening. They rarely fish the lake these days and simply take off from the taller trees circle the lake a couple of times to gain both height and speed before departing to fish elsewhere. More wildlife from Moore Nature Reserve <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/black-necked-grebe-moore-nature" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_20689116875845c41852332.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon 300mm f3.5 for 1/200th @ iso1600 A mile or so up a rough track a few miles west of Strontian, leads to an area which has been cleared in times gone by for crofting - this man-made corridor between the oak woods on the higher slopes and the forest below, this corridor is frequently used by the Pine Marten as they move between the oak woods. https://www.grahammanson.com/fieldfare-frodsham-marsh https://images.on-this.website/21764_3826139826570e3f5544ff.jpgFieldfare - Turdus pilaris Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/common-tern-cemlyn-bay-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_417372943612bc81e543c4.jpgCommon Tern - Sterna hirundo Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/2500th @ iso400 The tide was ebbing and a few rocks covered in seaweed were being exposed as the sea dropped back, the terns coming off the colony to feed, bathe and congregate took advantage of the newly exposed "perches". There was no way the three Common Terns who got onto this rock first where going to allow any other bird to land and join them and successive new arrivals where moved on. https://www.grahammanson.com/brown-hare-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_941052335c5c9d2f0b554.jpgBrown Hare - Lepus europaeus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/160th @ iso1600 There was a brief spell of disturbance and boxing hares in the half light of the early morning. Not enough light to photograph - three hares in total were chasing each other about - two males and a female causing havoc with the residents of the hillside. This hare after having disappeared for a while reappeared and sat for a moment or two before departing the lek and moving off into the ferns and heather of one of the gullies that lead off the mountain. A shot video clip of hares chasing can be seen <a href="http://youtu.be/Cxq71FEGB4w" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43830402.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_185663849613503b9a7574.jpgGreenfinch - Carduelis chloris Canon 800mm f8 for 1/400th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52264352.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1026763151670699d0dc415.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 A stag in the shadows of the copse of oak trees issues a challenge to another stag on the other side of the copse. Autumn is here, there are plenty of conkers in the long grass having fallen in large numbers during the last few days. The leaves on many of the trees are in autumn colours, red, yellows and orange hues but many are already falling forming a layer across the woodland which the hinds root through in their search for acorns and other autumnal food bonuses. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49036244.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_672535051646f1dd48ffec.jpgChiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50521311.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_168825434065bcf9c023faf.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2500th @ iso400 A Waxwing sits on top of a tyre rut on the grass verge, waiting to drink from the puddle that has formed at the bottom of the rut. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53646388.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17356470886872c40099a76.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4 for 1/250th @ iso400 A poor year for the Kingfishers, infact there has been steady decline in the number of sightings over the last few years. Despite the valiant efforts of Simon in getting into the lake and placing suitable sticks into the mud of the lake. Alas despite these treks into the frigid waters of the lake, infested with mozzies, good thing he often wears his Botswana shirt, if you did not know he has been - he has ! That is a whole other story though… Sightings are poor and it is now pot luck and in reality there is more chance of photographing a unicorn, this shot was from one of those lucky chance encounters. https://www.grahammanson.com/willow-warbler https://images.on-this.website/21764_1650716443611ab594ee983.jpgWillow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 The Gorse bushes which separate the garden from the beach at Dalendrien House are in full bloom. A Willow Warbler flits amongst the flowers searching out insects. https://www.grahammanson.com/skylark-snow-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_1781847905cd170311020b.jpgSkylark - Alauda arvensis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Caught somewhat by surprise by the adverse weather conditions the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/skylark-moors" target="_blank">Skylarks</a> who had already begun to lay claim to their moorland territories where overnight grounded by the sudden arrival of snow. Only the day before the Skylarks who had been flying high and singing where now hunkered down on the cold and frozen ground - the moors now silent and along with the Skylarks the other Spring time birds were now having to cope with the deluge of snow which had transformed the May moorland into something more akin to a deep winter landscape. The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-worlds-end" target="_blank">Black Grouse</a> are not put off by the snow and continue their challenges to other males as they seek dominance of the lek. https://www.grahammanson.com/moore-nature-reserve-kingfisher https://images.on-this.website/21764_3149066675cb30fb07f95b.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 Over the years the Kingfishers have provided some ok sitting on perch shots. The spot is not ideal for anything other than perching shots as the light is very intermittent and certainly does not allow for diving shots and if and when the Kingfisher dive for sticklebacks their staple diet on this lake - mainly because that is all there is for the birds to fish for - even the shots of the Kingfisher dispatching the fish can be hit and miss. It is a shame the lakes are not stocked with fish the number of diving birds would probably increase dramatically. In general a place to catch up and catch up on Peters photographic adventures abroad from Snow Leopard trips to photographing Gorillas in the jungles of Africa - and every sort of animal and bird in between. A recent viewing of his photographs on 6 x 4's where the Shoebills - a "prehistoric" looking bird of some size. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40902507.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_20508865645e48462c72e09.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/oystercatcher https://images.on-this.website/21764_1799958122611a978b9f947.jpgOysterCatcher - Haematopus ostralegus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-lunt-meadows-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_884010798613d9a98d994a.jpgCuckoo - Cuculus canorus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/160th @ iso800 Ian and I had gone out looking for Barn Owls to photograph, darkness was coming on fast as the sun off into the west was almost touching the horizon. We knew a juvenille Cuckoo had been seen and photographed, but the meadows cover a large area and I for one was not walking about looking for a Cuckoo, juveille or not ! As I recall we stood by a bank, and as we stood looking about for either Short eared owls or one of the resident Barn Owls - Ian noticed that the Cuckoo had fluttered past him and plonked itself on the foliage. Iso high and shutter speeds getting lower each second that passed we manage to grab a few shots of the bird. https://www.grahammanson.com/-grahammanson-red-deer-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_58033734368cec1dc06e99.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2500th @ iso500 With the sun setting in the west, the Stag is caught in the golden light at the end of the day. The Stag "roars" to make his presence known. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54805793.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_5784494676993733054e8f.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 600mm f5 for 1/5000th @ iso400 A pair of Curlew about to squabble over a small piece of field in all the acres of field. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49931898.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_3819529276508271ab3f72.jpgRed Grouse (f) - Lagopus lagopus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/800th @ iso400 For a short video clip of a female Red Grouse feeding on heather shoots <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3T_8hhIfnc"target="_blank">click here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-stag-strontian https://images.on-this.website/21764_12673064225c8676dccce52.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso400 Up on the hills above Strontian this stag having chased off a couple of smaller stags with nothing more than small lumps for antlers, he turns his attention to this <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-wildlife-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">stag</a> who is up on the hillside with a number of hinds. https://www.grahammanson.com/great-tit-parus-major https://images.on-this.website/21764_20591713485c88df256d764.jpgGreat Tit - Parus major Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 A Great tit in the late afternoon sunshine seeks out food in amongst the icy pine needles, some of the pine branches covered in snow. Along with <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/crested-tit-highlands-wildlife" target="_blank">Crested</a> and <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/coal-tit-periparus-ater" target="_blank">Coal</a> tit there is a flurry of feeding activity before darkness falls and temperatures plunge below zero. Deeper in the forest the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37179258.html" target="_blank">Red Squirrels</a> make the most of the afternoon sunshine coming out of their drays to feed. https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-urban-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_9255770145935ba5ba4f21.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 300mm f5.6 for 1/4000th @ iso800 An opportune moment to try out the 1DX autofocus. A peregrine with an "unknown" victim comes into view. I have not had a chance to use the new camera as much as I would like - I did wander through the comprehensive menu choices - not dissimilar (thankfully) to the MK4 menu system - so not a huge learning curve to go through. Setting up the numerous 1DX Mk2 buttons and thumbwheels for custom use was a relatively easy task - I did "stumble" on setting the thumbwheel for exposure compensation - and ended up with a two step operation - easily rectified by having a glance at Roy's custom menu. A quick change to AV in the thumbwheel options has exposure compensation operating like a dream !!! https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52184259.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_35874190266f013116babf.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/250th @ iso500 A dull morning with Autumn knocking at the door, a time of early morning mists and spiders webs. The second brood of Kingfishers are now out of the nest and also out and about on the lake, they are distinguishable by their darker feet, the adult birds having bright red feet. Time for them to get up to speed with their fishing skills and fatten up before winter, a time of year that kills off good numbers of Kingfishers. For some video footage of Kingfishers <a href="https://youtu.be/kOog_adW2MQ" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-wildife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_14227070367d1b44aa499b.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/3200th @ iso400 A struggle to retain territory, life and achieve dominance. Great Crested Grebes going from creating elegant shapes in their courtship displays to utter chaos. <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/moore-cheshire-wildlife" target="_blank">Coot fights</a> are often explosive and frenetic but fights between Great Crested Grebe pairs generally seem to last longer and are equally if not more vicious, a lot of the action can take place underwater, with the water churning as no doubt a struggle takes place. https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_6722284095c3b97f59b8c6.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ is640 https://www.grahammanson.com/stag-velvet-stronchreggan-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_1631759040611c06e16b31b.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 100-400 @ 400mm f5.6 for 1/125th @ iso2000 A stag antlers still in velvet comes off the hillside to feed on the grass at Dalendrien House. One of a number of stags who visited the garden during the time we stayed there. An impressive 12 pointer was in the garden early one morning but too early for photographs nevertheless being the largest of six or seven stags who had spent the night in the garden still an impressive sight. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44588995.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_149955640461a67d4262f5e.jpgCoal Tit - Periparus ater Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/helsby-wildlife-waxwings-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_130889753165bcfb50218f8.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51134729.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_2083207382664e4df3efdda.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/gannet-morus-bassanus https://images.on-this.website/21764_9237162815e6ff261ee88d.jpgGannet - Morus bassanus Canon 400mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso800 The UK was bathed in wall to wall sunshine and to make the most of the light we decided to whizz over to Bempton a west to east road trip, coast to coast - when I say whizz you do if you leave early enough to get through Manchester and then Leeds and until you come off the M62 onto the A roads - where it is hit and miss as to whether you meet ahead of you a tractor, motorhome, or god forbid one or more caravans being towed along the country roads. Approaching Bempton the early morning sun lit up the fields of crops a truly beautiful day - alarm bells began to ring when on the part of the road that you can usually see the sea gave no view of glistening seas !! just murk.... Once before I had been caught out by the weather system around the cliffs holding the sea mist - the reality though was worse not only was there dull grey cloud around the cliffs but it was blowing a gale. It was fortunate that in the boot of the car I had a fleece - and by the time I parked up and met up with Ian it was obvious that there was not going to be a need for plenty of water and sun cream !!! The few that had arrived before us were in cots, hats and gloves and bent almost double as they tried to make progress in the winds blowing along the cliffs We had coffee and waited for a glimmer of light to come through the dull grey no light clouds, and yet a mile or so back down the road and off the cliffs -t-shirts and shorts were the order of the day !! We did venture down to the cliffs - tripods were out we discovered very quickly one of if not the only time I have seen the Gitzo holding the 800mm in danger of blowing over. https://www.grahammanson.com/cheshire-wildlife-photography-autumn https://images.on-this.website/21764_69984653369260b7a29396.jpgNuthatch - Sitta europaea Canon f4.5 for 1/125th @ iso1000 One of two Nuthatch foraging around the pile of old logs. https://www.grahammanson.com/peregrine-falcon-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_15481047725c5063e26c61f.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/2000th @ iso500 Once associated with coastal cliffs, rocky escarpments on moorland the Peregrine falcon has adapted to a loss of habitat and perpetual persecution, which still continues today. The Peregrine falcon an impressive bird can be found in many city and urban locations. Nesting on man made "rock faces" which come in the form of buildings and which in many city centre environments offer the Peregrine plentiful food sources from parkland habitats and the city centre streets which have plenty of pigeons and starlings. Belper, Regents Park, Bristol, Glasgow all have well established viewing areas of these birds. More natural viewing areas featuring high cliffs rolling moors, seascapes and towering cliffs are Anglesey and Malham Cove are two such areas. Meols and West Kirby beaches offer a chance of seeing Peregrines hunting in amongst the flocks of waders and ducks. https://www.grahammanson.com/purple-heron-ardea-purpurea https://images.on-this.website/21764_10872028765e405a65b0756.jpgPurple Heron - Ardea purpurea Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso400 A visitor to the UK from somewhere either south or east of the UK. A juvenile Purple Heron more brown in colour than the adults more striking colours, have a google to see what the adults look like. The bird had been up in Lancashire for a few weeks, photographed extensively and scoped and "ticked" by numerous bird watchers. We were "up North" so we stopped by, the bird was in a paddock between two farmhouses, the occupants of those buildings now beginning to get their privacy back as the "followers" of such rarities had now largely dispersed having got their year or life "tick" !!! The heron had been feeding up on voles or mice in the fields - whilst we where there although it patiently waited for movement in the stubble of the field it had no luck catching anything. Closer to home a Siberian Stonechat showed up - I have to say I would perhaps have dismissed it simply as another Stonechat, closer inspection of the shots Roy got when out with his chum Richard did indicate a bit of a white neck. Roy who often posts pictures and follows "stuff" on Bird Guides got Picture of the Week or similar for a very nice isolated shot of the bird with a clean background as it sat on top of some foliage. I would guess many of the "hardened" birder types will be trawling the various forums in search of rarity "ticks" after Storm Ciara potentially blows hapless birds off course and on to UK shores. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo47002910.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_8355164826307d16f654b5.jpgBar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51276311.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_874051686665ea0c14ffb.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Catching a break from the nest and no doubt a number of hungry mouths to push insects to. Having had a quick ruffle up feathers and preen this female Stonechat leaves the feeding schedule to the her partner. https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-ardnamurchan-wildlife-graham-manson https://images.on-this.website/21764_12372922926667440e77e7a.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 I have take many photographs over the years, but this for me is my favourite wildlife one at the moment, it is currently my laptop wallpaper, and even though I say it myself it shows the detail very well used in that scenario. But it is more than that, quite often I have difficulty remembering things from day to day and yet when I look at a photograph I know instantly when and where I took it, I do wonder sometimes whether it is due to the focus of looking through the viewfinder, that intensify of concentration and the rest of the world is largely blocked out and the mind is solely concentrated on the view through the viewfinder, or that could just be complete nonsense. No setup for this image no fancy tricks, just a moment in time, and that deep jet black eye !!!! What an animal he is. https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-frodsham-marsh https://images.on-this.website/21764_15079643205c69ce0881caf.jpgWheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe Canon 800mm f8 for 1/800th @ iso400 Wheatear are regularly seen on Frodsham Marsh in the spring. A stopping off point for them on their migration further north. https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography-otter https://images.on-this.website/21764_20696887446665e8e336e50.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/4000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/hare-sitting-cairngorms https://images.on-this.website/21764_9715281825c94ebb9ab0a6.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f5 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/stoat-ardnamurchan-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_80872271764ee5d99e4bbd.jpgStoat - Mustela erminea Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso400 All along the deer fence sat a multitude of birds - Wrens, Chaffinch, Robins and Dunnocks all "shouting" out the location and presence of the Stoat. At first in amongst the jumble of stones the remains of the original wall it was not obvious what the birds where alarm calling for, but they certainly where not letting the Stoats presence not be known. Eventually it showed itself, seemingly curious of my presence and popped its head up to see what I was up to ! https://www.grahammanson.com/osprey https://images.on-this.website/21764_12340434285c4ccf887190b.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso400 As the summer draws to a close and three chicks have been raised on the remote Scottish Loch the birds prepare for the long flight south to warmer countries. The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37531896.html" target="_blank">juveniles</a> are testing their wings and taking short flights usually downward from the nest. The adults have raised three chicks and now the youngsters are starting to practice their diving techniques on the Goldeye ducklings - who are sent diving beneath the loch for cover as the young Ospreys practice "dive bombing" them. https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-cairngorms-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_982215005a9b10b7c6d4a.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 100 to 400mm Mk2 @ 349mm f6.3 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Heading south from Inverness, a quick stop to photograph Mountain Hare for an hour or so before heading back to the A9 and south. Margaret had left her car in a layby outside of the village and we headed down through the valley. Snow was falling as we made our way down the road and we arrived at our chosen location, making a quick change into waterproofs and boots before walking up into the hills. Just after putting my foot onto what I thought was solid snow only to find out it was a fine layer of snow covering a frozen stream of water that had run off the hillside and finding myself suddenly sitting down on the snow, I had just picked myself up when this hare ran past us both. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49419554.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_126574194564b45b5e56d18.jpgGreenshank - Tringa nebularia Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/dunham-massey-fallow-deer https://images.on-this.website/21764_143427537661a5ed35be859.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 100 - 400 @ 263mm for 1/250th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49964782.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1743652212650ae1ffee05d.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/ptarmigan-lagopus-muta https://images.on-this.website/21764_14661865355e501553e1771.jpgPtarmigan - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/250th @ iso500 In amongst the boulders up towards the plateau in the Cairngorm Mountains live the Ptarmigan like the Mountain Hare another resident of the higher peaks. When I say boulders these boulders are the size of a small car - thrown together by some force of nature millions of years ago, when clambering over and around them the gaps between them they are potential "leg brakers". David had told me that when the snow is on the mountain extra care has to be taken as those gaps fill with loose snow and to all intents and purposes look like solid ground, until that is you put your foot onto them. The walk / climb was long not steep just long and the 300mm (2.8) and body seemed to gain weight every step taken after an hour or so of walking !! Arriving at our destination I could not see anything, I was not sure what I was expecting to see but all it seemed to be was huge barren boulder field devoid of any life. David and Margaret settled down for a pre-lunch post early morning breakfast snack and as we sat, out from the boulder field the Ptarmigan began to appear and so started a photo session with the Ptarmigan... The day passed quickly and watching the weather changing down below us with dark clouds blowing in we made the journey back down the hill - it seemed a much shorter walk back down the hill !! The next day we spent in the forest watching the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-cairngorms-photography" target="_blank">Red Squirrels</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/crested-tit-cairngorms https://images.on-this.website/21764_9239079925c607ce55c79f.jpgCrested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/800th @ sio400 Snow was not forecast but snow it did - rain in the centre of Inverness gave way at the roundabout from Inverness to white roads and so it was we headed up the hill on the A9 which connects Inverness to the south. We were one of the first cars up through the snow and already a snow plough was working on the northern carriageway. After a couple of miles we turned off the A9 and drove through a pristine white landscape. Our original plan had been to photograph Red Squirrels that changed due to the blanket of snow - which although was considerable had not penetrated the forest so it was squirrels in the forest or birds in snow. We selected a small pine to stand around and waited in the snow covered heather. It did not take long for the birds to accept our presence and they got on with their own business of the day flitting between the trees. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40863070.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_11747859755e3996e17d12c.jpgPuffin - Fratercula arctica Canon 300mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-squirrel-sciurus-carolinensis https://images.on-this.website/21764_17876728556187dfd03ba52.jpgGrey Squirrel - Sciurus carolinensis Canon 600mm f4 for 1/160th @ iso400 The early morning air was cold, on the ground was a frost, the sun was low and not a cloud obscured it as it rays penetrated the autumnal canopy of the oak and chestnut tress, conditions for photography could only be described as near perfect. We stood on the ride between two woodland areas the bracken was a field of gold and brown hues, not a deer moved through it. The week before had been mixed but not one day that could have been described as autumnal, but that was the week the rut had taken place, just one day of such light during the rut would have been phenomenal. The rut now over groups of Fallow Deer does stood around the bucks, the bucks moving through the small herds seeking out those does that had come into season. There we stood waiting patiently, suddenly the clunk of the shutter button on Ian's Nikon camera broke the silence of the woodland, I peered through into the bracken and the deeper recesses of the wood wondering what he had seen, a tree in front of me obscured the view of a Grey Squirrel sat on top of an old stump, peeling the brown hard shell off a conker. I moved a couple feet to my left and the Squirrel came into view. The Grey Squirrel is definitely overlooked by photographers in preference of the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-wildlife-photography" target="_blank"> Red Squirrel. </a> https://www.grahammanson.com/collared-dove https://images.on-this.website/21764_23322360264038eb55e07f.jpgCollared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso400 A pair of Collared Doves have taken up residence in the garden and taken over a Woodpigeons nest which the bird had been diligently collecting sticks for in the garden. The Woodpigeon must have completed its nest building when the Doves turfed it out. Despite a considerable size and weight difference between the Dove and Woodpigeon after a brief flurry of flapping of wings in close combat and an aerial circuit of the garden the Woodpigeon was evicted. The Doves a few years back did build a nest on the back of an old satellite dish at the side of the house, but the Magpies found the nest and that was that ! https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel https://images.on-this.website/21764_3028595745e39d7d50ef4d.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/320th @ iso4000 A dark day in the forest and a Red Squirrel has come down from the tops of the trees to forage on the forest floor. This particular bit of woodland a "stones throw" from the hustle and bustle of Inverness was home to Red Squirrels, <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a>, Goshawk, Jays and Badger along with numerous small birds, including on the edge of the forest occasional visits from <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/crested-tit-cairngorms" target="_blank">Crested Tits</a> Although the Goshawk, Badger and <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a> were never captured on the Canon or Nikon gear they were caught on a regular basis on the camera traps. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-strontian https://images.on-this.website/21764_3998191505c7b98700da51.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm + 1.4tc (1100mm) f8 for 1/400th @ iso800 High up on the hills on the south side of Strontian a Red Deer stag pants catching it's breath after being chased off by a much bigger stag with a far more impressive set of antlers. Directly across the loch from this location and at roughly the same height above the loch another mammal is often seen as evening sets in. The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a> quite a common sight on Ardnamurchan although many of those sightings can be fleeting. Seeing and photographing are often two very different matters. https://www.grahammanson.com/common-tern-fledgling-sterna-hirundo https://images.on-this.website/21764_213896054362eff5430fe40.jpgCommon Tern - Sterna hirundo Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso250 A juvenile Common Tern with a crab, the crab having been brought in by one of the two adult birds. At this time the beach is littered with juvenile Common and Arctic Terns. All can fly it is just that most won’t and prefer to sit on the beach calling to be fed. In most cases one of the adult birds will bring the tiniest of food items to the juveniles, whilst the other adult bird will usually show a sand eel or small fish to the sitting juvenile, in the expectation that the juvenile will follow the adult to try and take the food item. Once the juvenile is engaged in this activity, and it has to be said watching this activity, it does take some encouragement to get the juvenile to participate, the adult will either feed the juvenile on the wing or drop the food item into the sea encouraging a diving session. Once the juvenile gets the food item it simply returns to the beach and the process starts again. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49861707.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_12065016764fa2b45893de.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm + 1.4tc f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/dipper-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_11878712785c549f02d6d4d.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso800 Daytime temperatures not reaching 0 the Dippers continue to search out food in the river. The water levels are high with the melt water coming off the hills, and I can only imagine what the water temperature was in the fast flowing areas of the river. This Dipper when on the weir sat on one leg only and it is the only time I have seen one of these normally sure footed birds slip and slide wings flapping to keep it's balance along the top of the fish ladder. The Dipper is not the only the bird searching out food on the weir in the freezing cold water. Between visits by the Dipper a pair of <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-motacilla-cinerea" target="_blank"> Grey Wagtails </a> feed across the top of the weir. These tiny birds preferring the edges and shallow pools of the weir to find food. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49964783.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_796878378650ae201c9f44.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/1600th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-heron-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_12581340075e110785c743e.jpgGrey Heron - Ardea cinerea Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso400 While sitting about waiting for <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-photography" target="_blank">Kingfishers</a> to show up this Heron wandered out of the reeds. Opening and closing its beak a couple of times it then brought the rancid contents of its stomach up - not sure what it had been - all that was left looked like some alien being !!! Down at Moore Nature Reserve there is a heronry at the Eastern Reed bed (this reed bed is a good winter venue for <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/bittern-moore-nature-reserve" target="_blank">Bitterns</a>) it is not unusual to see a good number of Herons on or around the lakes of the reserve - the birds are very territorial in terms of the stretches of water they occupy and fish in. On most occasions this simply involves one bird chasing the other one out of the area a lot of noise and a frantic chase ensues - at times though the intruder does not move on and a <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-heron-moore-nature-reserve" target="_blank">fight</a> will happen. These fights can be quite brutal with the birds tearing at each other with their feet and stabbing at each other with their long beaks. https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail https://images.on-this.website/21764_9431209235c312016ba285.jpgGrey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1600th @ iso800 The Grey Wagtail I could and may well do have included a photograph from a number of venues ranging from the boulder strewn burns in the hills of Ardnamurchan to the our back garden where every autumn and winter one shows up foraging on the ground underneath the feeders and around the edges of the pond. This individual obliging wandered across the top of the weir whilst I was waiting for Dippers. The problem with photographing all wagtails and its all in the name is that the tail rarely stops "wagging" - the body can be sharp and then a long tail completely blurred unless the shutter speed is "up". Another bird that RSPB have at Red status. <a href="https://youtu.be/MGHYGd6qUXc" target="_blank">Here</a> a Grey Wagtail does a spot of preening after hunting for insects in the river. https://www.grahammanson.com/bittern-cheshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_4877884605ab54ece65d36.jpgBittern - Botaurus stellaris Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso400 When Christmas is out of the way and the evenings and mornings start to get a lighter and the temperatures start to drop and the ponds ice over is a good time to see the elusive Bittern at Moore Nature Reserve. The arrival of the Bittern to the reserve is an annual event one or two or maybe more on a good year settle into the reedbeds for a month or two. Not an easy photographic subject - often long waits and the bird is not one to announce it's presence and despite it's size it can move through the reedbeds with minimal or no movement of the reeds around it. On cold sub zero days a wait of a couple of hours can pay off - a sharp crack of a branch when the Bittern is on the move or the almost imperceptible movement of a reed head laden in ice can you provide you with at least of glimmer of hope that a Bittern may be on the move and about to cross the frozen lake between reedbeds. Although equally the bird can move off deeper into the reedbed... all part of the "game". The Eastern Reedbed as the name suggests is at the far eastern end of the reserve - and that easterly wind carrying cold air can be bitter and no matter how many layers of clothing eventually the cold finds a way through and once it does its time to go home for coffee. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49030055.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1793906541646d267e31591.jpgRobin - Erithacus rubecula Canon 600mm f5 for 1/2000th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54423377.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_117507183368fd26f62f1b9.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54423379.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_33300158068fd2a3f7069a.jpgBlue Tit - Cyanistes caeruleus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/160th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/long-eared-owl-graham-manson https://images.on-this.website/21764_10932257396675cb5247b4f.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 I like this image but I can't say it does not come with some regret and a degree of laziness and or forgetfulness on my part ! 1/1000th plus 2/3rd stop - why was it taken at plus 2/3rds well the owl had been in the sky before this shot and landed somewhere in the grass, I left the EV setting, partly due my negligence and also as I was listening to Peters full frame wren shot he had got, nothing remarkable about a full frame Wren photo you may think, but the full frame wren had a stoat behind it and the Wren was in the stoats mouth - one of those lucky shots I guess, he had been at one of his usual haunts, Inner Marsh Farm and the Stoat and its hapless victim had come along the viewing screen of the hide !! The point I am getting to is if I had dropped the EV back - I would have been able to gain over 1/2000th and freeze both wings, instead of gaining some motion blur, all down to personal preference I guess - but the eyes of the LEO and in particular the colour of those eyes are something to behold. If there is ever a next time..... https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-worlds-end-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_19158774765d01513bea904.jpgWhinchat - Saxicola rubetra Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1600th @ iso400 A regular perch for the male Whinchat his partner at this time of year is sitting on four to seven eggs in a nest somewhere on the ground in the under the heather and gorse. The Whinchat is a migrant to the UK arriving in the UK from mid April and leaving to return south from August onwards. The hills in North Wales are a location during these periods that Whinchat can be found, hunting flying insects when insects are in short supply their diet will be supplemented by seeds. As long as they are in the area the Whinchat on a sunny day is very easy to spot amongst the ferns and heather - the white plumage on the male "shines" out when the sun catches it - like a small beacon of light amongst the dark green fronds of the ferns and the darker areas of the clumps of heather. https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-wildlife-scottish-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_2877240076665f33b4b2cb.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Further down the coast from the dog otters territory an otter relaxes after a fishing session on a bed of seaweed as the tide rises. A dilemma was fast approaching for me and me only, the incoming tide was now floating the otters bed of seaweed, for me I had inches to spare from getting even wetter than i was sitting on the damp sandy gravel. Almost a "mexican standoff" would the otter return to fishing and how prepared to start wading was I, to get up would have meant disturbing the animal from its resting place so it was a case of sitting it out. The situation resoled itself when the otter returned to fish the incoming tide, I watched it diving and shovelling about in the seaweed and shallow waters as it moved along the coastline in gorgeous late afternoon sunshine. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-snow https://images.on-this.website/21764_4499796695c59fd560229d.jpgRed Grouse (F) - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/250th @ iso400 The recent snow across the North West prompted a trip to the moors, which was not as productive as I had hoped for. The heather covered hills were truly covered in snow and the road along the top virtually unrecognisable in parts hidden under a thick covering of snow and very crunchy sections of ice. Aside from the noise of the chilly north wind blowing across the hills, the only movement was the tops of the snow laden heather moving in the ice cold wind. Wildlife was hidden in the gaps in the heather and the grouse staid silent. This female was busy feeding on the heather and obligingly sat around for a while, the sun was not so obliging and although either side of the bird appearing the sun shone brightly it sat tightly behind a cloud while I photographed. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-wildlife-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_17556549355c856f3b9674b.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 1120mm f9 for 1/500th @ iso400 Up on the hillside above the village of Strontian the stags in October are challenging each other. This stag has a number of hinds with him. Down on the lower slopes another stag has just seen off a couple of younger animals chasing them across the lower and more level valley floor. The stag roars back at this <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-stag-strontian" target="_blank">stag</a> who having seen off the younger stags turn his attention to him. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo38750641.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_4340013615d054f828a87f.jpgCuckoo - Cuculus canorus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso400 Out of frame and above the Cuckoo a Meadow Pipit harasses the Cuckoo. Both Meadow Pipit and Whitethroat nest in the heather. After mating the female Cuckoo does drop down into the heather in the vicinity of the nests of both the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/meadow-pipit-north-wales" target="_blank">Pipits</a> and <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/whitethroat-north-wales-wildlife" target="_blank">Whitethroat</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/ringed-plover-ardnamurchan-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_21246100045c890ed5359d9.jpgRinged Plover - Charadrius hiaticula Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso800 During the months of late April and May many of the beaches on Ardnamurchan hold a few Ringed Plover. Not always obviously visible as they don't tend to move until you are virtually on top of them. Scurrying about on the sand or in out of the pebbles of the shingle beaches they can pass a couple of hours of photography. https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-running https://images.on-this.website/21764_19797499755e43204758df8.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 100-400 for 1/2500th @ iso400 The "one eyed" hare his lack of an eye in no way held him back when on running across the snow and ice covered slopes of the hills. After a trip to the woods which had given us some views of <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Red Squirrels</a> we had made our way the ten miles or so down the valley and wandered across the snow covered fields towards the mountain slopes. The sun now low in the sky was turning the ice a blue colour. The hare was sitting up on a small rise and taken a few in-situ type shots it was initially apparent that his eye was missing - the hare got up and ran towards us - giving an opportunity to try out the autofocus of the 1DX MK2 and 100-400mm combination on a fast moving subject. The lens held up to the task and the capability of the Mk2 to allow continuous shooting without buffering is pretty spectacular. Equally spectacular is the ability for the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-cairngorms-wildlife" target="_blank">Mountain Hares</a> to clear those snow and ice covered slopes and to run at full speed up almost vertical slopes in such a seemingly effortless manner. https://www.grahammanson.com/ringed-plover-dalendrien-house https://images.on-this.website/21764_8341073745c54a8b9a02d4.jpgRinged Plover - Charadrius dubius Canon 800mm f8 for 1/200th @ iso400 During the month of May there are a good numbers of Ringed Plover on the shingle and sandy beaches which litter the coast line of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. They scurry about the beach in short bursts, the plover nest on the shingle beaches in shallow scrapes - the eggs make a prime target for the gulls who hang in the breeze searching out the nest sites. https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-otter-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_138116259066672c768b8c4.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Sheer contentment and enjoyment as the sun rises and warms the loch shore. The otter having spent the early morning catching crabs and small fish now cleans his fur and rubs himself dry in the seaweed, the vast swathes of bladder wrack exposed by the tide - I can confirm that it creates a comfy photography position albeit somewhat damp, nevertheless better than one of those pebble strewn beaches where the rocks and pebbles dig into every bone in your body ! https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52185877.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_193657442666f028cc5836a.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/200th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44659852.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_27814807861bb08e51a3ad.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 600mm f5 for 1/400th @ iso250 A chance encounter with a lone Curlew at the pig farm. https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-graham-manson-wildlife-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_7825512916665eb84b2b43.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4 for for 1/1250th @ iso400 The dog otter, no words best describe him other than big and bold. I caught up with him one sunny Ardnamurchan morning, the type of morning where the air is still, the loch mirror flat and the sun just rising above the mountains in the east. I had spent the best part of two hours with him on the loch shore as he fished for crabs - the larger crabs being brought to shore to be ripped apart, there was no need to follow him up and down the shoreline as he just kept returning from the loch to near enough the same spot to devour his catches. With all his senses he surely knew I was about but sitting still he just went about his business. At one point after a sustained period of fishing he hauled himself out of the water and had a good scratching session whilst he was lying about on the shoreline seaweed as the cloud of midges that surrounded and descended on him in a swarm every time he emerged from the loch had perhaps penetrated his thick fur. What an animal and what a privilege it is when out photographing to have moments like this, this photo was taken after he had returned to the water and fished a bit more, then hauling himself onto the shoreline, he simply walked past me ! https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-graham-manson-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1864793185c7ee526736be.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/640th @ iso200 Initially I thought the fox was not going to show up and had been sitting waiting the westerly setting sun "cooking" my back and the midges and other blood sucking insects treating me like a fast food joint. A movement to my right caught my attention and there was the fox making it's way across the open ground returning to the den, with it's own evening meal. Momentarily he stopped to look over to me and that was my opportunity to press the shutter - before he moved on into the undergrowth and the safety of the den. https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-wildlife-photography-frodsham-marsh https://images.on-this.website/21764_7179337995c53cb0fc7354.jpgWheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 A sure sign that spring is on the way is the arrival of this visitor from Central Africa, where the Wheatear has spent the winter months. Frodsham Marsh is a great place to find the Wheatear in reasonable numbers as the birds stop off to feed before continuing their migratory route north. https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-great-orme-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1660364433631f29addbf08.jpgDotterel - Charadrius morinellus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/5000th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/nuthatch-foraging-wildlife-photography-cheshire https://images.on-this.website/21764_99949659468fd28326d742.jpgNuthatch - Sitta europaea Canon 600mm f4 for 1/200th @ iso1250 https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-rut-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_175651752653fb9f5b90ac.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/160th @ iso400 A lone stag watches other stags and hinds down in the fields off the hill. A short video of two stags can be seen <a href="https://youtu.be/8xEGH_cDsJ4?si=H8ClcJKVbuf_Dhst" target="_blank">here</a>. The loser from that encounter which was the stag on the left, then walked up the hill and took on this stag. By that time the sun had risen enough to touch the hillside so shutter speeds where upto 1/3200th but the stags as they battled where largely obscured by the bracken. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_2072422025c82aaeba6b5c.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon 100 to 400mm f5.6 for 1/125th @ iso400 A day out with David and Margaret and the sun gods were on this occasion kind to us. This Red Squirrel picked out by a ray of sunshine coming through the forest canopy with the darkness of the forest behind him. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44573571.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_147881075561a3d94e523c4.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44630327.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_153052341861b25e9ea624f.jpgCrested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/sandwich-terns-sterna-sandvicensis https://images.on-this.website/21764_17978296895c54b34ce6a32.jpgSandwich Terns - Sterna sandvicensis Canon 100 - 400 f7.1 for 1/4000th @ iso500 A pair of Sandwich Terns fly over Cemlyn Bay. Despite it being a good place to photograph Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns, the horseshoe shingle beach ain't a bad place to spend a sunny afternoon or for that matter a sunny morning or maybe just do the day on the beach. https://www.grahammanson.com/nest-build-coot-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1694575628686b8f2f6839a.jpgCoot - Fulica atra Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1600th @ iso500 Rebuilding the nest, having successfully reared one clutch of eggs and now with three juvenile Coots on the pond, the nest building continues. The Coot does put some real effort into this nest building selecting large lily pads to bulk up and add height to the nest. https://www.grahammanson.com/pied-wagtail-photography-snow https://images.on-this.website/21764_87907176463d1571d4c4ad.jpgPied Wagtail - Motacilla alba Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2000th @ iso400 The cold snap that brought snow and ice in the first few weeks of the New Year, did not yield much in the way of photographs. Only Ian made it into the hills and despite tons of snow being dumped onto the hills did not as I am sure he will not mind me saying so, not achieve as much as he hoped for - despite the perilous conditions and drive across the moors, the wildlife was out of view in the main. He did manage to get Red Grouse and photos can be found by following the link to his websites in the Links page. A Pied Wagtail searches the frozen landscape for anything edible. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37611847.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_4043070005c8970a80c135.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 12500th @ iso400 The Mountain Hare in it's summer "coat" looking a very different animal than when in it's winter <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37175725.html" target="_blank">coat</a>. The hares go through a series of colour changes almost being <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-cairngorms" target="_blank">piebald</a> in some cases. A short series of photographs of the different colour stages of the Mountain Hare can be seen <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/hare-colour" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43654041.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1070151005611ab5963b85a.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 400mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-grebe-tachybaptus-ruficollis https://images.on-this.website/21764_169825067964b990e86efb8.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50370179.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_16391624206572285b23c6a.jpgRook - Corvus frugilegus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51132163.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_299125949664dba24c1b02.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ A Dipper has been busy collecting various aquatic insects from the river bed. A brief pause before returning to the nest site. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43801786.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1349660512612d357beca6f.jpgSlavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/400th @ iso400 A remote Northern Loch and a Slavonian Grebe - not much bigger than the Little Grebe it is probably one of the most attractive Grebe's to breed in the UK. Found during the breeding season north of the Great Glen. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50223254.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_11049674136542b3970e20b.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/400th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50011230.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_2128350436651553bea565b.jpgStarling - Sturnus vulgaris Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/deer-stag-graham-manson-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_153361731068d7a26ef39f7.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/4000th @ iso400 Cover image for Autumn, this stag is holding a good number of hinds down in the valley, mixed in with the hinds are a good number of first year stags with no tines on their antlers. Larger stags are sitting off in a semi-circle around the herd, it is still early in the rut, but every so often this stag has a clear out of the younger stags sitting amongst the hinds. His purposeful charge causes anything that is not a hind to get up and retreat to a safe distance. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51323608.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_107624176675ce33d2e8e.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 An Otter coming out of the loch with a freshly caught crab in its jaws. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54513686.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_20709281836910fa8311b4e.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 100 to 400mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49408455.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_84158832864b3b9699676e.jpgGannet - Morus bassanus Canon 800mm f9 for 1/1000th @ iso100 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50466527.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_172592508265a99f5305118.jpgRook - Corvus frugilegus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo47002912.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_18075777626307d17299a68.jpgBar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50090004.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1184693936522fbf4c5d50.jpgReed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43949150.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_3957416946147870b3420c.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/320th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-moore-natur-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_494693025c2d328485996.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/160th @ iso800 One of literally only a handful of Kingfisher images in 2018. https://www.grahammanson.com/rook-bird-photography-cheshire https://images.on-this.website/21764_151495118665ac1d4733307.jpgRook - Corvus frugilegus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/carrion-crow-pineways-appleton https://images.on-this.website/21764_551215233644c30c0d04ac.jpgCarrion Crow - Corvus corone Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso400 At least two pairs of Carrion Crows wander about the road, at certain times of year both pairs work either side of the pond collecting swan mussels which have come into the shallows. If the crows are unable to smash open the mussels with their beaks on the edge of the pond, they hop across the grass verges and use the kerbstones to get at the tasty morsels inside of the shells. Last year a pair of Ravens showed up quite regularly - dwarfing the crows in size, during their appearances the crows tended to make themselves scarce. The Ravens had attempted to nest on a mobile phone antenna on the golf course, but have been conspicuous by their absence this year, although they can be heard calling occasionally when they fly overhead. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49964784.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1398968076650ae20524551.jpgSlavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus Cannon 800mm f7.1 for 1/250th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/short-eared-owl-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_12987540715ca072483ad57.jpgShort-eared Owl - Asio flammeus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1250th @ iso1250 It is not uncommon to see the Short-eared owl hunting during the day. During the winter months birds from as far away as Russia, Iceland and the Nordic countries will over winter in the UK. There are a number of locations in the North West of England that these owls can be seen and many without the aid of a large lens or some of the kit the birdwatching fraternity use. https://www.grahammanson.com/collared-dove-urban-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_1460676575644d731794148.jpgCollared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto Canon 600mm f4 for 1/6400th @ iso400 The Collared Dove often seen in towns and gardens, these Doves only arrived in the UK in the 1950s, having spread across Europe from the Middle East. The Doves in our garden moved due to either the eggs being robbed by the local Magpies or the eggs where knocked out of the nest during their ongoing battle with the Wood Pigeons over the nesting site, the Wood Pigeons claiming and starting a nest first, before they where turfed out of the conifer by the Collared Doves. They have now nested above the bifold doors and do not seem phased by the people and dog traffic going in and out of the house. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37613306.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_18101223345c8aca260f3e0.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso800 The Black-necked grebe <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/black-necked-grebe-moore-nature" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/kestrel-falco-tinnunculus https://images.on-this.website/21764_8547246205ca5e5774e380.jpgKestrel - Falco tinnunculus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 A morning out with Roy at a random location somewhere in "deepest" Manchester - a rather uninspiring piece of parkland with people walking bull terrier type dogs. That rather uninspiring venue though held a sandbank full of Sand Martins, a Kingfisher nest in a sandbank just off the path, and kestrels on the Victorian bridge. The Kingfisher nest never reached it's full potential of turning out a batch of Kingfishers. When Roy was walking down the path one bright spring morning he noticed some activity below the nest and watched as mink climbed up the bank entered the burrow and finished off the Kingfishers ! He was so gutted by this massacre that he did not even press the shutter button. https://www.grahammanson.com/fallow-deer-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_212904156617530b62abaa.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/4000th @ iso400 Deer have a scent-detecting gland, a second nose ! This diamond shaped lump of tissue on the roof of the mouth is sometimes called the "Jacobs Organ" - this tissue is used to assess whether the females are in season and ready to mate. The Stags will move between the females in the herd testing the scents in the air. Autumn is the period when the rut is in full progress, the hills are full of the roars of the larger <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo38112767.html" target="_blank"> Red Deer </a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/autumn-rut-cheshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_20434220426517286485389.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Thrashing his antlers through the grass and the mud of the wallow - this stag prepares himself for the rut. A sound synonymous with autumn is that of the Red Deer Stags <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sia6dGaJTk" target="_blank">roaring</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/redshank-tringa-totanus https://images.on-this.website/21764_211106758264bd7c4208cdc.jpgRedshank - Tringa totanus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/blue-tit-cyanistes-caeruleus https://images.on-this.website/21764_95988907161a3dacd58499.jpgBlue Tit - Cyanistes caeruleus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/400th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-egret-graham-manson-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1290012743686c35af1e59d.jpgLittle Egret - Egretta garzetta Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/3200th @ iso250 https://www.grahammanson.com/fieldfare-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_3662264735c3116960e181.jpgFieldfare - Turdus pilaris Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso400 A member of the Thrush family roughly the size of a Mistle thrush - seen in flocks of up to a couple of hundred birds - mainly where there are trees bearing lots of berries - the Fieldfare will in varying flock sizes simply hoover up all the berries and move on. They can be a tricky bird to photograph - and difficult to approach - particularly "flighty" and when there is a reasonable number of birds in the flock that's a lot of eyes on the photographer !!! https://www.grahammanson.com/great-crested-grebe-warrington https://images.on-this.website/21764_1014547326424099a2a9c6.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/4000th @ iso400 Grebes are no exception within the waterfowl community and territorial disputes just like with the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/moore-cheshire-wildlife" target="_blank">Coots</a> and the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-heron-moore-nature-reserve" target="_blank">Herons</a> do break out. Usually these squabbles are short lived and over within seconds, in most cases it is when one or a pair of Grebes encroach into the established territories of other Grebes. https://www.grahammanson.com/bar-tailed-godwit-limosa-lapponica https://images.on-this.website/21764_13209209535c9e7efe71d63.jpgBar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso400 Along the Wirral coastline from Parkgate and views of both the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37795514.html" target="_blank">Short-eared</a> and <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/barn-owl-parkgate-wirral" target="_blank">Barn</a> owls is Meols. Like Parkgate, Meols is a coastal venue but unlike Parkgate which has a reed marsh for as far as the eye can see, this venue has endless sand and mudflats. The beach stretches all the way to New Brighton and around the corner at Perch Rock towards Liverpool. Along this stretch of prom numerous sea birds feed between the tides on the beach. <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/bar-tailed-godwit" target="_blank">Godwits</a> can often be seen along with <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/curlew-meols-wirral" target="_blank">Curlew</a>, Redshank, Oystercatchers and large flocks of Shelduck. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-hind-autumn https://images.on-this.website/21764_842588651651553be625eb.jpgRed Deer - Hind -Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43713265.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_991876138612536d531a46.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso400 Summer time up towards inverness and out on the hills a Mountain Hare in it's summer coat sits out on the hillside. During the winter months and into early Spring the Mountain Hare turns <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/march-mountain-hare-wildlife" target="_blank">white</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/bird-photography-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_8393504006148d954767f7.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/hooded-crow https://images.on-this.website/21764_1462474756666f336f61c4a.jpgHooded Crow - Corvus cornix Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50346105.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_130338665665665b62422aa.jpgRing Necked Parakeet - Psittacula krameri Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50223405.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_7043043716544022509656.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso400 A short video of the this stag can be seen <a href="https://youtu.be/h3AtNr4PX9M" target="_blank">here</a>. All day long and night long this stag roared at other stags and defended his hinds. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44463871.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_510928233618d6a6bd592b.jpgStonechat - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/march-mountain-hare-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_20798252165c27d967d3e00.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 100 to 400mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43795446.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_535270125612cebed442e7.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f4 for 1/250th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo29173579.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_70325086957e825b404d10.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f10 for 1/500th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/chiffchaff-phylloscopus-collybita https://images.on-this.website/21764_1410598902646a834ed9d1e.jpgChiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/redwing-turdus-iliacus https://images.on-this.website/21764_37796938965ad71d5e9eb2.jpgRedwing - Turdus iliacus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Flocks of both Redwing and Fieldfare feeding on the berry trees on Frodsham Marsh. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50441857.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_183651572765a1195105de3.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/rut-red-photography-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_11305701716542b4d99fb77.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon f4 for 1/400th @ iso1600 A short video of the two stags can be seen <a href="https://youtu.be/8xEGH_cDsJ4?si=H8ClcJKVbuf_Dhst" target="_blank">here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo41190608.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1103579915eaae221f0cfa.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/100th @ iso 400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51581656.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1330514533669683eaa0559.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo48855363.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_2064422986644c21334938b.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/3200th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49442188.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_83199285564b991fd01f8e.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/bittern-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_8572429645ab6aece7a5de.jpgBittern - Botaurus stellaris Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1600 @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo48493211.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_495377325640cedec3d4ad.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/2500th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40927045.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_6068268765e50104c8d31f.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/160th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/jackdaw-corvus-monedula-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1909351056659ebf57f2945.jpgJackdaw - Corvus monedula Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52823149.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_213358122067d5dd39a269b.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5.6 for 1/5000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52185859.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_205655994166f028a6735d7.jpgGrey Heron - Ardea cinerea Canon 600mm f5 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-heron-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_4195451565c312d3aa4f12.jpgGrey Heron - Ardea cinerea Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso500 Another shot from Moore Nature Reserve near Warrington. https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-motacilla-cinerea https://images.on-this.website/21764_27982453646f1dd4538d4.jpgGrey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/mute-swan-cygnus-olor https://images.on-this.website/21764_879139670646f1e5c39d66.jpgMute Swan - Cygnus olor Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Only two of the six cygnets survived. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43830404.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1358201070613505bb80cdd.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/stockton-heath-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1879230525656cf56183d2c.jpgRing Necked Parakeet - Psittacula krameri Canon 100-400mm @ 286mm f6.3 for 1/125th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/tawny-owl-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_327994281669ec365cf89f.jpgTawny Owl - Strix aluco Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/magpie-pica-pica https://images.on-this.website/21764_172498724065a14d0d445e3.jpgMagpie - Pica pica Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/pied-flycatcher-f-ficedula-hypoleuca https://images.on-this.website/21764_107670449561250595322e4.jpgPied Flycatcher (f) - Ficedula hypoleuca Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/80th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/yellow-wagtail-cheshire-frodsham-marsh https://images.on-this.website/21764_8190475076815cfd611b67.jpgYellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/4000th @ iso400 Cover image for May and maybe June depending on if and when I can get out to Bempton Cliffs or Cemlyn Bay for some sea bird photography ! Watching the Yellow Wagtails they always returned from foraging around the field for insects to the same stalks to sing or a stalk within a couple of feet radius so it was just a matter of sitting and waiting for the bird to return. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-f-lagopus-lagopus https://images.on-this.website/21764_211285834661a6877298f4a.jpgRed Grouse (f) - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/200th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-lepus-timidus https://images.on-this.website/21764_718805457cb14268b60c.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f3.2 for 1/1600th @ iso500 A Mountain Hare in it's summer coat - the colour of the Hares do vary greatly in the summer with varying shades of colour - whilst in the winter the coat is just <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/tetra-pak-estate-scotland" target="_blank">white</a> Not a great colour for the Hare when the snows don't arrive and make them a very obvious target for the Golden Eagles who hunt in and around the valley. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44463453.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1750509755618c25e09b3eb.jpgStarling - Sturnus vulgaris Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/320th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-north-wales-great-orme https://images.on-this.website/21764_824303379644f6ba0f1121.jpgDotterel - Charadrius morinellus Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/2000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/seal-thornback-ray-loch-linnhe https://images.on-this.website/21764_1626263476665ec0a929ce.jpgGrey Seal - Halichoerus grypus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso400 The remains of the seals catch a reasonable sized Thornback Ray. https://www.grahammanson.com/pied-wagtail-snow-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_51894455765af9eb049b17.jpgPied Wagtail - Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/fallow-deer-dama-dama https://images.on-this.website/21764_57042431365b181de4e4f8.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 100 to 400mm @ 153mm f5.6 for 1/500th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49805381.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_133917438364ee626bc19a0.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/640th @ iso400 For a short video clip of a Kingfisher fishing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSodnTiMNds"target="_blank">click here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/coot-chick-wildlife-appleton-pineways https://images.on-this.website/21764_7231790586135091591ee8.jpgCoot (juv) - Fulica atra Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-heron-appleton-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_26096840268417a511e125.jpgGrey Heron - Ardea cinerea Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso400 A Heron on the pond looks skyward spooked for a moment by the two circling Herring Gulls who have take up residence on the pond. The gulls spend most of the lifting the swan mussels from the pond and using the pavement to break the shells. https://www.grahammanson.com/waxwing-berries-north-wales-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_114224255565f210b76abad.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/cormorant-phalacrocorax-carbo https://images.on-this.website/21764_16678120863cfe04949a5e.jpgCormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo Canon 600mm f4.0 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Now an all to common sight on inland waterways, and a fairly frequent visitor to the pond, albeit in my opinion an unwelcome visitor, I suspect some of the neighbours quite like to see it, especially when it stands about drying it’s wings. The number of fish have dwindled in the pond and some larger fish inhabitants which include a shoal of Bream are certainly looking less in number. This visitor probably accounts for the biggest reduction of fish and can quite often be seen swimming about and fishing. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo48195533.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_89564347263d0252197793.jpgBlackbird - Turdus merula Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-photographer-wildlife-robin https://images.on-this.website/21764_1916088229646a7dd0aa780.jpgRobin - Erithacus rubecula Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 The Robin on the left hand side of the spade handle alights momentarily, approx four frames at 1/2500th of a second. when out collecting food for their young, very rarely would both be together I guess incase they where grabbed by the local <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/sparrowhawk-accipiter-nisus" target="_blank"> Sparrowhawk </a>. Even when they did land close to each other one of the birds would immediately fly off. https://www.grahammanson.com/stag-red-deer-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_2118586026651291af8f455.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 And so Autumn 2023 arrives….. the stag “fresh” from the wallow, roars to let both other stags and the hinds know of his whereabouts. As the leaves start to turn colour and fall from the trees the stags begin their annual rut and start to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sia6dGaJTk" target="_blank">roar</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-river-alyn https://images.on-this.website/21764_2819522265c5495f480573.jpgGrey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/200th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/barn-owl-sefton https://images.on-this.website/21764_4663009615a777cfab2095.jpgBarn Owl - Tyto alba Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/2000th @ iso800 Out on the hunt - the Barn Owls working hard to provide a constant supply of mice, rats and voles to a number of chicks. For this bird it is a repeat process with no break in the process - hunt, return, feed the young and back out again. This Barn Owl heading out into what is the last useable light for photography - and while we gave up after this shot - the bird would continue working thought the night or at least for most of it. Resuming its hunting at first light. https://www.grahammanson.com/bird-photography-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_12129009565e483a9d03109.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso400 An early morning fishing session for this Kingfisher sitting on a branch complete with a spiders web and spiders "breakfast" - the Kingfisher will sit about watching the water below for movement before diving to catch a stickleback - it is with a degree of certainty that the catch will be a stickleback as there seems to be very few other fish in the lake !!! A pity the lakes at the reserve don't have more fish in them as they would surely attract a far more varied of wildlife to them. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse https://images.on-this.website/21764_68636901618d6a72337c1.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37425491.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_6802391375c6b0dcb06405.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso400 Although the sun shone the wind howled through the valley and I remember the ground was absolutely soaking the lichen and moss ground holding the water like a giant sponge. The water in the air was not rain but the spray from the river as the wind whipped the water up. There was not a soul in the valley which was pretty how much it was a few years back, no organised photo tours had yet been formed which have now produced groups of up to ten photographers in a semi-circle around a hare. The hare sat sheltering in front of the slight undulation on the ground. Despite the wind break the fur on the hare was being blown forward. After a short while David came into sight making his way along the path by the river and when he got up to where I was we moved on buffeted and blown by the strong winds. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-cairngorm-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_15436403765c608372cd90c.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso800 Up on the moors above Inverness with David we watched a Golden Eagle fly through the valley below the road - the bird lit by the setting sun - what an amazing sight with the Eagle living up to the it's name "Golden" as the sun enhanced the colours of the feathers. Whilst we had what seemed an age watching it glide ahead of us - it was one of those moments to stand and watch not a chance of getting a photograph as it moved ahead of us and landed in a small group of trees further up the valley. We settled in terms of photography to grab a couple of shots of this Red Grouse enjoying the last rays of the evening sunshine. https://www.grahammanson.com/yellowhammer-dalendrien-stronchreggan https://images.on-this.website/21764_15945335015c6835f86de16.jpgYellowhammer - Emberiza citrinella Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Like a beacon of yellow in the Ardnamurchan countryside, the Yellowhammer really stood out in the bare trees of the April countryside. A couple of hundred miles south and around the village of Hatton and down at Moore Nature Reserve these colourful birds members of the Bunting family although classified at Red status are frequently seen on the hedges. More photographs at <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dalendrien-birds-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Dalendrien Birds</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-conaglen-estate https://images.on-this.website/21764_2035788663618002f871a6c.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 400mm + 1.4tc f4 for 1/125th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52312100.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_7427171967141814622a5.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600m f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 The rut takes its toll !!! https://www.grahammanson.com/carrion-crow-corvus-corone https://images.on-this.website/21764_157111562065ac1b167f2a2.jpgCarrion Crow - Corvus corone Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/mallard-anas-platyrhynchos https://images.on-this.website/21764_44765218065ef72500af84.jpgMallard - Anas platyrhynchos https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-wrexham-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_1441082075c37bc2ba8fb1.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/640th @ iso400 Not an RSPB Red list bird - but an Amber list species, health and loss of habitat are the believed to be the contributing factors to the birds decline. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49422523.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_169405760864b5a2248f5e5.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/320th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43713269.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_181676704561253cd5d2219.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/640th @ iso400 Up on the moors a Black Grouse issues a challenge to other birds on the lek. https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-wildlife-photography-stalking-magpie https://images.on-this.website/21764_15738788815c802d85e4964.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f8 1/400th @ iso200 It should be noted that no Magpies were harmed in the taking of this photograph !! In reality they never seem to be - although given half a chance I am sure the fox would have one or two as they are the scourge of the foxes life. If anything is likely to give away the presence and ruin a potential hunt it is the Magpie. They always seem to manage to remain close to the foxes but just out of reach from a potential lunge and set of teeth. A bit of tale about an early evening venture out photographing <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-sparrowhawk-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37326845.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_3215375855c50a42a229a2.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso1250 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43997980.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_15634755956148c9efe37f7.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54275681.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_51369181868cec1dad2252.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 A Red Deer Stag chases a hind who has slipped away from his harem. The Stag attempts to cut her off and move her back to the herd. Despite his best efforts this hind was agile enough to avoid being rounded up and off she went to join another male. Quite often when the stag is fixed on rounding up one particular hind, other hinds will wander away whilst the stag is distracted. https://www.grahammanson.com/herring-gull-larus-argentatus https://images.on-this.website/21764_19534264565c93da86a7cfc.jpgHerring Gull - Larus argentatus Canon 400mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso200 One from a series of shots -taken over on the cliffs in Yorkshire. How the chick had found its way on to the higher parts of the cliff I am not sure. The gull arrived and initially the chick though it was going to be fed and moved forward beak open waiting to be fed - in but a moment in, the chick realised following a short stab from the gulls beak that this was not a parent bird arriving to care for it. The chick tried to escape the gull calling out as it floundered in the grass it's little legs not adapted to propelling it through the long grass - the end was neither quick nor pleasant for the chick. The gull already with blood on it from anther hapless chick - attacked it and was able initially to get it into it's beak - the commotion attracted another gull - the bird with the chick flew off from the cliff, the chick all the time calling out - the second gull locked its beak onto part of the chick and both gulls performed an aerial tug of war until the end came and both birds got a share of the chick as it was pulled apart in mid-air. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-backed-shrike-lanius-collurio https://images.on-this.website/21764_665531868669e63025a209.jpgRed-backed Shrike - Lanius collurio Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso400 Every so often the marsh can throw a curveball, and so it was whilst chasing the ever wary and very reluctant to be photographed ravens whose numbers are increasing down on the marsh. The curve ball came in the shape of a Red-backed shrike, and a male bird at that with its distinctive plumage. A barded wire and wooden rail fence hopper who although was tolerant of being photographed would never sit with the light behind it. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50143899.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1985632425652d935c2bf24.jpgRed Grouse (f) - Lagopus lagopus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/great-crested-grebe https://images.on-this.website/21764_260083185680279633d176.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 6000mm f7.1 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Great Crested Grebes mating, the female using the nest in this case to rest on, before she lies down and the pair are together, she makes a very distinctive “come and get me call” and whilst prying on their personal life, it is then a question of camera ready and hope the mating takes place with the birds facing the camera. Over the last few weeks there have been several matings from this pair but with the male and female facing away from the camera. https://www.grahammanson.com/osprey-scotland-aviemore https://images.on-this.website/21764_936774175c7b9e22841b0.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f9 for 1/1600th @ iso800 Ok so a bird on a stick photo - but it is an Osprey - so I can live with that. This juvenile now past the stage of just flexing wing muscles is venturing away from the nest and from it's two siblings. Not a great distance from the nest and more on a downward trajectory the old dead pine was the last chance to land on something solid before an untimely dip in the loch. The pine tree in itself with the right light would be worthy of a photography. After some very ungainly wing balancing and flapping about combined with extreme wobbles the bird settles down and for a few moments gains a degree of balance. But what to do next..... https://www.grahammanson.com/coot-fulica-atra https://images.on-this.website/21764_49316481764b98f91b21f4.jpgCoot - Fulica atra Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/crested-tit-lophophanes-cristatus https://images.on-this.website/21764_81642385c3d04d1ede7f.jpgCrested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus Canon 400mm f6.3 for 1/250th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52292233.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1299287542670c0f9a6daf7.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 All the rounding up of hinds, the stopping of them wandering, the continuous pacing around the hinds, the roaring and the fending off of other males, either by the roars, walking shoulder to shoulder and if all that fails the locking of antlers in combat, leads to the ability to mate with the hinds. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50089960.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_15225380326522fb15354cd.jpgPuffin - Fratercula arctica Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/2000th @ is0200 https://www.grahammanson.com/coal-tit-periparus-ater https://images.on-this.website/21764_104696613561a3d8428e16a.jpgCoal Tit - Periparus ater Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43653882.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_820481192611ab49270fa7.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 400mm f5.6 for 1/500th @ iso400 Driving up into the hills behind the village of Strontian to photograph <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-stag-strontian" target="_blank">Stags</a> as we drove along the road at the top end of Loch Sunart we spotted an Otter heading out into the Loch - finding a suitable passing place to pull over - a quick shot of the Otter before he went on his way down the Loch. https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-heron-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_3733552065c92534770de6.jpgGrey Heron - Ardea cinerea Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/starling-sturnus-vulgaris https://images.on-this.website/21764_228809082612d31474b70a.jpgStarling - Sturnus vulgaris Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo41190609.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_9645285535eaae23ee6712.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 100-400mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/water-rail https://images.on-this.website/21764_927765568611ab5927f460.jpgWater Rail - Rallus aquaticus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/200th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/bullfinch-pyrrhula-pyrrhula https://images.on-this.website/21764_1470146166522f8ce67734.jpgBullfinch - Pyrrhula pyrrhula Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/reed-warbler-acrocephalus-scirpaceus https://images.on-this.website/21764_146487108564bd7cfac2d03.jpgReed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/godwit https://images.on-this.website/21764_1757084890611a97893dd84.jpgBar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso400 A bit of tail feather pulling as to Godwits squabble over a feeding spot. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-sciurus-vulgaris https://images.on-this.website/21764_8875248245c69cb291e7c0.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon 400mm f4 for 1/125th @ iso2000 One animal that predates the Red Squirrel is the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a>. In areas of reintroduction of the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a> outside of it's stronghold of the Highlands, the Pine Marten is making a slow return, following years of both persecution and habit loss. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51283956.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_782708584666a08b7a4dea.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon f5 for 1/3200th @ iso400 A lot of the small crabs and small fish are eaten offshore but some of the larger crabs are brought ashore. https://www.grahammanson.com/tawny-owl-derbyshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_1692725468611ab59896756.jpgTawny Owl - Strix aluco Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/250th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-cairngorms https://images.on-this.website/21764_7910161135c68730e392ee.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso400 A few photographs of Mountain Hares in their different colour stages can be seen <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/hare-colour" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_893910664650ae206e7a4b.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44483607.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_37514922361912565b7733.jpgStonechat - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/avocet-recurvirostra-avosetta https://images.on-this.website/21764_666422243612cebeb27389.jpgAvocet - Recurvirostra avosetta Canon 800mm 5.6 for 1/500th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53373187.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_163544793768447f981503e.jpgMallard - Anas platyrhynchos Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 One of the few ducklings that hatched this year having made it to a reasonable size, still in a family group, but it has made it to a decent size avoiding the many hazards others have not. It was Friday of this week that one of the neighbours ushered out of her back garden a group of 8 ducklings across the road and onto the pond. In the previous days when the ducklings where in her garden, the garden had resembled a seen from Alfred Hitchcock The Birds, as the crows having discovered them sat about on her boundary fence waiting for the right moment to grab one of the ducklings. By Saturday there were only 5 ducklings left and then by Saturday evening 4 as one fell victim to one of the Herring Gulls. https://www.grahammanson.com/moorhen-gallinula-chloropus https://images.on-this.website/21764_53495562963dd025435e65.jpgMoorhen - Gallinula chloropus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52304327.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_993721315670fb1e0e732f.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44175003.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1900800920615c9c60007d7.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/4000th @ iso800 Probably one of the most photogenic birds, the Great Crested Grebe, during Victorian times these birds where hunted to the brink of extinction. Their head plumes were used for decorating ladies hats and used in underwear. The Great Crested Grebe is the largest of the Grebes and most frequently seen - during the Spring their courtship dance is worth seeing. Both birds "stand up" in the water, there is lots of head shaking and the birds bring weed or similar to each other. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52227480.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_79173653166fa89683d565.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1600th @ iso400 New wings present new challenges for this juvenile Osprey, now out of the nest and mastering the art of flight, this Osprey struggles to balance after a short flight around the loch. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52304424.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_731732813670fb4a406dd3.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 The mating. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52264310.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_190954693767066bc073b97.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Straight out of a wallow this stag announces its presence. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44505715.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_4716964956192733103715.jpgPtarmigan - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-seal https://images.on-this.website/21764_124865794557825c9132922.jpgGrey Seal - Halichoerus grypus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49419574.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_167944130464b45c6edaf3f.jpgGannet - Morus bassanus Canon 400mm + 1.4tc f9 for 1/1000th @ iso125 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44505676.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1938985138619272ad388c8.jpgPtarmigan - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/320th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50486706.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_180761238565afa705579af.jpgRook - Corvus frugilegus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Most of the snow cleared and all that remains are the cold temperatures and a dusting of ice across the 5 bar gate posts. The Rooks are particularly active, some days at the gate it can be a mixture of Corvids and other days mainly one species. Today it was Rooks plus two Jackdaws and no Magpies. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50470447.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_112182409865abef3f96cd6.jpgHerring Gull - Larus argentatus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso400 A number of Swan Mussels have become trapped in the ice of the frozen pond. The Herring Gulls and Crows spend their time either trying to remove the mussels from the ice or smashing through the shell in situ and eating the contents in situ. https://www.grahammanson.com/paddock-little-owl-photographer-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_424413046611ab49295514.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 400mm f5 for 1/640th @ iso500 A juvenile Little Owl out in the open of the paddock one of it's first forays outside the nest area looking for prey items in the grass. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43830583.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_103235712461350911c5766.jpgGannet - Morus bassanus Canon 800mm f11 for 1/250th @ iso100 https://www.grahammanson.com/shag-phalacrocorax-aristotelis https://images.on-this.website/21764_8191113325e39d59ccc51d.jpgShag - Phalacrocorax aristotelis Canon 300mm f9 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53048939.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_6648516756807eed1a79ef.jpgCoot - Fulica atra Canon 600mm f5 for 1/4000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52190509.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_53300674166f181213a3b3.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40931474.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_446130365e505352c75ef.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso400 "The one that got away" - the Kingfisher loses it's catch and the fish tumbles back into the lake. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo38112767.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_16146839605cc1c1d8ca235.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/160th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51069067.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_112937118566427387d0c69.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 An adult Dipper feeds a juvenile. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53048943.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17303118756807f92430fb1.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5 for 1/5000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-hind-boxing-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_631327230652d96d458ca7.jpgRed Deer Hind - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 Watched by other hinds these two hinds rear up on their hind legs to settle a difference. https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-heron-ardea-cinerea https://images.on-this.website/21764_9477071695eaae34d7e2eb.jpgGrey Heron - Ardea cinerea Canon 400mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54858598.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_176922278069ac53a94eb23.jpgGrey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 A Grey Wagtail makes it way along the moss covered bank with the river running slightly lower than during the peak of the rains. Both male and female are flitting about the river looking for a nesting spot - competing with the Dippers in the feeding spots of the shallows. https://www.grahammanson.com/pine-marten-martes-martes https://images.on-this.website/21764_11205946546710235b49074.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon 300mm f4 for 1/250th @ iso2000 A curious Pine Marten. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54520438.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17790195436917128cc36fb.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso640 Once upon a time an otter was seen on this stretch of river I always live in hope of a repeat sighting, but once again it was just the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-river-alyn" target="_blank">Grey Wagtails</a> and Dipper. Not one Dipper but three feeding in the ice cold waters of the weir. Water levels are rising and crashing down to the river below, the Dippers beginning to struggle in their usual hunting spots now seeking the relatively calmer areas of the river. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-cairngorms-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_15764267565c291b6715523.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon 100-400mm f6.3 for 1/250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-wildlife-photography-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_12029150346449f8167e3b2.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f.5.6 for 1/200th @ iso400 First light on the moors and a Red Grouse calls to announce it's presence and territorial rights. For a short video clip of a female Red Grouse feeding on heather shoots <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3T_8hhIfnc"target="_blank">click here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/snow-red-grouse https://images.on-this.website/21764_10558565325c61bc1ba3bee.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/250th @ iso800 In the midst of a snow storm with visibility dropping by the second a female Red Grouse stands on top of the heather snow falling all around her turning the landscape white. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo41192155.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_7322203085eab19d4115b7.jpgGannet - Morus bassanus Canon 400mm f8 for 1/800th @ iso100 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-stag-ardnamurchan-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_18771807105caf8a7368a54.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/200th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44499658.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_207153477961924dd0f3742.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f4.5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 A Mountain Hare cleans itself up the hares coat now changed from the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/march-mountain-hare-wildlife" target="_blank"> white coat </a> of winter. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo41083945.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17163834705e6d3ada72ac2.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/200th @ iso800 Whilst off the hill there is often not a sign of ice or snow - up on the hill the Black Grouse have experienced and survived another chilly night - this bird sits just off the lek soaking up the first rays of the morning sun. It is a good 45 minutes after sunrise before any sunlight "hits" the lek, the sun coming up over the hills and then creeps from the back of the lek eventually lighting up the whole of the lek. https://www.grahammanson.com/yellow-wagtail-motacilla-flava https://images.on-this.website/21764_18463298286461e4c959fcd.jpgYellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52264346.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_19807677776706946a0b408.jpgTurnstone - Arenaria interpres Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1250th @ iso400 What’s the chances of that ! A Turnstone has a Cockle attached to its foot - presumably as the Turnstone had been wading in the shallows it had trodden on the Cockle which had closed around the foot. https://www.grahammanson.com/waxwing-warrington-urban-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_2110740431613c53cf82bf5.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 400mm f6.3 for 1/2500th @ iso400 An occasional winter visitor to the UK from Northern Europe, in this case to what was the old B&Q site in Warrington. Along with the car showroom next door the original developers planted lots of rowan trees in the carpark, which when the winters are really "hard" on mainland Europe, can bring flocks of these birds to the same location every few years, where they along with the local residents, Starlings, Blackbirds, Mistle and Song Thrush plus species such as Redwing and Fieldfare systematically strip the berries from the trees. https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-wagtail-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_4623039175c8ea46e70013.jpgPied Wagtail - Motacilla alba Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/leasowe-beach-curlew-bird-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_4515318146307d16d3b0ef.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-f-saxicola-rubicola https://images.on-this.website/21764_19458881306120e80929374.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/oystercatcher-haematopus-ostralegus https://images.on-this.website/21764_12980223085e48504b8cba3.jpgOysterCatcher - Haematopus ostralegus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/marsh-harrier-circus-aeruginosus https://images.on-this.website/21764_171133164356fee0e017ea2.jpgMarsh Harrier - Circus aeruginosus Canon 300mm f5 for 1/6400th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44427530.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_16786159826187dfcf15211.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso800 Hidden in the darkness of the woodland and ferns this young buck keeps out of the way of the larger <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/fallow-deer" target="_blank"> Bucks. </a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34288401.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_11151319335aae2fa40e3f9.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/500 @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-photography-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_162390227685705a4b2902.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/640th @ iso400 Seconds before taking the photo the Grebe scene had been up at 1/2000th of a second, but as the Grebe zoned in on the damsel fly resting to the left of the photo on the surface of the water, a lone cloud went over the sun. The Grebe closed on the tasty snack and I clicked the shutter, no time to up the iso. Back on the other pond the Great Crested Grebes are incubating eggs, unaware of the impending doom that will befall the nest, the British weather. A short video of the changeover at the nest can be <a href="https://youtu.be/-w3J1jdz_hY" target="_blank">found here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52316335.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_120293503467155db177039.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Hot breath on an autumn morning. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34306817.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_7875381465ab54ecc39cb9.jpgSlavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus Canon 800mm f5,6 for 1/400th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/goldfinch-carduelis-carduelis https://images.on-this.website/21764_43956766155a329f3c84.jpgGoldfinch - Carduelis carduelis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/250th @ iso400 Goldfinch on teasel - places like Frodsham Marsh where vast swathes of teasel grow, it is not uncommon to see large flocks of Goldfinch feeding on the teasel heads. https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-red-deer-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_6870939536714159fcceeb.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/3200th @ iso400 After the roaring, the parallel walking and more roaring, the Stags believe both are equal and what follows is probably one of the most spectacular autumnal sights and sounds, antlers come together and the fight is on - with only one winner. For some video footage of the stags <a href="https://youtu.be/6LY11ZWN8L4?si=9zIIwY-FbmP2B5EIl" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/skylark-alauda-arvensis https://images.on-this.website/21764_761314022612536cf984f0.jpgSkylark - Alauda arvensis Canon 800mm f8 f0r 1/1000th @ iso400 A Skylark sits soaking up the early morning sun. It wont be long before it is airborne and singing a familiar sound across the moors. https://www.grahammanson.com/short-eared-owl-burd-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1648359265e110994b7543.jpgShort-eared Owl - Asio flammeus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso800 A Short Eared Owl hunting on the marshes at Parkgate on the Wirral. These owls share the hunting "rights" of the marsh along with <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/barn-owl-parkgate-wirral" target="_blank">Barn Owls</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/tree-creeper-ardnmurchan-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_115837770462fe4441a415b.jpgTree Creeper - Certhia familiaris https://www.grahammanson.com/snow-mountain-hare-scotland https://images.on-this.website/21764_6927232235e49b48cdafc2.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso2000 Blizzard conditions arrived literally out of the "blue" - as in one minute the sky was blue the hillside a rich deep auburn colour the heather bathed in morning light. A huge bank of cloud appeared above the hillside and preceding the cloud and blowing in the wind the first few snow flakes began to fall - then there was what can only be described as a white out happened - in the space of seconds the temperate plummeted and the hillsides turned white - the snow fell so quickly the hare who had been doing what <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-cairngorms" target="_blank">Mountain Hares</a> do best - sitting - that sitting interspersed with feeding - just disappeared from view. The end of my 300 lens froze over as the snow found its way into the lens hood coating half of the lens in a mixture of ice and blown snow, successive attempts to clean it up just left huge smear marks across the end of the lens, which despite vigorous cleaning only got worse with the wet snow spreading across the whole surface of the lens. Whilst it is always good to get photographs of <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-cairngorms-wildlife" target="_blank">Mountain Hare</a> and indeed other wildlife in snow especially combined with some good light and pristine snow - this photo shows the reality for these animals and both how hardy and adapted to the mountains they are. If you think the hare looks "rough" spare a thought for David and I !!! The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/march-mountain-hare-wildlife" target="_blank">Mountain Hare</a> may well be adapted to the cold and harsh weather conditions that occur in the mountains, but like the rest of us the Hares are not immune to the midges which come out in their "millions" during the summer months !! Between bouts of resting up and feeding they spend a good deal of time <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-itch" target="_blank">itching</a>. If you know where to look, the summer months give you a good chance of seeing the Mountain Hare <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/hare-leveret-wildlife-photography"target="_blank">leverets</a>. The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/leveret-cairngorm-wildlife-photography"target="_blank">leverets</a> tend to be found on the higher slopes and are often tucked away in the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/hare-leveret-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">heather and ferns</a> of the hillsides sharing their "high altitude homes" with <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-cairngorm-wildlife"target="_blank">Red Grouse</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37869283.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1935905555ca671528c256.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37175723.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_15393615345c27ca383451b.jpgGreater Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major Canon 100-400mm @ 360mm F5.6 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-lutra-lutra https://images.on-this.website/21764_420993529611ab496a7d23.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 400 f6.3 for 1/500th @ is0400 https://www.grahammanson.com/fallow-deer-cheshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_4155848375429bdc3461dc.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 300mm f8 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse https://images.on-this.website/21764_18698857665e6d38b166991.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f5.6 1/1250th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37694561.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_16723212465c953f5461539.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f8 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/fieldfare-turdus-pilaris https://images.on-this.website/21764_151876875365ad71d437457.jpgFieldfare - Turdus pilaris Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1250th @ iso500 Fieldfare and Redwing flocks along with Blackbirds and both Mistle and Song Thrush descend on the Hawthorn trees of Frodsham Marsh. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-formby https://images.on-this.website/21764_13731356125c5e8233d590f.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34291175.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_9646047775aae78f5cf9b9.jpgCrested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/250th @ iso1000 https://www.grahammanson.com/grey-seal-halichoerus-grypus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1068761175579e629e2e869.jpgGrey Seal - Halichoerus grypus Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/200th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37326471.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_3204437115c50861319878.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 It must be six years or more since a day trip out with Steve and Roy ended up with a quick trip out to see these birds. For those years most Sundays have weather permitting has seen me meet up with Roy to watch the goings on of these original male and female - she having in the last two years has been replaced by a younger and trimmer model ! Each year three young have been raised fledged and moved off from the nest site - the blokes who originally built the structure a hundred years or more ago would never have thought that Peregrines would be utilising their handy work. Between us we have over the time seen some sights from juveniles on the floor falling gently post frantic flapping in the nest to strengthen wing muscles and remove the downy white feathers. Adults have challenged anything within their airspace which seems to be as far as the Peregrine eye can see - certainly frantic calling between the pair can start well in advance before Roy or I could see what it was that they were unhappy about. More often than not it is another Peregrine - perhaps a previous years juvenile - or another passing bird - but aerial combat post a launch from the site is not uncommon. A Peregrine flying past at head height is some experience s the bird binds to one of the many magpies which potter about collecting scraps which are dropped from the nest site. The security guards large German Shepard is allegedly friendly and I am sure it has a passion for Roy's leg - probably given the chance an early morning snack. I am sure the security chaps think we are mad stood about but they see them everyday !! https://www.grahammanson.com/redstart-f-phoenicurus-phoenicurus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1765633606612536d9ee591.jpgRedstart (f) - Phoenicurus phoenicurus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/meadow-pipit-loch-eil https://images.on-this.website/21764_83952355762efcb93a0f55.jpgMeadow Pipit - Canon 600mm f5 for 1/800th @ iso400 A lone Meadow Pipit sits on top of the seaweed at low tide on Loch Eil. https://www.grahammanson.com/bearded-tit https://images.on-this.website/21764_16924210185c896f0a42c92.jpgBearded tit - Panurus biarmicus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/redstart-phoenicurus-phoenicurus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1894738612536d2df477.jpgRedstart - Phoenicurus phoenicurus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/whitethroat-sylvia-communis https://images.on-this.website/21764_2762645535e39cd67a14d4.jpgWhitethroat - Sylvia communis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/320th @ iso800 A stroll or slow drive Lordship Lane on Frodsham Marsh during the spring and it seems that Whitethroat have set up territories in every Hawthorn tree. Spring on the Marsh also sees the arrival of the lambs, and these little creatures newly born offer opportunities for a meal to both the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/buzzard-frodsham-marsh"target="_blank">Buzzards</a> and Ravens. https://www.grahammanson.com/dunlin-ardnamurchan-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_155514006161560821b21c0.jpgDunlin - Calidris alpina Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/320th @ iso400 On the beach below <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dalendrien-birds-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Dalendrien house</a> a small number of Dunlin have arrived on the pebble covered beach. The Dunlin is the most common small wader in the UK, the flocks can numbers thousands of birds. The Dunlin feeding along with Plovers on the shoreline. https://www.grahammanson.com/kittiwakes-rissa-tridactyla https://images.on-this.website/21764_1536423445c953f5151614.jpgKittiwakes - Rissa tridactyla Canon f8 for 1/5000th @iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/minera-whinchat-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_15645358005cdc7644b2915.jpgWinchat - Saxicola rubetra Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/320th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/snow-bunting-plectrophenax-nivalis https://images.on-this.website/21764_13418002795c339082c4def.jpgSnow Bunting - Plectrophenax nivalis Canon 800mm f6,3 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37255870.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_12759475735c3cee197ed3f.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 100 to 400mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-scotland-snow https://images.on-this.website/21764_1671237565532ab0ca0cd95.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f5.6 for 1/800 @ iso2000 https://www.grahammanson.com/dolphin-inverness https://images.on-this.website/21764_15755182524ff06e2167687.jpgBottlenose Dolphins - Tursiops truncatus 400mm f8 for 1/1000 @ iso400 Photograph taken in the Moray Firth. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34297689.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_18005033805ab0226f0cf40.jpgSlavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51879740.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_160937152566c86bc157208.jpgRed-backed Shrike - Lanius collurio Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso400 From Wheatear to Whinchat the cattle grid on the Marsh always throws up something to photograph. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37697401.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_14973211815c954ec891289.jpgGrasshopper Warbler - Locustella naevia Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_109595047466fa89517c05a.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/160th @ iso800 On the hunt or scavenge a fox in a landscape that is becoming very autumnal is alerted by something off in the distance. https://www.grahammanson.com/common-seal https://images.on-this.website/21764_9329648865132c1c4e9ed.jpgGrey Seal - Halichoerus grypus Canon 300mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso320 Grey Seals hauled out on the rocks waiting for high tide. https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-itch https://images.on-this.website/21764_8606710305e49b1d377f81.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f5.6 for 1/640th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/curlew-numenius-arquata https://images.on-this.website/21764_6770913495c3b97f886a39.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/pine-marten-strontian-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_785159139580680d9ebc84.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon300mm f3.5 for 1/200th @ iso1600 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-minera-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_12973727785c5c7f6779198.jpgRed Grouse (F) - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/200th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/skylark-moors https://images.on-this.website/21764_6544240845cc20d9a4a041.jpgSkylark - Alauda arvensis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_12914864425c4da0aa31a79.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52190511.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_172770835366f1825ba29a0.jpgCommon Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos Canon 600mm f5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 If anything is going to give your presence away it is the Sandpiper, when disturbed they fly for metres along the beach calling out with a shrill call - there is no escaping them as they alert everything in the vicinity to your presence. https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-wildlife-red-deer https://images.on-this.website/21764_1901517324615db4e369810.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/250th @ iso800 In the hills of Ardnamurchan a stag on the Conaglen Estate. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37689026.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_6630263845c93d87e22c2b.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/200th @ iso1250 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-owl-graham-manson-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_17242848766302592498d8a.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/buzzard-frodsham-marsh https://images.on-this.website/21764_13013473935c339083f36c7.jpgBuzzard - Buteo buteo Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-inverness-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_18184563865c7ae9afce5b0.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon f6.3 for 1/200th @ iso1250th Following a hearty breakfast at "chez David" and a short drive to the forest we plonked ourselves down in the forest. When we arrived the sun had broken through the milky grey clouds and that was probably to be our final view of any sunshine for the day ! Still recovering from the drive north - the journey the more times you do it does not get any easier and for me the longest stretch is the run from Glasgow up past Stirling and to the roundabout that starts the 140 mile trek north - the sat nav showing a left hand turn 140 miles away - a straight run up the A9, albeit through some great landscape. The A9 although continually being modernised is a road that definitely keeps you on your "toes". The winter weather having in some places severely eroded the road surface making for a less than enjoyable driving experience. Just two of us were out on this trip to the forest as Margaret was off photographing landscapes in Norway. No doubt they will be available for viewing on her website on the <a href="http://visionsofnature.co.uk/image-of-the-month/" target="_blank">image of the month page</a> shortly. Sitting quietly and comfortably in the forest we waited - the wind howled through the tops of the trees - the BBC weather app had predicted sunshine - that sunshine was not evident and the grey and black clouds moved quickly across the sky. It is surprising how noisy the forest can whilst the forest dwellers go about their daily business, The squirrels in particular make quite a lot of noise when moving through the canopy and then up and down the tree trunks their claws making a loud scratching noises and announcing their presence. The nosiest forest dwellers being the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/greater-spotted-woodpecker-dendrocopos-major" target="_blank">Greater Spotted Woodpeckers</a> drumming on the tree trunks. Sudden outbreaks of complete silence, the chaffinch. goldcrest, coal tit etc stopping their calling usually indicates the presence of the local sparrowhawk the forest falls as quiet as the proverbial grave. We staid put for several hours the squirrels coming and going until a point was reached where they had moved on elsewhere. In a few hours the nocturnal forest dwellers would be on the move. Probably the most enigmatic of those nocturnal wanderers is the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a>. David has trail cam footage of the Pine Marten along with a few shots of a Goshawk reducing the local Jay population. The venue is completely natural so photography can be both challenging and rewarding, a venue without carefully positioned props - it is simply a place where squirrels come and go and clamber over the previously logged stumps the bark fragile as they weather down. They jump around in and out of the clumps of heather and clambering over fallen branches. A short video clip of a <a href="https://youtu.be/rNkiV_Sav5w" target="_blank">Red Squirrel</a> feeding in the forest. No sun shone on the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37179258.html" target="_blank">squirrels</a> and as forest appeared to be devoid of any wildlife and before the day drew to a close we drove out to have a look at the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34210877.html " target="_blank">hare.</a> Although we knew there would be no hare in snow as the warm temperatures of the previous days of January and February had either melted any snow that was lying on the ground or snow had simply not fallen. Strange weather. Arriving at the venue the rain poured down and so we sat in the car - one of us snoozing ! Large black clouds scudded east dumping tons of water on the hills. Whatever the weather and regardless of the number of photographs taken it is a great "playground" to be in. https://www.grahammanson.com/pine-marten-ardnamurchan-wildlife-clavan https://images.on-this.website/21764_203170099853b9ae6ecfe33.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon 300mm f2.8 for 1/160 @ iso4000 https://www.grahammanson.com/merganser https://images.on-this.website/21764_20177506525c33908000b5c.jpgMerganser - Mergus serrator Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53361791.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_3441393206840abc1515c3.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/carrion-crow-appleton-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_259736125659ebf590f15a.jpgCarrion Crow - Corvus corone Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/320th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-dalendrien-house https://images.on-this.website/21764_162035968662f00888189db.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso500 One of two squirrels who have taken up a semi-permanent residence at Dalendrien House. https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-north-wales-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_10619758765d051158288da.jpgStonechat (F) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-cuculus-canorus https://images.on-this.website/21764_19097443535d0152fb739e5.jpgCuckoo - Cuculus canorus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/2000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/tatton-park-red-deer-rut https://images.on-this.website/21764_74818552461a67e3654885.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso640 Autumn has arrived and the rut has started. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50471250.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_69076163865ac1d4d8165a.jpgCarrion Crow - Corvus corone Canon 600mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso400 Temperatures are below zero and the birds around the pond are all foraging for any food items they can find. https://www.grahammanson.com/mistle-thrush-turdus-viscivorus https://images.on-this.website/21764_14879029765c7fe32f383ce.jpgMistle Thrush - Turdus viscivorus Canon 400mm f7,1 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43830580.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_12489225106135091045ef0.jpgHerring Gull - Larus argentatus Canon 400mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso100 The Herring Gulls are "feasting" - the eggs of the Razorbills, Guillemots, Fulmar and other cliff nesting birds have hatched the parent birds are backwards and forwards on trips out to sea to get food for their growing offspring. There is no subtlety about the Gulls approach and no chance for escape for the chicks once in the clutches of the Gulls still flightless the chicks are easy pickings. <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/herring-gull-larus-argentatus" target="_blank">Here</a> is another photograph of a chick that met a similar but slightly more grisly end. https://www.grahammanson.com/bottlenose-dolphins-inverness https://images.on-this.website/21764_13169619744fb0142a99218.jpgBottlenose Dolphins - Tursiops truncatus 400mm f7.1 for 1/2000 @ iso320 Photograph taken at Chanonry Point. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-throated-diver-gavia-stellata https://images.on-this.website/21764_212563136664bd7fdb12ec7.jpgRed throated Diver - Gavia stellata Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/2500th @ iso400 A Red-throated Diver in winter plumage. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37366261.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_13606525645c5f43459c709.jpgSlavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51134725.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1774339427664e489918bb6.jpgStonechat - Saxicola rubicola Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Both the male (pictured here) and female Stonechat have been working hard gathering insects for the occupants of the nest which is tucked away in the heather. Difficult to see but the bird has actually caught an insect and both birds appear to have difficulty on each of their trips from the nest to gather any decent amounts of insects. The Stonechats have taken over the area that the Whinchat pair had used to nest on. https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-alcedo-atthis https://images.on-this.website/21764_19990052165ca7c30e8ef9f.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2000th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37610713.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_4826756135c88f27e79ee1.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon 400mm f5 for 1/320th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/ringed-plover-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_6473044525c94ebb705fba.jpgRinged Plover - Charadrius dubius Canon f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-long-eared-owl https://images.on-this.website/21764_13151341966773baac351e.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 The most nocturnal and rarest owl in the U.K., so unusual to see one hunting in daylight. There are approx. only 1500 to 2000 pairs in the U.K. Similar to the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/short-eared-owl-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Short-eared Owl</a>. Aside from the obvious of smaller ears the Short-eared Owl has yellow eyes. https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1860452842584c33cb1a9cf.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon 300mm f4 for 1/400th @ iso2000 Probably one of my favourite photographs, the circumstances of getting the photograph were somewhat uncomfortable, bitten by a "trillion" midges, all eager for a feast on my blood, but worth the wait and worth the discomfort. https://www.grahammanson.com/brown-hare https://images.on-this.website/21764_16087441915ab6b2d6dcdf4.jpgBrown Hare https://www.grahammanson.com/siskin-appleton-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_11212719885c2f8c1248168.jpgSiskin - Carduelis spinus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/200th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/osprey-pandion-haliaetus https://images.on-this.website/21764_6638841746327706a15246.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34294042.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_8994546775aaec7dc9c953.jpgMountain Hare Leveret - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52275418.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_889187680670ac6283d36c.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 With the sun setting a Fallow Deer comes down the track, resplendent in his newly acquired "headdress". https://www.grahammanson.com/fallow-deer-autumn-rut-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_15590694916187e15addbcc.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/400th @ iso800 On the ride that cuts through the woodland this Fallow Deer Buck constantly issues a challenge to another <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44335048.html" target="_blank"> Buck </a> who is in the bracken on the opposite side. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37777803.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_7976741495c9a7a87eb2f4.jpgHedgehog - Erinaceinae Canon 300mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 I had not seen a hedgehog for some years and since taking a few picture of this one not seen one since ! I do remember when they were seen regularly out on their nocturnal ramblings. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52316392.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_130342879067155eef9d8f2.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso800 Showing his dominance. For some video footage of the stags roaring <a href="https://youtu.be/6LY11ZWN8L4?si=9zIIwY-FbmP2B5EIl" target="_blank">click here</a>. Best played with the volume up !!! https://www.grahammanson.com/lancashire-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_4310376005e53c6b85e60a.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1600th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-fox-vulpes-vulpes https://images.on-this.website/21764_15866301886857075633fed.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2500th @ iso400 One of the cubs having made a lone foray into the surrounding fields, probably hunting rats, which seem to be a staple food item brought back to the den by the vixen for the cubs, the cub surveys the activity down at the den, which is at the bottom of the hill under and in the shade of the Hawthorn trees. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-kite-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_4387395275e484651577a4.jpgRed Kite - Milvus Milvus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1600th @ iso800 Autumn colours a low sun and Red Kite in Wales. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51366920.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_147083287366786fe454128.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm for 1/1600th @ iso400 A sideways look !! https://www.grahammanson.com/cemlyn-bay-arctic-tern-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_18649815136307d1c8060b5.jpgArctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @iso320 An Arctic Tern “proudly” shows its mate a freshly caught crab. https://www.grahammanson.com/willow-warbler-phylloscopus-trochilus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1881035661612d342d5b374.jpgWillow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/8000th @ iso400 Late in the afternoon a Willow Warbler perches on some aged barbed wire, most of the time these birds spend much of the day skulking about in the lower branches of the various trees and shrubs on the roadsides. https://www.grahammanson.com/siskin-carduelis-spinus https://images.on-this.website/21764_12104974235cb77e25bbcfe.jpgSiskin - Carduelis spinus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52314818.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_94838281967152a5cbd4bd.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso800 The stag is stood on the banks of the stream bordering the woodland, a natural border with steep banks. The stag is calling into the woods and the hinds who are with another stag are being urged to leave the woods and join him. Both stags have stood either side of the stream roaring at each other but neither ventured into the stream and up the banks to face off with each other. https://www.grahammanson.com/wigeon-f-anas-penelope https://images.on-this.website/21764_4373382565ef6f3fb180c.jpgWigeon (f) - Anas penelope Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53461076.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17095680046857183d25263.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso400 The vixen on the right is greeted by one her cubs who has been exploring the world outside of the den and the meadow. https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-photography-wildlife-graham-manson https://images.on-this.website/21764_124097091468570a76db172.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2500th @ iso400 The vixen returns with another rat. https://www.grahammanson.com/ptarmigan https://images.on-this.website/21764_1284288211614783a9bcbb8.jpgPtarmigan - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 A "lung busting" stroll up into the Cairngorms with David and Margaret to photograph Ptarmigan. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37613923.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17394652285c8ba3cf509d5.jpgMountain Hare (Leveret) - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51283957.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1771584722666a08b770225.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 An Otter in the shallows. Otters are members of the mustelid family, along with the likes of <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a>, <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography-graham-manson" target="_blank">Stoat</a> and the Badger. The Weasel and Badger photographs from Ardnamurchan are yet to be had. Otters are the only aquatic mammals of the family group and also it is said the most intelligent ! https://www.grahammanson.com/ptarmigan-f-lagopus-muta https://images.on-this.website/21764_11239353665c6b0dcc9eed8.jpgPtarmigan (F) - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/320th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/stickleback-moore-nature-reserve-kingfisher https://images.on-this.website/21764_19451927825caf8de37e4a8.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/2500th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo47352140.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1570804876632c40a568327.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso640 Although the nest is of a considerable size when you have just learnt to use your wings landing on it is not necessarily a given. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50471247.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_971716265ac1d4bb2616.jpgJackdaw - Corvus monedula Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/800th @iso400 The old 5 bar gate which encloses a paddock, soon to be developed for housing, attracts and holds a good number of Corvids, Jackdaws, Rooks and Magpies who feed and forage around the stables. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34288399.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_16968747185aae2d1c165c8.jpgMountain Hare - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f8 for 1/250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49933931.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1099168603650840005b6b0.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 For a short video clip of a Kingfisher fishing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSodnTiMNds"target="_blank">click here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49467099.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_61928978564bd7c3ebe221.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/2500th @ iso 400 https://www.grahammanson.com/great-crested-grebe-podiceps-cristatus https://images.on-this.website/21764_3748786755ca4fb8bb80be.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/4000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-wirral-denhall-quay https://images.on-this.website/21764_5239376135c4cf9f6cb449.jpgStonechat (F) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f8 for 1/250th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43830403.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_822188994613505bb05e2d.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37592925.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_5121867535c86c498db677.jpgCrested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/400 @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49864877.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_185137514364fb319b566b2.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 For a short video clip of a juvenile Kingfisher <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEb1h7CD9pY"target="_blank">click here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/arctic-tern-sterna-paradisaea https://images.on-this.website/21764_1613876195613a51a946305.jpgArctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/5000th @ iso400 The Arctic Tern also referred to as the Sea Swallow - with its long flowing tail feathers and all red beak. https://www.grahammanson.com/moorhen https://images.on-this.website/21764_111901367365afaa20772dd.jpgMoorhen - Gallinula chloropus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/3200th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-bullrush https://images.on-this.website/21764_704802904611ab591d1888.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/250th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/greater-spotted-woodpecker-dendrocopos-major https://images.on-this.website/21764_15923189365aa2e817593b3.jpgGreater Spotted Woodpecker - Dendrocopos major Canon 400mm f6.3 for 1/320th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51134726.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1954808188664e489946131.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso400 With a very “hawk” like expression this female Stonechat has spotted something in the short grass, cropped by the numerous sheep on the hillside. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49522581.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_75210481564c7a57ea3871.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso800 A Fallow deer hind moving through the ferns. https://www.grahammanson.com/moore-cheshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_6630264386321c4f488e36.jpgCoot - Fulica atra Canon 600mm f4 1/1250th @ iso400 That has got to hurt - a set of claws right into the more dominant birds chest. The aggressor the bird on the left was intent on drowning the bird on the right. https://www.grahammanson.com/moore-nature-reserve-black-necked https://images.on-this.website/21764_37997343362fe4444c78db.jpgBlack necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/800th @ iso400 Every couple of years or so a Black-necked grebe finds it’s way onto one of the lakes at Moore Nature Reserve. https://www.grahammanson.com/willow-warbler-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_10802811815aae7bd34884e.jpgWillow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/2000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/slavonian-grebe-scotland-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_10267322605c640073bb84c.jpgSlavonian Grebe - Podiceps auritus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/320th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/pine-marten-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_2408301215aae54419b395.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon 300mm f4 for 1/400th @ iso2000 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-fox-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_2134441551650ae207090d4.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso400 The one eared fox of Moore Nature Reserve takes a drink from a puddle, casting a nice reflection into the puddle. https://www.grahammanson.com/pineways-appleton-warrington-pond https://images.on-this.website/21764_68764348162eff207067c5.jpgCoot - Fulica atra Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2000th @ iso400 Coots have now established themselves on the pond. In typical Coot fashion they spend a good part of their time chasing anything that comes near their nest site, sometimes it would seem they go out of their way to just cause trouble. Even the resident Heron is not immune to the attention of the Coots, he simply takes himself off and sits in one of the neighbours gardens until things settle down. https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-wildlife-photography-owl https://images.on-this.website/21764_862449569611ab4944d20c.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso800 Ever attentive the male Little Owl stands on top of the barn in the last of the summer evening light, something across the fields has caught his attention and he is now on a vigil. https://www.grahammanson.com/long-eared-owl-asio-otus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1993550123667870173ae4a.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-wildlife-canon-600mm-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1573306478666a05b4ec84c.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 What started with a gentle scratch ended up being a frenetic itch ! Each time the otter emerged from the loch swarms of midges engulfed him, even when he slept there was a small cloud of midges above him. https://www.grahammanson.com/house-sparrow-passer-domesticus https://images.on-this.website/21764_519241555646c79b033c0e.jpgHouse Sparrow - Passer domesticus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2000th @ iso400 Once a more common sight in and around cities, towns and gardens. Next doors garden have a growing population and every so often one or two will venture over the garden fence. This bird has been following the Robins about, as they search for food items for their young. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51132114.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_960088881664db96684f38.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1200th @ iso400 A female Stonechat taking a short break from catching insects - time to sit out on a bracken stem and have a preen, the ferns although it is mid may do not come out on the hills for another month or so, whilst off the hill similar ferns are already out in full leaf. https://www.grahammanson.com/curlew-sandpiper-calidris-ferruginea https://images.on-this.website/21764_10965057445e484697368fc.jpgCurlew Sandpiper - Calidris ferruginea Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-f https://images.on-this.website/21764_7514697795e3fe274b3435.jpgRed Grouse (f) - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/160th @ iso400 A slow drive across the moors saw Ian and I catch up with a lone Red Grouse - after a short while this female came into view feeding on the heather. https://www.grahammanson.com/whitethroat-north-wales-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_14466599095cfffc602611a.jpgWhitethroat - Sylvia communis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/falcon-manchester-peregrine-urban-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_189049231365132c18e383d.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/320th @ iso1000 Out of the nest a juvenile Peregrine falcon is stranded far below the parent bird and fellow juveniles. The bird does not have the wing strength to get its self up to the roof of the Mill. https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-north-wales-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_54796043631e4a27a8d61.jpgDotterel - Charadrius morinellus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/siskin-f-carduelis-spinus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1653956125cb77e27ce7b5.jpgSiskin (f) - Carduelis spinus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-owl-sefton https://images.on-this.website/21764_19924161655a777cf54ebf7.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 400mm f2.8 for 1/3200 @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/black-headed-gull-chroicocephalus-ridibundus https://images.on-this.website/21764_124034652965ad71d623aeb.jpgBlack headed Gull - Chroicocephalus ridibundus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2500th Black- headed Gulls squabbling on a frozen pond. These gulls are often found on inland waters in small flocks. https://www.grahammanson.com/sandpiper-wildlife-photography-scotland https://images.on-this.website/21764_938491848666a08b546050.jpgCommon Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49895507.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_15568460936502187a6f1b0.jpgRed Grouse (f) - Lagopus lagopus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 For a short video clip of a female Red Grouse feeding on heather shoots <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3T_8hhIfnc"target="_blank">click here</a>. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50089885.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_20558543396522f9998b0f1.jpgPuffin - Fratercula arctica Canon 300mm f9 for 1/1600th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/meadow-pipit-heather https://images.on-this.website/21764_13739049745cc1c2bb9d2c6.jpgMeadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50443581.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_107495594265a19d0162039.jpgJackdaw - Corvus monedula Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/cuckoo-photography-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_13366727255de4198310c48.jpgCuckoo - Cuculus canorus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso400 Cover picture for the spring into summer season. https://www.grahammanson.com/rut-red-deer-stag https://images.on-this.website/21764_1595389677652ef759f2dd4.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso320 A stag soaking up the autumnal sunshine, it’s face showing signs of recent battle against another stag, no doubt one of the tines on it’s opponents antler having caused the injury. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40931542.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_4454906965e50544119967.jpgPtarmigan - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso400 Perched up on a rock the male Ptarmigan showing the transition from it's white winter plumage to summer plumage. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40927057.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_7818132925e5010f741ad3.jpgPtarmigan (F) - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/320th @ iso500 A female Ptarmigan on the boulder field. https://www.grahammanson.com/meols-bird-photography-wirral-curlew https://images.on-this.website/21764_4795925486307d1c806130.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso500 The tide is flooding and a curlew follows the water line searching through the mud. https://www.grahammanson.com/crested-tit-highlands-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_20020871295c91454144ee9.jpgCrested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_15524865265285196530e2.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 Taking a break from the main action of the rut this stag still continues to roar and announce his presence, a small puff of heated breath escapes his lungs into the autumnal sunshine. https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-oenanthe-oenanthe https://images.on-this.website/21764_6046361655cb77cf805464.jpgWheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-grouse-lagopus-lagopus https://images.on-this.website/21764_9104428375c46395eae4a7.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/320th @ iso400 A morning in the hills of North Wales and it's an opportunity to photography the Red Grouse in heather - then in the late afternoon / evening it's hunting <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/barn-owl-parkgate-wirral" target="_blank">Barn Owls</a> on the marsh. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52186264.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_39475664666f02dbe213bb.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/3200th @ iso400 A short break in a crab fishing session, the otter comes out of the Loch a quick roll on the seaweed and the top half of the otter is dry, water still clinging to the fur across it's back and rear legs. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo46926291.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_14068018262fe4444336ca.jpgOysterCatcher - Haematopus ostralegus Canon 600mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso250 An Oystercatcher finds that it does not have the low water tide line to itself. https://www.grahammanson.com/arctic-terns-sterna-paradisaea https://images.on-this.website/21764_192758788762efcc177e69a.jpgArctic Terns - Sterna paradisaea Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/3200th @ iso250 The adult bird has just given the juvenile tern in front of it a small food item. Another juvenile tern has seen this and flies in above the adult bird to try and steal the food. The result is a mass of wings and feathers as the bird inflight crashed into the other two. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34232915.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_220708305aa5990946f0c.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800mm @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/collared-dove-appleton-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_218930706644eb8e833249.jpgCollared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 By the middle of April two fledgling Doves had left the nest, looking every bit like the parent birds but with a more powdery orange hue to their feathers - a week or so later both birds where taking it in turns to incubate a second brood. https://www.grahammanson.com/buzzard-buteo-buteo https://images.on-this.website/21764_130972959668029b8a2a386.jpgBuzzard - Buteo buteo Canon 600mm f5 for 1/3200th @ iso400 A Buzzard telegraph post hopping - and it sat on the top of the pole for long enough to get close enough to grab a couple of frames. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44335048.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1328975631617a681a98136.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/125th @ iso800 Complete with a "headdress" of bracken and grasses from thrashing his antlers about in the undergrowth this Fallow Deer Buck issues challenges to another <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44427985.html" target="_blank"> Buck </a> a short distance away. Both Bucks pass the morning issuing vocal challenges to each other. https://www.grahammanson.com/fallow-deer-wildlife-photography-woodland https://images.on-this.website/21764_143396344761747be13e997.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso400 A Fallow deer doe and fawn in amongst the ferns of the woodland, the first rays of the sun starting to penetrate the autumnal canopy, touching the ferns and the deer. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43913797.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1733519112613f561fb37b5.jpgCurlew - Numenius arquata Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51879741.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_128910572366c86c5b7d58f.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53019229.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1046101845680299c544e69.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f7.1 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Post mating the male Grebe will leap over the prone female and then do a short solo dance the water frothing up - the female will slide off the nest or bankside and both birds will swim off side by side. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53633550.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_27197421686ec8833a2d0.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/3200th @ iso400 The adult out hunting for small mammals for the juveniles who are tucked away in the woods. As birds go there is no denying it is impressive. https://www.grahammanson.com/yellow-wagtail-insect-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_171376849168151090acd61.jpgYellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/2500th @ iso400 Eye on the prize ! The Yellow Wagtail perched up on the dried stalks watches an insect fly towards it, just waiting for the right moment to either pluck it out the air without leaving its perch or when in striking distance the bird will do a short flutter to catch the insect. https://www.grahammanson.com/merganser-cemlyn-bay-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_7960021763236b33c7d49.jpgMerganser - Mergus serrator Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Cemlyn Bay and adding to the already bulging memory cards full of tern shots, we wandered along the receding tide and a Merganser who had been fishing in the shallow water came onto the beach to preen. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34023160.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_13801090005a777cf713349.jpgBarn Owl - Tyto alba Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso800 Returning to the brick building in which the Owls are bringing up their young - a successful hunt and the bird glides towards the nest site. https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-stockton-heath https://images.on-this.website/21764_12410077606802998a256f2.jpgRing Necked Parakeet - Psittacula krameri Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Since arriving a year or more ago the Parakeets are frequent visitors to the garden. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53433977.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1190851372684f37bcd4c58.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso400 Always time to bash your sibling up - the cubs regularly engage in endless bouts of play fighting. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53112067.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_12048914906813e3a76ec5e.jpgYellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/5000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/sparrowhawk-clocktower-warrington https://images.on-this.website/21764_15051754895883c19fb92e7.jpgSparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus Canon 70-200mm f5.6 for 1/320th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/juvenile-tern-bird-photography-anglessey https://images.on-this.website/21764_165752340562ffda8715e2e.jpgCommon Tern - Sterna hirundo Canon 600mm f4 for 1/25000th @ iso400 A Common Tern fledgling having left the islands now sits on the beach calling to be fed. The bird is quite capable of flying and picking up shrimps and fish from the sea by itself, but the parents are still feeding ! As the tide pushes further back flocks of juveniles take to the air and patrol the low water mark and shallows hunting for food items and practicing their new found flying techniques. https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-ardnamurchan-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_15339448465c61d1642beb0.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 400mm f5.6 for 1/200th @ iso200 En route to Morrisons in Fort William for some shopping the journey is interrupted for a few minutes to grab a few shots of an otter feeding on a freshly caught weaver fish. Along with the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-ardnamurchan-wildlife-photography" target="_blank">Pine Marten</a> the otter is definitely a favourite to watch. https://www.grahammanson.com/kestrel-frodsham-marsh-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_14233030805e6febd6a8215.jpgKestrel - Falco tinnunculus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/500th @ iso400 The back end of another gale hitting the UK - Frodsham Marsh resembled a "wind tunnel" the wind howling across the River Mersey and on to the marsh. This Kestrel perched on the fence posts down at the farm, the bird faces into the wind and keeps itself as low as it can. https://www.grahammanson.com/dipper-north-wales-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_15394704125cbc05490172b.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50684676.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_162424912265ef6e9cb6fe8.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/400th @ iso400 Despite still wading through Waxwing images - the seasons and time are still moving on, and down on the river the Grey Wagtails and Dippers are busy preparing to nest. Even though the river levels are high with all the rain that has fallen, these little birds battle to both feed and collect nesting material in the torrents of water pouring down the rivers. https://www.grahammanson.com/lawing https://images.on-this.website/21764_16000617155cb7806d537dd.jpgLawing - Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso400 Up on the Derbyshire moors whilst the Golden Plover a fairly substantial flock of birds sat in a field facing into the westerly setting sun this lone lapwing sat in the opposite field. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50266390.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_856792746654ea292a1eda.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Wandering back to the house as the sun was setting a stag came into view on top of one of the small hills behind the house and on the other side of the single track road. The stag was silhouetted against the last light of the day, https://www.grahammanson.com/long-tailed-tit-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_15868007615c67d0e51a3b7.jpgLong-tailed tit - Aegithalos caudatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 More photographs at <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dalendrien-birds-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Dalendrien Birds</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/waxwing-photography-canon-600mm https://images.on-this.website/21764_109469370065c3e2365775a.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52776844.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_47129623467ca0ad567641.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f4 for 1/3200th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52304226.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1210448024670fafa9086cf.jpgCormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo Canon 600mm f5 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50441858.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_57389344965a119fdda34c.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2000th @ iso400 One of a small flock of Waxwings plucks the last berry. https://www.grahammanson.com/puffin-fratercula-arctica https://images.on-this.website/21764_1132066685ca4f9d636516.jpgPuffin - Fratercula arctica Canon 400mm f9 for 1/2000th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/greenfinch-carduelis-chloris https://images.on-this.website/21764_14586010615cb7806b3bf4d.jpgGreenfinch - Carduelis chloris Canon 800mm f8 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51581655.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_80764786366968363a203e.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/brown-hare-lepus-europaeus https://images.on-this.website/21764_549022615612536d81f98b.jpgBrown Hare - Lepus europaeus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/320th @ iso1000 https://www.grahammanson.com/water-rail-rallus-aquaticus https://images.on-this.website/21764_3604168935c9253598d81b.jpgWater Rail - Rallus aquaticus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-loch-eil-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_1905624185c953f5035744.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 400mm f5.6 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52184260.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_82051875166f0140743c29.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f5 for 1/320th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/ptarmigan-cairngorm-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_9247685065c6871e54e300.jpgPtarmigan (F) - Lagopus muta Canon 300mm f7.1 for 1/320th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40889221.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_21230462755e41a0f13b039.jpgRed Grouse - Lagopus lagopus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso400 The male Red Grouse ever watchful for rival males, predators and where the females are feeding. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo46926289.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_29642529662fe444031b80.jpgArctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea Canon 600mm f8 for 1/3200th @ iso400 The oldest recorded Arctic Tern individual was at least 34 years old. The current Arctic Tern population, is estimated to be about 2 million individuals. Also known as the sea swallow, these birds hold the record for the longest migrations the Arctic to Antarctica, spending the summer in each of these locations. https://www.grahammanson.com/juvenile-great-crested-grebe https://images.on-this.website/21764_13158185136165d2be3bf93.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f9 for 1/1250th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50009962.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_82229970651290ce78251.jpgArctic Tern - Sterna paradisaea Canon 300mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso320 An Arctic Tern chick calls out to the parent birds to be fed, an endless process for the parents flights out to sea to catch small fish and other marine life, return feed the chicks and repeat. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52776775.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_113801990467c9d54df2084.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso640 A mini bow wave being created as a Great Crested Grebe paddles furiously post a bonding session. https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-preening https://images.on-this.website/21764_1894802080613506e594265.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/400th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/appleton-cheshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_41420477968447fbccd7a8.jpgCormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/whinchat-north-wales-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_15329536155ce53c7868e3c.jpgWhinchat - Saxicola rubetra Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-anglessey https://images.on-this.website/21764_49658945062fe4500539d1.jpgCommon Tern - Sterna hirundo Canon 600mm f5 for 1/3200th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-grebe-mating-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_13507556126844803172674.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso500 A pair of Little Grebe on a local pond. To see a short video of the Grebes <a href="https://youtu.be/_HBmLH5n3aM?si=tbFgm_GhOaFjJ56Q" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/grebes-displaying-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_14181740067ca18dd0a9c2.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f4 for 1/5000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52842330.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_24642401367dddccce65b5.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5.6 for 1/1250th @ iso400 The Grebes are now taking it in turns to hang around the nest site - no eggs yet but it should not be long. The bird who is not either primping and preening the nest by adding sticks and foliage to it - usually floats about away from the nest, this bird for an instant looked directly down the lens. https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-photography-manson-graham https://images.on-this.website/21764_181604573567d5df960f147.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5 for 1/6400th @ iso400 Locked in combat two Great Crested Grebes fight over the territory of a tree which overhangs the water - making an ideal nesting site in the lower level branches which have grown out into the water. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52185873.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_90418873466f028bb3cf49.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis https://www.grahammanson.com/wigeon-anas-penelope https://images.on-this.website/21764_173498570865f05df86df36.jpgWigeon - Anas penelope Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/tufted-duck-aythya-fuligula https://images.on-this.website/21764_515718702644eb8e510566.jpgTufted Duck - Aythya fuligula Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43801753.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_78358655612d34302fab4.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/250th @ iso400 Perched on the head of the Bullrush the Kingfisher looks around the main stem. I quite like this photograph for the sense of scale it gives, showing just how small the Kingfisher is. https://www.grahammanson.com/fighting-great-crested-grebes-graham https://images.on-this.website/21764_41738853967d1b123d0280.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/3200th @ iso400 Beaks locked together the bird which is higher is trying to settle the territorial dispute by forcing the other bird underwater - the fights are brutal and it is not uncommon to see attempted drownings or those dagger like beaks being pushed down the opponents throat. https://www.grahammanson.com/great-crested-grebe-courtship https://images.on-this.website/21764_179021883664130d14be019.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher https://images.on-this.website/21764_8155777596321c4f51aa7b.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso500 Autumn 2022 is upon us, dulled tones in the woods and around the lakes. A Kingfisher not fishing but chasing a juvenile off the lakes. Moving between different vantage points on the lake occasionally perching high up in the trees to search for the other bird. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo40904465.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_6376944695e49b1df03033.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Almost "hawk" like the Kingfisher watches the water below - it has obviously seen some movement at or just below the surface. https://www.grahammanson.com/great-crested-grebe-podiceps-cristatu https://images.on-this.website/21764_1255751486449fb2df2c53.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/great-crested-grebe-appleton-reservoir https://images.on-this.website/21764_16974987495ca504662c840.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/2500th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52803397.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_115901269567cdf0cd04545.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 It was just before Christmas 2024 that I had a message that Brett whilst out walking his "hound" had found the body of a dog otter which had obvious signs of having been hit by a vehicle, even worse next to the dog otter was a smaller individual perfectly intact but also dead. It is almost certain that it was the otter in this photograph as the bodies where found in the same location that I was photographing him. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52776885.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_54634995967caf4a5e491c.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso800 Mating over the male bird having completed his post mating dance moves through back of the reeds to come and join the female, who will slide back off the reed bed and the pair will then swim off into the lake to fish and pair bond. https://www.grahammanson.com/rook-bird-photography-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_6727100765a11a00c9d51.jpgRook - Corvus frugilegus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo48855364.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_2049521127644c227060410.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1600th @ iso500 A Great Crested Grebe diving about in the bay collecting sticks for a nest. https://www.grahammanson.com/little-egret-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_2056149472686adde43f5ec.jpgLittle Egret - Egretta garzetta Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/6400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/black-necked-grebe-podiceps-nigricollis https://images.on-this.website/21764_668828665cb77e2449db7.jpgBlack-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis Canon 800mm f9 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-lapwing-lane https://images.on-this.website/21764_10698821015c8aca2b52d27.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/appleton-wildlife-photography-pond https://images.on-this.website/21764_293299985686adedb531ab.jpgMoorhen - Gallinula chloropus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52807814.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_149659886367d1b702ddf1d.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f4 for 1/5000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52809782.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_160155645667d2f06e363d0.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/3200th @ iso400 Cover image for Spring. https://www.grahammanson.com/pineways-appleton-grey-heron-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_949194162632c6cae8815a.jpgGrey Heron - Ardea cinerea Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Water levels have dropped over the summer and the local Grey Heron is now able to stand in the middle of the pond. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo54131215.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_19415742168b84ed4e71e6.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Feed me !! https://www.grahammanson.com/photo34291306.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_14607666065aae832884fc1.jpgMountain Hare Leveret - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f5.6 for 1/250th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/wheatear-marsh-cheshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_11144018995cb77f4e4e985.jpgWheatear - Oenanthe oenanthe Canon800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/wildlife-stockton-heath-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_180393361467cdf256b9bad.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/3200th @ is0400 Otters, Red Deer, Great Crested Grebes and Terns if I could photograph only four subjects they would be my choice - could quite happily just do those subjects until the end of time !! https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-female-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_210749710966f02a38d5b21.jpgKingfisher (f) - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f5 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49805378.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_199025567364ee5d9a6e4b5.jpgReed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 A summer visitor to the UK, this bird spends the UK winters in Africa. https://www.grahammanson.com/lapwing-vanellus-vanellus https://images.on-this.website/21764_99056457764bd7c3d4f245.jpgLapwing - Vanellus vanellus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-warrington-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_643761865632c6bffe5de0.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4 for 1/320th @ iso400 Autumn is coming to the lake and the adult male Kingfisher is too busy chasing juveniles off the lake to fish. Moving around the lake never stopping in one place for long, he is searching for and chasing the juveniles away. https://www.grahammanson.com/appleton-reservoir-great-crested-grebe https://images.on-this.website/21764_1727566356640a3a706adba.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/5000th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/dunlin-wildlife-photography-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_137902169864f9cfef16a5e.jpgDunlin - Calidris alpina Canon f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52823778.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_120058429267d5e6fd95864.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 The Otter was moving through the sea weed on the shoreline hunting out crabs and small fish. https://www.grahammanson.com/long-eared-owl-lancashire https://images.on-this.website/21764_3658310906676ddc36be55.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 One thing I do like about the Canon 600mm and F4 is the ability to diffuse the surrounding environment, and ok not a frame filling bird on a stick image, the owl sat on the fence line, which is diffused with F4 and a couple of thistles discernible in the image and the DoF taking care of the rest. https://www.grahammanson.com/blackbird-photography-garden-birds https://images.on-this.website/21764_20525927265c5db49de9b42.jpgBlackbird (F) - Turdus merula Canon 800mm f6,3 for 1/640th @ iso800 The female Blackbird is paler than the <a href="www.grahammanson.com/blackbird-turdus-merul" target="_blank">male</a> and lacks the distinctive yellow beak. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49400881.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_198117536364b1baf5406ba.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/6400th @ iso500 A pair of Great Crested Grebes settle a territory, the fights are frenetic and can last for couple of minutes. The use of those dagger like beaks to inflict injury, or attempted drownings one bird holding the other by the neck and forcing it beneath the surface. Quite often partners will join in the fight and as quickly as they start they will end. https://www.grahammanson.com/blackbird-turdus-merula https://images.on-this.website/21764_17138258295c5db603ef329.jpgBlackbird - Turdus merula Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/500th @ iso500 A member of the thrush family it is estimated that there are 5 million breeding pairs in the UK with the numbers of Blackbirds over wintering in the UK in the region of 11 to 15 million birds. Commonly seen in gardens in the UK. https://www.grahammanson.com/reed-bunting-emberiza-schoeniclus https://images.on-this.website/21764_1329486592619159a9094e2.jpgReed Bunting - Emberiza schoeniclus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/water-rail-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_14331455355e483ae8a2ffa.jpgWater Rail - Rallus aquaticus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso400 Out of the reeds on Lapwing Lane lake at Moore Nature Reserve a Water Rail makes an appearance. https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-saxicola-rubicola https://images.on-this.website/21764_513158794612509697021c.jpgStonechat - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso500 Snow on the hills of North Wales, the moors are silent except for the sound of the wind blowing across the snow laden heather. A male Stonechat sits on a favourite post on the side of the single track road. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo43679793.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_20125326336120fe40bd4b6.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/500th @ iso400 Up on the Welsh hills, either side of the single track road Spring has arrived the ferns are starting to come out and a female Stonechat stands on top of them catching the early morning sunshine. https://www.grahammanson.com/kestrel-bird-of-prey-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1339193636859671315969.jpgKestrel - Falco tinnunculus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/godwit-meols-wirral-nature-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_21183903526307dcd97e700.jpgBar-tailed Godwit - Limosa lapponica Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso400 A lone Godwit feeding on the flooding tide at Meols on the Wirral. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50685826.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_39670608565f2116af26a8.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f5 for for 1/1250th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/waxwing-drinking-wildlife-photographer https://images.on-this.website/21764_142485402565c3e235d42cb.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/great-white-egret-leighton-moss https://images.on-this.website/21764_16608991335e483b17623d6.jpgGreat White Egret - Ardea alba Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso125 https://www.grahammanson.com/sunset-little-owl-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_6935825975c63381fd2ab2.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53048937.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_15874749296807ed36c76d0.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 600mm f4 for 1/2000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/red-breasted-merganser-mergus-serrator https://images.on-this.website/21764_3706536896807eed0e4b5c.jpgRed Breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1250th @ is400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53048940.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_10151219606807f046bf6d4.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/2000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/dipper-wildlife-photography-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_1227192927664e48ffd2ea2.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/ring-necked-parakeet-psittacula-krameri https://images.on-this.website/21764_60196327565665c18e5d38.jpgRing Necked Parakeet - Psittacula krameri Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/willow-warbler-ardnamurchan-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_14153023945c62be54c7868.jpgWillow Warbler - Phylloscopus trochilus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/800th @ iso200 The rusty red barbed wire and lichen covered posts now gone and replaced by new deer fences separated the grounds of Dalendrien House and the Congalen Estate. The new fence posts "burn" white in the afternoon sun and gone is the rusty wire that always adds a certain something to bird photography is replaced by the square galvanised meta mesh of the new fences. Willow Warblers are extremely common on Ardnamurchan moving between the low shrubbery and patches of rhododendron bushes. More photographs at <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dalendrien-birds-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Dalendrien Birds</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/otter-ardnamurchan-photography-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_461967060666f34ba7ec55.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 An otter makes its way up the shore - presumably heading to the holt, rinsing off the salt water in the fresh water stream coming off the hillside and onto the loch shore. For a few images of something otters do a lot of <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/ardnamurchan-wildlife-photograph-otters" target="_blank">click here.</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat https://images.on-this.website/21764_296826592618b61ec76550.jpgStonechat - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/640th @ iso200 A pair of Stonechats were down at the cattle grid on Frodsham Marsh - both birds perching on the remnants of the thistles and long grasses now dying back as the year moves rapidly through Autumn. Small flocks of <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/goldfinch-carduelis-carduelis" target="_blank"> Goldfinch </a> where feeding on the thistles and remains of the teasel plants. https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-great-orme https://images.on-this.website/21764_556633259644ad45c1250a.jpgDotterel - Charadrius morinellus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/4000th @ iso400 A female Dotterel in amongst the limestone rocks on the Great Orme in North Wales. The Dotterel is a member of the Plover family along with the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/ringed-plover-ardnamurchan-wildlife" target="_blank"> Ringed Plover </a>, Grey Plover, Little Ringed Plover and Golden Plover. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53113769.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_47529492068151dd99ba1d.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f7.1 for 1/3200th @ iso400 A pair of Great Crested Grebes doing a weed dance, although the amount of weed on offer is sparse !! To watch some video of this pair of Grebes <a href="https://youtu.be/S6F_YzQ9R-s" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photographer-graham-manson-wildlife-wagtail https://images.on-this.website/21764_157385232681521d52625d.jpgYellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava Canon 600mm f4 for 1/6400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/bottlenose-dolphin-tursiops-truncatus https://images.on-this.website/21764_16791650545324bc15172b9.jpgBottlenose Dolphin - Tursiops truncatus Canon 70-200mm at 200mm f7.1 for 1/1600 @ iso800 A Bottlenose dolphin uses it's tail to stun and throw a salmon through the air https://www.grahammanson.com/cormorant-breeding-plumage-appleton https://images.on-this.website/21764_1357541750640ced6e6427e.jpgCormorant - Phalacrocorax carbo Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso500 Despite snow falling late in the year, already many of the birds and animals have started their breeding season. A Cormorant in breeding plumage dries out after a fishing session in the pond. https://www.grahammanson.com/little-owl-juvenile https://images.on-this.website/21764_14752465495c8d6765dad84.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 800mm f8 for 1/640th @ iso400 Now searching for food independently from the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37697402.htmll" target="_blank">adult bird</a> the juvenile bird lands on the beam of the barn a favourite perch for the owls. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49024102.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1278197337646a82ead7814.jpgBlackbird - Turdus merula Canon 600mm for 1/1250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-owl-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_571669150613f6c3502d65.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 400mm f3.2 for 1/5000th @ iso1250 https://www.grahammanson.com/fox-cheshire-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_749885585c88d633a7427.jpgRed Fox - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f8 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/turnstone-arenaria-interpres https://images.on-this.website/21764_17737683126522f9948f31f.jpgTurnstone - Arenaria interpres Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo50143901.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1149234514652d96ba61fe0.jpgRed Deer Hind - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 While the stags settle their differences with antlers at this time of the year, the hinds settle disputes within their hierarchy with hooves. Both hinds will return up on the hind legs and use their front hooves to “box” their opponent. This behaviour is also seen in the stags when they have cast their antlers. The hind in the foreground has received a hit and is falling backwards https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53048944.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1457982026807fba10e8af.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatu Canon 600mm f5 for 1/2000th @ iso400 The bread throwers, the dog walkers have all gone for the moment, and the Grebe sits quietly and relaxed on the nest. This nest was made by Coots, Moorhens and the odd Mallard whilst the Grebes went about their courting and fishing out in the open water. The Grebe pair would return periodically to move on whichever water fowl had taken temporary possession and assisted in building the nest up from the reed bed. Even the Coots, who it is not unfair to say boss all other birds about, move on sharpish when the Grebes return. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52304452.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_2110834781670fb564d240c.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Tucking into itself and curling up the otter fell fast asleep, there is something to be said when the animal you are photographing is aware of your presence and yet is relaxed enough to sleep. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49964777.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_36978033650ae1fce7d01.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/common-tern-bird-photography-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_173551831962fcbef9bd82c.jpgCommon Tern - Sterna hirundo Canon 600mm f5.6 for 1/2000th @ is400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52312098.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_840409702671415b9d772f.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso800 Two younger stags spar without any real passion and thrust of the antlers, but interesting to watch and set against the trees turning orange and gold adds to the autumnal scene. For some video of the stags roaring <a href="https://youtu.be/6LY11ZWN8L4?si=9zIIwY-FbmP2B5EIl" target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo46919246.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_91698991462fcbd2783cb2.jpgHerring Gull - Larus argentatus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/3200th @ iso400 A crab which had taken up residence in between the rocks to await the return of the tide is dragged out of its hiding place. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37956696.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_17128817985caf90822a626.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/160th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53113136.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_120083953468150e54e42ce.jpgPied Wagtail - Motacilla alba Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 May 2025 and insects splattered across the front of the car and windscreen, and meanwhile down on the river the water levels are low and clouds of flying insects hover just above the water. The Pied Wagtail wading in the shallows following the clouds of insects as they move backwards and forwards above the water. The Wagtail making frantic leaps to pluck them out of the air. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo47352061.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_687889988632c3ed6b1cf8.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f11 for /400th @ A pair of juvenile Kingfishers sitting for photographic purposes as far apart as you get ! Both birds will soon disperse to find territories of their own, helped by the adult male who will chase them off the lake. https://www.grahammanson.com/dipper-cinclus-cinclus https://images.on-this.website/21764_8363105995ca7c46b7a898.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/640th @ iso2500 To watch some video of a Dipper on the weir <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtvBQ64CGEA"target="_blank">click here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/little-grebe-cheshire-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_80267017468571999130c6.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1600th @ iso400 For some reason the Little Grebe kept returning to this Lily flower stalk to peck at it and swim around it. Similar to a <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-bullrush" target="_blank">Kingfisher on a Bull rush head</a> the photo does provide a sense of the size of the Little Grebe. https://www.grahammanson.com/black-grouse-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_6609898835c53cf0b112a0.jpgBlack Grouse - Tetrao tetrix Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/125th @ iso1250 https://www.grahammanson.com/autumn-rut-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_1762494175652d93e60c660.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/500th @ iso400 Two stags lock antlers, the moment came about all of a sudden and there was no chance to up the iso and increase the shutter speed. Thankfully 1/500th caught the action. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52312096.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_15279939526714141b19f23.jpgFallow Deer - Dama dama Canon 600mm f4 for 1/100th @ iso800 Despite the Red Deer crashing about either side of the stream, with one very boisterous stag on one side of the stream and an equally boisterous stag holding hinds on the other bank. A Fallow deer takes the opportunity to get a drink from the stream and two Mallard drakes float by. https://www.grahammanson.com/pine-marten-martes-martes-strontian https://images.on-this.website/21764_12490213065e39d7b77200d.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon 300mm f4 for 1/400th @ iso2000 A dull and damp day on Ardnamurchan and a Pine Marten is out and about. https://www.grahammanson.com/mountain-hare-leveret-lepus-timidus https://images.on-this.website/21764_20050534445408b4f1e8fb6.jpgMountain Hare (Leveret) - Lepus timidus Canon 300mm f9 for 1/200th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/great-white-egret-tatton-park https://images.on-this.website/21764_177317865670c0d9adab50.jpgGreat White Egret - Ardea alba Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1250th @ iso400 This bird carries a ring, the details from it some chap told me are that it hatched down at RSPB Ham Wall by Glastonbury. It was in one of three Great White Egret chicks, one of which died and this bird has travelled from Glastonbury up to Cheshire. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-deer-cervus-elaphus https://images.on-this.website/21764_2408301215aae54434e91a.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 800mm f6.3 for `/1250th @ iso1000 https://www.grahammanson.com/brown-hares-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_162663745c3cf9a1ce34a.jpgBrown Hare - Lepus europaeus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/400th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/stoat-photography-ardnmurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_297442883650217dc67d97.jpgStoat - Mustela erminea Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/400th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/dipper-rossett-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_7233469305c53ddff2b5e6.jpgDipper - Cinclus cinclus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/320th @ iso800 In a side eddy of the main weir a Dipper searches out food in amongst the rocks of the riverbed. The swirling currents quickly carry the Dipper away and downstream - only for it to fly back and restart the process. https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_11651510435c8569f90bcce.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/320th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/pied-wagtail-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_14743278826815143c072fb.jpgPied Wagtail - Motacilla alba Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Following the insects across the river. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-foxes-moore-nature-reserve https://images.on-this.website/21764_58028921857eac4bf40158.jpgRed Foxes - Vulpes vulpes Canon 800mm f10 for 1/800th @ iso200 The <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37561907.html" target="_blank">vixen</a> with her one remaining male cub forage about the scrubland. https://www.grahammanson.com/osprey-scottish-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_10527331975c69cf2f8f4f4.jpgOsprey - Pandion haliaetus Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/800 @ iso800 The juvenile Osprey (on the right) being fed by one of the adult birds. As the season closes the adult birds take virtually no food on to the nest - instead they sit a short distance away in the trees with the food, encouraging the juveniles off the nest to feed. https://www.grahammanson.com/cattle-egret-bubulcus-ibis https://images.on-this.website/21764_11527377861ae0097b3c7f.jpgCattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis Canon 600mm f5 for 1/3200th @ iso250 Cattle Egrets are smaller than the Little Egret - probably rarer in the UK than the Little Egret. At this location both the Little and Cattle Egrets follow the pigs about collecting insects as the pigs turnover the soil with their snouts. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53717991.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_717353850687c9cb1c8425.jpgLong-eared Owl - Asio otus Canon 600mm f4 for 1/250th @ iso1000 For a short video of this Owl <a href="https://youtu.be/7MYmupzgiY0" target="_blank">Click Here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/brown-hare-warrington https://images.on-this.website/21764_7678285625c589a0af2af7.jpgBrown Hare - Lepus europaeus Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/200th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37956694.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_9400999425caf8de28569a.jpgGreat Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus Canon 800mm f8 for 1/2500th @ iso500 April and the first of the grebe broods have hatched. Four striped chicks ride on their parents back tucked away underneath the wings. The other parent bird bringing fish for them. https://www.grahammanson.com/canon-photography-stag-graham-manson https://images.on-this.website/21764_844507593651553c21a58d.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 A Red Deer stag rests up during the rut, most of the activity in the rut occurs in the first few hours after dawn, and in the late afternoon. https://www.grahammanson.com/feeding-otter-fish-scotland-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_164034991166c86b4a8dd99.jpgOtter - Lutra lutra Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44463872.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_2018607045618d6a6e4c480.jpgMeadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso320 https://www.grahammanson.com/sparrowhawk-wild-bird-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_77056767661350916aa723.jpgSparrowhawk - Accipiter nisus Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/500th @ iso1000 Doing something or other in the house, I noticed some movement in the garden, there in the corner of the garden was a Sparrowhawk busily plucking a freshly killed Blackbird. https://www.grahammanson.com/stonechat-wildlife-phhotography https://images.on-this.website/21764_12847466465c4cf9ce8b8fa.jpgStonechat - Saxicola rubicola Canon 800mm f8 for 1/250th @ iso500 A stroll along one of the tracks along from Denhall produced brief views of a pair of Stonechat. These little birds about the size of a Robin are in my opinion very photogenic, not least when they stand on the tops of reed heads. https://www.grahammanson.com/appleton-warrington-wildlife-photograhy https://images.on-this.website/21764_117517641765a00247e6fc0.jpgRing Necked Parakeet - Psittacula krameri Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/grebe-lily-pads https://images.on-this.website/21764_12929853246867eac468a5a.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/2500th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/greenshank-tringa-nebularia https://images.on-this.website/21764_11323560535c311155789c8.jpgGreenshank - Tringa nebularia Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1000th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo51134727.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1012320909664e48d68a9c0.jpgStonechat (f) - Saxicola rubicola Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/800th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37357061.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_1925679285c59f1cdbf7ec.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon f3.5 for 1/2000th @ iso1250 A Peregrine leaves to cache a recent prey item on one of the many buttresses of the mill. You can always tell the food cache areas due to the number of flies around the carcass. For more Peregrine photos visit my blog <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/urban-wildlife-peregrine-falcon" target="_blank">City Living out for lunch</a> or <a href="http://www.grahammanson.com/birds-of-prey" target="_blank"> Birds of Prey Gallery</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/dotterel-great-orme-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_6916954556321ccb610eeb.jpgDotterel - Charadrius morinellus Canon 600mm f5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52304106.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_435237843670faeff004cc.jpgRinged Plover - Charadrius hiaticula Canon 600mm f4 for 1/640th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-owl-portrait https://images.on-this.website/21764_18465657055a777cf916564.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso800 Sometimes 800mm can be just a little bit much - the lens was not for this shot - but as this juvenile Little Owl landed so close - it was a question of make the most of it. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53842772.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_8601400668907641ee9f1.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 600mm f7.1 for 1/1000th @ iso640 https://www.grahammanson.com/little-egret-cheshire-wildlife https://images.on-this.website/21764_1324773443686ec4d989d16.jpgLittle Egret - Egretta garzetta Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 3 stops down to keep the background dark and to stop as many whites on the bird blowing out. Elegant birds who nimbly move around the pool picking out Sticklebacks from the shallow waters. For a short video of the Egret preening <a href="https://youtu.be/95qnd6r6rsY" target="_blank">Click Here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/photo37556980.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_10938154975c7fde015ece8.jpgPeregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus Canon 1120mm f8 for 1/2000th @ iso800 A Peregrine feeds on a freshly caught "something", now well mangled beyond recognition. More Peregrine photographs <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/urban-wildlife-peregrine-falcon" target="_blank">here</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/pied-flycatcher-ficedula-hypoleuca https://images.on-this.website/21764_693204529612505964b482.jpgPied Flycatcher - Ficedula hypoleuca Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/250th @ iso400 https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53843161.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_124403535668907f3ea7088.jpgLittle Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Canon 600mm f6 for 1/800th @ iso640 Both adult birds now have their work cut out - both birds away from the nest and out on the lake catching small fish, leeches and Damsel Fly for the ever hungry youngsters. <a href="https://youtu.be/CP4gfXu2IpU" target="_blank">Click Here</a> for a short video of the first chick being fed. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo53113137.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_89157872468150e6f13782.jpgYellow Wagtail - Motacilla flava Canon 600mm f4 1/4000th @ iso400 Returning to the U.K. most likely from Africa having migrated there to avoid the winter months, the Yellow Wagtails arrive to the same field year after year before dispersing to breed in the surrounding fields. Quite approachable birds they provide a real dash of vibrant colour to the countryside. Another bird which is declining in numbers and another Red List bird, as I typed I wondered how many birds are actually on the Red List so I googled it and the current number is 73 species. https://www.grahammanson.com/little-owl https://images.on-this.website/21764_196365075c4dc67d86fe6.jpgLittle Owl - Athene noctua Canon 400mm f2.8 for 1/2000th @ iso1600 https://www.grahammanson.com/black-necked-grebe-moore-nature https://images.on-this.website/21764_2534479415c291f57164c6.jpgBl;ack-necked Grebe - Podiceps nigricollis Canon 800mm f7.1 for 1/1250th @ iso500 A rare visitor to Moore Nature Reserve provided some early evening sessions with Peter, Ian and Simon at one of the many lakes on the reserve. Dog walks were temporarily abandoned replaced by filling memory cards of the same bird on the same bit of water doing nothing much more than swimming backwards and forwards. Nevertheless it was good to press the shutter after the long drought of a distinct lack of wildlife on what was turning out to be a long hot summer. That long hot summer also brought about a zillion biting insects - which fortunately for the rest of us seemed to find Simon's blood the "sweetest" - despite the raised temperatures and the location having a full setting sun on our backs - more clothes and less skin was the order of the day. A lot of the time the bird spent a good deal of time dodging the less than friendly attention of several "local" pairs of Great Crested Grebe - underwater "battles" and "chasing" being the order of the day - the bird stayed around for a week or more and was quite confiding and not in the least put off by the constant chatter of shutter buttons. Black-necked grebes are listed as Schedule 1 birds and the RSPB have them at amber status. Several pairs can be seen during the spring and summer months at Woolston Eyes Reserve a members only venue - certainly the birds there are not as close as this one on Birchwood Pool. This grebe has a very different look in winter plumage. https://www.grahammanson.com/lesser-redpoll-stronreggan-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_9608616295c67d3804e0fe.jpgLesser Redpoll (F) - Carduelis cabaret Canon 800mm f8 for 1/1600th @ iso400 More photographs at <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/dalendrien-birds-ardnamurchan" target="_blank">Dalendrien Birds</a> https://www.grahammanson.com/ringed-plover-scotland-wildlife-photography https://images.on-this.website/21764_57444810166674848b6470.jpgRinged Plover - Charadrius hiaticula Canon 600mm f4 for 1/1000th @ iso400 Always a good time for Ringed Plover on the beaches during May. Enigmatic little birds who scuttle about between the rocks with their high pitched calls to each other. They are generally quite approachable and will in fact come close and keep going about their business if you just sit still. https://www.grahammanson.com/black-guillemot-cepphus-grylle https://images.on-this.website/21764_1057052166614cd1260dfd4.jpgBlack Guillemot - Cepphus grylle Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/200th @ iso800 A small colony of Black Guillemot reside on a structure just to the right of the Corran ferry slipway (as you drive off) at Ardgour. The birds take advantage of the man made structure and pairs of birds reside in each of the steel compartments, they can either be seen roosting on the structure and squabbling with neighbours or floating out on the loch in the Corran straights. https://www.grahammanson.com/red-squirrel-inverness https://images.on-this.website/21764_2005340605c3d0196b800e.jpgRed Squirrel - Sciurus vulgaris Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/200th @ iso800 https://www.grahammanson.com/meadow-pipit-north-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_18294896725cfffc5ee63a7.jpgMeadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis Canon 800mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Up on the moors there is now plenty of activity as adult birds fly backwards and forwards to their nests having collected many types of insects to feed to their young. https://www.grahammanson.com/pine-marten https://images.on-this.website/21764_9968630565e39d7be33192.jpgPine Marten - Martes martes Canon 300mm f4.5 for 1/400th @ iso1600 https://www.grahammanson.com/common-tern-cemlyn-bay-wales https://images.on-this.website/21764_201290936062fccca6e7def.jpgCommon Tern - Sterna hirundo Canon 600mm f5.6 for 1/3200th @ iso400 The adult bird has misjudged how close the juvenile was to the fish, the juvenile has grabbed the fish and a tug of war starts to take place, neither bird wanting to release their hold on the fish, webbed feet looking for a purchase on the wet pebbles to help pull against the grip of the other bird. The idea behind the adult presenting the fish to the juvenile is not to feed it on the beach but to get the juvenile up in the air and flying before it earns the reward. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo49408453.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_35950507164b3b96623c13.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1250th @ iso400 There maybe any reasons for the decline of the Kingfishers on the lake, one of them may well be the number of fish and size, even this small Stickleback is hardly going to put much of a dent in the appetite of this juvenile Kingfisher. No more or not often do you see any of the birds catching the fish of decent size. Even the Herons have abandoned the lake and whilst egrets roost on the lake, at first light they are off and away. https://www.grahammanson.com/kingfisher-stickleback https://images.on-this.website/21764_17660856096148d89331b5f.jpgKingfisher - Alcedo atthis Canon 400mm f6.3 for 1/800th @ iso400 This Kingfisher has speared the fish onto the end of its beak ! A fair amount of head shaking eventually got the fish into it's beak. I have seen Kingfisher in this position before with leaves and even bits of plastic stuck on the end of their beaks. https://www.grahammanson.com/meadow-pipit-anthus-pratensis https://images.on-this.website/21764_1692548308619125666fb85.jpgMeadow Pipit - Anthus pratensis Canon 800mm f5.6 for 1/1250th @ iso320 It is September up on the hills and the ferns which did not come fully out until late in the year are already showing signs of dying back. A Meadow Pipit still up on the higher slopes of the hill, sits on top of one of the remaining ferns, a month or so back and the slopes of the hillside where just a "field" of ferns, now fewer remain offering perches to Pipits and the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo44463871.html" target="_blank"> Stonechats </a>. The likes of the <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/photo38750641.html" target="_blank"> Cuckoos</a> and <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/minera-whinchat-wildlife-photography" target="_blank"> Whinchats </a> spring migrants to the hills have now left and are undertaking their migrations south to warmer climates. https://www.grahammanson.com/white-tailed-eagle-ardgour-ardnamurchan https://images.on-this.website/21764_2101784541611a9be71328d.jpgWhite tailed eagle - Haliaeetus albicilla Canon 100-400mm @ 400mm f5.6 for 1/800th @ iso800 I was at the kitchen sink putting water into the kettle for a cup of coffee when a large bird accompanied by several noisy gulls caught my attention out of the window. Out at the end of the field that borders the house and Loch was the unmistakable shape and size of a White tailed eagle being mobbed by a couple of gulls. Coffee put on hold I thought I would wander down the beach more in hope that the eagle would come back the way it had flown, following the line of gorse bushes which I have seen them do on previous occasions. Grabbing the camera with the 100-400mm lens in the expectation of a potential flight shot, Tom and I wandered along the shingle beach - there was no rush for us as I had made the assumption that the bird had flown on up the Loch as the gulls were now silent and there was no sign of the eagle. We reached the end of the beach and the left turn taking us North, where the beach continues for a short distance before ending in a large inlet. There on the remains of an old ship now well rotted, sat the eagle - it was too far back to the house and too much of a risk to go back for the 800mm which would have been perfect for this situation, but how long would the Eagle stay there - so it was the 400mm or nothing. I took a few shots the eagle was not phased as the Canon 1DX rattled off frames, it was not inclined to move nor did it seem bothered by our presence. We closed the gap between ourselves and the bird taking a few shots each time we moved. The photo is at 400mm and was as close as we got - Tom using his best 8 year old stealth mode ! Whilst I / we considered our next course of action in terms of getting that bit closer a combination of perhaps us or a lone gull who had decided to dive bomb the eagle, the bird lazily stretched its wings flew past us back the way we had just walked and went off to perch in trees alongside the road of the Loch and that was the last time we saw it that day. https://www.grahammanson.com/swallow-hirundo-rustica https://images.on-this.website/21764_1611113144611ab4963da35.jpgSwallow - Hirundo rustica canon 300mm f2.8 for 1/2000th @ iso800 Three mouths gaping and waiting for a parent bird to bring food. https://www.grahammanson.com/shag-gulosus-aristotelis https://images.on-this.website/21764_1399116577651292aa0d87a.jpgShag - Gulosus aristotelis Canon 300mm f5.6 for 1/1000th @ iso200 https://www.grahammanson.com/corn-bunting https://images.on-this.website/21764_18493494485e5ad505ca7dd.jpgCorn Bunting - Emberiza calandra Canon 800mm f8 for 1/500th @ iso500 https://www.grahammanson.com/waxwing-bombycilla-garrulus-wildlife-helsby https://images.on-this.website/21764_160234014365a11aaf682b7.jpgWaxwing - Bombycilla garrulus Canon 600mm f4.5 for 1/1600th @ iso400 Waxwing feeding on berries in Helsby. https://www.grahammanson.com/photo52307913.html https://images.on-this.website/21764_25883279467129cb16190b.jpgRed Deer - Cervus elaphus Canon 600mm f6.3 for 1/1250th @ iso400 Walking shoulder to shoulder and roaring two stags size each other up. The stags can cover a fair distance going pacing backwards and forwards and this shoulder to shoulder walk can last for several minutes. Many times it is simply the case that one of the stags will sidle off putting in a couple of token vocal challenges as it puts distance between itself and the other stag. However if this fails and each stag believes itself capable of defeating its opponent then <a href="https://www.grahammanson.com/graham-manson-red-deer-photography" target="_blank">antlers lock</a>. For some video footage of the stags roaring <a href="https://youtu.be/6LY11ZWN8L4?si=9zIIwY-FbmP2B5EIl" target="_blank">click here</a>