Jack Snipe At Last
This winter has generally been very poor for migrant birds with one exception – Jack Snipe. I found my first one on the 14th October and by the year-end I had flushed 51 including a near record ten on one morning alone in November. This week I came across Jack Snipe number 52 but this […]
Year End
At the beginning of the year my photographic targets for the year included hunting Long Eared Owl and young Kingfishers perched on a branch after fledging. Up to six hours a day were spent, under cover, in June and July to capture the Long Eared Owl and I was almost successful with the young Kingfishers. […]
it’s Reindeer Time
This week’s photo was taken through my video camera in Svalbard ten years ago. The Svalbard reindeer is smaller than the Lapland reindeer but its antlers are much more impressive. On my last ever visit to Svalbard, three years ago, I had the unique opportunity to photograph a female Polar Bear with three cubs. This […]
The Dive
The Kestrel might be our commonest bird of prey but you can never go out and plan to photograph one. This summer I spent some time watching a well-marked male as he looked for prey on the ground from some telegraph wires. I had to try to anticipate the split second he left the wires […]
Walking The Dog
Its amazing what wildlife you can encounter whilst out walking the dog. Along our local canal last week I came across a pair of Goosanders. I had just about enough time to take the dogs home, grab my camera, and return to film the male before he took off. The light was perfect and his […]
Waxwing arrives
This weeks blog photo is of a Waxwing on top of a Rowan tree, in a Lancashire village, in the Ribble Valley. I found it on the 18th November when it was Lancashires first feeding Waxwing of winter. There are currently hundreds in Scotland and some in north-east England so by the month-end we could […]
Chough Decline
No visit to Islay is complete without time spent filming Chough. They are the rarest member of the Crow family and by far the most exciting to photograph, especially in flight.In fact all the photos shown in the gallery over the last four weeks were taken in just two days, in perfect weather, with exceptional […]
The Flying Barn Door
With an eight foot wingspan it is easy to see why the Sea Eagle is called the flying barn door. This winter on Islay adult and juvenile Sea-Eagles seem to be everywhere. It is rumoured that the two regular pairs have been joined by incomers from both Jura and Mull. All are now taking advantage […]
Sprainting Together
It is some years since I was able to follow a female Otter with her young but last week in the Sound of Islay I was treated to a good hour in their company.Female Otters regularly mark their territory by sprainting on rocks along the shore. Whilst I expected last weeks female to do this […]
Otter Magic
We have just had the best ever Autumn week on Islay with days of sunshine and only one day of rain. It is difficult to know where to start but the encounter with four Otters in four hours is just what I wanted on digital film. Click here. To follow next week are shots of […]