Wild Red Fox amongst the rocks of the French Alps.

Red Fox vixen

I just love the sense of space in this photograph.

As soon as I saw the vixen climb up to this vantage point I thought about the composition and how well she blended into the natural colours of the rocks.

It doesn't need to be a close-up image although a few others follow.......

This rounded off a very successful annual IFWP congress in the French Alps.

My personal thanks to all at ASCPF in France for their hosting of the congress!

Red Fox vixen

Red Fox vixen

 

Red Fox vixen

 

Red Fox vixen

More Redstarts.... Bodmin Moor.

Male Redstart with Large Red Damselfly

I couldn't resist having another go with these fantastic Redstarts. I needed some better pictures of the male bird and I was in position and taking photos before 7 this morning.

The weather was great although by about 9:30 it was very hot in my old Daihatsu which I was using as a hide, even with all the windows open.

By then the light was getting a bit harsh so I called it a day at about 10 a.m.  Job done!

Saying that I would rather have had the bird perching on a more tasteful perch but this is as it was with this old fence support hanging just above the nest hole so I went with it and thought therefore it must be natural... if they chose it!

Oddly enough the female bird always used the foxglove stem on her way to the nest but the male never did.

There was also another male bird hanging around and making unwelcome advances on the female whenever our male was away foraging!

Male Redstart

 

Male Redstart

 

Female Redstart

Redstarts on Bodmin Moor

Male Redstart

Had a couple of hours watching and photographing Redstarts on Bodmin Moor this afternoon.

Fascinating birds and a treat to sit and watch. Used the old Daihatsu as a hide and the birds just went about their business around me.

My thanks to Iain Stewart for the location and I hope to get there again in a few days time.

Male Redstart

 

Female Redstart

Female Redstart

Female Redstart

Dartmoor birds

Male Stonechat

A great day on Dartmoor yesterday with Iain Stewart & Adrian "Dibs" Davey.

We saw some good birds and the scenery was fantastic!

Here are a few, although the male Redstart still eludes me, but a good reason to go back again soon!

Male Pied Flycatcher

Female Pied Flycatcher

Lesser spotted Woodpecker

Female Redstart

Female Redstart

 

Whinchat

 

Willow warbler

Lesser spotted Woodpecker & Wood Warbler at Yarner Woods

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

 

I had a good day out today at Yarner Woods reserve on East Dartmoor over the border in Devon.


Managed to capture shots of 2 new species photo-wise for me, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker & the Wood Warbler.

We were fortunate to discover the nest of the Lesser Spot so I got some shots as the birds approached the area with food for a rather raucous brood.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

The Wood Warbler stayed aloft so many of the shots were taken against the sky or the raindrops as they cascaded into my lens hood.

Nevertheless 2 good birds that I'd never photographed before in the UK (I did get LSW in Poland last year).

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

Wood Warbler

Little Egret aggression

I watched a couple of Little egrets going for it this afternoon at Walmsley Sanctuary.

Initially I wondered if it was some kind of courtship chase but then things turned quite aggressive (could still have been courtship!).

There was one particular bird that wanted to attack all the other egrets in the reserve and it kept picking on others until this time it looked as if it was going to drown the other unfortunate bird.

Here is a short sequence of pictures taken from a fair distance away hence the poor quality!

Both birds flew away seemingly unharmed!

Grey Wagtail and Dipper in North Cornwall streams

Grey Wagtail

This fine female Grey Wagtail was with it's mate feeding on the recently hatched flies and bugs.

Dipper

 

One of the few Dipper shots I took today that had the bird free from heavy shadows!