June 2024
I drove up to St Bees at the start of the month not really knowing what to expect. I'd heard bird numbers were low after avian flu but was pleasantly surprised. There were no puffins or black guillemot but all the usual birds were present. The light was very bright, which is tricky with black and white birds, but good for fast shutter speeds and flight shots. I've been to Leighton Moss a couple of times but not seen much. The spider wrapping a damselfly in its web is the only highlight.
My Canon RF 200-800mm lens has finally arrived so I'm looking forward to trying that out next month. I want to compare the R7 + 100-500mm with the R5 + 200-800mm. They should both give the same focal length but which will give the best image quality and auto focus.
May 2024
Mostly photos from weekend trips to Leighton Moss. The pools on the saltmarsh are very busy with little egrets and herons disturbing the black-headed gulls and avocets, ospreys have been regular visitors in the mornings, a little gull has been hanging around for over a week and young tawny owls have fledged in a similar spot to last year.
April 2024
Two galleries this month.
The first is from a family holiday in Grantown-on-Spey. I managed to get out for a bit of wildlife photography; an evening in a hide, a couple of mornings by the river and an afternoon on the moors. The other photos are from various walks in the forest, on the mountains and at the coast.
The second features pictures from the usual local places. Otters have been scarce but the ospreys have arrived along with lots of other summer visitors.
March 2024
Not much this month. Too busy at work in the week and too tired at the weekend.
February 2024
I needed some quick fixes this month - somewhere a YouTube vlogger would go to make sure they got some photos and content. I spent a morning with the red squirrels at Shap Wells Hotel and an afternoon photographing red kites at Bellymack Farm. The light was dull on both trips but it is February so I can't complain. The rest of the photos are from Leighton Moss. The otters are still around and some of the birds are starting to display courtship behaviour.
January 2024
The otters have been much quieter at Leighton Moss but I have seen at least one every visit. The site has been flooded for most of the month and wading through water, or breaking through ice, has been necessary to get to some of the hides. I've also spent some time locally and the flooded river had pushed a dipper on to a small stream.
I found out earlier in the month that I'm in the final round for the British Wildlife Photography Award and my red squirrel picture will appear in the portfolio book. Winners are notified at the end of February and announced in March. I also won one of the categories in the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club 2023 competition with a photo of a carder bee.
Top 12 Images - 2023
