News

Recently I have had a lovely day with Mark Sisson of Nature Images, getting down and low with some fungi in West Sussex.




The Magpie Ink cap was my first viewing of this spectacular species and as ever I loved the hamlet like huddles of tiny toadstools that almost look like a little fairy palace.

Ever the patient instructor Mark, as usual, was able to show me some much needed creative ways of thinking about future images.None to really share from this trip but I came away inspired to be more daring moving forward.


It was back to a more local stomping ground for Fly Algaric and as usual I have come away with more than just a couple of reasonable photographs..those pesky, silent, invisible, woodland insects have had a good old chew of me! Obviously on one level or more I must resemble one big fungi to them! How very charming!

As soon as the ripe acorns start to fall amongst the sweet chestnuts that bounce and roll over the ground, then the rutting season starts for Fallow and Red Deer begins.



Being close to our largest UK mammals is a humbling experience, not least a little unnerving at times! As ever I pride myself on getting in the right place so they come to me.




Emotional and hormonally charged they a little unpredictable, so I like to stand as far away as I can, just in case..but when they come to me it's a matter of holding my nerve and hoping that they will bottle it before I do!
In amongst the roaring,the chasing and the relentless posturing by the males, there are tender moments for females who are still taking care of this year's fawns.



Reassuring nuzzles and licks, even sometimes flicks and kicks when they need to be hurried along the females have a tense time of things juggling parental duties and an interest to get back into the dating scheme!

We all have our favourite subjects to photograph or sit and watch. Among mine is the Turnstones whose energy and enthusiasm always amuses me.

With the neep high tides this week some of these busy little birds can be found investigating the north norfolk harbours looking for tasty seafood scraps left behind by the local fishermen.



Should they spy a crab shell or two they have to be quick though as there is an ever presence of the inevitable Gull always somewhere close!

Just when I thought I had the full compliment of hares, foxes and Roe Deer jogging through the linseed field I was beyond thrilled with my visitors this morning!



Chinese Water Deer, not just one but Mum with twins!

The linseed just keeps on providing different backdrop colouring. As we get near to the end of the summer it has started to ripen and golden in the heat of the sun. The glow it radiates is almost picture perfect yellow. However, if you look carefully enough there are a few new blue blooms coming through.



The hares for now seem to have moved on to new pastures but as long as new faces jog through, such as these this morning, I am more than happy with my lot!

Just back from Kenya having had an epically fantastic trip! Almost too much to talk about on a blog page but let me just say..best trip to Africa ever and the Masai Mara game reserve is the place to be and to see Big Cats!



Lions were almost a daily occurrence, Cheetahs on alternate days and at least two sightings of Leopard, one morning a mating pair! I even got to see saw a Serval



Shooting from a jeep and with other photographers was a small cultural adjustment to make having been used to being on my own, laying prone, in a Norfolk field. When it came time to coming home, truth be told, I was torn by wanting to stay in the magical Mara with it's living life on the edge daily pressures but as ever it's always wonderful to come back to the home of the Norfolk fields.

With huge thanks to Mark Sissons of Nature Images and David Lloyd who led the trip, plus a big hello to all my new found friends with whom I got to experience a wonderful week!
To my safari jeep bestie Lisa, Gauri & Summet, Noreen & Graham, Val & Ann, Andreas, Denise, and not forgetting you Nigel, I hope you all got cracking photos!

A 3.30am start isn't my idea of a relaxing way to kick start a Sunday but needs must, when trying to get Roe Deer and Hares amongst the linseed field, mentioned in my previous post.

Having risen early I got to my designated spot for 4.45am and almost straight away the actioned began as I spied a beautiful fox slinking away in the neighbouring field. I wasn't sure what to hope for as harvesting of the neighbouring field had begun the previous day so I had thought that maybe everything had scattered. Within a few minutes though four, playful hares came bounding down the tramline straight towards me..as ever they got to close but I did manage a snap or two!



Once they had bounded away along came my second Roe Buck of the week. This one is highly distinctive with one antler much taller and straight than the other. I've nicknamed him One Horn Harry.



This time I did remember to breath and even tried calling him in with a squeak or two. Having walked a full circle around me..he barked as if to voice disapproval of my sound effects before leaping gazelle like through the crop and over the horizon.

I think I may be early to bed tonight as finding it difficult to now keep my eyes open but hope you'd agree the early start was worth it!

Shimmering in the early haze of an already warm summers day you may be forgiven for mistaking a field full of linseed as a mirage in the distance.

The warm breeze makes the short stems sway as the petals gradually open little by little once the sun becomes warmer. Each flower barely lasting a day beckons the bees and butterflies whilst providing cover and backdrop for the local wildlife.



Getting up at 4am regardless of the lovely weather is still a task but reward awaits with opportunities to photo the ever present brown hare and maybe a Roe or Muntjac Deer!



It's taken a while to find the best spot to sit and now that I have found it the flowering season is probably all but over. I think I may give it one last try at the end of the week though in the hope of getting that award winning photo!

Having found out the collective name for the Puffins I was optimistic enough to research the collective name for Otters. Again there are options but the best has to be a romp of otters which I think more than accurately describes their natural behaviour.


Whilst in Mull I thought it was going to be a golden week for Otter spotting. On the first day, whilst mooching about on the shoreline, I spied my very first otter. It was a long way out in the loch and seemed very content diving, fishing and dining on its catch.



I tried to follow all the previously learnt instructions from Neil McIntyre, about being more light footed over the rocks, staying downwind, only moving when the otter went underwater etc. However, as my excitement grew watching the otter come ashore, I think my over eagerness, coupled with a sudden wind change, ensured that the otter just disappeared in front of me not to resurface.



As the week wore on we saw distant views and more frustratingly heard tales from other visitors on great otter sightings.

Never expecting but always hoping we were at last rewarded with a full two hours worth of glimpses of not one but five otters in total all coming to shore.



Usually it's always a blade of grass in the way but this time it was piles of mustard coloured seaweed, boulders and rocks, those cunning little otters really know how to dodge a trained camera!

In summary I got closer this time but the score to date is a convincing 3-0 to the otters..I suspect however I will be back to Mull for a rematch next year!

It's been a challenge that has lasted at least 3 years to find a Snipe on a post to photograph.



And just like everything you wait for, including a number 10 bus..guess what, 5 Snipe all turn up, one after another!


I had missed out so many times of actually photographing a Snipe on a post so together with dear friends Steve, Penny and Neil, a mythical character called Stanley evolved. In fact during a very hysterical, two weeks in Iceland a couple of years back, Steve cleverly created a whole back story along the lines of the then cult Scandinavian drama "The Killing" with Stanley, being the hero of the tale. I did say that it was an hysterical trip and therefore hope you can see your way round this explanation!

Anyway long, story short, just when I thought Stanley was going to allude me again, fortune smiled on me. Along one road, one that I had travelled for the previous 4 days, I finally got lucky and saw Stanley all up for being photographed.



In fact I'd call that more than lucky!

It shouldn't be any surprise that having spent two glorious days on Lunga, Treshnish Isles, Scotland, that I have a few (hundred) photos of Puffins and seabirds to now literally wade through.


Late June / July is certainly the best time to see Puffins. The later in the day you can be with them the better, as evening time brings even more in from their sea faring, fishing, missions. Regardless of the hour and weather conditions it always seemed to be Puffin O' clock. There was never a dull moment as their natural, comedic timing of meet and greet with the occasional rough and tumble antics, kept me constantly entertained.



It was certainly Puffins to the left of me, Puffins to the right of me, stuck in the middle of Puffins where ever you look!

Seeing so many together made me ask the question..what is the collective name for Puffins?

Apparently when out bobbing on the sea, it's a raft of puffins, on land there are three options: a parliament of puffins, an improbability of puffins and lastly, my absolute favourite, a circus of puffins.



More Puffin photos to go up on the website shortly, along with some rather snapping Razorbills and other island residents.

If you ever get the chance to go I can assure you its worth the boat trip and the hike up the cliff, puffing of another sort comes into effect during that!
Seriously all you will ever remember is having the Puffin time of your life!



With special thanks to Neil McIntyre, Lisa, Raymond, Jeff and Linda for their company and most importantly the laughter..sorry if I was a little over excited at times and way too chatty!

I recently travelled the long road back to Mull for what is now becoming an annual summer holiday treat. My main aim was to fill my boots with photographs of Puffins and seabirds.

Despite the good intentions, little did I know that I would be wooed and wowed by a wader, a charismatic and chirpy, Common Sandpiper.



Sandpipers aren't necessarily impressive in size, stature or even in appearance. Their appeal lies in their personality, beauty, as they say is often skin or feather deep in this instance.

I loved their cheerfulness, their humour and their eagerness to be seen so no surprise then that this little wader soon had me under it's spell.



All along the edges of the lochs, from dawn to dusk, come rain or shine, a resident Sandpiper came to sing to me, to keep me company and allow me to become smitten with their charm and personality.

Their song sounds like a wonderful mash up of a distant car alarm and a washing machine that has finished it's spin cycle. It is unmistakable and distinctive in tone and message.

It's hardly an amorous ballad but it is full of vive and vitality. I was completely won over to the extent that my trip to Mull this year will be romantically remembered by spending special moments with this little wader.

I have been following a pair of Wren's for a few weeks around the farm yard in the hope that I would get the chance to see their babies fledge and maybe even get a group photo.




To date however they have eluded me and it would seem that I have missed the moment that they all leave the nest eager to explore the outside world. The picture below isn't the nesting site but a clever way of hiding whilst singing a happy song!

The morning song has abated but that agitated tick of a concerned parent is very apparent amongst the trees so I know they haven't gone far. If feeding several hungry mouths whilst in the nest isn't stressful enough, keeping tabs on them once they have fledged must be even more difficult.

I've found a site where rabbits seem to be able to run and play with hinderance or seemingly control. No sign of horrible myxy at the moment that is plaguing other rabbit warrens early this year so apart from a few cauliflower ears torn by brambles and butter by fighting they all look healthy and bouncy!



Literally there are rabbits everywhere so the challenge is now to find somewhere to hide downwind, not easy when you are in a middle of the field without any cover.



I'm really looking for the baby bunnies who tend to come out earlier in the day than the adults but have yet to get lucky with the shots I really want.



Hopefully there will be plenty of beautiful, sunlit evenings ahead and my mission will be achieved.

I thought I'd share a few of the latest new baby pictures..everyone always thinks newborn are cute but in this case, I'm not so certain that baby Moorhen chicks, have that ahhh factor.



Seemingly bald, bulbous eyes and stunted wings, Moorhen babies almost appear to be prehistoric echoes of the earliest forms of bird life.



I am sure beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!

My only comfort is that no doubt every Moorhen Mum must think their babies are gorgeous..they seem to care greatly about them demonstrating heart warming maternal instincts.

I always associate May with the colour of blue.

Whether it's fresh, blue skies in the morning, clumps of violets and the climbing wisteria in the garden or as so far this year, the colour of my fingertips, due to the unexpected hail storms and chilly overnight temperatures,

Best of all though May is the month when the uplifting sight of bluebells fill the senses and carpet the floor of our local woods.





First with their heady scent,then visually with almost a blue, misty, haze and then lastly with their calming,rhythmic ringing and rocking,in the light breeze.

I love this time of year..it's bursting all of hope, happiness and helpless little balls of fluffiness.





Nothing more to warm the heart on a cold but bright April day than the sight of a dozen bouncy little bodies playing follow my leader after Mum.



Although if you look carefully there is only 11..the 12th was either too fast or too slow to fit into the shot!

It's often really hard to get out of bed at 4am but at this time of year and early start is required to be part of that Morning Glory dawn chorus.

The Blackbirds and Robins have been singing their way through the dark winter mornings but now they are almost drowned out by the sound of the Wren.

Small in statue big in voice, a singing Wren seems to be in full song where ever my early morning photographic rambles take me.

I have been really lucky lately with a pair of Treecreepers. They have been showing regularly at the feeding station at Algy's Bird Hide at the farm shop.



As part of their wake up, early morning routine they seem to like to bask in the warming sun in between pecking away at the insect suet balls or
on the peanut feeders. Often they are so relaxed that they will let you creep up to them!



I'm really hoping that they will nest near by and a family of these entertaining little birds will all turn out for a quick sunbathe and breakfast in the next few weeks.

As some of you may have seen already my picture of a Bank Vole, Little Jack Horner, has recently won the runner up in the annual Mammal Society Photograph Competition, in the category of Brief Encounter.



Just before Christmas as I whiled away the hours in my hide waiting for Buzzards to land in a field in front of me, (they never did by the way) I ate my healthy snacks of fruit I'd taken with me.

Having eaten a couple of plums, I threw the plum stones onto the bank beside me and thought nothing more about it until a movement caught my eye a little while later.

To my amusement two Bank Voles were playing tug of war with the plum stones presumably trying to take them back to their burrows.

The next day I took a couple of whole plums with me and after a couple of hours I was overjoyed when one Bank Vole ventured out and began to nibble on the plum.



Over the course of a couple of weeks my little vole grew in confidence and if I brought him a plum, he'd literally sit in the corner of the hide with me.

Given that it was leading up to Christmas I named him Little Jack Horner.


I still see him from time to time and hoping that perhaps he will one day bring his extended family out to meet me!

I've just come home from a wonderful trip to the Scottish Highlands where spring has certainly been sprung in full force. Late snowdrop clouds blend in with luminous swathes of daffodils and early lambs nestle against matronly ewes lower in the valley.

No better indication that all is well with the start of the frantic season than the sound of bubbling, gurgling and lusty crescendos coming from the dormant heather on the hills.



My eyebrows were raised in curiosity at the sound but it was another pair of red eyebrows I had come to actually find and photograph..those belonging to the male Red Grouse desperately seeking their own Maria by making the hills come alive with their rather splendid chorus and refrain.



The male Grouse is full of noise, colour and boldness in contrast to the shy and retiring female who hides beneath her veil of excellent camouflage plumage. From time to time one shakes off her nervousness and makes a dash for open spaces causing the ardent males to follow in her wake.