Scotland Drumbeg - Red Deer Stag

Whilst on photos of deer, I post a few photos taken of an accommodating Red Deer that was standing by the roadside just outside Drumbeg on the West Coast of Scotland in June this year

Ashridge: Fallow Deer on a Misty November Afternoon

A walk in Ashridge in the afternoon in November a few days ago when the morning mist had not cleared completely.

 

The main rut was over with only a few bucks with the beautiful full antlers.  However this less mature buck was on the edge of the herd of deer hoping for some luck.

 

An old hand in the thickening mist.

 

The beautiful autumn colours earlier....

 

.....becoming hidden and muted as the mist appeared and the sun went down.

 

The mature buck on his stand calling with his deep throaty growl.

 

A strange silhouette

 

The herd were beginning to disappear into the mist and darkening light as we left.  The photo is a bit grainy (as nearly all were due to the light levels)

Wet Shaking Dog

A dog shaking off the water a few weeks ago.

Woburn - Strange sky

These photos of strange and dramatic clouds in the sky over Woburn were taken over a period of 7 minutes one showery August evening in 2008. I am not sure if the clouds are true lenticular clouds, but they pretty much held their shape within the overall cloud formation over this time.

 

Initially the clouds were spotted as I entered Woburn Deer Park in the car.  They moved slowly away to the East....

 

.... I quickly drove through the park and found a good view of the sky over a field, now in sun with a small rainbow in the distance.

 

Nature never ceases to amaze me with its beauty.   The photographs hardly do it justice.

The Moon

The moon earlier tonight (Friday 25th September 2015)

 

Wistone Rerservoir - Clearing Air

Looking across the reservoir the mist was lifting at long last, and left the dew covered spiders webs to dry out. 

The last of the mist gave this photograph of Mute Swans and Tufted Duck with Coots in the background a 2 dimensional feel (I think).

 

Brightening skies and disappearing mist.

 

Two Great Crested Grebe swam past causing reflections on the still reservoir surface....

 

....One dived to  come up with a fish.

 

Round to the hide where a group of Little Egrets squabbled some distance off as if they were taking part in a water ballet.

Wilstone Reservoir - Morning Dew

 

Arriving at Wilstone Reservoir from Puttenham, the mist still prevailed, but was starting to thin out.  I spent 20 minutes or so photographing morning dew on delicate spider's webs.

 

 

 

This grass head and spider's web also includes a crane fly that I did not spot until I loaded the photos onto my PC.

 

The mist was finally lifting, so I turned my attention to the birds on the reservoir...



Puttenham - Misty September Morning

At last a chance to get the camera out with a sunny morning forecast last week.  Misty at home, and stopped at Puttenham on my way to Tring Reservoirs.

 

Still misty, this Black and White photograph shows the stillness of the canal surface.

 

Hopefully the mist will clear to allow clear photos of the waterfowl at Tring...

Murder in Bedfordshire Garden

A bit dramatic, but there was a pile of feathers on the ground below the bird feeders in our centre of town garden.  By the look of them a pigeon....

 



Then we saw the culprit, a female Sparrow Hawk.  What a beautiful bird.  It took a look at me and then flew off.



 

Investigation later found the carcass of the pigeon in the top of closely cropped holly bush and we left it there.  The carcass was gone the next day, but for a small bit of bone on a bird table, so I can only presume that the Sparrow Hawk returned and got the rest of its meal.

 

Its not the first time a Sparrow Hawk has visited our garden over the years, and are occasionally heard calling in the vicinity, or even seen flying over the walls and fences.  A number of years ago one flew over the garden clutching a live and alarm calling Blackbird. A male (I presume of the pair) was seen on the ground finishing off one of our small population of resident House Sparrows in February.  I also came across one this winter sitting on a live town pigeon in a wide alleyway into the centre of the town early one morning before dawn.  Presumably the street lighting enables it to hunt before dawn.  It must of been hungry as it let me stand there for a full minute about 6 feet from it.  I walked on leaving it to continue with the kill and feast.

 

Quality of photo not great but taken through double glazing with a small zoom.

Walking the Dog - Army Style

I have finally have got a post in 2015.  Not that I don't have any material, just that I am so busy at the moment that I am finding it difficult to find time to photograph and post.

This group of morning runners from the Wellington Barracks on their way to St James Park, London, with their dog (A regimental mascot of the Guards?) in September last year.