There’s a Glossy Ibis flypast at RSPB Otmoor and I’m here for it, in more ways than one. The Wildlife Trusts say, “The glossy ibis is a heron-like bird with a long, curving beak.” Surely not? Heron? They must mean Curlew, surely? Glossy Ibis look dull and dark brown, like …
Just before my trip to Orkney, I managed to fit in a trip to Dartmoor and one of my favourite places for …
I was delighted to be invited to photograph the Orkney Folk Festival this year. I love folk music, Orkney, and photography, so …
I’m used to the general impression, size, and shape of a Peregrine Falcon now. That means when I saw this one perched …
Taking photographs in the middle of the day is often a bit disappointing. Just look at those shadows. The only thing lit …
A Dunnock at RSPB Otmoor doing a display for a partner. A beautiful fluttering fan dance.
Mute Swans get on well with one another until they don’t. Then they attack. And when they attack one another they are …
A fluttering Goldfinch landing on a small branch is a delight. The yellow pattern on the underwing is wonderful. The sadly infected …
The song of the Song Thrush would be beautiful. If only it weren’t so repetitive. If only it weren’t so repetitive.
The tinkling of Goldfinches is approaching and I’m thrilled to see one perching nearby. I love their upright stance, and those fluffy …
Blue Tits and blossom. Always a winning combination.
This Red Kite clearly knows I’m here. Its threat-awareness and predator-avoidance systems are working overtime. I suspect I’m a distraction from hunting …
I never realised that the inside of a Sedge Warbler’s mouth is so intensely red. What a glorious punch of colour in …
One of the most distinctive features of the Greater Whitethroat, or Common Whitethroat, or just Whitethroat, is, well, yes, its white throat, …
I’m in Oxfordshire, and a photograph of a Greater Whitethroat in deep pink cherry blossom is my aim. Especially if I can …
There are 260,000 territories of Sedge Warblers in the UK. They manage to fly non-stop from sub-Saharan Africa to the exact spot …
I love how waterproof all this Grebe’s preening has made its plumage. It has a headdress of raindrops.
Hobby look like giant Swifts or tiny Kestrels as they cruise above Otmoor. There are five high on the thermals. A dragonfly …
This Hobby, Falco subbuteo, has just arrived after migrating from Africa. It has caught a tiny fly in its talons and is …
The Red Kites over the garden here in Oxfordshire are a constant delight. The light hit this one and illuminated its name …
At first I think there’s a Curlew flying into view. As I watch it approaching it looks smaller, more delicate, somehow. When …
The smaller male Marsh Harrier is chasing the larger female, which is calling loudly. The female turns upside-down in the air and …
The church of St Mary the Virgin in Charlton-on-Otmoor, features a tall tower that acts as a beacon in the landscape. In …
This looks like an adult female Marsh Harrier. With Marsh Harriers, however, you can never be quite sure. Some adult males have …
Blue Tits in blossom are a constant delight at this time of year. They may appear decorative, but the trees hide a …
I love a close Marsh Harrier. Here at RSPB Otmoor they are busy, but distant, and a pleasant hour or so in …
This light at RSPB Otmoor is wonderful. It’s improved by a beautiful Whimbrel flying past.
I’ve enjoyed going to RSPB Otmoor to see the Grey Herons in the past few years.
Bright light for bird photography is a wonderful thing. Harsh light is terrible. Deep shadows, blown highlights, and excessive contrast are all …
Last year, when I was in Oxfordshire, chicken-sitting for my friends, a Greater Whitethroat was in the garden scratching its beautiful/ugly song …