The Ruddy Shelduck originates from Southern Europe, North Africa and South and Central Asia (with some populations wintering in South East Asia). It is a large rusty orangey brown duck, 64cm in length and with a wingspan of 133cm. The male is slightly larger the female and weighs 1.4kg to her 1.2kg (Robinson, 2005). The…
When visiting Lanzarote last year I was fortunate enough to see a Hoopoe, Upupa epops, on the grass lawn of a hotel in Costa Teguise. I took some photos and crept closer, then took so more and crept a bit close and so on. And it just stayed where it was feeding away. As I…
On visit to RSPB Rainham Marshes in April I saw 2 stoats, one of which was right in front of me, but I couldn’t get a clear shot of it in the reeds and grass. There was a silver lining however, as it scared one of the common lizards up into the reeds, where it…
As well as a capercaillie, I managed to see ptarmigan a couple of times (see link below). I came across a pair on Cairngorm.
Back in March I was lucky enough to see a capercaillie that posed for photos. I got some photos of the capercaillie in the woods too.
Back in June, I came across this Giant Horsefly (Tabanus sp.) They lay their eggs on pond margins where their larvae live. I photographed a larva last year. I got a head on shot too. They thankfully (for us) tend to leave humans alone and tend bite horses and cows.
Back at the start of September I was walking around KWT Oare Marshes Nature Reserve in North Kent with a couple of friends when one spotted this creature running across the path. I recognised it imediately as one of the velvet ants, the female of a type of solitary wingless wasp. I had always wanted…
It was a cold winter December day today in Essex. Most the insect life is dormant for winter, but under the ice in the ponds there is still plenty of activity. A sweep with the net and a caught a number of creatures: damselfly larvae, water lice, water beetles and 2 species of backswimmer, the…
As well as Mandarin Ducks, I got my best pics of fallow deer on my last trip to Richmond Park I saw some posturing.. …and then rutting! Lots of fallow bucks, with some more posing. As well as females.
On a trip to Richmond Park in october I got my best shots of the species yet. I got a number of the males. And some of the females.