Author Archives: Words

Lapwing at Sheepcote

November 23, 2015 by Words | Comments Off

I’m saving up some squirrels for a rainy day (which could be tomorrow), so in the meantime some very basic photos of a lapwing flying over Sheepcote Valley early this morning. It’s a rare sighting for Sheepcote (I’ve only seen one other lapwing there), which is a good enough reason to post.

Lapwing flying over Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Lapwing flying over Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Lapwing flying over Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Lapwing flying over Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Lapwing flying over Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Lapwing flying over Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Posted in Birds, water birds Tagged |

Preening Kestrel

November 22, 2015 by Words | 2 Comments

For the first time in quite a while I spent some proper time over at Sheepcote Valley, adjacent to Brighton Racecourse at the top of the South Downs. It was muddy and cold, but the sun was just about beating out the threatening cloud cover and the wind was low. A near perfect November afternoon. All I needed was a good subject. Cue a cooperative male kestrel.

I’d spotted him as I was driving up the hill and after a few grabbed shots of him on street lamps, he headed over to a quiet corner of the valley and perched on an old industrial pipe and proceeded to preen himself. I manoeuvred around him to get some blue sky in the background.

Kestrel (male) at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Kestrel (male) at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Kestrel (male) at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Keeping a keen eye on the horizon

Kestrel (male) at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Time to preen

Kestrel (male) at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

A good preeening!

Kestrel (male) at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Followed by a quick fluff

Kestrel (male) at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Sorted!

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Kestrel, Wildlife Tagged |

Recycle Squirrel

November 15, 2015 by Words | 2 Comments

This is a quick sequence I took last Friday at work. The first shot shows the squirrel perched on a fence surrounding a bank of waste dumpers at the University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb campus. The rest show the squirrel’s recycling instincts. There were several of them inside the dumpers, but this male was clearly the boss man. The shots were taken through narrow gaps in the fenced surround.

Grey squirrel on the fence at University of Brighton

Grey squirrel on the fence at University of Brighton

An interesting find from the inside of the waste dumper.

An interesting find from the inside of the waste dumper.

Calmly tucking in to a tasty morsel.

Calmly tucking in to a tasty morsel.

Grey squirrel sitting on recycling dumper bin at University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb

Grey squirrel sitting on recycling dumper bin at University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb

Get away!

Get away!

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Posted in squirrel Tagged |