Category Archives: Landscape

Fulmars and Pipits at Rottingdean

There’s more rain forecast over the coming days, but today started beautifully. The blue skies were back, and – for the time of year – it was mild. I headed down to Rottingdean early this morning.

The tide was in, but the early boats were already out enjoying the relative calm.

Sea at Rottingdean

But it wasn’t boats I was there to see; it was fulmars, and a number were skirting the cliffs.

Fulmar

Fulmar

Fulmar

One or two had found nesting spots, which is the real reason they’re here at this time of year.

Fulmar

Closer to ground level, the little rock pipits were also enjoying the milder weather. These bold little birds often hop down to the walkway, but this one had found a tasty feast on the lower face of the cliffs.

rock pipit

rock pipit

rock pipit

Back home, Pretty is still flying the fox flag in the garden.

fox

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

Also posted in Birds, coastal, Foxes, water birds Tagged , , , |

Red Morning and Brown Rats

Just one shot from the early morning as the sun rose above the South Downs. There was a mist hanging in the air, but as the sun rose the sky briefly turned a deep red. This lasted just for a few minutes.

sunrise

The rest of the photos for today were taken at lunchtime, at Falmer Pond. A pair of rats were scurrying around the roots of the trees overhanging the pond. One had found a comfortable vantage point above the water and was happily grooming.

rat

The second rat ventured out on to the rocks, before scurrying off.

rat

rat

The first rat was more relaxed and moved comfortably up and down the root system. Every now and then it would pause and offer a reasonably clear line to the camera through the tangle of roots and foliage.

rat

rat

It too eventually headed away over the stones, and disappeared into the thick cover.

rat

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

Also posted in rats, sunrise Tagged , |

Cold and Frosty Morning

It was another beautiful morning, colder with low hanging mists and a slight frost on the ground. This is the scene at Seven Sisters, shortly after the sun topped the Downs.

Seven Sisters Country Park

I missed out on a beautiful shot of a little egret (it flew off before I could reach for the camera), but I did manage a couple of shots of a redshank flying over the water.

Redshank

Redshank

The Canada geese are still around, happy to take short hops across the fields to find new grazing.

Canada geese

Canada geese

And always more sheep!

Sheep

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

Also posted in Sheep, South Downs National Park, water birds Tagged , , , , |