Category Archives: Wildlife

Samples of wildlife photography

Green Lizard

June 17, 2016 by Words | 4 Comments

Between periods of torrential rain there were just enough glimpses of sunshine to tempt the car park lizards out into the open, including one that until now had proved elusive. The green lizard. It’s much more skittish than the brown lizards that congregate on the wall but I was able to get quite close.

Common lizard at Watts bank, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb campus

Green common lizard at Watts bank, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb campus

The more familiar brown lizard was also out.

Brown lizard at Watts bank, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb campus

Brown lizard at Watts bank, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb campus

lizard

Looking at you!

In case you’ve not been looking at my Fox of the Day you may have missed that the large male is becoming a little less cautious. Here’s one of him from a couple of nights ago.

Male fox

Male fox

Camera note: lizards taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens. The fox was snapped with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Also posted in Foxes, lizard Tagged , |

Kestrels, Lizards and some rural street-art

June 8, 2016 by Words | 4 Comments

I’ve not posted for a few days, but on and off I’ve been out and about with the camera. The local short-eared owls seemed to have moved away for the summer (no reports of sightings for a week or so), but there are some cuckoos in the area. I’ve neither seen nor heard them yet, but I’ve had reliable reports from two sources. If I do see them that would be an absolute thrill. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or knowingly heard one before!

Anyway, Sheepcote Valley may have lost its owls for now, but the kestrels seem to be back in force.

Female kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Female kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

And here are a couple of a male kestrel (note the grey head feathers).

Kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Kestrel at Sheepcote Valley, Brighton

Male kestrel hovering over Sheepcote Valley

Male kestrel hovering over Sheepcote Valley

The little common lizards are still enjoying the warmth of the brickwork at the edge of the car park at work. Here’s one from today enjoy the sunshine.

Common lizard at Watts bank, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb

Common lizard at Watts bank, University of Brighton, Moulsecoomb

Watts bank, which my office desk overlooks also attracts butterflies. Nothing too extravagent at the moment, but the common blues are quite abundant. This is a female.

Common blue butterfly (female), Watts Bank, University of Brighton

Common blue butterfly (female), Watts Bank, University of Brighton

As for the rural street art… I came across this in the middle of a local field. The burnt out wreck has been there for a while apparently. It seems that someone decided to give it a paint job to make it less of an eye-sore.

Burnt out car painted by graffiti artists, Brighton

Burnt out car painted by graffiti artists, Brighton

Detail of graffiti car

Detail of graffiti car

A second abandoned car nearby had also been given the same treatment. It doesn’t solve the issue of abandoned vehicles (Brighton Council take note), but I did appreciate the creative tocuh of the unknown artist.

Last shot… Eye of Lizard!

Eye of Lizard

Eye of Lizard

Camera note: kestrel and car photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. Butterfly and lizard taken with the EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens.

Also posted in Bird of Prey, Butterfly, graffiti, Kestrel, Landscape, lizard Tagged , , , |

Slow Worm Mating sequence

May 28, 2016 by Words | 2 Comments

This is a first for me. Slow worms (Anguis fragilis) are one of our most common reptiles and there are always a few lurking in the corners of the garden. They are lizards (not snakes, despite being ‘legless’): they have eyelids (snakes don’t) and ear openings (snakes don’t have those either). Usually they are fairly static, and you can often find them underneath pots or stones (they like the warmth, being lizards). They are quite keen on compost bins as well (warmth).

This morning I popped into the garden and spotted two of them on the corner of the patio. And then I realized what was going on. This was the slow worm mating ritual. I dashed inside and grabbed the camera.

Slow worms at the start of mating

Slow worms at the start of mating

The male bites the female on her neck as they begin to entwine

The male bites the female on her neck as they begin to entwine

slow worms mating

Here they both seem to be having a nibble!

slow worms mating

More biting!

Pair of slow worms mating

Quite a tangle

slow worms mating

And finally they separate

The female will produce live young in late July or August. Apparently the young are born in their egg sac. I’ll be watching out for them, but the chance of seeing them at just the right time is remote.

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens.

Also posted in slow worm Tagged , |