Category Archives: Wildlife

Samples of wildlife photography

Mainly Cute

June 17, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

I may be a bit erratic posting over the next two or three weeks (World Cup and all that eating into the evenings), but in the main I should still be making the most of the decent weather to get out and about with the camera. This post combines the best of yesterday and today, and has lots of babies in it.

First up are the herring gull chicks from yesterday morning. This clutch is on one of the green roofs at work. It’s overlooked by a large balcony area so the adults are very used to people being around (but very secure as well). The young gulls seem to enjoy hiding in the vegetation.

herring gull chicks

herring gull chicks

There are lots of young rabbits out in the fields. This pair is also from yesterday. I liked the pose.

Two young rabbits

Keeping on theme, these are the latest clutch of goslings back at Falmer Pond.

Greylag goslings

Plus (the latest arrivals) three pretty little ducklings.

Duckling at Falmer Pond

Moving away from the cuteness theme, I’m going to complete the recent sightings. The rats are always about, but I love photographing them so you are going to have to humour me if you don’t share my enthusiasm for these incredibly adaptive creatures. Plus I do think they are quite cute.

rat

rat

I can’t really pretend buzzards are cute, because they so clearly aren’t. But they are splendid in their own way and I saw a couple flying out over the fields at lunchtime.

buzzard

The final photo for today is the vixen in the garden, from Sunday.

vixen

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, apart from the vixen which was taken with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Also posted in Bird of Prey, Foxes, rats, water birds Tagged , , , , , , |

Two Foxes

June 16, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

I took these shots about an hour ago in the garden. I was out there waiting to see if the foxes would appear. They seem to be becoming more accustomed to our presence in the garden, but it’s still very hit and miss. While I was outside I heard the sound of machinery coming from across the valley. The farmers were out working the fields up on the South Downs. This is the best photo I managed (with a 200mm lens, hand-held). The distance is probably about a mile.

Night farming

That passed a little bit of time (it needed several attempts to get a usable image) before the foxes appeared. The first to show was the nicked-ear male. He is now generally tolerant as long as I stay well back and don’t move.

fox (male)

His demeanour alerted me to the possible presence of a second fox, and sure enough I could see a vixen at the rear of the garden. She too seems to be getting more comfortable with us and eventually stepped forward out of the shadows. She’s a pretty vixen (but not ‘Pretty’). She was fairly cautious, but not spooked by the camera.

Fox (vixen)

I have several more images to process, but none of the pair of them together. I’m not complaining (but will try harder).

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Also posted in Farming, Foxes Tagged , , |

The Herring Gull Chicks Get Fed

June 10, 2014 by Words | 4 Comments

I’ll come on to the herring gulls in a moment, but I’ll start with just about the first thing I saw when I arrived at Falmer Pond this morning: a pair of herons jousting over a treetop perch. I was on the far side of the pond from where they were, and the sun (which was already getting set for a glorious day) was conveniently behind me.

Grey herons

Grey herons

I also can’t not show the Falmer Pond newcomers. Yes, there is another clutch of greylag goslings, and they look incredibly cute nestling in the long grass (what else would you expect?).

Greylag goslings

Greylag goslings

And then I headed off to work to check out how the young gulls were doing. We have nests on several buildings, but one in particular offers a great vantage point from a balcony to a nesting point on one of the green roof areas. When I got there, the young herring gulls were getting ready for breakfast (a regurgitated feast collected by the adult). Not pretty, but the chicks can’t wait!

herring gull chicks feeding

herring gull chicks feeding

herring gull chicks feeding

Sated, the chicks then posed for a few photos.

Herring gull chick

Herring gull chicks

Herring gull chicks

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

Also posted in Behaviour, water birds Tagged , , , |