Selected Images from 2012

I did not have as many opportunities for photography as I wanted in 2012, but I have chosen a few images of wildlife and of zoo animals to show what I managed to achieve.

Wildlife

 Greenfinch

16th May, Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Lancashire; from the path between the Eric Morecambe and Allen hides. 500mm lens and 1.4x converter.
Early morning light makes this image special, it shows the shape of the finch and brings out its coloration.

Avocet feeding

21st May, Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Lancashire; from the Allen hide. 500mm lens and 1.4x converter.
Several pairs of pairs of avocets nested on this brackish lagoon beside Morecambe Bay. I can remember when avocets were very rare in the UK and you had to go to East Anglia to see them.

 Male marsh harrier

21st May, Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Lancashire; from the Lower hide. 500mm lens.
My best BIF (bird in flight) image from 2012. I have spent many hours in this hide over the years, hoping for a shot like this. This male was a busy boy as he had to provide for three nests.

Emperor dragonfly male

8th July, Aylesbeare Common RSPB reserve, Devon; at a pool NW of the entrance. 500mm lens and 1.4x converter.
700 mm focal length would seem like overkill for a dragonfly, but Emperor males are large and very skittish. I took this shot from the opposite side of a small pool. This old male has worn wings and a damaged clasper.

Stoat in long grass

9th October, Martin Mere WWT reserve, Lancashire; from Ron Barker hide (Miller's Bridge).  500mm lens and 1.4x converter.
I watched this stoat hunting around the hide for several minutes and I was lucky to catch this pose. I tried to take some shots as it was bounding through the grass, reminding me of a dolphin 'porpoising' through a choppy sea, but they were total failures.

A murmuration of starlings

9th October, Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Lancashire; just before dusk from road overlooking the Lower hide. 105mm lens.
One of the spectacles of the British autumn and winter as our local starlings are joined by thousands of migrants from northern Europe.

Carrion crow

4th November, Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Lancashire; from the Eric Morecambe hide. 500mm lens and 1.4x converter.
This wild crow sat on the fence right in front of the hide and watched the birdwatchers. I like crows and I would far rather get a nice photo of a common bird like this than a fuzzy shot of a rarity.

Grey seal bull

11th November, Donna Nook NNR, Lincolnshire; from main footpath. 500mm.
Donna Nook gets thousands of visitors in November and December. Most people photograph the seal pups. I know the adult seals are not as cute, but they are more interesting; this big bull is looking out for rivals.

Zoo animals

Male Derbyan Parakeet

5th March, aviary attached to Elephant House, Chester Zoo. 300mm. Beautiful light showed the colours of this wonderful bird.

Common Tenrec

24th March, Tenrec House, Paignton Zoo. 105mm (through glass). I needed patience to shoot this unusual crepuscular species.

Black-headed village weaver male displaying

1st April, Tsavo Aviary, Chester Zoo. 500mm. I liked the contre jour lighting, but I had to take quite a few shots to get a clear view of the bird's eye with the wings in the position I wanted.

Tuatara male 'Pixie'

10th June, Tropical House, Chester Zoo. 500mm (through glass). A  very rare animal which is a true living fossil. With a little effort you can imagine that Pixie is 50 metres long, although his real length is only about 50cm.

Boelen's python

1st September, Islands in Danger, Chester Zoo. 105mm (through glass). The first species I go to see when I visit Chester Zoo, because they are most active as the zoo opens. This snake is my favourite because of the fantastic iridescence of its scales.

Spectacled bear female 'Franka'

1st September, Bear enclosure, Chester Zoo. 105mm. Franka has the most perfect spectacle markings that I have ever seen. I think she was looking for her keeper and hoping for another watermelon.

Gorilla infant 'Kukena'

22nd September, Gorilla Island, Bristol Zoo. 500mm plus 1.4x converter. I photographed Kukena running away from his mother Salome a few days before his first birthday. His game was to run about 4 metres as fast as he could, climb onto a log and turn to look at his mother, then to run back to her again.

Gorilla male 'Kumbuka'

27th September, Gorilla Island, Paignton Zoo. 500mm. I confess that gorillas are my favourite animals. This exceptionally handsome young silverback is due to become the leader of the group at London Zoo.

Belanger's tree shrew

3rd November, enclosure inside Elephant House, Chester Zoo. 105mm (through glass). It may look as though I used flash for this photo, but the little guy was actually illuminated by a spotlight in the roof of the enclosure.