Deep Reality

Composite of 6 images of a kestrel swooping from a perch. Image taken at The Hawk & Owl Trust's Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve in Norfolk, UK.

Little egret catching a small fish

Great white egret perching in a bush

Clouded yellow butterfly, female, flying over dandelion flower.

Recent wildlife photographs, all taken at my local nature reserves in Somerset, UK - SWT Westhay and RSPB Ham Wall. Always worth taking a walk amongst nature even at this relatively quiet time of the year. You never know what you'll see.

Lizard with yellow and green spotted markings

European Wall Lizard (Common Wall Lizard) photographed in Italy.
#reptiles #lizards #italy #wildlifephotography

Hoverfly with aphids at RSPB Ham Wall.
#rspbhamwall

A pair of gadwall. Female (left) and male (coming into breeding plummage) eyeing each other up as potential mates... spring is in the air!
#ukbird #ukbirdphotography #ukwildlife #ukwildlifephotography #wildlifephotography #somersetbirds #bto_somerset1 #rspbhamwall #avalonmarshes #somersetwildlife

Juvenile gull in flight

Adult herring gull in flight

Greenshank wading in shallow water

A day photograping the birds at Seaton Wetlands Nature Reserve in Devon, UK. All shots taken from the Tower Hide, which overlooks the River Axe and the Reserve itself.
#ukbird
#ukbirds
#ukbirdphotography
#ukwildlife
#ukwildlifephotography
#wildlifephotography
#seatonwetlands
#devon
#birdsinflight

Curlew in flight.

Gre heron in flight

Two lapwing standing on a mud bank

Redshank wading in shallow water

A day photograping the birds at Seaton Wetlands Nature Reserve in Devon, UK. All shots taken from the Tower Hide, which overlooks the River Axe and the Reserve itself.
#ukbird
#ukbirds
#ukbirdphotography
#ukwildlife
#ukwildlifephotography
#wildlifephotography
#seatonwetlands
#devon
#birdsinflight

Blue tit feeding amongst the reed stems on Noah's Lake at Shapwick Heath NR, Somerset, UK.
#ukbirds
#ukbirdphotography
#ukwildlife
#ukwildlifephotography
#wildlifephotography
#somersetbirds
#bto_somerset1
#rspbhamwall
#avalonmarshes
#somersetwildlife

Wigeon in flight over Noah's Lake at Shapwick Heath NR, Somerset, UK. They had been spooked by a marsh harrier.
#wigeon
#wildfowl
#ducks
#ukbirds
#ukbirdphotography
#ukwildlife
#ukwildlifephotography
#wildlifephotography
#somersetbirds
#bto_somerset1
#rspbhamwall
#avalonmarshes
#somersetwildlife

Male house sparrow - a small buff-brown, grey and black bird with a bright black eye sitting in a blackberry bush

Male House Sparrow. A common bird in the UK, but still an interesting and attractive little bird. A small flock of them chattering and calling while they assault the bird feeders in our garden is always entertaining to watch.

#birds
#btobirds
#ukwildlife
#sparrow
#gardenbirds
#gardenbirding

Male Pochard duck with red/brown head and neck, black chest, silver / grey wing plumage and red eyes photographed at WWT Welney nature reserve in Norfolk UK.

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Male Pochard showing well at WWT Welney, Norfolk, UK.
#birds
#wwt
#btobirds
#pochard
#ducks
#ukwildlife
#wwtwelney
#norfolk

10 less common garden birds for the Big Garden Birdwatch. Coal Tit: Black cap, white cheeks. Wren: Brown, upright tail. Nuthatch: Blue-grey back, orange underside. Dunnock: Brown, grey tones. Song Thrush: Brown, speckled chest. Great Spotted Woodpecker: Black, white, red. Rock Dove: Grey, iridescent neck. Collared Dove: Pale beige, black collar. Chaffinch: Male pinkish, female brown.

These 10 not-so-common birds might not visit every garden, but they’re worth keeping an eye out for this #BigGardenBirdwatch! 🐦👀

Have you seen any of these visitors on your patch before?

Sign up for the birdiest, countiest event of the year: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Two whooper swans banking in unison as they come in to land amongst the over-wintering ducks at WWT Welney.

Whooper swans banking in to land amongst the over-wintering ducks at WWT Welney, Norfolk, UK.
#birds
#wwt
#btobirds
#ukwildlife
#whooperswans
#wwtwelney
#norfolk

Nicely marked brown, grey and white male pintail duck floating on a calm misty lake

Pintail (male) feeding in the chilly mist at RSPB Titchwell.
#birds
#btobirds
#rspb
#pintail
#ukwildlife
#ducks
#ukbirds

Thank you 🙂

A Redshank - a type of wader with red legs and a long beak feeding in calm shallow water in misty conditions.

Redshank feeding in the mist at RSPB Titchwell Marsh.
#birds #rspb #rspbtitchwell #btobirds #waders #redshank #ukwildlife #ukbirds

Marsh Harrier flying over the reed bed landscape at RSPB Titchwell in Norfolk in the misty conditions we enjoyed in late December.
#rspb #marshharrier #raptors #birds #btobirds #rspbframptonmarsh #harriers #birdsofprey

Whooper Swan feeding on a grass bank at RSPB Frampton Marsh this week.
#rspb #whooper #birds #btobirds #rspbframptonmarsh

Snipe. Photographed from 360 Degree Hide at RSPB Frampton Marsh this week.
#rspb #snipe #birds #btobirds #rspbframptonmarsh

A brown, grey and black bearded tit (also called bearded reedling) clinging on to a reed stem.

Bearded reedling (bearded tit), male showing nicely in the reedbeds at #rspbhamwall
#avalonmarshes #btobirds #rspb #beardedreedling #beardedtit

A striking Great Spotted Woodpecker perches on the rough bark of a pine tree, its bold black and white plumage standing out against the muted background. The bright red feathers beneath its tail add a vibrant pop of colour. Its posture exudes alertness and curiosity, perfectly capturing the essence of this iconic woodland resident.

Oooh lucky you! A Great Spotted Woodpecker just landed in your feed. 😍

Nicely marked male marsh harrier with white, grey and brown plummage flying low - quatering the reed beds at RSPB Ham Wall, Somerset, UK.

Nicely marked male marsh harrier quatering the reed beds at RSPB Ham Wall, Somerset, UK.
#marshharrier #birdsofprey #btobirds #rspb #rspbhamwall #birds #ukwildlife #avalonmarshes #raptors

Feeding on a seedhead

Two young Blue Tits picking aphids off a stem of Common Hogweed

A black, grey and white Pied Wagtail showing feathers fluffed up in the cold weather.

Pied wagtail fluffed up in the cold weather.
#piedwagtailo #btobirds #rspb #avalonmarshes #rspbhamwall
#birds #wildlife

A grey heron standing amongst frosted cut reeds.

A rather chilly looking grey heron. A great time of year to photograph birds if you can suffer the cold!
#avalonmarshes #rspb #rspbhamwall #bto #greyheron #herons #winter #somerset #wildlife #wildlifeuk

Cattle egret in full breeding plummage standing on the back of a cow surrounded by low vegetation

Cattle Egret in full breeding plummage at Catcott Lows.
#birds
#somersetwildlifetrust
#avalonmarshes
#bto
#rspb
#somerset
#wildlife
#herons
#egret

A purple common reed seed head with green convolulus tendril.

Common reed seed head in August. Remember the warmer weather!

#avalonmarshes
#rspb
#rspbhamwall
#summer

This sleek Moorhen struts across a frosty surface, showcasing its dark plumage with hints of white and vivid yellow-green legs. Its bright red bill with a yellow tip adds a striking pop of colour, standing out against the icy background. Frost clings delicately to its feathers, giving a sense of the cold chill in the air as it steps carefully on the frozen ground.

Just a mid-week Moorhen skating through your frosty feeds...

Great spotted woodpecker clinging to a post.

Great Spotted Woodpecker at Shapwick Heath, Somerset, UK. Always a treat to see these beautiful birds.
#birds
#hawkandowltrust
#bto
#rspb
#woodpecker
#avalonmarshes
#shapwickheath

Great white egret - a type of large white heron - caught just as it hopped across the water chasing after fish.

Great White Egret caught just as it hopped across the water chasing after fish. I can't resist photographing these elegant birds, which have recently (since 2012) colonised the Somerset Levels and are now spreading across the UK. Shot at RSPB Ham Wall.
#birds
#rspb
#bto
#heron
#egret
#avalonmarshes