A Bird In The Hand

A Bird In The Hand, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

There was a bit of a baby bird fest going on here. Linnets, Blue Tits and Whitethroats making the most of the warm evenings.

Lookout

Lookout, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Whitethroats are everywhere at the moment and they have a serious attitude. Great haircut too.

The Fog

The Fog, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

A beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky. Well, until the fog came in that is.
A bit of a lazy shot, taken from my bedroom window.

Spot The Deer

Spot The Deer, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Sika have a totally different personality than our Roe Deer. They are far more confident, more curious and more common. They are also very pretty animals and, in my humble opinion, are always a treat to see.

More Than A Handful

More Than A Handful, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Bringing up one youngster is not easy, but twins are a little more difficult. Tonight I went out to get a better shot of yesterdays Roe kid, and I came across this trio. Now I'm a big lad, but I must admit I got a bit of a lump in my throat. This reminded me too much of the last set of twins I got to know. Fingers crossed for these two.

Time For A Wren

Time For A Wren, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

There are so many youngsters around at the moment and it was good to fing a large family of Wrens. At least for kids I think, driving here parents mad.

Chip Off The Old Block

Chip Off The Old Block, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

An early start this morning meant I stumble across this little family scene. I managed to watch from a distance for quite a while, (this is a bit of a crop), but I just couldn't get the focus right. Great to see though and this will do as a record shot.

Two For Dinner

Two For Dinner, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

It was a real bonus finding these two young Whitethroats tonight. I managed to get quite close, but had to shoot through the undergrowth. I must admit, I like the blurred foreground..

Dragon Emperor

Dragon Emperor, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

There were only a few of these, and they spent most of there time being beaten up by the much smaller 4 Spot Chasers. Great to watch, but annoyingly, they insisted on perching in very awkward places.

If You Go Down To The Woods

If You Go Down To The Woods, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

No matter what I did, I couldn't get this Sika to put her head in the sunlight. It was a little gloomy in the woods, but this was a nice surprise.

Mouthfull

Mouthfull, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

A couple of good walks today but the weather, although dry was not great for photographs. The sky was too white for landscapes but there was very little light under the trees for the birds. Plenty to see and hear though so I can't really complain. Whitethroats were everywhere.

Banded

Banded, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

The Banded Damoiselle is one of my favourites, they are always great to watch.

Beautiful

Beautiful, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

A Beautiful Damoiselle, I think, another shot with the big lens making me wish I had taken the macro.

Golden Rings

Golden Rings, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Just enough time for a quick wander today but unfortunately I only had the big lens. Plenty of dragons about, including this one. The Golden Ringed dragonfly seemed huge next to the usual suspects.

Twelve Spots

Twelve Spots, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Another windy day stopped me playing with the macro as much as I wanted. Luckily there were plenty of 6 Spot Burnet moths about and a few were staying still enough for a shot.

The Bees Are Back

The Bees Are Back, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Lovely little flowers these.
Bee Orchids are starting to pop up and although they are not easy to find, it is well worth a hunt.

To The South Beach

To The South Beach, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

It was a little bit too windy for the shots I wanted to take today, the macro barely had a look in. No complaints though, the walk from Swanage over the hill to Studland is always good. Following the cliff path past Old Harry and the Pinnacles give incredible views across sea.

Mother & Child

Mother & Child, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

I got too close to this Sika. She was in the gloom of the woodland and I didn’t see her until it was too late. I backed off to a safe distance, took a shot and left her alone. I always try to steer clear of the fawns, as any disturbance can scare the mother off for good. The sound of the youngster crying for its mother is terrible.

A Local's Local

A Local's Local, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

These two shots together really highlight the differences between our natural Roe and the imported Sika. Both are beautiful animals, but the Roe are just a little bit special. This was one of five seen tonight, plus the Sika and a family of foxes. Not a bad evening, although it was a little murky.

Misplaced Youth

Misplaced Youth, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

This is a young male Sika deer and I have been trying to get a shot for a little while. The South West corner of the Isle of Purbeck is usually a Sika-free zone, but not any more. Fingers crossed that this doesn't affect the very small population of Roe that we have.

Another Small Blue Butterfly

Another Small Blue Butterfly, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Butterfly Karma Sutra

Butterfly Karma Sutra, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

I'm not sure if these are Small Blues and they were too busy to ask. Any positive I.D. would be appreciated.

Speckled In A Wood

Speckled In A Wood, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

This butterfly was a little easier to identify, at least I think it was.
A Speckled Wood, I think, but as usual, if you have other ideas, just yell.

Not That Common

Not That Common, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

I am far from being an expert on little blue butterflies, but I think this is a Common Blue. There were quite a few of these about (hence the name I suppose), as well as several Adonis and Small Blues. I find these a lot more difficult to photograph than Deer that's for sure.

Mad Dogs And Englishman

Mad Dogs And Englishman, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

It is easy to disappear for a while on a bright, warm, sunny day. Just leave the well worn paths that spider along the cliffs and take the animal tracks. All of a sudden the world changes and time has no meaning. Somewhere in the distance, there is a pint and a pasty waiting for me so if you don't mind I'll crack on and see if I can take pictures of creatures other than deer and Foxes. Cheers to a grand Saturday.

Brown Eyes

Brown Eyes, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

I could do with spending a little more time walking the dogs and a little less time watching the Foxes. Benny and Sika behave very well though and settle down next to me until its time to move on.

Greens

Greens, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Plenty of these about at the moment, but I thought this picture made a change from the deer.

Roe Meadow

Roe Meadow, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

One of last years Roe deer enjoying the evening Sun. I know I post plenty of shots like this, but these are a real favourite of mine.