Catching Some Rays

Catching Some Rays, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

One of the benifits of all the rain we have had this week is that mushrooms are springing up everywhere. I always like finding these little chaps and if you can find them in a patch of sunlight, all the better.

Bright Gold

Bright Gold, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Changeable, I think, describes todays weather best. One minute we had bright sunshine, the next , black clouds and hardly any light at all.
Plenty of little birds around though, including dozens of Goldfinches.

Hang On

Hang On, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Great Tits, Robins, Blue Tits, Goldfinches and a few Dunnocks were all trying to get into this shot, and they were making plenty of noise.
My camera has started to make a very strange noise too,which is a little worrying. I don't know whether it is effecting my shots so I can't use that excuse yet.
But lets just not mention the short but wonderful view of the Peregrine that I couldn't photograph because I had forgotten to take the lens cap off!

Twiggy

Twiggy, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

One of my favourite birds, the Long-Tailed Tit is ridiculously cute. There was a gang of about a dozen of these tumbling through the hedges. At one point they were so close, I couldn't use my camera because I only had the big lens.
Dark mornings and darker evenings mean that my wandering time is more limited than ever, making times like this even more special.

Wild At Heart

Wild At Heart, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Always a favourite and always seemingly willing to pose, the Robin brightens up whatever he is sat on.

Dartford View

Dartford View, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

I see a few of these at the moment, more this year than last, I think. But the Dartford Warbler is still a bird that I struggle with. This one sat still long enough for just one shot and then disappeared in the Gorse. Once I lowered the camera, of course, he popped his smug little head up again.

Sika

Sika, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Well, we have had Sika for about six months now and she is doing pretty well. When we first found her, she couldn't run very well and had trouble controlling her long legs.
Now, she is as mad as cheese and incredibly fast, which always makes for interesting walks.

Benny

Benny, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Benny is still the boss and has really taken Sika under his wing. He is a bit of a complex chap (like many rescue dogs, I suppose) and I will always be surprised at how well the two of them get on.

Still Singing

Still Singing, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

There were dozens of Chifchaffs around this morning and they were making plenty of noise.

Old Man & The Sea

Old Man & The Sea, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

As usual, not a lot of time for a walk after work. To make things worse, the wind picked up and the clouds started to close in.
At this time of year, the pale remnants of Old Man's Beard flowers always remind me of frost and it changes the face of the hedgrerows. Just in case you missed the fact that Winter is well and trully on the way.

Blacks and Shadows

Blacks and Shadows, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Looking like something out of The Omen, this Crow sat here for far too long. Big old birds these and quite intimidating when they are sat, just a few feet away from your right ear, when you are trying to focus on other things.

Very Special Forces

Very Special Forces, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

If these chaps aren't S.B.S. then they are Royal Marines. Either way, to get through night manoeuvres, returning to base just as the Sun came up, you have to be pretty special.

Anger Management

Anger Management, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Something really stirred up this chap. I have never heard a Squirrel get quite so upset!
He was shaking and squawking and quite frankly, going way over the top.
I don't know, maybe someone nicked his acorns?

Dog Fight

Dog Fight, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

We watched these two Kestrels having a right ding dong for over an hour yesterday. There were three, but one kept out of it all.
A bit of a tight crop on this one, it all happened near the top of the chalk cliffs at Ballard.

Pipits of the Earth

Pipits of the Earth, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

As regular as clockwork, you can always rely on a Rock Pipit to follow as you wander along under the chalk cliffs. For the best part of three hours, the Pipit and his Wheatear mate kept tabs on us.
Not a bad way to spend a morning.

Coast Watch

Coast Watch, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Quite a look of concentration on this chap, even though, just a few minutes before he was tumbling along the rocks with a few friends. The Wheatears and Rock Pipits may have been put off by the largest number of sea canoes I seen around here for a while.

The Last Post

The Last Post, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Plenty of little birds around today, but not too many were willing to hang around and pose. The Stonechats competed against the Robins for the Cutest Bird Award and this time, for once, they came out on top.

Aerial Ballet

Aerial Ballet, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

At one time there were half a dozen Crows having a go at this Kestrel. It ducked and dived for about ten minutes before it finally shook off the last two.
A huge crop on this one but, even though it was almost directly into the Sun, I quite like it.

Stag Night

Stag Night, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Technically, this shot was not taken at night, but I thought 'Stag Teatime' made for a rather stupid title.
At this time of year the Sika are fully tooled up and ready for action, this 8 point stag is one of the bigger lads.

Blue Sky Thinking

Blue Sky Thinking, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Another beautiful day means two things:
1. That I must be at work
2. That I realise just how quickly it gets dark.
There is precious little time at the end of the day during the week and so I have to resort to drive-by shootings and stolen walks to erm... contemplate stuff..

Chiffchaff Chat

Chiffchaff Chat, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Another shot from last nights wander. The light really was special, I don't think you can beat the Golden Hour just as the Sun is going down. This Chiffchaff was one of dozens of little birds that bounced through the trees and hedges, making far too much noise.

Out Of Season

Out Of Season, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

After a break of far too many days I managed to venture back to the cliffs. The light was just about perfect and, as the Sun slowly set behind the hills, this little Wheatear took a minute to watch.

Ivy League

Ivy League, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Time to show off my almost legendary knack for getting the names of birds wrong. This may or may not be a female Stonechat. As usual, any positive i.d. would be appreciated.

Sika, Most Hunted

Sika, Most Hunted, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

This was taken on the home this afternoon, it was very dull, rainy and the wind was picking up. I have seen white Roe, Fallow and Reds, but never a white Sika. The play rut going on in the background was even more of a bonus.

White Sika Stag

White Sika Stag, originally uploaded by julian sawyer.

Another shot from this afternoon of my first white Sika stag. This chap is two or three years old, so he has been around for a while but he wasn't keen on people. Unfortunately, white Stags don't tend to live as long because of hunting or exclusion from the herd so maybe that isn't a bad thing.

The Nature of Purbeck Calendar 2011

Finally, I have finished preparing my 2011 calendar. It's not easy picking the shots from this year and it takes a while.
I'm quite pleased with this one though.