Roma

Well having posted some recent images from a few weeks back, I'll post some from a little bit further in the past. These images are from Rome, and were taken on a family holiday in February. As ever with holidays, wildlife is never far from my focus, and I like to take some of my gear with me. On the continent then the collection of common birds are different to the ones I'm used to, and commonest and most ubiquitous of them all are the Black Redstarts. I love these birds, and I've photographed them a number of times. One thing about these birds i've always missed though is the male birds in full breeding plumage, as I usually miss that time of year. So I capitalised on the fact I found many in Rome, such as this one on a not-so-roman piece of the Colosseum...



This one was frequenting a piece of ancient masonry in a ruined city near the coast...



...This one was enjoying the rough ground between railway line and surrounding houses...





in the Roman forum the number of birds increased markedly, giving me excellent views of species both familar and unfamiliar. The latter category included a first for my lens (but not for me), a female Serin...



A Goldfinch fed, apparently oblivious to the tourists, alongside the path in the dasies...



Ring-Necked Parakeets are always a little controversial as they are aliens, but regardless of any opinions they seem to be hardy and adaptable enough to live in most European cities and are rather comical in their nest holes. First we see the head...



...then out it pops...!



The gardens of the city are actually surprisingly birdful, especially with some of the commoner species. This would include the House Sparrows, who were particularly fond of dust-bathing...



As well as the ubiquitious Hous Sparrows, there were the prettier and more exciting Tree Sparrows. I had an absolute field day with these birds, hiding in the villa borghese between the hedges (much to the bemusement of the locals) and snapping them as they waddled along the tree-lined avenues...







There's that phrase 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do', and clearly this Gull followed it too rigidly, for it murdered and consumed a pigeon in the most foul way imaginable. The two were feeding side by side, before the gull grabbed it and held it in a fountain until it drowned. At first the bloodied corpse resembled a bird...



..before being torn into progressively smaller and less recognisable pieces. This truly was nature red in tooth and claw (and beak and feather)...



So that was Rome. Next? No idea.

Shetland 2012- Day V: Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil, See F*** All

Well I woke up on my last day up north, looked out the window and went back to bed? Why? Because it looked like someone had shoved cotton wool up against the glass. I couldn't see a foot in front of me, which doesn't bode well for trying to see birds. Despite this, at 8:00am with no sign of the weather improving we consumed some oatcakes and went out into the fog. It cleared a little, and I could make out some Oystercatchers by the roadside, a young'n with its parent...

...I was pleased with the shot actually, especially as it was the first one I took before 11am! Still, the fog started to lift and along with my spirits. We headed south to Sumburgh Head, an RSPB reserve. Its a sea cliff, but (in my opinion) not in the same league as Hermaness. I shouldn't knock it though, its a good reserve, here's a newly fledged sparrow on a rock...

...but through the clearing fog I spotted what I really wanted to see, an Arctic Skua and only the second one of the trip...

...If Bonxies are thugs, then Arctic Skuas are assassins, they're just more refined-looking birds. Still, as I panned after this killer I heard a wren below me. Close in. So I looked down, and literally about 2 foot from me a Shetland Wren sat, singing away. I took some shots, it gave me a once-over and then retreated....

..but at this point I somehow lost my mind. I'd signed a pact with myself; I had loads of Puffin shots from my stint up on Hermaness, I didn't need any more from Sumburgh. What I certainly didn't need was a load more editing. What I should've done was look to find the Skua again. But then one landed in front of me and preened. It was about three metres away. Any thoughts of Skuas flew away as quickly as the bird itself. I became a Puffin-mad photographical machine once more...

...and then one with fish came, so I could get The Shot. Y'know? The one on the cards at Smiths...?

...and out the burrow...

...and a happy-flappy bird...

...but, as ever, all good things must come to an end and it was through this logic that I found myself in the departure lounge at Sumburgh airport. It'd been a great trip, with only one new bird for me in Red Necked Phalarope but a host of new species in front of the lens. I was thoroughly pleased with my 5 day stint, so it was with teary eyes I boarded the Loganair flight to Aberdeen. Goodbye Shetland, I can't wait to return!

However, I cannot just leave this hanging. I'd like to thank Jason Atkinson for his help planning this trip, without his knowledge i'd never've visited Hermaness, Fetlar or Burravoe. More help also came from Dougie Preston, so thanks for help with the Black Guillies even if they didn't play fair in the end!

Pearl Before Swine

Thats what my father says, anyway! I spent some time of late in a nameless European city (but for the sake or Realism i'll call it Venice) and had to go a WHOLE WEEK without 'proper' wildlife photography! Well, after I went cold turkey in the first day, I knew that my 400mm which i'd brought but swore not to use in anger, had to come out. Its not that I don't appriciate the lovely architecture and general feel of the city, but my attention span's too small for art galleries and the like! A couple of choice shots...









But of course Venice offers some different photos...





An enjoyable Holiday, all in all!