PHOTOGRAPHS OF 2012 PART 2.

The meadow pipit landed 8yds away while I  was having my dinner on Clougha, the common tern was at Preston Dock were I spent a lot of time  this year photographing these swallows of the sea,the widgeon and swan images were at Newton Marsh my second home,the four spotted chaser was on a local pond,while the willow warbler and common sandpiper nest was in the Trough Of Bowland were I must spend more time this spring,the bee orchid was at Fairhaven and finally the starling and painted lady butterfly images were taken in my own garden.I was very pleased to capture the butterfly as there were very few sightings in Lancashire this year and this image was taken in September so they must nave bred.These images bring back wonderful memories.

PHOTOGRAPHS OF 2012.

A few of my favourite images of 2012 some of these might not be  my best images but bring back wonderful memories of hours spent in the Trough of Bowland,Rossall Point,Newton Marsh,and on my own doorstep.I hope you enjoy them as much as I did capturing these images.

A WAXWING MERRY CHRISTMAS.

A few days ago I was told of a few waxwings feeding in a local village.It was a freezing day as the birds came down to feed on the frozen berries,I found a branch of berries that had a clear background and managed to capture images of this photogenic bird with this very pleasing background Judith and I would like to wish all my fellow bloggers photographers friends and followers A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND  A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR.

MAGICAL MERLIN.

On a cold and bright morning last week I visited Newton Marsh to see what was about,hundreds of widgeon with teal mallard and shoveler were fast asleep on the part frozen water.The merlin was on its usual distant post surveying the vast area hoping to ambush a meal,as the grassland started to thaw curlea lapwing and a few starling dropped in to feed.I watched in amazement as the starlings got closer and closer to the merlin ,as the first photograph shows,all of a sudden the birds were up and the merlin set off.It flew with purpose to the waters edge and followed the contours all the time getting closer to me and my camera at about 70-80 yds away it dived into the reeds but missed its intended victim.It stayed in the reeds for 4-5 mins with its head just showing all of a sudden it was off again travelling no more than 20yds  before it dived down into the reeds again this time suprising and capturing its prey.I've posted the images that I managed to capture showing the events unfold,but it was distant and the action  was very fast.To see a merlin hunting is a wonderful sight but to capture images of the dive and kill  is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.It just goes to show that by having patience and learning your local patch intimately what rewards await you.

WAXWING'S PART TWO.

I'am sorry it has taken so long to post the next episode of the waxwings,but we have had a bit better weather up here in the northwest and I have been out with my camera trying to catch up with the winter birds. The waxwings are certainly a photogenic bird and I have posted a few of my favorite images below for your enjoyment.

WAXWING WONDERLAND.

The Waxwings return to Preston has been on a regular basis in the last few years and this year is no exception,about 150 birds have been seen at 3 or 4 sites in the city.Although the birds have been flighty and difficult to pin down on occasions they have performed for the cameras and plenty of people have captured images of these photogenic birds.I have posted a few of my better efforts of trying to capture the birds in flight below.I will do another post of the Waxwings on the berries very soon.