The time seems to have flown since my last post on this wonderful project documenting a family of Redstarts I started some weeks again now in the stunningly beautiful Peak District National Park. In my previous blog post you can read by clicking here the Redstart chicks had not long hatched.
I’ve been working on another project in the beautiful Peak District National Park photographing one of the UK’s most beautiful and stunning summer visitors; the Redstart. This attractive cousin of the Robin and Nightingale is one of my favourite summer visitors to our shores. They travel all the way from North Africa to the UK to raise their young before leaving for Africa at the end of summer which I find amazing.
In March of this year I came across a pair of Long-Tailed Tits that where building their nest in a thorny, dense hedgerow. These birds are so tiny and absolutely beautiful, they look like a little lollipop when in flight. The following images, all taken recently are just a few of my favourites from this project.
I’m pleased to announce that I will be part of this brand new event at Pensthorpe Natural Park on the 18th & 19th May. I will be doing talks and practical workshops on both days, showing why I love Norfolk’s wildlife so much and what the place means to me.
There is an aura of power and majesty about the Tiger, unchallenged while patrolling their territory. In the famous Jungle Book Rudyard Kipling acknowledged the undisputed status of the mighty Bengal Tiger by introducing Shere Khan as the King of the Beasts. Although the cat family includes many impressive and attractive animals, the Tiger for me is the most beautiful of them all.
Recently I found a pair of Long-tailed Tits that were building a nest in a dense hedgerow protected on all sides by thorny branches. I’ve spent as much time there as I can, working from a camouflaged hide to minimise any disturbance to these tiny birds by my present.
The Dippers in the Peak District have been incredibly active over the last few weeks, they are normally early nesters and have two broods per year but with this month’s glorious weather giving the feeling its summer it seems to have spurred the Dippers on even more and they are already mating and checking out nest sites and building new ones.
This incredible expedition took us to one of the most wonderful and impressive places on Earth – “The roof of the world” as it’s known. It had been over fifteen months almost of planning to make sure everything that could be planned went well. Precarious climbs, steep falls, bone chilling cold and heartwarming sights, just some of the words that come to mind from this incredible trip to the Indian Himalayas searching for the elusive Snow Leopard. I was working with the best team on the ground there, providing me with years of experience and logistical support. Nothing was promised with such a rare big cat but I always believe in what you give to nature , nature will give back to you.
