I have been on a bit of a mission recently; to get a good shot of a Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).
I was lucky to see one at Burton Mere earlier this week but it was too far away to get a shot so today I went to Mere Sands Nature Reserve where this little chap is often spotted. I have seen it a couple of times but I have only been able to photograph it once before.
Today it settled for less than 10 seconds on this small branch. As you can see from the first image it was quite a way off and hard to spot between the reeds so getting a clear shot was out of the question. Nevertheless I was thrilled to get any sort of image and happy to share it here. I will keep on trying and one day I am sure I will get the perfect shot.
There is something really special about these birds and it is always a thrill to see them. They are quite rare in the UK with between 3,800 and 4,400 breeding pairs spread throughout the whole of the UK (source RSPB) so any sighting however brief is definitely a treat.
From the very first moment the trip to Canada was planned I was excited about the different wildlife I would get to see. I was pretty certain that I would see eagles and I knew if we picked the right time of year Hummingbirds were a safe bet, and there was no doubt about deer, skunks and chipmunks but a bear, as much as I hoped I didn't really expect to see one. However on day two of the trip on the long drive across country a huge Black Bear crossed the road ahead of the car. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a shot of it but it was such a thrill to see its great bulk lumbering across the highway.
A day or so later our friends took us to the Fort William Reservation (First Nation) and a short stop at the dump was rewarded with an opportunity to get close up with a beautiful bear. It was a little sad to see this majestic beast rummaging through the trash but it was also a genuine thrill and we sat for a while until he slowly walked off into the forest. I have more pictures of the bear which no doubt I will come back to in time but for now enjoy...
