Fallow Buck.

A Fallow Buck checking out what he might like for a snack. Shot during a session in Bushy Park from about 30 yards away and cropped. [f7.1; 1/250; ISO 400 @ 300mm]. 

More images will appear on my main blog very soon.  FAB.

Linking to Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters.

Black and White Beauties.

During the past few days I have been fortunate to catch up with two of our very distinctive black and white butterflies.

Last Thursday it was the Marbled White (Melanargia galathea). Photographed amongst the tall grasses on the southern slope of the North Downs at Ranmore Common. [450D with 70-300 lens].

Today it was the turn of a White Admiral (Limenitis camilla). Photographed in a small sunlit glade along a path leading to Banks Common. [PowerShot SX50 HS].

Both species are likely to also feature in posts on my main blog very soon. During today's stroll I also saw plenty of Meadow Brown and Ringlets, Comma, Red Admiral, Large Skipper and a handful of Silver-washed Fritillary. You can view my photos of all of these species HERE.  FAB.

Linking to Nature Notes and Our World Tuesday.

Mirror Image.

A pair of friendly [Western] Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) spending a bit of quiet, quality time together. From a distance the untrained eye of the layman often thinks they are just a dark 'crow' but when you get up close you can appreciate their distinctive and contrasting head pattern plus their inquisitive grey-white eyes.  FAB.

Linking to Saturday's Critters hosted by Eileen and Camera Critters hosted by Misty.

Silver-washed Fritillary.

My first sighting of a Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) this year during a stroll around the woodland glades on Bookham Common. This male was constantly on the wing and only settled briefly on two or three occasions so I was pleased to capture a decent image with a single shot.  FAB.

Linking to Saturday's Critters.

Reed Bunting.

One from the archives, a male Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoenichus) showing off its full breeding plumage in a coastal Kent reed-bed.

To bring things more up to date below are two shots taken last week of the same species but in a totally different habitat very much closer to home... open parkland with plenty of ferns to provide a song post.

In between singing sessions he dropped down into the lush vegetation but soon reappeared even after a brief rain shower that left everything else dripping.

 Linking to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY (100th edition) hosted by Stewart.

Red Doe.

A brief encounter with a Red Doe in Bushy Park last week. As expected she was inquisitive but also very wary so a very quiet approach was necessary. 

[Both images were shot at  f/10: 1/160; ISO 400 at 221-269mm and very slightly cropped] 

The session lasted just three minutes and then I backed off to allow her to quietly walk away.  FAB. 

Linking to Saturday's Critters.

Canada Goslings.

Canada goslings photographed during their daily feeding sessions around the Stew Pond on Epsom Common. The first image (above) was taken twelve days ago of one individual from a total brood of eight. The following two images were taken today and surprisingly all eight are still with us but there is a definite size difference between some of this family.

Linking to Our World Tuesday and Nature Notes