A proper bright spot

[Chobulous]

I was walking my dog today by the Calder at Towneley. As usual he had got himself covered in mud so I chucked his ball into the river for him to go and get it when I saw a bright blue flash. It was a kingfisher that had landed on a bush to look for something to eat. He had no chance because the river was too swollen but it proper cheered me up.
Small things eh?

[Burnley1989]

I often see Deer in the morning on Noyna near Kelbrook, I can stand and watch them for ages, spotted 3 together in the snow last week, like you say it made my morning, the little things eh

[dandeclaret]

They're great. It was a huge help here in Dublin during lockdown to watch 3 sets of young kingfishers get raised on the river. They won't mind the swollen river, they know where the pools of slow moving water are and can still fish.

My mum said she saw a couple of kingfishers on recent visits to the park, and it's great to hear they are back in the area.

Here's a couple of photos from the summer here in Dublin

103566040_10157054111336784_8453999872813027123_o by Dan Heap, on Flickr


100882518_10156997000656784_2538163463906131968_o by Dan Heap, on Flickr

[basil6345789]

If you find Old Smokey on Facebook there are tons of wildlife pics, many of which are posted by Bob Rawlinson, superb photographer and nephew of Eddy Rawlinson, formerly a top photographer for national newspapers - still alive and snapping today.

[tim_noone]

I was walking my dog today by the Calder at Towneley. As usual he had got himself covered in mud so I chucked his ball into the river for him to go and get it when I saw a bright blue flash. It was a kingfisher that had landed on a bush to look for something to eat. He had no chance because the river was too swollen but it proper cheered me up.
Small things eh?

You dont see them often but when you do they're a very impressive Looking bird...

[SlidingTackle]

They're great. It was a huge help here in Dublin during lockdown to watch 3 sets of young kingfishers get raised on the river. They won't mind the swollen river, they know where the pools of slow moving water are and can still fish.

My mum said she saw a couple of kingfishers on recent visits to the park, and it's great to hear they are back in the area.

Here's a couple of photos from the summer here in Dublin

103566040_10157054111336784_8453999872813027123_o by Dan Heap, on Flickr


100882518_10156997000656784_2538163463906131968_o by Dan Heap, on Flickr

That first shot is absolutely cracking Dandeclaret.

[dandeclaret]

That first shot is absolutely cracking Dandeclaret.

Thankyou - still working on improving that photo with a diving Kingfisher, but no luck recently - too many people about. The 2nd photo was one of the highlights of the summer. Sat quietly watching the juvenile kingfisher (notice his brown feet and lighter feathers), when I heard another bird, and the adult male dropped in with a fish to feed him. It was amazing to watch.

Fun fact - their feathers aren't actually blue. They have a spongy filament in their feathers, that causes "Structural Light" to pass through them and reflect blue. Apparently Blue is the hardest colour to produce naturally in the animal kingdom.

[Longsidebovril]

Seeing a deer in the wild to me is such a thrill.
It feels as if the whole world has stopped and for a brief moment all is well.

Then it buggers off.

[dandeclaret]

On the same stretch of river as those kingfishers, there are a family of foxes..... this river is in an urban area, there's a road runs right along side it, with houses, but there's a narrow strip on the far side that is undisturbed...... then this year because of lockdown and no traffic on the road, there were a group of sika deer females and prickets who made their way into the parkland and river. One of the prickets stayed behind, and on this day I was photographing one of the foxes, when this 1 year old sika deer walked right up and sniffed the fox (the fox backed down and moved to get out of the way). Ive photographed wildlife around the world, and this, was a moment up there with some of the best, right on the doorstep

AJ0I5669 by Dan Heap, on Flickr


There's also a large herd of fallow deer in Phoenix park, and they provide great interest and photography opportunities during the rutting season. Whilst many photographers like to chase them, I like to sit, and wait for the action to happen all around

AJ0I0366 by Dan Heap, on Flickr

AJ0I1317 by Dan Heap, on Flickr

AJ0I1714-3 by Dan Heap, on Flickr

[jdrobbo]

Dan’s photos are first class! Love them. Top work. Must importantly, it’s great that you get so much enjoyment from being out with nature, I front and behind a lens.

[dandeclaret]

Thanks JDR - it's the only thing that has kept me sane the last 10 months, but It has really made me appreciate the wildlife that is on our doorstep, and It's been great to see so many people get excited by wildlife on their walks, from ducklings, to little grebe chicks, herons, foxes, otters, badgers, dippers, kingfishers and deer - it's been great to see the youngsters get involved as well.

[Quickenthetempo]

I tried photographing the Heron that is often seen on the Green brook that runs from Lowerhouse lodge to the river Calder at Padiham.

I had to settle for watching it in low flight mode. Great wingspan. You can't beat watching large birds swooping down in slow motion.

[Steve1956]

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You cant beat a good walk and catching a sight of one of these chirpy fella's
Int wildlife brilliant.

[spadesclaret]

You don't need to go further than your back garden -

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