My World Of Wildlife

After a busy week at school, and after getting to meet Steve Backshall and Helen Glover at his great new show which was at The Hawth in Crawley on Thursday last week, it was finally the holidays (well a week off anyway!). As the Autumn takes over with its changing colours and falling leaves the amount of fungi around has increased and over the last few days I have been searching for them at my local parks whilst walking my dog. October, in my opinion, is the best month to go out photographing fungi, as you still have good light until quite late and fungi are in their most numerous in this month. However you can see some fungi all year round! Every year I try to search for fungi and photograph them. Even though I don't get the best shots as I don't have a macro lens a few bits of kit help me to get some decent photos of them. The first bit of kit I bring is a beanbag, so I can keep my camera still as possible when photographing fungi down on the ground. I also bring...

Yesterday morning I spent a day at Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve and Church Norton. After an hour drive we arrived to surprisingly good weather! Firstly I checked in the Ferry Pool Hide and was quite surprised to see a group of around 100 Redshank with some Lapwing also mixed in. I also realised, as I left the hide and walked towards the harbour it was high tide, which I had never seen before at Pagham and the water was all the way up to the edge of the paths! Pagham Habour at High Tide Redshank and Lapwing After a quick scan across the water with my scope there were a number of Widgeon , Teal and Coot as well as a Shelduck which flew over. I was also quite surprised to hear a loud burst of Cetti's Warbler song which came from the reeds. We then walked back to the car and made the very short trip to Church Norton. After arriving, I spotted more Redshank as well as lots of Grey Plover . One Whimbrel was showing well as it stood in the island right in front of ...

Yesterday morning, after a change of plan about ringing I decided to spend a couple of hours at RSPB Pulborough Brooks testing out my new Opticron scope that I got for my birthday. After walking through the visitor centre we headed down to the first hide, a very friendly Robin sat on a branch overhanging the path, surprisingly not spooked by me walking past! From the first hide I spotted a Male Stonechat, perched on the top of some brambles as well as 100s of Canada and Greylag Geese in the distance. The next hide was quite quiet with only a Buzzard making an appearance. However in the following hide I did spot a Male Kestrel in the distance perched on a post. From Hanger View, which looks over the majority of the wetland areas I had great views of Widgeon and lots of Lapwing which suddenly rose to the air. Unsurprisingly they had been spooked by a Peregrine Falcon which was sat in the tree next to us. Peregrine Falcon With my scope I got brilliant views and too add to m...