Well there goes another year, in what feels like the blink of an eye! Here is a look back at some of my most memorable moments from the past twelve months…
Baby birds seem to feature predominantly in my best moments of 2017, and one particular day proved particularly unforgettable.
Delighted to see a clutch of 5 very tiny cygnets, not more than a few hours old, swimming alongside their parents, I was then surprised by yet more babies. Four mallard ducklings emerged from their nearby nest in the river bank, having hatched only moments earlier and made their very first steps before my eyes!
So common are Mallards on British rivers and lakes, that they are overlooked in favour of ‘more interesting’ birds. The resident flock here in Aberystwyth however, have provided me with plenty of photography opportunities throughout the year and provided some fascinating insights into their lives at close quarters.
From the fearless mother defending her newly hatched chicks from hungry gulls to hormone fuelled drakes desperate to mate, these birds have proved they are anything but boring!
Very sadly, the last duckling featured in the above blog post did not survive but it was very rewarding getting to spend a few hours in it’s company and capturing some delightful images.
My favourite member of the crow family is the Jackdaw. With their sleek black and grey plumage and bright blue eyes they make beautiful photography subjects and have also featured heavily in my images this year.
A particularly special day was an encounter with a newly fledged Jackdaw as it was fed by it’s parents on one of it’s first days outside the nest.
After several missed opportunities, 2017 was also the year I was finally able to capture a complete Mute Swan mating sequence!
Unfortunately the tricky location meant I was shooting from some distance, and directly into the sun, and so the images aren’t as good as I would like. Perhaps this year I will get the perfect shots I hope for!
2017 awards & achievements:
- Shortlisted in the Festival of Birds & Nature photography competition
- Intelligent Cat Care Magazine November 2017
- Image featured on Humane Research trust calendar & greetings cards
- LoveCATS World Calendar
- Swansea Cats Protection calendar
- Intelligent Cat Care Magazine december 2017
- BSAVA Companion Magazine cover
- BBC Wildlife Magazine June 2017 issue “Baby Wild Animals”
- Wildlife Photography World Spring 2017 issue
- Your Cat Magazine February 2017 “Pawtraits”
And below, a selection of some of my individual favourite images from 2017.
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All photographs copyright of Claire Stott/Grey Feather Photography 2017 ©
http://www.greyfeatherphotography.com
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