Fight or flight

It’s now mid May and for many birds the breeding season is now in full swing. Down in the harbour waters of ‘the Gap’ the mallard ducks have already begun to pair up, however as is common among many duck species, males outnumber females quite considerably. For those that are unsuccessful in winning a mate…

Birds in flight – Pigeons

Who needs feet when you have wings to fly’ – Frida Kahlo Despite a rather hazy start and less than promising forecast today turned out to be quite an unexpectedly glorious day! I spent the morning on my local patch but with little activity at ground level I turned my attention skywards, using the opportunity…

Summer skies

To me nothing signals the start of summer quite like the arrival of the house martins here in Aberystwyth. As the warmer weather advances more and more of these birds return to their breeding grounds beside the harbour inlet. The quiet skies are soon filled with their aerial acrobatics and the sound of their constant…

Herring gulls: Villain or victim?

A few weeks ago I rescued a herring gull chick from the pavement in Aberystwyth, after it fell from it’s nest unable to fly. Unfortunately the fall had resulted in a broken leg and this was so badly damaged there was nothing that could be done but to take the bird to a vet and…

‘Jack, jack!’

Wildlife photography can often be a very lonely occupation and one requiring vast amounts of patience. I have spent countless hours sitting alone (often in some very uncomfortable spots) just watching and waiting for that next close encounter or interesting piece of behaviour to occur. More often than not I am left disappointed as things…

Sighting: Goldfinch

This morning I was surprised and delighted to encounter this gorgeous goldfinch (one of my favourite birds). I often see and hear them fly over the harbour with their distinctive twinkling calls but they rarely descend down to the harbour itself. Occasionally during the summer they can be found feeding among the wildflowers growing on…

The Patch: Placrug

I thought it might be interesting to share some information on various ‘patches’ here in the beautiful seaside town of Aberystwyth on the Welsh coast, where the majority of my photographs are taken. Today we are looking at another of my favourite locations, which I don’t visit nearly as often as I would like, something…

Love birds

Rather surprisingly, Pigeons are one of the few species of birds who are truly monogamous, often forming lifelong pairs. Unlike most wild birds they are also capable of reproducing all year round, provided conditions are favourable and their is enough food for the adults and chicks. With the sun shining I have been spending a…

Why did the Jackdaw cross the road?

To get to the other side of course… There was little around to photograph today, with just one lone Jackdaw making an appearance. The morning was still and quiet, with diffuse light breaking through a thin layer of cloud creating a soft, blue glow over the landscape. From my low vantage point I was able…

Have you ever seen a baby pigeon?

Have you ever seen a baby pigeon? Highly unlikely, in fact very few people have. But why is this? The reason may be found in the pigeons’ breeding habits. Like their rock dove ancestors they nest in cavities, natural cliff ledges replaced by holes and cavities in our urban buildings. Nesting high in inaccessible locations…