I was at one of my favourite nature reserves having a coffee and a slice of Victoria Sponge (again) when this robin suddenly decided to stand at the end of the table giving my cake the hard stare so I was able to get in tight and take this portrait. I know the robin was waiting for me to pass over a crumb or two but I'm ashamed to say I had every single crumb. Never make a deal with the devil when he's eating Victoria sponge !

Keeping one eye on mum and one eye on me. Unlike Bugs Bunny rabbits are really not all that keen on carrots and are not good for them. Often more active and seen first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening.

Seen here busy collecting nest material. The Whitethroat is one of the most widespread of the Sylvia warblers in Europe, often bold and prefers most open habitats with thickets and shrubs. Although small this warbler is strongly migratory and will over winter in tropical Africa, Arabia and Paristan.

In the 1400's when the Robin was named the colour orange had not been classified and this is why we say that the Robin has a red breast and not orange. America has an eagle so it's about time the UK had the Robin as its national bird !!!!! As the first British postmen wore red coats they got the nick name 'Robin' or 'Redbreast'.

Well he managed to get himself one female even if he had to take her into the water while watching a huge male stag rutting nearby.

I can easily go for a walk where I live now and can count well over 100 individual rabbits in a space of half hour. All are in good condition with no signs or scars of that dreadful myxomatosis disease. With patients you can get fairly close to them in which to take a few photos.

Another one of my dear friend, she's still in great shape and good condition with no hint of mange what so ever, always friendly and so adorable and will still sit next to me on a bench for an odd snooze that she likes to have from time to time and as far as I'm concerned one of the best friendships I've ever had with any wild animal ever.

A beautiful elegant water bird that has a very elaborate mating display where they will rise out of the water and shake their heads from side to side. The Great Crested Grebe has a distinctive noisy whinnying trill. Was once hunted for its head plume feathers which almost lead it to its extermination from the UK but the population recovered due to great conservation methods.. As well as diving to feed they will also prefer to dive to escape rather then flying away.

One of around 38 species of blowflies that can be found in the UK with the green bottle fly being the most stunning one out of all of them. Flies are a very important part of our ecosystem and a vital peace of the jigsaw of life. They help in the process of breaking down any animal corpses they could litter our land and in turn provide and add important nutrients to the soil which will help in the aid of plant growth as well as pollinating flowers. Without pollinators we would have eighty per sent less food on our plates.

At first I thought I was watching a few gulls trying to chase and catch what I thought was a leaf being blown across the water on one of my local reservoirs until it got closer when I noticed that it was a Red Admiral butterfly and not a leaf. I lost count at the amount of times the butterfly was dived bombed by the gulls and even was submerged a few times but try as they did and thanks to the strong wind blowing across the water the butterfly made it to live and tell the tale and perhaps to even got to hibernate and come next spring start of the next generation of Red Admiral butterflies.

After the big gale in the UK called Storm Eunice this unexpected visitor arrived the following day on one of my two local lakes I live next to in Welwyn Garden City and was a great surprize and find, It spent a few weeks hanging around with the local flocks of Canadian Geese before flying away. Generally rather shy and unapproachable. Not nearly so widespread as Canada Geese. Found in the UK from autumn and usually until the late spring.

Britian's largest dragonfly and can often be seen from late spring to late August depending on the weather with the preferred habitat being ponds, lakes and slow rivers. The female is seen here inserting her eggs into the pond weed just below the water's surface which she usually does l on her own. The larvae will hatch in about three weeks, depending on when the eggs were laid in the late summer the larvae will emerge as adults in one or two year's time.

A colourful and distinctive long-tailed bird with a loud call. This parakeet's natural range is in Asia and Africa and now established in Britain with the suburban western fringes of London being the stronghold.

Also known as the Eastern Gray Squirrel, native to eastern North America where it is an essential natural forester. Less arboreal than then the Red Squirrel as the grey tends to feed extensively on the ground. Its not their fault that there over here in the UK that one lie's with the worlds most destructive and most dangerous animal on the planet called the human. This is one of the first wild mammals that children can get to see regally and so sometimes help encourage them to get into nature.

Can sometimes be known as the hedge sparrow and can easily be mistaken for a female house sparrow. Compared to the sparrow the dunnock has a thinner and a more pointy bill with the body being more sleeker. Where as sparrows tend to live in flocks the dunnock is rarely seen in pairs. Its not uncommon for a female dunnock to mate with several different males and males will sometimes share females in which to defend their territory against rivals. The term 'dunnock' derived from old English meaning 'little brown bird'. The males usually start to sing from January to around July when the breeding has finished and may sometimes sing briefly at night.

I couldn't believe my luck when this lady decided to walk up to me and a few moments later we were both sitting down on the grass together, she even had her chin resting on my thigh and let me stroke her a few times. About ten minutes later she got up and looked straight into my eyes as if to say, 'I'm off now do you want to take my portrait before I go'. This is one urban wildlife moment I wont forget in a hurry.

Can sometimes be confused with the Yellow Wagtail but the Grey Wagtails plumage on the back is grey while the Yellow Wagtail back is yellow to green. The tail flicking movements which are also sometimes called tail flashing and tail wagging are thought to help disturb and flush out their insect prey.

Sometimes known as the 'Football Jersey' due to its yellow/orange and black stripes. These caterpillars feed on Ragwort and have been used as natural control in America and Australia where Ragwort is known as 'Yellow Peril'. Farmers in the UK have also tried using this natural control with some success. The adult moth fly' s during the day and the name 'Cinnabar' is because the wings are meant to be the colour of the mineral Cinnabar.

Breeds mainly in Australia and due to climatic conditions this nomadic swan has erratic migration patterns. Most Black Swans seen in the UK are mostly escapes from captivity and with the occasional successful breeding attempts are yet to become fully established in the wild.

The adults of these beetles can often be seen feeding on flowers from May to September. One of 68 species of Longhorn Beetles that can be found in the UK that are named after their distinctive long antennae. The larvae will develop and feed in dead wood of deciduous trees.

Identification with this species can be difficult as the green colour comes from the dense scales which over time can rub off leaving this weevil body colour looking a lot darker. Can be found from April to July often in common nettles. Its a shame you normally find this in nettles talk about my poor very red stinging nose after I got this, ouch !

Nothing beats seeing this easily recognizable plant in spring from April to June when it forms a dense carpet of blue (sometimes white or pink) fragrant flowers over a woodland floor and the ''bluebell woods'' are often considered to be some of the most spectacular displays in Europe.

I cant help but think that evolution forgot about this ducks messy backside of feathers, some times I would love to get a comb or brush and and tidy up this little birds rear feathers when ever I see one. This is the smallest European grebe that has a very distinctive high pitch call with a rapid till that will fade away. Can be sometimes mistaken for a Black-Necked grebe when in its winter plumage. Prefers fresh water and will dive to catch small fish, molluscs and insects.

Almost one and a half years old now and still looking so sweet and beautiful. I love the friendly look and the eye contact that I always get from her, it really makes my day and I feel so honoured when she sits next to me and excepts me as her friend. So loved and so popular with everyone and a great ambassador for nature with the local children. PS I spoil her rotten.

The Mute swan actually gets its name from the fact that its is less vocal than other swan species and is one of the heaviest flying birds. A male swan is known as a Cob while the female is known as a Pen and has a lifespan of around 12 years in the wild and can reach 30 years if in an protected environment. One of three species of wild swans to be found in the UK and is the national bird of Denmark. The Mute Swan is unique in making a vibrant throbbing sound with the wings when in flight. A large group of swans can be called , school, ballet and regatta. No swan has ever broken any ones arm, this is a actually a complete myth.

Found in areas of unmanaged grassland, roadsides and wasteland. The spiders Orb Webb is found just above ground level in low vegetation or grass. In the Orb Webb there is a zigzag band of silk called the stabilimentum. Main prey for this spider is grasshoppers and crickets. Can be found widespread in the UK along the south coast and in the south-east of England and has now moved up far north to the east Midlands.

Often seen over open grasslands, meadows, woodland clearings and verges. Adults will cluster around nectar sources such as thistle, marjoram and knapweed. Females will often have a yellowish suffusion markings on the underside of the wings compared to the males black markings. This year this has to be one of the most numerous of all the butterflies that I can see in great numbers where I live considering that butterfly numbers are going down.

One of the smallest members in the crow family in Europe. Can be very approachable in towns and built up areas but are wary in the countryside. Adults have very distinctive grey eyes and a close look will reveal a purple gloss on the wings and back, not forgetting the grey cast on the underparts. The Jackdaw is known for its 'kjack' contact calls.

These small bees are named after nomads and are often referred to as homeless bees. Can be seen from April to August that will consist of two broods. The females will enter the nests of Andrena species of mining bees and will lay an egg on the host cell wall. The larvae from the Nomad bee will hatch and proceed to eat the Andrena egg.

Found widespread and common over much of Britain and in the south-east of Ireland. Bee Flies are parasitoids of wasps and solitary bees with their young eating the larvae. In early spring these flies can be seen visiting flowers using their long proboscis in which to feed. Can be seen on the wing from mid March to June.

Native to the Mediterranean, due to introductions and escapes found over much of the UK and Europe. One of six species to be found in the UK with the Red and Roe deer being the only native species.

Thank you for all the kind comments!

To my surprise, this shot was tweeted by @bbcspringwatch on Thursday! twitter.com/BBCSpringwatch/status/809416468559368192 T

Well here she is again and Gamora is now about two years old now and still as friendly as ever. Her on and sometimes off boyfriend is still a hanging around but still so sign of any little one's yet but I have by fingers crossed that sometime later that will happen.

Mallard ducks can tend to interbreed with many other indigenous wild ducks of closely related species and can produce various coloured forms and this one has to be the most stunning looking one I've yet to find and see. The proper scientific term for this however is actually called genetic pollution.

The male Common Darter is one of the most widespread of the dragonflies to be found over most lowland of Britain and Ireland and gets the name 'Darter' from the way this species will dart forward from a hovering position to catch its insect-prey. Can be seen on the wing from May to early November depending on the weather. The Latin name Odonata for the order of dragonflies is derived from the Greek "odonto" which refers to the strong teeth that can be found on the mandibles of most adults.

Usually the single young Fallow deer are born from June to July. Native to the Mediterranean, due to introductions and escapes found over much of the UK and Europe. One of six species to be found in the UK with the Red and Roe deer being the only native species . The name Fallow refers to the light brown colour of the pelt.

The most common pure-white heron like bird to be found in Europe. Was once persecuted and prized by the millinery trade for It's long plumes but can now be found relatively common in southern Britain and Ireland.

The Mute swan actually gets its name from the fact that its is less vocal than other swan species and is one of the heaviest flying birds. A male swan is known as a Cob while the female is known as a Pen and has a lifespan of around 12 years in the wild and can reach 30 years if in an protected environment.

Despite the fact that there are around 20,000 species of this large family of Longhorn beetles there a few to be found living in the UK. Just proves that you don't have to always take a trip to a tropical rainforest to find some amazing looking bugs. Fond of damp grassland areas and chalky soils where the larvae of this beetle develop in the stem tissues of herbaceous plants such as hogweed. Can be seen from May to June and found widespread in the UK but local in eastern England.

This was such a friendly fearsome fellow with a great aptitude when hungry. I was having a coffee and a few biscuits at one of my local nature reserve when this chap landed on the table scoffing down any biscuit crumbs he could find to eat. One minute he was the table then the seat next to me, my shoulder, and to top it all he'd constantly kept landing on my woolly hat on my head being very vocal and flapping his wings until he got another crumb. Christmas came a bit early for me this year as Mr Robin left a few presents on my beloved favourite woolly green hat, he pooped all over it, lol. In the 1400's when the Robin was named the colour orange had not been classified and this is why we say that the Robin has a red breast and not orange. Its about time that the Robin became the national bird of the UK just like America that has an eagle as their national bird.

This was the view from my window during the start of the Covid-19 Lockdown. Often around the same time in the afternoon this very large old fox would have no problem snoozing in the sun in the middle of the lawn or having a good old scratch. Now that the Lockdown has started to be lifted I no longer see my old friend which may be due to the fact that it's now become a bit busier and louder around here, but I'm sure all the wildlife loved the break from us all.

The original 'Butter-coloured fly' which is steadily extending its range northwards in the UK depending on the availability of its food plants. Warm weather in early March will raise the Brimstone from hibernation. This species is also a long-lived Butterfly and may be seen on the wing nearly every month depending on the cold weather.

Fallow deer are very variable in colour and can also be white or brown as with this adult male seen here. The name fallow is derived from the deer's brown colour. There are six species of deer that can be found in the UK with the Red deer and Roe deer being the truly indigenous ones, the fallow deer were introduced into the UK by the Normans.

Generally quite dark compared to other orb web spiders and can be found close to water where their webs are spun on fencing, buildings and bridges and rarely on vegetation. Close to a river near me where I live a river flows under a road in a tunnel these Orbweb spiders can be found and seen in their webs close to the lights that help to light up the pathway where they have the best of both worlds, warmth from the lights where I have even seen the adults spiders here in February with snow outside and plus their prey such as moths and flies are attracted to the lights also. Its amazing to see their webs so close together and not eating each other, nature can be truly amazing at times.

Say hi to my great friend who has been giving me much joy over the last nine months in the back garden and who loves nothing more than to soak up the suns rays and roll about on the grass and be so friendly and photogenic for me. This young lad looks more grown up now and is in a great shape and condition, he certainly gets the attention from the female vixens now.

Please note the creation of this image did not include flash photography

Barn owl (Tyto alba)

Yorkshire Dales - Lower Barn/ Embankment Female

Many thanks to all those who take the time to comment on my photos. It is truly appreciated.

DSC_3052b

Can also be known as Pilewort and is one of the first buttercups to flower in early spring from March to April and depending on the climate can even be seen flowering as early as January. This low flowering plant will brighten up and light up any woodland floor. When seen in most of our gardens this small low-growing perennial tends to be treated as a weed and falls into that old saying... A weed is a flower that flowers in the wrong place.

Always overlooked with its stunning plumage often underrated and all for being classed as something common. Can also be known as street pigeons, city pigeons and city doves. These pigeons were originally bred from the wild rock dove which naturally inhabit mountains and sea cliffs and which the feral pigeons find our town city's and the ledges of buildings a great substitute. The feral pigeon will display a greater variation of colours and patterns in their plumage compared with the rock dove. Its is said that darker birds maybe able to store higher concentrations of trace metals in the feathers which is found typically higher in urban areas.

Often associates with the Tufted Duck. A rare breeding duck in Western Europe including here in the UK. Will often dive from the surface to feed on roots seeds and shoots. Will often rice up and flap their wings in 'comfort' movement as associated with other waterfowl species.

This adult female has not quite finished her meal here. Once a spider has caught its prey and will want to eat its food the first step is to literally vomit a digestive fluid all over the food and then to chew the item with the jaws (chelicerae), then on to suck up the fluid back into the mouth together with the liquified meat. Some spiders can produce at least six different kinds of silk and if spiders were scaled to the same size as us it is said that the Web would be strong enough to catch a helicopter. It has also been claimed that a cable of silk as thick as a thumb woven from spider silk would be able to bear the weight of a jumbo jet.