Another picture from a stairwell at the "Kontorhausviertel" at the city of Hamburg.

MINUTE WOODLAND kingfisher, the size of a blue tit,

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=========================================================Perched near fresh water to drink, but hunts insects around damp grassy margins, or picks them off on the surface of the water.. Africa's smallest kingfisher., and it made my day, as have got seen one for several years !!

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THANK YOU for your visit and comments, will enjoy visiting your photostream and commenting on your latest captures.

Stay safe and well..............God bless Tomx

SMALL and compact bird with a relatively short. dark tail. This male was seen at Sandwich Bay Kent and was the only bird of note seen today, and a bit distant, hope you enjoy it!

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Trust you are staying safe and well, thanks for your visit, please leave a comment, it is always appreciated, and find it encouraging . God bless.........................Tomx

Gambia tour 2020

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Medium sized and unmistakable. Africa's only black and white Kingfisher. Hovers often above its prey, before plunging for the kill, very vocal, often seen in groups. Photographed near the Kotu bridge.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND BEING A FRIEND, am grateful for any comment, will look forward doing the same with your latest posting.. Keep well and safe, God bless you.. ...................................Tomx

Recapping 2013 images of the Gambia, when I did only have very few followers, hope you enjoy, as this is my Favourite bird from this region.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, please leave a comment, and I will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting. Keep a smile on your face, love in your heart for everybody, Stay safe, God bless

............Tomx

A BEAUTY that is common and widespread in Britain, their song is a familiar sound now that spring is upon us., during the breeding season, its diet is one that includes a significant proportion of insects and in winter almost strictly seed-eating regime. The male above was captured in my garden, was not sure whether to post this one or not, so do hope you enjoy it.

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THANK YOU for your visit, it means a lot in these crazy lock downtimes. Enjoy the weekend the best you can, stay safe, God bless.........................................Tomx.

QUICK MARCH !!!

TALL robust plovers with long yellow legs, usually in pairs or small parties of up to ten birds. Favors a variety of fresh and saline aquatic habitats. Difficult to get close to, and very entertaining in their behavior. Seen at Kotu, Banjul, Gambia.

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THANK YOU for your visit, friendship, and comments.

Another very wet day in Kent, hope you remembered to put the clocks forward an hour, stay safe and well........ God bless............................. Tomx

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COURTSHIP DISPLAY VERY RARELY SEEN.

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My jaw hit the ground, when two of these beauties started a courtship display, have many images of the entire ferormance, something I will never forget.

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MY LAST GAMBIAN IMAGE. have over 1100 keeper images have posted only 33. Such a joy for me to show them.

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THANK YOU, for your visit, friendship, and comments, enjoy the LORDS day, stay safe and well, God bless you....Tomx

WELL MARKED and distinctive warbler, the Sedge Warbler has a lively and beautiful song that is a useful aid to identification. This one was deep into the reeds but found a small gap to focus through, love seeing them.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, leave a comment, and I will eagerly return the visit to your latest posting.

Enjoy the Lords day, God bless..............................Tomx

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"COUNT your blessings, name them one by one, you be surprised what the good Lord has done !"

AN ELEGANT bird with a strikingly long tail that continually pumps up and down. Invariably associated with flowing fresh water and often perches on mid-stream boulders, seen at Kearsney Abbey Dover Kent UK.

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THANK YOU, for your visit and comments, hope you all have a great weekend, keep praying for peace in Ukraine, God bless you...............Tomx.

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Ask Jesus into your life you will never regret it, he loves you so much!

REDSHANKS favor areas of undisturbed damp grassland, moors, and the margins of marshes. Utters a yelping tiu-uu alarm call, the song is musical and yodeling. Always a pure delight to capture these.

Double click for more detail.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, do so hope you are all well, enjoy the weekend, even if it's gone back a bit wintery again in Kent UK, God bless...............................................Tomx

REMARKABLY bold and inquisitive, and walks with a acteristic swagger, a opportunistic feeder, and comes in mob handed at Briar Cottage, A real villian seeing off the smaller birds!!! This one is saying "Do I look like a villan ?"

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THANK YOU for your friendship and visit and comments will do my best to return the visit, if not now then in a few days, my life is a bit hectic still. Keep safe and well, God bless you all..........................Tomx

MIXED MEAT PLATTER, awaits its chicks, but the parent is not going to feed them until I am well out the way, so as not to disclose the nest sights location. Seen at Palm Bay Thanet Kent.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, keep well and safe , keep a smile on your face and love in your heart for everyone. God bless

................................................Tomx.

A GREETING CARD star, one of the nations favourites. Often bold and inquisitive in garden settings, strongly and conspicuously territorial, so how can you not take its picture, I love them, seen at Stodmarsh, Kent, UK.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP in these difficult times, please leave a comment, and I will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting.

Enjoy the rest of the week, stay safe, God bless..............Tomx

FAMILIAR little finch, a delightful little bird of wayside habitats. In Summer the male as above is colourful and distinctive. Seen at the Reastharrow Scrape lead in path, at Sandwich Bay Kent.

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THANK YOU for your visit and friendship, Keep safe and well,enjoy the weekend my friends, God bless you........ Tomx

RARE SIGHT for me, as kingfishers in Kent, are few and far between, so I have to show this as they are so dazzlingly attractive, and love that dagger-like bill, a favorite among British birders, This perch is used over and over again by this beauty.. and witnessed it catching many very small fish.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, please leave a comment, and I will eagerly look forward to doing the same on your lastest posting. Stay well and safe in these crazy lockdown times.......................God bless you .......................Tomx

We've done it, we moved into our new home on Sat 24th, still lots to do but we've settled in, so I will try and get back to commenting more now, still rather busy to get out with the camera, so it will have to archive stuff for a bit longer. I don't want to move house ever again, ha ha

SUMMER VISITOR, this bird was busy feeding up close to the coast , to make the hop across the Channel and work its way south to warmer climates. I know that I am still fairly new to birding, but it seems like a lot of birds think its Autumn already, and indeed the weather has been a bit autumnal, at times. have you seen any signs ?

Bit of a heavy crop on this, but not a lot to show you.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, Enjoy the Lords day, keep safe, God bless...................Tomx.

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"Dear GOD, help us to focus on the greatest gift of the whole year through. THANK YOU for sending your one and only Son, that we might be saved through Him.

Fresh morning Orange Tip on Forget me not.

FAMILIAR black, grey and white bird. The Pied Wagtail has a bounding flight and distinctive habit of pumping its tail up and down. They love locations such as playing fields and supermarket car parks, where this one was captured, but I was willing it to go into a little grass area to get a better image.

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THANK YOU for being a friend, please leave a comment and I will look forward to returning the visit.

We have the road map out of lockdown, just hope the nature reserves and hides will soon open.

Stay safe and well, God bless..........................Tomx.

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JESUS LOVES YOU and died for you, let him into your life today as your savior!

An elegant bird with a strikingly long tail that it continually pumps up and down. The Grey Wagtail is invariably associated with flowing fresh water and often perches on mid-stream boulders.

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OUR ANNUAL trip to The Gambia in Feb has been cancelled by the agent, the third holiday lost to the Covid epidemic.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2021.

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Mine is. of course, seeing the back of Covid19.

Seeing family and Grandchildren.

Being able to sing and praise the LORD in church

Seeing people smile, not hiding behind a mask.

Going on holiday.

Open nature reserves and hides.

Enjoying a pint in a pub. And a good curry in an Indian Restaurant

WHATEVER you wish, I hope it is so !!!

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Stay safe and well my dear friends, God bless..........Tomx

UNOBTRUSIVE little woodland bird, this one lost his nest in a decaying tree stump, during the resent thunderstorms, and is now proceedind to go for a second brood. Seen with cobwebs fot the new nest., wish them more luck this time.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, so many things going on in my life at the moment am struggling to get onto Flickr so often, please bear with me. Wish you all good health and happiness, stay safe, God Bless................Tomx.

GREEN VERVET MONKEY........................................................SEEN near our Flatdogs Camp, The mother is eating the tender green shoots in a boggy area, while the youngster is suckling,

Good to see so many different species of Monkeys, but must admit to having trouble identifying them.

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THANK YOU for your visit and encouraging comments, keep safe and well, God bless.............................Tomx

AN ATTRACTIVE and uncommon gull in our area, seen at the Sandwich bay Scrap Kent. Found mainly in discrete colonies on coastal marshes in the south and east of England

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISIT and comment, will return the visit as soon as I can. Enjoy the week my friends but please stay well and safe, God bless. Tomx

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HOW DO I BECOME A CHRISTIAN?

Being a Christian is about a relationship with Jesus Christ, the only Son of the living God, who died in our place, to pay for our sin. He desires to welcome you into God's family here on earth and into heaven when you die.

To start this relationship, simply pray the prayer below, if you mean it, he'll respond, because the Bible says that God looks at our hearts.

"Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness.

I believe that Jesus shed his precious blood and died for my sin.

I am willing to turn away from my sin.

I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Saviour.! "

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OFF LINE FOR FIVE DAYS

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THREE FULL DAYS STAYING ON SKOMER ISLAND, with my brother Bob, the forcast looks not very good, but it will be great fun, and you know what to expect with my images, in the next coulpe of weeks, puffins ans more puffins.

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THANK YOU for your visit and kind comments, will return to your images to comment as soon as possable.

Look after yourself, stay well and safe, God bless...................Tomx.

A TINY BIRD, it is constantly active in search of small invertebrates, you have to consider yourself extremely fortunate if you discover them. Feeding bird sometimes come amazingly close to observers, but views like this typically last no more than a few seconds. My thanks to Steve Ashton, without him I doubt if I would have encountered them.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, enjoy the Lords day, please stay safe, stay positive, God bless you.............Tomx.

ENJOYING the wet weather, as it brings up the worms, not so good for photographers, it was the best image to a bad day.

Seen Ancient highway Sandwich bay Kent.

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THANKING YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, hope your all well and making the most out of life, in these crazy days....God bless you.................................Tomx

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"GODs BEAUTY is SIMPLY AMAZING !"

FORAGING in low scrub, rather warbler like, picking and hovering from the underside of leaves, Was told of this uncommon bird to the Kotu area, and have to admit to spending more time looking or waiting for an appearance, than any other bird on the trip, but it did put an appearance just for a few seconds, would have loved to have got a side image, to show its full beauty.

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THANK YOU, for your visit to my Gambian images, hope you are still enjoying them, I love reading your kind comments and doing the same to your latest posting. Enjoy the Lord's day, God bless and keep you safe and well..............Tomx.

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UNITE IN PRAYER FOR UKRAINE

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THEY may be widespread and rather nondescript, streaked brown bird, but I have a real affection for them, as a ground-dwelling species, it is quite approachable with care. Feeds on invertebrates as seen, a bit harder in the capture in the winter when they often form loose flocks.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP, please leave a comment, they are always very appreciated and find encouraging, and will look forward to seeing your latest images......In the UK we are in lockdown again from Thurs, not sure if this means not visiting nature reserves?

Please take great care folks, put your trust in our Lord, and we will get through this................God bless you...............Tomx

Gambia tour 2020.

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JOY OF JOYS, my brother spotted and called HOOPOE, no way I thought !!! But yes it was, our first sighting in the Gambia. Bless its heart, it let us very near, and I have over 100 keeper images, it was completely relaxed, and never stopped grooming itself, a experience I will never forget . Seen in the Kotu area.

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THANK YOU for being a friend and leaving a comment. Will look forward to visiting your photo stream and and doing the same on your latest posting. The weekend is coming on fast, enjoy, say safe, and may God bless you in all you do.

...................................................Tomx

A forest dwelling butterfly with black-brown wings marked with white spots, streaks and bands. The underwing patterns are repeated but against a pale orange back ground colour.

DISTINCTIVE water bird, the largest in he region, when swimming the neck is held in a elegant curve. FAMILY gruops with parents are often seen. They mate for life.

TRY TO POST all British birds seen, but have not put up a SWAN for years, shame on me. Seen at Stodmarsh nature reserve Kent.

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THANK YOU, for your visit and kind comments, will return the visit as soon as possible. Enjoy the Lords day, stay safe and well , God bless.......................Tomx.

FAMILIAR SPECIES, but still in heavy decline, familiar because of its affinity for human habitations, found in small groups, can become remarkably tame. A constant source of entertainment on the trees and feeders around the cottage!

CRAZY MILD WEATHER ! look at the buds on its perch in December !

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THANK YOU for your visit, and kind comments , much appreciated indeed. Enjoy the weekend my dear friends, Stay safe, God bless .................Tomx

male bird in Kafue National Park, Zambia

Nikon D500 with Sigma 150-600mm 5.0-6.3 Sport

sometimes called Black-bellied Korhaan

lissotis melanogaster (in the past it was eupodotis melanogaster)

zwartbuiktrap

outarde à ventre noir

Schwarzbauchtrappe

Your views, favorites and supportive comments are highly appreciated.

All rights reserved. ButsFons©2020

Please do not use my photos on websites, blogs or in any other media without my explicit permission.

RECALLING GAMBIAN images from my 2013 trip, so wish I was there now. Hope you enjoy my Big footed capture, seeing them Stalk, creep, and runs on floating surface vegetation of lakes and pools, occasionally forages on open farmland.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, please leave a comment, it is always appreciated, and find encouraging.

Hope you are all coping better than me, in this lockdown,?

Please stay safe and well................God bless....................Tomx

Swallow taken from the out the window of our guesthouse room

AFTER THE LORD MAYOR SHOW IMAGE!

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A GROUND-DWELLING bird, a familiar species across much of Britain and Ireland, partly because of its predilection for gardens and suburban locations. A beautiful singer, but can also utter a harsh and repeated tchak alarm call,at dusk or if a prowling cat is discovered. Hope you like this image, was not sure if to post it or not...............

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THANK YOU for your support, and kind comments, am having a few health problems, which is hampering my photography a bit,

and am showing old images a bit more. Please stay Safe, God Bless............................

---------------------Tomx.........

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"Weave JESUS into your life, your never regret it !"

DELIGHTFUL PLUMP-BODIED WADER, not often seen, and taken in very dark conditions, the best of a bad bunch, but just enjoy catching up with this pair every-year at the sea side defense wall, from Jan to about April. Seen a Hampton near Herne Bay, Kent, U.K.

SUNNY DAY GARDEN CAPTURE.

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ENJOYED a couple of hours away from wood staining in the garden, we are lucky to be so well positioned to the edge of the village, have many feeders, bird boxes, and a fairly large garden. The most numerous of birds coming into the garden in order are as follows.

House sparrow

Goldfinch

Blue tits

Jackdaw

Long tailed Tits.

Chaffinch

Ring-necked Parakeet

Great Tits

Tomorrow will list the rarest birds and unusual seen in our garden.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR FRIENDSHIP !!!!

Love reading your comments, and look forward to seeing your latest posting, being transported around the UK and the world, from the prison of Briar Cott.

Stay very well and safe, my prayers go out to you all.............

God bless.................................Tomx.

I love these guys folks but do not photograph nearly enough, but that will change here of late, staying local

to to personal and medical issues.

Thanks to all for everything.

AN ELEGANT and unmistakable pure white, heron-like bird with a black, dagger-like bill and a long neck. Was very well hidden, when this bird dropped in, it then started working its way towards me, until I could not fit it in the frame, then past me, but who wants a back side view ! What a experience. Classed as a rarity in Britain a while back, but now fairly easy to find.

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THANK YOU for your visit and kind comments, it is always appreciated. Enjoy the weekend dear friends, Stay safe, God bless...................Tomx.

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HELP PLEASE !

Have always cropped my images by 6x4inches, and have tried to get them published, but cannot find anybody that will do this size, for a pictorial type book, any help or advice would be very appreciated. Thank you.

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SORRY once again my posting of this image lost the first couple of comments, very strange !!!

"HALLELUJAH !" FIRST TRIP OUT !!! AND THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GOT !!! but so good to see some feathered friends again !!!

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THE TEAL is the smallest duck in Britain and one of the most widespread. Flocks of teals are a familiar sight in winter on estuaries, mudflats and inland wetlands. They are still very attractive, this one seen at the scrape, Sandwich Bay, Kent UK

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THANK YOU for your visit and very kind comments, and standing and supporting me through the most difficult part of my life, God bless you all...................................Tomx

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"I thank God my life has been saved !"

SMALL dumpy wader that is associated with coastal habitats. Feeds by running along sand, gravel or estuarine mud as if powered by clockwork and then standing still for a second, to pick up food from the ground. Seen from the sea wall Reculvers, where their was a flock of about 20.

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THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND, and leaving a comment, will look forward to doing the same on your latest posting!

Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart for everyone

May God bless and keep you...........................................Tomx.

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COUNT your blessings, name them one by one, and you will be surprised what the good LORDs done.!

Taken at Bempton Cliffs last summer.

As always, thank you so much for stopping by and for leaving any comments or faves, they are very much appreciated.

at a large pool in a farmland area

Ardea cinerea

blauwe reiger

héron cendré

Graureiher

Garza Real

Airone cenerino

Garça-real

Many thanks for your views, favorites and supportive comments.

All rights reserved. Fons Buts©2022

My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.

Nothing like a fresh fish breakfast folks, and nothing like getting a shot of the moment.

Thanks to all for everything.

ONE of SEVEN SNIPES seen at the Restharrow hide at Sandwich bay Kent yesterday. EASILY RECOGNIZED by its dumpy, rounded body, short legs, and its incredibly long straight bill, to probe vertically downwards into the soft mud. Often very shy, and hide away, but got lucky today, was a real joy to have something to photograph..

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THANK YOU for your support and very kind comments, am struggling to keep up with seeing and commenting on your images, please bare with me. God bless and keep you well and safe.......

...................Tomx

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"GODs BEAUTY is SIMPLY AMAZING !"