One of six species of deer that can be found in the UK. The primary food of a red deer is grasses but will also eat a wide range of plants such as herbs, shrubs, rushes, tree shoots and willow as seen here.

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.

The only extant species in the genus Lophodytes and this name derives from the Greek language meaning 'crest'. Fond of ponds and rivers where they can be seen diving for fish, crayfish and other aquatic food seizing it in their serrated bills. These Merganser ducks will nest in tree cavities with the young ducklings departing with a leap to the forest floor after when only one day old. Unlike the male with his black and white crest, reddish brown flanks and a white breast the female has a cinnamon colour crest and gray-brown body.

The most widespread heron in Europe. Though the heron will stand motionless for hours on end when feeding or resting they will also stalk their prey with a slow deliberate pace which is followed with a lightning strike of the bill.

Endemic to the Colombian rain forest with a lifespan of up to around 14 years in the wild and around 24 years in captivity. During the late 1960's as many as 30.000 Cotton-Top-Tamarins were taken from the wild and exported to the US where they were used for biomedical research. With large habitat destruction the Cotton-Top-Tamarin is at risk with as little as 6000 individuals left in the wild.

Native to the Mediterranean and 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 . Can also be known as the European Fallow Deer or Common Deer.

Like the Mandarin Duck and very similar looking the Wood Duck has also escaped into certain areas in the UK but far less well-established. A mostly silent duck and native to North America where they live in wooded swamps and will nest in holes in trees, these ducks are one of the species of duck that are equipped with strong claws that help to grip bark and perch on branches.

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.

A semi-aquatic mammal native to south and southeast Asia. These otters have sensitive and dexterous front paws which help them locate their prey when they dig around in the mud. Their diet consist primary of crabs, molluscs, frogs and crustaceans.

A stunning diving duck that is often overlooked as being classed as common. Offen seen feeding in flocks and diving under water in search of food. These ducks can sometimes become semi-tame when found in local parks with ponds and lakes. The male has a long wispy tuft on the nape and has a black body with white flanks. The female has only a small slight tuft and a dark dull brown body. Found widespread and can be seen in large numbers on sheltered coastal waters.

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.

Another one of our underrated looking birds found in the UK. Can often be mistaken for a juvenile Rook but the Crows head has a more distinctive flatter crown and a much tighter neater-looking plumage. As with all corvids the Carrion Crow is a very intelligent bird and can recognise different human and crow faces.

A common and widespread duck that is able to adapt and thrive in different kinds of environments including coastal marshes, river and town parks. Mallard ducks can tend to interbreed with many other indigenous wild ducks of closely related species and can produce various coloured forms, the proper scientific term for this however is actually called genetic pollution. The name 'mallard' derives from the words for masculinity which applies to the male.

A burrowing ground squirrel native to the grasslands of North America. Named for their habitat and warning calls which sound very similar to a dog's bark.

No other British butterfly shares the same colouring as this species that was once in decline and is now common and can now be found widespread in the UK. This species can not survive intensive agriculture as it can not live on fertilised grass swards. The males are highly territorial and will attack any insect that comes close with a fast direct flight with pugnacious enthusiasm. This butterfly is particularly fond of warm and dry situations and can be found on wastelands meadows and occasionally gardens. Caterpillars feed on Common Sorrel and Sheep's Sorrel and when adult are on the wing from early May to October.

Can be variable in colour from whitish-green, to bright yellow depending on the the spiders habitat in matching the colour of the flower its on. An ambush hunter and will sit and wait for its prey. Can be found on flower heads, among grass, scrub, woodland edges and gardens. Around 27 species of crab spiders in the UK and named after spiders crab like appearance.

When I get the chance I'm still spending some quality time with my girl and it now seems that she has a potential boyfriend who is always close by and who is starting to get close to me. It wont only be photos of my beautiful vixen in the future, fingers crossed it may be some cute little kits in the future.

Often seen at flowers feeding on nectar with its proboscis. The majority of these flies are black and white or black and yellow. The larvae of these flies are internal parasites . The adult female intercept's their host in flight and deposit their eggs. The abdomen of the female is modified to form what acts like a 'can opener' in which to pry and open the segments of the host's abdomen as the egg is inserted.

A species of New World monkey from central South America and ranges from the south-central Amazon in Brazil through Pantanal eastern Bolivia, Chaco and northern Paraguay. They live together in small groups and their diet predominantly consist of tree sap but will also eat fruits, small invertebrates, insects and eggs.

Native to the southern half of Africa. Inhabits savanna and dry woodland often seen alone or in pairs hunting for large insects, birds, reptiles and small mammals.

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 anyone's arm, this is a actually a complete myth.

Can be green, grey or usually brown. Found in dry grasslands, heathland, moorland, farmland, parks, and towns and gardens. This grasshopper species song consists of short sequence of chips, not unlike time-signal pips. The sound produced by the grasshopper is made by rubbing its wings-cases against its legs, this process is known as 'stridulation'. The shorter antennae help to distinguish grasshoppers from bush-crickets. Can usually be seen from June to September.

Such a shame that these once widespread found birds are declining in the UK. The House Sparrow is now a Red-Listed conservation species due to its long-term decline particularly in urban and suburban environments. Despite the small size the House Sparrow can have a lifespan of 3 years in the wild.

A species of bird that has been introduced into large parts Europe mainly in the name of sport and fun where some people get a kick out of shooting and blasting these stunning looking birds out of the sky. Now accepted as part of the countryside these birds will feed on our native reptiles though not their thought, all animals have to eat and again we are to blame for this.

A large slender-bodied damselfly with a stunning metallic green colour where as the male is a blue green colour with dark patches on the wings. Often found over slow flowing streams and rivers on waterside vegetation. Can be seen from mid May to mid September. Dragonflies and Damselflies belong to the order of insects called Odonata which in ancient Greek means 'toothed jaw'. There are about 5,500 Odonata species known in the world today with around 52 recorded in the British Isles.

Found in areas of unmanaged grassland, roadsides and wasteland. The spiders Orb Web is found just above ground level in low vegetation or grass. In the Orb Web there is a zigzag band of silk called the stabilimentum, the function of this is still unclear to some degree to what purpose this serves. Main prey for this spider is grasshoppers and crickets. This species of spider was first recorded in the UK from the continent as far back as the 1920's and can be found in southern England and is slowly spreading north and can usually be seen from April to October.

I've never been a fan of the name 'common' when applied to an animal and while having a short time out sitting at the water's edge by one of my local lakes a male mallard duck decided to sit next to me just as I was thinking about how sparce and empty my lakes had become with the lack of wildfowl due probably to the outbreak of bird flu we are having at the moment. I couldn't help but admire this male's plumage with those colour's and that iridescent blue glistening in the afternoon sun when I thought to my self that the mallard duck is far from looking common but stunning and such a very underrated looking bird.

Exotic-looking duck of Southeast Asian origin. The female of this species are dark grey-brown and are mottled paler on the sides with fine white spectacles. In China these ducks are called Yuan-Yuang meaning odd couple because of the difference in the way the two sexes look.

The majestic Grizzly bear! 🐻 Known for their immense size and strength, Grizzlies are one of the most iconic symbols of the wilderness. Found primarily in the western regions of North America, these magnificent creatures are characterized by their distinctive hump on their shoulders and their fearsome set of sharp claws. Despite their powerful appearance, Grizzly bears are typically peaceful and prefer to avoid human interaction. They primarily feed on vegetation, berries, and fish, and their role as apex predators helps maintain the ecological balance of their habitats. Let's cherish and respect these incredible animals and their natural habitats.

Larger that the Green Bottle Fly and found common in many continents which include Europe, Americas and Africa, also a species of blow fly. Adults will tend to feed on nectar and females will deposit their eggs on rotten corpses and this is why they make important forensic insects as their eggs and the timing of oviposition can be used to help estimate time of death. The name Bluebottle is an old name that is shared with the Portuguese Man-O-War and certain blue flowers.

From the family Muscidae commonly know as house flies or as seen here stable flies. Found widespread in England and Wales, males are more commonly seen from May to June while the females are often seen in November. Breeds on cow dung and is most encountered around cow pastures. Not everyone's favourite cup off tea here but I have to admit that flies are one of the things I love to photograph the most, so underrated and so important to us and the animal food chain. I for one will always stick up for these under dogs as their larvae can help in forensic science, medical research, help clear up the mess we make and are important pollinators in which a large proportion of the food we eat is on our plates because of what they do.

When damselflies mate the male will grasp the female by her front end of her thorax (pronotum) if she is willing which is called the 'mating wheel' and will then fly off together over the water with the female laying her eggs within a suitable plant that is just below the surface with the male clasping her by the neck, who said romance was dead, lol. Can be seen on the wing from mid May to late September around standing or flowing water.

Me and my dear girl having another one of our bonding moments side by side here but she's always on the lookout for a passing friendly member of the public to throw her a snack, so very spoilt by everyone now and so popular, that's my girl for you.

The caterpillar from the very stunning large butterfly that can be found in the lowland forested regions of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to South Africa and Madagascar. The colour of this Catterpillar warns predators eat me at your own peral, you have been warned.

A goose that was introduced into Europe in the 17th century that is often over looked all for the sake for being something that is classed as common, look a little closer and there is always beauty in everything. This goose has be known to have a lifespan of 10 to 24 years in the wild and tends to favour semi-urban or man made habitats.

A large slender-bodied damselfly with a stunning metallic green colour where as the male is a blue green colour with dark patches on the wings. Often found over slow flowing streams and rivers on waterside vegetation. Can be seen from mid May to mid September. Dragonflies and Damselflies belong to the order of insects called Odonata which in ancient Greek means 'toothed jaw'. There are about 5,500 Odonata species know in the world today with around 52 recorded in the British Isles.

The name chrysalis actually comes from the Greek language word for 'gold' as the butterflies often had a much brighter pupa than other insects. The same juices that were used to help digest the caterpillars food are now used to break down its own body where the fluid will break down the caterpillars body into cells and radically transform it's body and later emerge as a butterfly or moth.

A medium sized marsupial sometimes known as the Bennett's Wallaby that is found in Australia and being found more common in the more temperate and fertile parts of the east including Tasmania. Populations have also been introduced into New Zealand, New Guinea. Hawaii and even in the UK. The main difference between a Wallaby and a Kangaroo is to do with their size. Kangaroos are much larger and heavier and can grow up to two meters while a Wallaby will rarely reach a height of one metre and weigh much lighter than a Kangaroo.

Here she is again and as always looking into the sun with that famous squint of her's. Always a great pleasure and honour to spend some quality time with my dear friend who is now about one and a half years old and still in great condition.

LUCAS DE CIRIA : CANON EOS 80D - 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary

Fotografia Lucas de Ciria.

Médanos, departamento Islas del Ibicuy, provincia de Entre Ríos, ARGENTINA

Taken in Northern Europe, a Brown Bear hunting in the forest on a summers evening.

To view more from the series follow the link here.

jt-photography.co.uk/brown-bears

Joe Turner Photography ©

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Cheetah, Etosha, Namibia by Kevin Dooley

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Gannet, Helgoland, Germany by Madeleine Lenagh

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The proper name of this butterfly is more commonly known as the European Peacock and can be found in Europe and as far away as temperate Asia and even as far away as Japan. This species was formally classified as Inachis and was the only member of this genus with the name Inachis being derived from Greek mythology meaning lo, daughter of Inachus. The large peacock like eye spots on the upper wings are used to startle and frighten its predators. When resting the wings when closed will look very similar to a dead leaf and when felt threatened a quick flash of those eye spots is usually enough to scare its predator off. Can be seen on the wing from July- September, and after hibernation March-May.

Found common in large parts of Europe and live in shrubs, bushes, meadows and edges of forests. The adults and larvae will hunt and feed on small insects. These beetles are very cold-resistant and is not unusual to see them crawling on the snow in the winter.