This wild Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis chinensis) was photographed at night by torchlight, but with no flash. I spotted him in a roadside tree as we were driving past at Labahe in China. I managed to shine a flashlight on him long enough to capture a photograph. About the size of a domestic cat but…
Category: THE PHOTOGRAPHS: by Tim Melling, Oscar Dewhurst, Paul Leyland, Guy Shorrock, Brian Leecey
Tim Melling – Little Forktail
Forktails are a family of birds native to SE Asia that inhabit rivers and streams. I have seen several different species (always a treat to see) but the Little Forktail surprised me by being really tiny. Also it does not have the exaggeratedly forked tail that the others have. In fact its scientific name Enicurus…
Tim Melling – Tibetan Fox
This beautifully ugly creature is also known as the Tibetan Sand Fox (Vulpes ferrilata). They live on the high Tibetan Plateau where they feed on Plateau Pikas, which are superabundant in the area. If you look just to the right of the fox you can see a Plateau Pika peeping out. I took this one…
Paul Leyland – Early Bumblebee
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Paul writes: at the start of the new year I get to thinking about spring and when the first hibernating insects will appear. Some of the most visible starters are bumblebees. Despite its name the Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) is not necessarily the first to appear but it usually awakes from hibernation in early March,…
Tim Melling – Severtzov’s Tit-warbler
I first encountered this species in the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan about 15 years ago when I thought it was the most beautiful species I had ever seen. It reminded me of a Lilac-breasted Roller, but in miniature as it is even smaller than a Willow Warbler. It is in the same general family…
Guy Shorrock – Plastic Perils and Penguins
Guy writes: This is perhaps not the most appealing image but I believe the ability of photographs to convey meaningful messages is their most important value. Recently, there has been huge concern being expressed about the levels of plastic polluting our oceans with an estimated eight million tonnes being dumped annually. The effects range from…
Tim Melling – Red Panda
If you search Red Panda for images on the internet almost all are captive “zoo” animals. So it would appear that photos of genuine Red Pandas taken in the wild are pretty rare. The Red Panda has been classified as endangered by IUCN since 2008 because there are fewer than 10,000 mature individuals and the…
Paul Leyland – Scaeva pyrastri
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This is a great hoverfly to come across on a summer walk. In a good year it is widespread throughout England & Wales but more thinly spread in Scotland. It occurs in a variety of habitats where nectar rich flowers are growing. It is very active and an expert flyer, so is easily seen amongst…
Tim Melling – Puma
Tim writes: It is an amazing experience making eye contact with a wild Puma. This was photographed just outside Torres del Paine National Park in the south of Chile which must be the best place in the world to see these elusive animals. This one was creeping stealthily towards some Guanaco (a South American Camel…
Bird Photographer of the Year 2018 – judging today
I’m off to London today to help judge the Bird Photographer of the Year awards for 2018. I was a judge last year and I’m looking forward to doing it one more time. The fellow judges are either clever or good fun or both and I’m looking forward to another interesting time. By the time…