Glynn Hobbs - imageweaver

Very rare visitors to my garden last summer, were the wonderful Common Redstart and even rarer Black Redstart. Whilst not threatened with extinction, these beautiful birds are now on the 'Amber' list, with numbers having fallen by 55% in the past 25 years! I was fortunate to capture the following images, with my Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm telephoto lens. Female Redstart The common redstart shows some affinity to the European Robin in many of its habits and actions. It has the same general carriage, and chat-like behaviour, and is the same length at 13–14.5 cm long but slightly slimmer and not quite as heavy, weighing 11–23 g. The orange-red tail, from which it and other redstarts get their names ("start" is an old word for "tail"), is frequently quivered.  Black Redstarts Among common European birds, only the Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochrurus) has a similarly coloured tail. Male Redstart The male in s...

2019, has been a very eclectic year; from the tiny insects in my garden, here in the Dordogne, to Red Kites in Wales, Ospreys in Scotland and back to giant rodents in my local rivers. I have been privileged to be able to witness and record some of natures wonders. Below, are a small selection of my personal favourite wildlife and natural history shots, taken this year whilst on my travels.  I hope that you enjoy seeing them, as much as I did photographing them! all images taken with my Nikon D500 and a selection of Nikon lenses. Time for lunch Male Great Spotted Woodpecker A tender moment from a pair of Coypu Dragonfly emerging from its Nymph Nuthatch Green Bush Cricket Pollinator at work Little Egret Young Roe Deer Little Owl with a Beetle Come into my parlour Red Kite in dive Spotted deep in the woods Fighting Ants Red Kite Up close with a Common Darter Dragonfly ...