Sunday 24 December 2017

2017 in Pictures

I normally leave end-of-year round-ups to the more prolific bloggers, but this year I've taken a lot more photos that usual, partly because I bought a new camera, and also to serve as a welcome distraction from the daily hourly news maelstrom generated by Brexit and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Retweeted. It's reassuring to know that there are still some quiet corners of the world where wagtails still wag, kingfishers still fish, and kestrels still hover, unconcerned by the sound and fury of angry old men who never stop to listen.

But enough of all that; here are some highlights.

January
Photographers often rhapsodise about the "golden hour" just before sunset, and it doesn't get much more golden than this:

White on Gold

February
A Water Rail breaks from cover at Grove Ferry:

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus)

March
This colourful Pheasant took it upon himself to greet visitors to the Stodmarsh car park:

Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) 

April
A smart Shelduck flies overhead at North Foreland:

Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)

May
A dull and drizzly May Day at Grove Ferry was livened up by this magnificent Kingfisher (one dive, one fish caught, one lucky photographer):

Dive!

Later in the month, a decent view (for a change) of a Cuckoo:

Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

June
The dragonflies at Grove Ferry / Stodmarsh attracted lots of visitors, including this dashing Red-footed Falcon:

Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)

July
Fortunately there were still plenty of dragonflies left after the Red-footed Falcon departed, including this Norfolk Hawker (aka the Green-eyed Hawker):

Norfolk Hawker (Aeshna isoceles)

August
Lots to see in North Yorkshire, including Red Grouse:

Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus)

...and the famous Gannets of Bempton Cliffs:

The Gannets of Bempton Cliffs

Back in Kent, a relative newcomer to Grove Ferry, a Willow Emerald Damselfly:

Willow Emerald Damselfly

September
Some drastic Photoshopping saved this image from the bin. The Marsh Harrier changed direction so suddenly I cut off half of the upper wing and had to clone it from the other one. I wouldn't normally do this much work to an image, but I think in this case it was worth it:

Marsh Harrier

October
Fortunately my reflexes were a little better when this Kestrel made a quick getaway:

Flight of the Kestrel

November
After seeing a Red-throated Diver in 2014 and a Great Northern Diver in 2015, I wondered how many years I'd have to wait to see a Black-throated Diver in Ramsgate Harbour. Turns out it was only two:

Black-throated Diver (Gavia arctica)

December
Another new visitor to Ramsgate Harbour, an Iceland Gull:

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)

The year started with a Little Egret against a golden backdrop, so it seems fitting to end it with its larger cousin, a Great White Egret, looking for fish in front of the golden reeds of Grove Ferry:

Great White on Gold


No autofocus was used in the making of these pictures.