Greater-spotted Woodpecker

Greater-spotted woodpecker in New Forest wood

Polar Bear on a rocky outcrop

Polar Bears are often labelled the apex land predator of the high arctic, however polar bears are in fact marine predators perfectly suited to life in the sea with their Latin name Ursus maritimus reflecting this association and dependence on both sea and ice along with the marine mammals that they hunt to survive.  The favoured prey of polar bears are Bearded and Ringed seals, although given the opportunity they will also hunt Harp and Hooded seals along with young Walrus, Beluga whales and the carrion of stranded dead whales of various species.  The Polar bear depicted here is thought to be a young female and she appeared to be underweight for the time of the year which was mid-June. The bear had just covered approximately 1 km of open sea to get to the small rocky island and was searching the shore for what was thought to be possible Eider duck nests.

Although not truly within the Arctic circle (other than the north side of Grimsey island) images of Iceland and it’s wildlife are also to be found in the Arctic gallery.

Red Deer

A red deer stag during the autumn rut

Eurasian Bullfinch

A male Eurasian Bullfinch in winter

Avocet

Avocet on Brownsea Island lagoon

Atlantic Walrus

A fogbow forms over resting Atlantic walrus on an island shore in north west Spitsbergen

Autumn Sunrise over a New forest heath

Autumn Sunrise

Bearded Seal

A bearded seal showing signs of a past attack by a polar bear

Badger Cub

Badger cub in a New Forest wood. This particular image was ‘Commended’ in the British Wildlife Photography Awards Animal Portraits  2011.

Badgers can be found throughout the varied habitat found in the New Forest even though the acidic soil does not lend itself to high numbers of their favoured prey,  earthworms. The many badger images depicted in the New Forest gallery were photographed between late April until early July over many years.  Badgers tend to be most active earlier in the evening during these months allowing for images to be successfully taken using natural light thereby causing no disturbance to the natural behaviour of the animals themselves.

Arriving early, keeping downwind and avoiding unnecessary noise is essential to successful wildlife photography and with badgers even more so as they will test the wind and listen intently at the sett entrance long before emerging into view. As with all wildlife, respecting the subject will usually bring reward.

Fallow buck in autumn sunlight

A new forest fallow buck and autumn bracken