23rd November WHOOPER SWANS
For a couple of weeks these swans were resident on a nearby lochan. I came across them one morning when they were all ducking , bottoms up, for food, but despite some persitence on my part I got no good photos. I returned a few days later with some better weather. There was an incredible echo from where I was taking the photos and it sounded like a cathedral with the noise of swans calling all around. They were incredablly tolerant of my approach and as long as I sat still they were quite happy to feed nearby. Whilst thsi isnt the best photo ever it serves to show that Wildlife photography is a game of persistence - more persistence required here! Lens 300mm, Tripod

16th November, WOODPECKER
I had built a hide earlier on in the year and I had been feeding it with peanuts, wheat, food scraps and a couple of roadkill pheasants for some time. I had erected this old fence post in the hope that a buzzard or sparrowhawk would land on it before approaching the dead pheasants. As I waited one morning I saw the great spotted woodpecker rummaging through some tree roots and suddenly it was on the fence post and I had time for one shot before it was off again. Lens 300mm, Tripod.

9th November GLOWING MAPLE LEAVES
I was rather surprised when I first saw this slide as I didnt remember taking the photograph. Its one of those fortunate situations where an image on film is different from what my eye saw. I had taken a meter reading of the maple leaves but I expected to have more in the background rather than just the leaves jumping out at me like this. I understand that its due to the exposure latitude of the film. Lens 28-135 zoom

2nd November FROSTED BIRCHES
One of the earliest frosts of the year and as soon as I saw the white crisp layer ouside I headed out with the intention of catching frosted autumn leaves. I had to be out before the sun came and spoiled it. It has added a beautifull layer of white frost lining the edges of these autumn birches. Lens 28-135mm