I'm guessing some kind of Hawker dragonfly, but I can't be sure.
Dinton Pastures, nr. Reading, UK
Kind of absurdly photoed with a Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800 - but there were two of them with rather predictable pathing, and going close to reeds allowing focus to be preset. 1/1250s speed which says something about their wing speed as well.
This heron had found a perch and pose it liked and was not moving. I can't complain, got some nice shots.
Dinton Pastures, nr. Reading, UK Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
Its pose was a little unusual, too... I think it had been hanging around with the local cormorants
For fans of subtle plumage
Dinton Pastures, nr. Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
Nothing common about this one :)
Prospect Park, Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800mm
(Had to scale down the picture to fit Lemmy's constraints - hope I've not lost too much. Was 2752x2752, this is 1575x1575)
Normally, Jays flee my camera, but not this one. I suspect it's because the Park woods were full of cyclists and red safety tape, and this tree was away from that. Either that, or, this being an oak tree and jays adore acorns, it had its eye on a tasty treat.
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
As I got lucky with the feather detail.
Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
Lots of birds graced me with a bit of song or a brief glimpse, but only this pair, high up in a tree, actually posed for me. Strangest sight was what looked like a group of five Jays, flying directly overhead: not seen them group like that before.
Prospect Park, Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
TIL Chiffchaffs have a much yellower autumn plumage as well as their more usual one.
Southcote Meaows, Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
So, this unremarkable looking bird is a Dunnock, an insect eater that scuttles around under garden bushes and the like. I very rarely see them in Prospect Park, but today this one was proudly singing away as a loud as it could on leafless branches - so I'd just like to spread its word that there's something to sing about.
Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
I have a bad habit of posting photos of Red Kites that are disheveled or disturbed - but today this one was sitting there perfectly composed and tail feathers all nicely folded.
Now to find something other than kites to photo!
Prospect Park, Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
A little distant, but to my mind the light and angle was just right to see the lovely plumage of this (definitely not dead) Red Kite.
River Thames, near Tilehurst.
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
It was, I think, being informed by a magpie to choose another tree, but I didn't manage to capture that.
Prospect Park, Reading, UK Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
I did manage to catch it after taking off, in a manner suggesting I was a contributing factor to the unease!
Far from the sharpest photo, but to me they look like they are in a formal dance.
Prospect Park, Reading, UK Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
Well, Merlin Photo ID thinks its a Meadow Pipit anyway, which if it is, it's the first time I've knowingly photoed one.
Prospect Park, Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800mm lens
I just found myself projecting all sorts of stories on this photo :)
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800 (so entirely the wrong sort of lens for this work)
Few birds around to photo in Prospect Park today, but this struck me as good enough to post here (especially given the current low post count).
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
Just because it amuses me, so some of you might also like it.
Prospect Park, Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
I'm sure you'll eventually see better, but still, 12/8/2026 Partial Solar Eclipse, Prospect Park, Reading, UK
First in sequence 17:09 Third in the sequence is 18:20, last 19:40
Canon R5 MkII + RF600 F11 +16 stop Thousand Oaks Filter, 1/500s, ISO and luminance all a bit of a mess with AUTO, -1 on camera, and luminance curve messing about
Red Kites just love the camera (actually they tend to fly off if I turn a camera to them, but...) so I can't resist taking ever more shots, so I'm afraid yet another from Prospect Park, today.
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
Prospect Park, Reading, UK
Canon R5 MkII + RF200-800
