Fraggs Photography 📸🦊🦉🦋🦔 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
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fraggenstein.bsky.social
Fraggs Photography 📸🦊🦉🦋🦔 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
@fraggenstein.bsky.social
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Amateur wildlife photographer from South Wales ~ Loving all aspects of nature & capturing those beautiful moments with a camera ~ Canon R5 & R7 ~ BBC Countryfile Calendar Competition Finalist 2023 🏆
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fraggenstein.bsky.social
Fraggs Photography 📸🦊🦉🦋🦔 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @fraggenstein.bsky.social · 1d
Never expected to come across a Fox during this week's cold snap over the Vale of Glamorgan out in the afternoon sunshine 22/11/25 ~ this one is obviously being fed looking at the size but what a cute cuddly beauty 😍🦊 #mammals #fox #wildlife #bluesky #naturephotography #naturetherapy #ukwildlife
A fox is a small, dog-like animal with a bushy tail, pointed ears, and a slender snout. Its fur is typically reddish-brown, though it can be other colours, and has dark markings on its front legs that resemble socks. To a partially sighted person, focus on the tactile and auditory details: a fox's movement is quick and silent, like a cat, and it makes a variety of sounds from sharp barks to soft yips. Its sense of smell is also highly developed, which it uses to find food.
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #HangingAround, which is 'Birds at Unusual Angles'
The Alternative for you is #Sparrows set by @robcrank68.bsky.social ~ here's an upside-down Blue Tit at Forest Farm NR, Cardiff, South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingwales #ukbirding #naturephotography #wildlife #EastCoastKin
November 25, 2025 at 8:01 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #warblers & the alternative is #yelloweyes set by @alan678.bsky.social ~ I've gone for the wonderful Dartford Warbler, a bird that has taken me three years to track down at The New Forest. 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #birds #birdphotography #naturetherapy #eastcoastkin
To describe a Dartford warbler to someone partially sighted, focus on its distinctive features: a long tail often held cocked, a dark, grey-brown body, and a prominent red eye-ring. Emphasize its scratchy, rambling song, and mention its tendency to sit on top of gorse bushes, which is the best place to hear its call. It's a small bird, about \(12-13\) cm long, with a long tail that it often cocks jauntily. It has a slate-grey or grey-brown head, back, and wings, but its chest is a deep, wine-red or russet colour. A very distinctive, bright red eye-ring and a long, dark tail are its key visual markers. The male may have a small white patch on its belly. Legs are bright orange. 
November 24, 2025 at 6:59 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
To celebrate #MallardMonday here is a Drake Mallard at Forest Farm NR, Cardiff, South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #birdsky #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotographyIsArt
November 24, 2025 at 2:39 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Portrait shot of the male Kestrel - spent 12 hours in a Somerset Wildlife Hide & managed to get this shot in the setting sun in August last year 😍😎🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birdsofprey #kestrel
A male kestrel is a small bird of prey with a distinctive appearance, especially for someone who is partially sighted, focusing on its sounds and how it moves and where it lives. The male has a slate-grey head and tail, a brick-red back with black spots, and a creamy underside with black speckles. Its most notable behaviour is its "hovering" or "wind hovering," where it hangs still in the air by flapping its wings, often by the roadside. You can also hear the sharp, kiting, and high-pitched calls it makes.
November 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Never expected to come across a Fox during this week's cold snap over the Vale of Glamorgan out in the afternoon sunshine 22/11/25 ~ this one is obviously being fed looking at the size but what a cute cuddly beauty 😍🦊 #mammals #fox #wildlife #bluesky #naturephotography #naturetherapy #ukwildlife
A fox is a small, dog-like animal with a bushy tail, pointed ears, and a slender snout. Its fur is typically reddish-brown, though it can be other colours, and has dark markings on its front legs that resemble socks. To a partially sighted person, focus on the tactile and auditory details: a fox's movement is quick and silent, like a cat, and it makes a variety of sounds from sharp barks to soft yips. Its sense of smell is also highly developed, which it uses to find food.
November 23, 2025 at 9:39 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme, which is #Mr&Mrs (any male & female of the same kind).
And the Alternative theme is #Pigeons set by @robcrank68.bsky.social ~ I've gone for Mr & Mrs Wood Ducks at Festival Lakes Ebbw Vale 🪶 🦉 #birdingwales #ukbirding #naturephotography #wildlife #EastCoastKin
November 23, 2025 at 12:50 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
I do love Kestrels & any opportunity I get to photograph them is always just pure pleasure like this up-close portrait shot of a Female Kestrel 🥰 Photo taken in Somerset last August 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birdsofprey #kestrel
A UK female kestrel is a bird of prey the size of a pigeon, but slimmer, with a brown and spotted back and wings, a brown head, and a long, dark-banded tail. It has pale, often speckled, underparts and a distinctive dark "mask" on its face and pointed wings that it uses for hovering in one spot. The adult has a bright yellow eye and a yellow cere (the waxy part over the beak). Size: Roughly the size of a pigeon, but slimmer and more elegant. Wings: Pointed wings, often angled at the "wrist" so they look slightly bent, a feature used for hovering. Tail: A long, fan-shaped tail when hovering. Back and wings: Reddish-brown with dark spots. Underparts: Pale or cream-colored, with dark speckles or spots. Face: A dark "mask" from the eye to the beak, similar to a tear mark. Tail: Dark, broken bands on a brownish-grey tail. Eyes: Yellow in adults. Legs: Pale grey. Beak: Black. Hovering: A key characteristic is its ability to "hover" or hang in the air, facing the wind, while looking for prey on the ground below. Hunting: It uses its keen eyesight to spot prey like small mammals and insects on the ground. Perching: It often perches on high spots like fence posts or power lines to scan the area.
November 22, 2025 at 9:18 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
This was actually a first for me this week ✅ with a lifer as the Winter migrants are now arriving ~ I've just never crossed paths with the beautifully coloured Fieldfares until now 😍 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography
The fieldfare is a large, colourful member of the thrush family, a little bigger than a blackbird, known for its upright stance and social nature in winter. Size and Shape: It is a large, robust bird. It has a distinctive posture, standing very upright when on the ground or a perch, and moving with purposeful hops. Colouration: Head and Rump: The head and the rump (lower back, just above the tail) are a pale, blue-grey colour. Back and Wings: The back is a contrasting rich chestnut or brown colour. Tail: It has a black, relatively long tail. Underparts: The breast and throat are yellowish or buff-coloured and heavily streaked with bold, dark brown or black markings. The belly is mostly white. Beak: The beak is yellow, often with a dark tip. Behaviour: Fieldfares are highly social, typically seen in flocks, sometimes of hundreds of birds, in open fields, hedgerows, and woodlands during the winter. They often flock with redwings. Sound: A key identifying feature is their distinctive, rattling "chack-chack" flight call, which is quite noisy and can often be heard before the birds are seen.
November 22, 2025 at 5:26 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdsOnAWire and the alternative is #Silhouette set by @alan678.bsky.social - My offering is a distant photo of a Cuckoo on a wire taken in the New Forest back in May this year 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
A cuckoo is a medium-sized bird, roughly the size of a pigeon, with a sleek body, short wings, and a long tail. Its sound is distinctive with a very prominent "cuck-oo" call. Its feathers are mostly grey, black, or brown, often with a patterned or barred appearance. The beak is yellow-black, and it has yellow legs. Size: About the size of a pigeon but much longer due to tail. Shape: A sleek body with short wings and a long tail. Feathers: A mottled or barred pattern of grey, black, and brown feathers. Beak and legs: A yellow-black beak and yellow legs. What it sounds like Distinctive call: The most famous feature is its call, which sounds like "cuck-oo". Other sounds: It may also have other sounds like a rattling call when agitated, but the "cuck-oo" is its most recognizable sound.
November 22, 2025 at 9:47 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
More like an extreme sport trying to take a photo of a Goldcrest as they never stay still & thought this photo also gives an idea how very small, they really are 🔭 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #goldcrest #nature
November 21, 2025 at 8:48 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #GroundedGulls, that's any Gull not in flight. And the Alternative is #Singing, that's any bird with its beak open set by @robcrank68.bsky.social - I've gone with a Starling Fledgling, not so much singing but calling for food 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife
November 21, 2025 at 8:42 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
The UK's smallest bird & a real beauty to behold "The Goldcrest" took this photo today over The Vale of Glamorgan ~ South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #goldcrest #nature
A goldcrest is a tiny, energetic bird, roughly the size of a thumb, with a plump shape and olive-green and grey plumage that feels soft to the touch. Its most distinctive feature is a bright crest on its head: a male has a stripe with a bright orange centre, while a female has a yellow centre, both edged in black. These birds move quickly and make a high-pitched "zi-zi-zi" call that is almost inaudible to some people. Size: It is Europe's smallest bird, about 9 cm long, and feels light, weighing around 6 grams. Colour: It has a dull greyish green back and a buffy-white belly, giving it a blend of soft, earthy tones. Head: The crest is its most recognizable feature, a stripe on top of its head. Male: Has a bright orange centre to the crest. Female: Has a yellow centre to the crest. Wings: Has two pale wing bars that can be felt as subtle ridges on the wings.
November 20, 2025 at 11:41 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
A bit late but today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme has been #Thrushes and the alternative is #waders set by @alan678.bsky.social Here's a Song Thrush - photo taken at Forest Farm NR 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
November 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
An early post from me for #ThursJay as grabbing my winter warmers and heading out on this frosty beautiful day here in South Wales 🥶 🌞 Chosen a Carrion Crow at Forest Farm NR 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #naturetherapy #corvids #birdphotography #wildlife
November 20, 2025 at 7:36 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Close up capture of a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the back garden in Cardiff ~ South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotograpyIsArt #woodpecker
November 19, 2025 at 6:10 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is all about Birds looking a bit on the #Round side set by @robcrank68.bsky.social
And the alternative birds are #Sparrows.
I've gone with a rather puffed-up Chaffinch 😍 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
November 19, 2025 at 8:42 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Nearly forgot it's #Twosday & here's two Moorhens💞💕during courtship, this is normally a sign of allopreening (mutual preening) but can also be a sign of a pre-fight but not with these two lovebirds 🥰😍 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdphotography #PhotograpyIsArt
November 18, 2025 at 8:27 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
One of the many Squirrels of Forest Farm Nature Reserve & always ready to have a photo taken if you have some nuts on offer 😍 🌰 #mammals #photography #EastCoastKin #naturephotography #ukwildlife #wildlife #bluesky #squirrel
November 18, 2025 at 8:07 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Was hoping for better photos but a huge lifer ✅ for me last Thursday 13/11/25 at Aust Salt Marsh with a rare visitor to these parts in the very elusive Juvenile Penduline Tit 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotograpyIsArt
November 17, 2025 at 6:02 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
#BirdOfTheDay theme is #StareDown, any bird looking at you, and the Alternative is #GullsInFlight set by @robcrank68.bsky.social - I'm going for a Female Sparrowhawk & that's what I call a real stare down 👀 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #naturephotography #birdsofprey #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
A female sparrowhawk is a large, powerful bird of prey, noticeably bigger than the male, with a wingspan of up to 80cm (about 31 inches). Size and Build: The female is significantly larger than the male, but much more robust. She has a purposeful, strong appearance. Coloration: Her upper parts (back and wings) are a dark brown or grey-brown, which contrasts with her pale underparts (chest and belly) that are covered in bold brown stripes or bars. This contrast can be a useful visual cue. Eyes and Legs: A striking and distinctive feature is her piercing, bright yellow or orange eyes. These are often a high-contrast focal point. She also has long, thin yellow legs with sharp talons. In Flight: When flying, look for a characteristic shape: she has relatively short, broad, and blunt-tipped wings and a long, square-ended tail. Her flight pattern is a distinctive series of quick flaps followed by a short glide ("flap-flap-glide"), which helps her manoeuvre quickly through woodland and gardens.
November 17, 2025 at 3:50 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
A very sunny cold morning here in South Wales for #MallardMonday & finally a change in the weather 🥶 Drake Mallard on the Canal at Forest Farm NR - Cardiff - South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #birdsky #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotograpyIsArt
Head and Neck: A glossy, iridescent green head and neck, separated from the chest by a crisp white collar or ring. Body: A chestnut or brown-coloured breast and greyish flanks/body, with a black rear. Bill: A bright yellow or yellowish-orange bill, often with a black tip. Wings: Both sexes have a distinctive iridescent blue speculum (wing patch) bordered by white on both the leading and trailing edges, which is especially noticeable in flight. Tail: A white tail, with the central feathers of the male often curling upwards into a distinctive black curl. Size: They typically measure 50–65 cm (20–26 inches) in length with a wingspan of 81–98 cm (32–39 inches).
November 17, 2025 at 10:33 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
One final post this Sunday evening ~ the amazing Dipper that is a remarkable bird that dips under water hunting for food at Bryngarw Country Park Bridgend South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #birdsky #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotograpyIsArt
November 16, 2025 at 10:43 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Of course, today is also #SparrowSunday a day to celebrate our wonderful little garden visitors and this photo of a female taken earlier this year during Springtime 😍 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #birdsky #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotograpyIsArt
November 16, 2025 at 12:39 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
#BirdOfTheDay theme today is #shadesofgrey any bird with grey in their colours and the alternative is #beakopen set by @alan678.bsky.social so I'm going with the alternative beak open with this Mallard that had an awful lot to say for itself 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #birdingWales #photography #EastCoastKin
November 16, 2025 at 9:06 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Here's a youngster for #SquirrelSaturday - Photo taken in Cardiff, South Wales 😍 🌰 #mammals #photography #EastCoastKin #naturephotography #ukwildlife #wildlife #bluesky #squirrel
November 15, 2025 at 1:39 PM