Chris is JustSwanningAround!
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justswanningaround.bsky.social
Chris is JustSwanningAround!
@justswanningaround.bsky.social
290 followers 150 following 150 posts
It’s all about #enjoyment & #challenges
Always strive to improve & succeed
#Observation & #composition are always key to me
Sharing the joy & respecting #nature & #wildlife is my mantra
#getoutandexplore #JustSwanningAround
[Twitter account deactivated]🦉
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justswanningaround.bsky.social
Italy - a photographic series: No.2
Monteriggioni is a stunning hilltop fortified village. Small but beautifully preserved/conserved, a wedding in its church also meant the chance to admire some stunning Italian fashion
#italy #tuscany #travel #travelphotography #scenery #photography
A collage of photos taken at Monteriggioni, in Tuscany
October 9, 2025 at 3:40 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Tuscan agri-turismo farmstead, called Borgo Lesolana, near Bucine - a wonderful location for a wedding or an escape into the solitude of the lovely wooded, hilly rural scenery.
#italy #tuscany #travel #travelphotography #scenery #borgo #agriturismo
October 9, 2025 at 12:03 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
Two for the price of one … & both look rather surprised!
A Short Eared Owl & a Barn Owl meet over a grass upland moorland in the North Pennines!
#Northumberland March 2024
#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #raptor #owl
April 7, 2025 at 11:56 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
With a dark moody sky backdrop, this lovely Barn Owl makes a stall turn ready to dive down to catch its prey
Somewhere in the grass upland moorland of the North Pennines, a vole is probably running for cover!
#Northumberland March 2024
#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #raptor #owl
April 6, 2025 at 11:05 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
With a dark moody sky backdrop, the late afternoon sunshine shows off the lovely Barn Owl to its best.
The owl scans the grass upland moorland in the North Pennines for voles
#Northumberland March 2024

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #raptor #owl
Late afternoon sunshine lights up a lovely Barn Owl against a dark moody sky in the background. The owl is flying low over the orangey grass moorland, scanning the ground for voles. Late afternoon sunshine lights up a lovely Barn Owl against a dark moody sky in the background. The owl is turning low over the grass moorland, scanning the ground for voles. Late afternoon sunshine lights up a lovely Barn Owl against a dark moody sky in the background. The owl is flying low over the orangey grass moorland, scanning the ground for voles. Late afternoon sunshine lights up a lovely Barn Owl against a dark moody sky and moorland in the background. The owl is flying low over the orangey grass moorland, scanning the ground for voles.
April 4, 2025 at 7:36 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
[A repost of an image posted yesterday in which I mislabelled the owl! 🙈]
Dark moody sky and a lovely Barn Owl scans the grass moorland for voles on the upland moors of the North Pennines
#Northumberland March 2024

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #raptor #owl
With a dark moody sky backdrop, a lovely sunlit Barn Owl scans the grass moorland for voles on the upland moors of the North Pennines #Northumberland March 2024 #ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #raptor #owl
April 4, 2025 at 7:29 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A regal Skylark shows off its crown in warm Suffolk coastal sunshine.
Its raised crest is usually a sign of it being alert to possible ‘threats’, in this case the photographer!
March 2024

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #Skylark
March 29, 2025 at 10:00 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Skylark flies over a northern England hill, singing its heart out in the beautiful warm sunshine
#Northumberland
March 2025

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #Skylark
@nenature.bsky.social
March 27, 2025 at 9:23 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Short Eared Owl scans the grass moorland for voles on the upland moors of the North Pennines
#Northumberland March 2024

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #raptor #owl
March 23, 2025 at 3:52 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Short Eared Owl flies across the upland moors of the North Pennines
#Northumberland March 2024

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #raptor #owl
March 21, 2025 at 10:42 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A few more for #lichen experts ( @northernhills.bsky.social et al) out there. These lovely lichens were found on lead mine shaft waste heaps, high up (530m) North Pennines (UK) peat moorland - the 1st & 2nd formed quite large 2x4m clumps
#nature
@northpennines.bsky.social @nenature.bsky.social
March 17, 2025 at 8:15 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
Any #lichen experts out there? Is this Cladonia coccifera (Madame’s cup lichen) which occurs on acidic peaty soils.
In this case, it was on high (530m) North Pennines (UK) peat moorland but protected by being on the edge of a coniferous wood
#nature
@northpennines.bsky.social @nenature.bsky.social
Small red dots and pale light green cups indicate a patch of cup lichen growing on party soils in the North Pennines Small red dots and pale light green cups rising up on stalks, indicate a patch of cup lichen growing on party soils in the North Pennines Small red dots and pale light green cups indicate a patch of cup lichen growing amongst moss, on party soils in the North Pennines Small red dots and pale light green cups rising skyward on short stalks, indicate a patch of cup lichen growing on party soils in the North Pennines
March 16, 2025 at 11:57 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Skylark rests after singing aplenty on the #Northumberland coast
March 2025

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography #Skylark
@nenature.bsky.social
March 14, 2025 at 9:18 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Purple Sandpiper walks through seawater & between boulders on the #Northumberland coast
March 2025

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #photography
#Sandpiper #PurpleSandpiper
@nenature.bsky.social
A Purple Sandpiper steps through seawater, with stone boulders to either side of it. It’s a sunny day on the Northumberland coast, so the orangy yellow legs show up well below its white belly. It has a orangy yellow bill with a black tip. Its upper body is mainly greyish light brown, with darker areas on its wings … these can be tinged purple in the breeding season
March 12, 2025 at 9:56 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Grey Plover catches a worm on a #Northumberland beach
March 2025

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #plover @nenature.bsky.social
March 11, 2025 at 5:53 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Grey Partridge waits to cross the road!
Introduced for shooting, this bird is now UK red listed, due to its declining numbers in the wild
March 2024

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #partidge
March 10, 2025 at 12:31 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A wren watches a fly

#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #warbler
March 8, 2025 at 7:38 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
Dartford Warbler (Curruca undata) sings to the photographer on a bright sunny March morning (2024).
Suffolk coast near Minsmere
Once nearly extinct in UK, these birds are still on the Amber List with about 2200 pairs in mainly limited southern heaths
#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #warbler
A Dartford Warbler (Curruca undata) sings on a bright sunny March morning. The bird has a rusty red chest with mainly russet brown upper body & wings. But its key distinguishing feature is the bright red circle that surrounds its eye. Often difficult to spot despite its clear call, it likes to hide in the mass of a shrub’s twigs and in undergrowth.
March 7, 2025 at 1:15 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
Dartford Warbler (Curruca undata) sings and calls on a bright sunny March morning (2024) on the Suffolk coast near Minsmere
Once nearly extinct in the UK, these birds are still on the Amber List with about 2200 pairs in mainly limited southern heaths
#ornithology #birds #wildlife #nature #warbler
March 4, 2025 at 8:40 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A male Marsh Harrier searches for food while flying over reedbed and pools on the north #Norfolk coast, UK March 2024

#birds #ornithology #nature #wildlife #MarshHarrier #raptor #photography
March 3, 2025 at 5:50 AM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
Marsh Harrier searches for food while flying over pools & scrapes on the north #Norfolk coast, UK March 2024
Such a lovely sight seeing them close to.

#birds #ornithology #nature #wildlife #MarshHarrier #raptor #photography
March 2, 2025 at 7:32 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
Marsh Harrier flying over pools & scrapes on the north #Norfolk coast, UK March 2024
Such a lovely sight seeing them close to.

#birds #ornithology #nature #wildlife #MarshHarrier #raptor #photography
A female Hen Harrier flies low over the edge of ponds and scrapes, on the north Norfolk coast
March 1, 2025 at 7:55 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
Marsh Harriers flying over reeds beds on the edge of #Northumberland coast, UK Feb 2025
For once the sun shone and, although about 200m away, 2 females & 1 male displayed well. A lovely sight.

#birds #ornithology #nature #wildlife #MarshHarrier #raptor #photography
A male Marsh Harrier soars in the sky (over a reedbed not seen in this photo). Its wings are outstretched showing the light brown body & inner wing, contrasting with the silvery white mid, and black tipped outer wing. A male marsh harrier soars over the large reedbed below it A female marsh harrier flies over the large hidden from view reedbed, with green field and trees as the backdrop A female marsh harrier turns over the hidden from view reedbed below it. Pine trees and fields are the backdrop
February 26, 2025 at 11:34 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Marsh Harrier flies low over reeds beds on the edge of #Northumberland coast, UK Feb 2025
For once the sun shone and, altho about 200m away, 2 females & 1 male displayed well.
(Focus hunting of Canon R5 was problematic 😬)
#birds #ornithology #nature #wildlife #MarshHarrier #raptor #photography
A male Marsh Harrier, with lovely light brown, silvery white and black wings, flies low over reedbeds. With the sun shining on the reeds, the harrier is slightly backlit. A male Marsh Harrier, with lovely light brown, silvery white and black wing underside, flies fast and low over reedbeds. With the sun shining on the reeds, the harrier shines bright in the sun A male Marsh Harrier, with lovely light brown, silvery white and black wing, flies low over reedbeds, and green field in the background. With the sun shining on the reeds, the harrier is slightly backlit.
February 25, 2025 at 8:21 PM
justswanningaround.bsky.social
A Marsh Harrier flying over reeds beds on the edge of River Ouse near Goole, East Yorkshire, UK @rspbblacktoftsands.bsky.social
(Very dull cold damp weather = v high ISO, so not great photos! 😬 I’ll be back!)
UK Feb 2025
#birds #ornithology #nature #wildlife #MarshHarrier #raptor #photography
February 23, 2025 at 11:52 PM