This is my first blog post.......So here we go.

So I have been lucky enough to work with, and document the work of, the RSPB Curlew Project here in North Wales. I have been working and photographing the project for a few years now, as you can see by looking at some of my work on this website. During that time, having studied Curlew, I always hoped to get images of them mating and bathing. Well this is that year.

Having put in a lot of time trying to learn their behaviour and discovering where they like to spend their time, be it bathing, nesting and previously seen mating I managed to be in the right place at the right time (obviously the key to good wildlife images, as is not disturbing whatever animal it is that you are photographing). even if this means that the birds were quite distant some of the time and the hot dry weather made heat haze an issue too. But as a wildlife photographer you sometimes just have to make do with what is happening in front of you, even if it isn't prefect. As a photographer I like to try and include some of the habitat that the animal is in to give it some context. I think it makes for more interesting images.

So please have a look at some of the images below.

Although sometimes you can't beat a nice portrait though!

This a male who came quite close to the vehicle I was using as a hide.

These pools were created by the RSPB, and during the hot dry Spring have proved invaluable to the Curlew for feeding and bathing. As the next few images show.

This image makes me smile. It seems the epitome of contentment.

The North Wales moors are also home to Hen Harrier, not many but some, and I was lucky enough to have this gorgeous male come and land quite close to me just as the sunrise was creating this beautiful light on the moor behind him. But then sometimes you make your own luck by being up on the moors at sunrise. A truly wonderful moment to see this beautiful