David's latest article for Nature TTL has just been published, follow this link to see it: https://www.naturettl.com/how-to-photograph-spring-coastal-flowers-in-the-uk/ Here are a couple of photos which feature in the article, a fulmar in thrift and a close-up of sea campion:
Last year David and Sarah planted a lot of snakeshead fritillary bulbs in their top field.  This spring they have been delighted to see so many of them coming through.  Here are two photos taken in a heavy dew after a frost.
David's latest articles for Nature TTL have just been published online.  The two photos above feature in an article entitled 'A Wildlife Photography Guide to Cornwall' which focusses on some of the special places and creatures found in the county.  Follow this link to have a look: https://www.naturettl.com/a-wildlife-photography-guide-to-cornwall-uk/ (Photos above show: silver-studded blue butterfly at Upton Towans and Prickly Stick Insect) The photos below feature in an article entitled 'How to Photograph Dragonfly Emergence', these show a broad-bodied chaser emergence.  See this article here: https://www.naturettl.com/how-to-photograph-dragonfly-emergence/
		David visited Chapel Porth for a sunset on 3rd of March, there was some good light combined with a lovely view of Wheal Coates and St Agnes Head.
David has the cover photo on the March edition of Cornwall Life.  This photo is of Crackington Haven with heathland in flower.  Keep an eye out for this when visiting newsagents or, in months to come, dental waiting rooms and doctor's surgeries.  If you are really keen you could buy a copy!
		Storm Dennis brought strong winds but poor light (photographically speaking), but on the 17th of February, as the storm was passing through, there were a few moments of sunlight and David went to Sennen Cove to show the drama of the big sea.
On the 13th of February David led a one-to-one workshop where he concentrated on the beaches of Porthcurno and Pednvounder.  The winds had whipped up quite a rough sea which created a bit of drama in what must be one of the most beautiful locations in Cornwall.
David went on a rock pooling field trip on 11th of February.  This was led by Jasmine and Jo Clegg who found an amazing number of creatures to photograph.  Below are a few.  From top left: shanny; St Piran's crab (next to a common hermit crab); grey sea slug; sea spider with eggs; yellow-plumed sea slug; spiny starfish; snakelock's anemone; stalked jellyfish.  See Jasmine's instagram page: www.instagram.com/jazzysea
		On David and Sarah's smallholding there are a number of over-wintering chiffchaffs.  This one was spending some time picking off insects which were attracted to the blossom on this tree.
David has been photographing a starling roost in West Cornwall in recent weeks.  Tonight the conditions were ideal and the starlings were kept up for a long time by a few buzzards, a peregrine and a sparrowhawk.  The sparrowhawk features in one of the photos below.
You may have noticed that David's photo (right) of Godrevy appears on the cover of Cornwall Life this month (Feb 2020).  Clearly the cover is a crop from this image, but here you see it in its full splendour!  Another of David's photos appears on the Cornwall Life national edition of the magazine.  Not quite sure why they use a different photo for the two copies but there you go.
David has now processed the photos from his Falkland trip.  He has two Falkland talks planned: on the 13th of April David will present to Cornwall Wildlife Trust Photographic Group at The Trust's HQ at Allet, 7.30pm, charge for entry is £2 (proceeds go to CWT); David and Sarah will make a combined presentation at Townshend Village Hall on the evening of the 18th of April, again starting at 7.30pm, charge £3 (proceeds to village hall).  The photos below show: Falkland Skua; Blackish Oystercatcher with limpet; King Penguins; Elephant Seal flipper; Magellanic Oystercatchers displaying; Southern Rockhopper Penguin porpoising; Grass Wren in song; Cobb's Wren (an endemic sub species of the house wren).
There has been a significant gap in postings because David and Sarah have just had a holiday of a lifetime, visiting The Falklands and South America.  David has a lot of photos to process but below are a few images captured on The Falklands.  These show (from top left): Stanley; Gypsy Cove; Carcass Island; Black-browed Albatrosses displaying; Gentoo Penguin 'surfing'; Elephant Seals sparring. David will post more photos from this trip in the coming days but will have many more for putting into a talk that he is planning with Sarah.  There has been a great deal of interest in this trip from friends and other photographers who have an interest in The Falklands for a variety of reasons.  The islands truly are magical for wildlife.
Today David saw three roe deer in a field near Townshend.  He stalked one of them, a young buck, and took a few photos using the Canon 5D Mark IV and a 300mm lens with 2 x converter, hand held.  This was quite a confiding individual, hopefully it might frequent the same spot in coming days.
David hasn't been out doing much photography of late because of the relentless rain but here are a couple of photos that he has just processed from a backlog of files.  Daisy with dew: shows some beautiful details in the dew drops (actually rain drops!).  On the right is a snow bunting: there have been a few of these in Cornwall this autumn.
David has been awarded the Women's Institute shield for his contribution to speech, arts and photography in Cornwall for the year 2019.  This lovely shield will take pride of place on his mantlepiece for the year.
		After his talk at The Poly in Falmouth David has received many emails congratulating him on his new book.  One person wrote: "You’re truly an inspiration, and we are so very lucky to have you taking the time that you do to research and create such informative local pieces, which not only help to inspire us to get out and explore our surroundings more, but which crucially inspire us to care about these precious places and the nature which we are so fortunate to have living alongside us."
Yesterday (12th November) David had two talks but found time to visit Trebah Garden in the afternoon.  The light was lovely and there was still some autumnal colour despite all the strong winds of late.  These images will be put forward for use in Trebah calendars in future years.  If you want to buy one of David's calendars of Trebah Garden for 2020, it isn't too late, just pop into the garden shop (you could even buy some of his cards!)
David visited Pendeen Watch on 3rd of November.  There were a few moments of good light, looking along the coast towards Geevor.
David's long-awaited new book has now been printed.  'Where to Watch Wildlife in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly' is now available from the publishers (Tormark) so if you want a copy please order one from your local bookshop; price £8.95; ISBN 9780850252002 This book describes almost a hundred locations across the county that are good for wildlife of various sorts.  It gives all the details you need to visit and see some very special flowers, insects, birds and mammals.
Look out for two magazine covers this month (November 2019).  On the cover of the Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine is David's photo of Greenburrow Engine House (below left) and on the cover of Cornwall Life is a shot that David took of Port Isaac at dusk (below right).
Below is a photo taken in Godolphin Woods on a misty October morning; to the right is a common stinkhorn fungus: this species attracts flies which spread its spores.
David has just spent some time on The Wirral, below are shots of: a flock of knot; a flock of oystercatchers (both taken on the Dee Estuary); a view of Little Eye (one of the two small islands on the way out to Hilbre Island) and a roost of redshank at West Kirby.
David's calendar for Cornwall Hospice Care, 2020 is now being sold in all Cornwall Hospice Care shops around the county.  Please support this important charity by purchasing one.
David and Sarah have just spent a fortnight on the Isles of Scilly.  David has been experimenting with an underwater housing for his DSLR, these are some of his first shots and show: a well-camouflaged common goby; grey seal; juvenile pollock and a shore crab.  The two photos on the left were taken with a 100mm macro lens; the two on the right were with a 16 to 35mm lens.  Thanks to Jo Clegg for her help in identifying some species, see more of her photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/abstractnature/
Here are some photos of spring flowers in various parts of Cornwall: gladioli (whistling jacks) with Logan Rock; bluebells at Wheal Owles (Poldark's mine); oxeye daisies at Kynance Cove; thrift at Bedruthan Steps.