The Stonechat family of Trendlebere Down #2

Last April I was determined to spend some quality time with my local Stonechats and get some photographs while I was with them. I got some lovely close views:

Stonechats on Trendlebere Down and Tunnicliffe’s Brooke Bond Bird Portraits

I was inspired by the Stonechat portrait painted by Tunnicliffe and reproduced in the Brooke Bond tea cards from many decades ago:

I decided I’d like to get a photograph just like that. This year, I’m back trying:

This one has a nice perky disposition but perhaps isn’t as well posed. The beautiful yellow flowers have faded on this Gorse and the background is spring green with blue-shadowed hills, not a blue sky summer’s day.

This one has a lovely blue sky, the active legs and I even catch him mid-call. That stick really won’t act as a substitute for the Gorse, though, will it?

I decide to wait for another hour or two. After all, being out in nature, experiencing the natural world, is one of the greatest things you can do with your life, isn’t it?

Then my chance comes.

Almost perfect.

The female is adorable to.

The Gorse is just a little over its peak and some of the yellow flowers are faded and brown.

It looks as if I’m going to ‘have to’ come back again next year. I’m not disappointed.

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