[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] I love to watch garden birds, it takes the edge off washing the dishes when you've something interesting to look at outside the kitchen window. I always keep the feeders well stocked with a variety of treats, this doesn't mean you don't get times when the numbers drop off, seasonal behaviour and the abundance of food from natural sources all play a part. But there are some days the seed doesn't go down much for another reason (see above and below!). Whilst I do feel bad for the occasional bird the sparrowhawk manages to catch, the only reason they come regularly is because (like all the other birds) there's a chance of any easy meal. I say easy, sparrow hawks are only successful in 10-50% of attacks (so I've read), and by situating the feeders near cover I like to think I'm giving the birds a fighting chance. Most of the time the sparrow hawks fly through at speed (once, right by my head as I was fixing the shed roof) as they try to surprise their prey, but every now and then they just sit on the feeder, not sure why. Perhaps they're 'casing the joint' to work out the best attack route, or maybe they are just being lazy and hoping their prey will come to them. Whilst the sparrowhawk below was tucking into a blackbird there was a pigeon no more than 4 feet away eating seed off the lawn … either the pigeon was bright enough to know it was safe, or too daft to realise what was going on. With some free time I'm hoping to get a better photo as these were just 'grab' shots. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] Well, kind of. I still have loads of content yet to add to the site but as the site itself is built, I thought I'd launch it and keep adding new content as often as I can. You'll notice some new posts are actually dated before this one, this is because I'm adding them at around the date they actually happened, basically I'm playing catchup. I was reminded of my surprised looking, apple munching, squirrel when a mate sent me a link to the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards – not sure what he was getting at! I've never entered it, but thinking back through some of my shots, there's a few that fit the bill… Anyway, if you fancy a giggle, take a look at their website: www.comedywildlifephoto.com [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding="" dimension_margin="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1060" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/funny-wildlife-2.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1056" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/funny-wildlife-1-5.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding="" dimension_margin="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1059" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/funny-wildlife-2-2.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1054" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/funny-wildlife-1-3.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1057" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/funny-wildlife-1-6.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding="" dimension_margin="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1180" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/steven-fairbrother-photography-1-1.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding="" dimension_margin="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_text] Anyway, if you fancy a giggle, take a look at their website: www.comedywildlifephoto.com [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" overlay_color="" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" padding_top="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" padding_right=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" layout="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" center_content="no" last="no" min_height="" hover_type="none" link=""][fusion_text] The Proclaimers sang 'I would walk 500 miles', not sure why, probably for a girl I imagine, well I didn't walk 500 miles but I drove 500 miles to see some snow. Turns out if I'd stopped at home the snow would have come to me, then again, there's no mountains in Leicestershire, so my trip to the Lake District was still worthwhile. As usual, my meticulous planning and attention to detail was non-existent. I did a sterling job of not paying any attention to the news or looking to see what roads and bridges were closed (due to heavy rain and major flooding); seems quite a lot. This wasn't the daftest thing I did; but more of that later. This year was the 1st time I'd visited a snowy Cumbria in a 4x4. My smugness of ascending slippery hills with ease soon wore off when I realised I'd have to go back down said hills, 4 wheel drive being of no use in such situations and the only way you have to slow down or stop is by using a tree. That said, I came back dint free and the bum clenching moment I slid straight out of a car park onto a main road was done with such panache, it looked intentional. With so many of my normal routes closed I was struggling to find somewhere to take a shot. But one diversion led me to Grassmere where I took the below reflection images. These are probably my favourite, I love their abstract nature. And although the figures in them are only tiny, the eye picks them out really quickly and they wouldn't work nearly as well without them. The road to Latrigg hill (panoramic shot above), one of my favourite views across Keswick and Derwent water, was closed, but I drove up the narrow lanes as far as I could before leaving the car and heading off on foot. With a fresh covering of snow that had obscured the paths, and approaching the hill from an unfamiliar direction, I was lucky enough to find someone else's footprints, bingo I thought. Following the footprints for about 10 minutes or so, it wasn't until they turned sharply up a bank so steep that you would need four legs to walk up it, that I realised I'd been following a deer's tracks. In my defence, they weren't fresh and were half filled with snow. Luckily the deer had led me in the right direction and another 30 mins saw me at the top. I've taken lots of shots from this spot, but as the light and conditions are different every time you go it's always worth going back. I love how the sun clips the ridges and is highlighted against a dramatic sky. I always like to take a long lens too and shoot some detailed shots of Keswick itself. This was the first time in ages I've taken a trip solely to photograph landscapes and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it. Hopefully I'll go back soon, I can't get enough of the white stuff! [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent="no" equal_height_columns="no" menu_anchor="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="center center" background_repeat="no-repeat" fade="no" background_parallax="none" enable_mobile="no" parallax_speed="0.3" video_mp4="" video_webm="" video_ogv="" video_url="" video_aspect_ratio="16:9" video_loop="yes" video_mute="yes" video_preview_image="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left=""][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1196" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/lake-district-snow-photos-3.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1197" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/lake-district-snow-photos-4.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1199" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset=""]http://fairbrother.me.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/lake-district-snow-photos-6.jpg[/fusion_imageframe][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_2" layout="1_2" spacing="" center_content="no" hover_type="none" link="" min_height="" hide_on_mobile="small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility" class="" id="" background_color="" background_image="" background_position="left top" background_repeat="no-repeat" border_size="0" border_color="" border_style="solid" border_position="all" padding_top="" padding_right="" padding_bottom="" padding_left="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="left" animation_speed="0.3" animation_offset="" last="no"][fusion_imageframe image_id="1200" style_type="none" stylecolor="" hover_type="none" bordersize="" bordercolor="" borderradius="" align="none" lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" alt="" link="" linktarget="_self" 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Steven, Author at Steven Fairbrother

Local photography – Derby

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:52:09+01:00November 29th, 2016|Blog, Photography|

I'm always thinking about what far off destination I'd [...]

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Bird feeder

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:52:00+01:00November 20th, 2016|Blog, Photography, Wildlife|

I love to watch garden birds, it takes the [...]

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Out now – Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust 2017 calendar

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:54:31+01:00October 15th, 2016|Awards, Blog, Competitions, News, Photography, Wildlife|

I picked up my copy [...]

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Surprise, I’m back!

By Steven|2017-11-17T20:52:27+00:00September 28th, 2016|Awards, News, Wildlife|

Well, kind of. I still have loads of content [...]

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Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust 2017 calendar

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:53:43+01:00September 3rd, 2016|Awards, Blog, News, Wildlife|

I recently found out my early morning [...]

2

Cold porridge & cloud textures

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:53:14+01:00August 25th, 2016|Blog, Photography|

Breakfast on the patio is a great way to [...]

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Bird Photographer of the Year 2016

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:53:22+01:00August 21st, 2016|Awards, Blog, News, Wildlife|

This year's inaugural Bird Photographer of the Year competition [...]

2

THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S TEPEE™

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:53:53+01:00August 5th, 2016|Landscapes, Photography|

The solitary nature of landscape photography leaves your mind [...]

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The White Stuff

By Steven|2020-04-03T15:53:00+01:00January 17th, 2016|Landscapes, Photography|

The Proclaimers sang 'I would walk 500 miles', not [...]

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Steven

About Steven