Pictures of the Month for 2012

Picture of the month for January:
Female Kestrel, St. Ives
23rd January 2012 © Colin Brown
Picture chosen by Mel Quy
"There are many worthy shots this month, especially of the Short-eared Owls and water fowl with lovely reflections, but I just loved this very well composed shot of a female kestrel by Colin Brown. Her colouring is complimented beautifully by the brown chimney pot and yellow lichen, and all set off against the blue sky ."

Picture of the month for March
Female Linnet, Fowlmere RSPB
26th March 2012 ©Gary Thornton
Picture chosen by Bob Jarman
"I gave Andy Bayles photograph of the two Grey Partridges “cosying together” serious consideration. I liked the background of frost- covered winter wheat and the fact that it was taken in fenland; I rarely see Gray Partridge in the fens, usually on the chalk in the south and east of the County. However, the photograph I decided upon as the Club member’s picture for March 2012 is the female Linnet by Gary Thornton. It’s a detailed portrait and an unusual subject. Photographs of species with sexual plumage differences often feature males in breeding plumage rather than females with their subdued cryptic colouring. It’s also an identification challenge; I didn’t get it at first but it pushes identification skills forwards as well as being a balanced and clear composition."

Picture of the month for February
Starling, St. Ives
5th February 2012 ©Nigel Sprowell
Picture chosen by Barbara York
"There was much to admire whilst considering February’s photo of the month. The evocative photographs of bittern, water rail and gulls pictured on the ice and snow made one shiver as if actually stood on the ice in bare feet. The vivid colours on the red legged partridge and greenfinch were a feast and the antics of the snow bunting well captured. However the photo I have chosen is the portrait of a starling by Nigel Sprowell. The bird’s attributes are beautifully shown: the shape of the spots; the contrasting colour of its legs and the shimmer of the purple sheen on its throat and upper breast. But it’s the bill that draws my eye: morphing through mauve, gold and baby blue. All this is contained in a natural frame formed by its perch of textured twigs."

Picture of the month for April
Wren, Fowlmere RSPB
12th April 2012 ©Malcolm Housden
Picture chosen by Charlie Kitchin
"I didn’t think April was a great month for photography being so wet and wild but clearly people still managed. I thought Stuart Elsom’s photos of the possible Iberian chiffchaff, were greatly enhanced by the flowering blackthorn and Garth Peacock’s tawny owl by the gnarled bark however it was Malcolm Housden’s almost completely spherical wren that I enjoyed seeing most, fluffed up in some miserable weather no doubt."

Pictures of the Month 2011

For questions or comments on this website, please contact the Webmaster

Registered charity number 284045