Fraggs Photography 📸🦊🦉🦋🦔 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
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fraggenstein.bsky.social
Fraggs Photography 📸🦊🦉🦋🦔 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
@fraggenstein.bsky.social
2.8K followers 1.6K following 1.6K posts
Amateur wildlife photographer from South Wales ~ Loving all aspects of nature & capturing those beautiful moments with a camera ~ Canon R5 & R7 ~ BBC Countryfile Calendar Competition Finalist 2023 🏆
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fraggenstein.bsky.social
A bit of a Friday night oddity for a change ~ this is a Badger Face Welsh Mountain Sheep - can certainly see where they get their name from 😍 photo taken Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales this week 🐑🦡 #mammals #fox #wildlife #bluesky #naturephotography #naturetherapy #ukwildlife
November 28, 2025 at 10:12 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Male Kingfisher sitting on a branch above the feeder canal at Forest Farm Nature Reserve, Cardiff, South Wales 🐟🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #naturetherapy #kingfisher #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #wildlife
A UK kingfisher is a small, stocky bird, similar in size to a house sparrow or robin, but with a large head and a long, dagger-like beak. It is often described in terms of its sound and movement, as its bright colouration, while striking, can be hard to spot in the dappled light by the water. Size and Shape: It is a compact bird, about 16-17 cm (around 6-7 inches) in length. If a physical model were available, it would feel small and robust, with a disproportionately large head and a long, pointed bill designed for fishing. Its tail is very short, and its legs are small with orange or reddish feet. Colouration (High Contrast/Vibrancy): The bird has a high-contrast pattern. Its back and tail are a bright, electric or metallic blue, while its underparts (chest and belly) are a rich, rusty orange or copper. It has a white patch on its throat and a white spot on the side of its neck. Flight: Its flight is rapid, direct, and low over the water's surface, a "flash of metallic blue" that is over in a blink. Hunting: It typically sits very still and patiently on a low-hanging branch or post over the water, watching for fish. It then suddenly dives headfirst into the water with a quick splash and pops back up to its perch almost instantly.
November 28, 2025 at 9:56 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #MorningLight a bird bathed in morning sunlight. The alternative is #strength birds showing their power set by @alan678.bsky.social ~ Goldfinch in early morning light at The New Forest in Spring this year 😍 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #ukwildlife #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
November 28, 2025 at 4:58 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Happy #FlyDay all 😊 a beautiful graceful Red Kite flying over the Vale of Glamorgan ~ South Wales 25/11/25 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #naturetherapy #birdsofprey #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #wildlife
A red kite can be described by its distinctive long, forked tail, reddish-brown body, and angular wings. When in flight, it appears as a graceful bird of prey with a long, deeply forked tail and a "swept back" or angled wing shape, contrasting with the more fan-shaped tail of a buzzard. The wings have white patches and black tips, while the head is a pale grey and the overall body has a rusty-red colour.
November 28, 2025 at 12:00 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is all about #HeadShots, any Birds 'Close Up Capture'. the Alternative are #Swans set by @robcrank68.bsky.social ~ Here's an Atlantic Puffin on Skomer Island - Pembrokeshire - West Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingwales #ukbirding #birds #seabirds #ukwildlife #photography #wildlife
An Atlantic puffin is a stocky seabird with a black back and white front, like a tuxedo. Its most striking feature is a large, triangular beak that is very colourful with red, black, and yellow stripes during the summer breeding season. It has bright orange legs and a comical, clown-like face. Outside of breeding season, the bright colours on the beak fade, and the face becomes darker grey.
November 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
A wonderful winter visitor at Aberthaw Nature Reserve this week & only slightly bigger than the native Goldcrest and just as hard to photograph as they don't stay still for a second 😍 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #naturetherapy #birdphotography #wildlife
A firecrest is a tiny, restless bird with a vibrant green back, white belly, and a striking head pattern. It can be identified by the bright white line above its eye and the black and white eye-stripe below it. The crown on males is a bright orange, while the crown on females is yellow. It also has a bronze "collar" on its shoulders. It is one of the smallest birds in the UK, measuring about 9 cm long. It is a very active bird that flits through trees and bushes, making it hard to spot.
November 27, 2025 at 6:22 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Morning All 👋 Have a great #ThursJay 👍🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #naturetherapy #corvids #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #wildlife
November 27, 2025 at 8:03 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
For #WoodpeckerWednesday I managed to spot and capture a photo of Britains largest Woodpecker, the beautiful Green Woodpecker over The Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales 19/11/25 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #woodpecker #naturephotography
A green woodpecker is a large, olive-green bird with a bright yellow rump that shows up when it flies. It has a red cap and a black mask, and males also have a red "moustache" stripe. They are easier to hear than see, as they have a loud, "laughing" call known as a "yaffle". It is the largest woodpecker in Britain.
November 26, 2025 at 9:32 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #OnTheEdge, birds that are on the edge of a body of water set by @alan678.bsky.social and the Alternative is #Pigeons ~ Here's a Cormorant drying its wings on the canal at Forest Farm NR 🪶 🦉 #birdingwales #ukbirding #naturephotography #wildlife #EastCoastKin
A cormorant is a large, black waterbird with a long, thin, hooked beak and webbed feet, often seen with its wings held out to dry. It has a somewhat prehistoric appearance, a long, reptilian-like neck, and its skin around the face and throat is orange-yellow. The most striking feature is its eyes, which have an aquamarine or blue-green colour with concentric circles. Habitat: They are found near both fresh and salt water. Hunting: They are excellent divers and catch fish by diving from the surface, propelling themselves underwater with their feet and wings. Posture: They often sit low in the water. In the breeding season, adults may have a square patch of white on their thighs. Juveniles are browner with a whitish throat and belly. A large, heavy-boned bird with a long neck and a long, thin, hooked beak. Most have dark, blackish-brown feathers. The skin around its face and throat is a noticeable orange-yellow colour. The eyes are a striking aquamarine or blue-green, often described as having a jewel-like sparkle. All four toes on its feet are webbed. They often stand with their wings held out to dry.
November 26, 2025 at 8:00 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #HangingAround, which is 'Birds at Unusual Angles'
The Alternative for you is #Sparrows set by @robcrank68.bsky.social ~ here's an upside-down Blue Tit at Forest Farm NR, Cardiff, South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingwales #ukbirding #naturephotography #wildlife #EastCoastKin
November 25, 2025 at 8:01 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #warblers & the alternative is #yelloweyes set by @alan678.bsky.social ~ I've gone for the wonderful Dartford Warbler, a bird that has taken me three years to track down at The New Forest. 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #birds #birdphotography #naturetherapy #eastcoastkin
To describe a Dartford warbler to someone partially sighted, focus on its distinctive features: a long tail often held cocked, a dark, grey-brown body, and a prominent red eye-ring. Emphasize its scratchy, rambling song, and mention its tendency to sit on top of gorse bushes, which is the best place to hear its call. It's a small bird, about \(12-13\) cm long, with a long tail that it often cocks jauntily. It has a slate-grey or grey-brown head, back, and wings, but its chest is a deep, wine-red or russet colour. A very distinctive, bright red eye-ring and a long, dark tail are its key visual markers. The male may have a small white patch on its belly. Legs are bright orange. 
November 24, 2025 at 6:59 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
To celebrate #MallardMonday here is a Drake Mallard at Forest Farm NR, Cardiff, South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #birdsky #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotographyIsArt
November 24, 2025 at 2:39 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Portrait shot of the male Kestrel - spent 12 hours in a Somerset Wildlife Hide & managed to get this shot in the setting sun in August last year 😍😎🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birdsofprey #kestrel
A male kestrel is a small bird of prey with a distinctive appearance, especially for someone who is partially sighted, focusing on its sounds and how it moves and where it lives. The male has a slate-grey head and tail, a brick-red back with black spots, and a creamy underside with black speckles. Its most notable behaviour is its "hovering" or "wind hovering," where it hangs still in the air by flapping its wings, often by the roadside. You can also hear the sharp, kiting, and high-pitched calls it makes.
November 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Never expected to come across a Fox during this week's cold snap over the Vale of Glamorgan out in the afternoon sunshine 22/11/25 ~ this one is obviously being fed looking at the size but what a cute cuddly beauty 😍🦊 #mammals #fox #wildlife #bluesky #naturephotography #naturetherapy #ukwildlife
A fox is a small, dog-like animal with a bushy tail, pointed ears, and a slender snout. Its fur is typically reddish-brown, though it can be other colours, and has dark markings on its front legs that resemble socks. To a partially sighted person, focus on the tactile and auditory details: a fox's movement is quick and silent, like a cat, and it makes a variety of sounds from sharp barks to soft yips. Its sense of smell is also highly developed, which it uses to find food.
November 23, 2025 at 9:39 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme, which is #Mr&Mrs (any male & female of the same kind).
And the Alternative theme is #Pigeons set by @robcrank68.bsky.social ~ I've gone for Mr & Mrs Wood Ducks at Festival Lakes Ebbw Vale 🪶 🦉 #birdingwales #ukbirding #naturephotography #wildlife #EastCoastKin
November 23, 2025 at 12:50 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
I do love Kestrels & any opportunity I get to photograph them is always just pure pleasure like this up-close portrait shot of a Female Kestrel 🥰 Photo taken in Somerset last August 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #birdsofprey #kestrel
A UK female kestrel is a bird of prey the size of a pigeon, but slimmer, with a brown and spotted back and wings, a brown head, and a long, dark-banded tail. It has pale, often speckled, underparts and a distinctive dark "mask" on its face and pointed wings that it uses for hovering in one spot. The adult has a bright yellow eye and a yellow cere (the waxy part over the beak). Size: Roughly the size of a pigeon, but slimmer and more elegant. Wings: Pointed wings, often angled at the "wrist" so they look slightly bent, a feature used for hovering. Tail: A long, fan-shaped tail when hovering. Back and wings: Reddish-brown with dark spots. Underparts: Pale or cream-colored, with dark speckles or spots. Face: A dark "mask" from the eye to the beak, similar to a tear mark. Tail: Dark, broken bands on a brownish-grey tail. Eyes: Yellow in adults. Legs: Pale grey. Beak: Black. Hovering: A key characteristic is its ability to "hover" or hang in the air, facing the wind, while looking for prey on the ground below. Hunting: It uses its keen eyesight to spot prey like small mammals and insects on the ground. Perching: It often perches on high spots like fence posts or power lines to scan the area.
November 22, 2025 at 9:18 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
This was actually a first for me this week ✅ with a lifer as the Winter migrants are now arriving ~ I've just never crossed paths with the beautifully coloured Fieldfares until now 😍 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography
The fieldfare is a large, colourful member of the thrush family, a little bigger than a blackbird, known for its upright stance and social nature in winter. Size and Shape: It is a large, robust bird. It has a distinctive posture, standing very upright when on the ground or a perch, and moving with purposeful hops. Colouration: Head and Rump: The head and the rump (lower back, just above the tail) are a pale, blue-grey colour. Back and Wings: The back is a contrasting rich chestnut or brown colour. Tail: It has a black, relatively long tail. Underparts: The breast and throat are yellowish or buff-coloured and heavily streaked with bold, dark brown or black markings. The belly is mostly white. Beak: The beak is yellow, often with a dark tip. Behaviour: Fieldfares are highly social, typically seen in flocks, sometimes of hundreds of birds, in open fields, hedgerows, and woodlands during the winter. They often flock with redwings. Sound: A key identifying feature is their distinctive, rattling "chack-chack" flight call, which is quite noisy and can often be heard before the birds are seen.
November 22, 2025 at 5:26 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdsOnAWire and the alternative is #Silhouette set by @alan678.bsky.social - My offering is a distant photo of a Cuckoo on a wire taken in the New Forest back in May this year 🪶 🦉 #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #wildlife #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
A cuckoo is a medium-sized bird, roughly the size of a pigeon, with a sleek body, short wings, and a long tail. Its sound is distinctive with a very prominent "cuck-oo" call. Its feathers are mostly grey, black, or brown, often with a patterned or barred appearance. The beak is yellow-black, and it has yellow legs. Size: About the size of a pigeon but much longer due to tail. Shape: A sleek body with short wings and a long tail. Feathers: A mottled or barred pattern of grey, black, and brown feathers. Beak and legs: A yellow-black beak and yellow legs. What it sounds like Distinctive call: The most famous feature is its call, which sounds like "cuck-oo". Other sounds: It may also have other sounds like a rattling call when agitated, but the "cuck-oo" is its most recognizable sound.
November 22, 2025 at 9:47 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
More like an extreme sport trying to take a photo of a Goldcrest as they never stay still & thought this photo also gives an idea how very small, they really are 🔭 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #goldcrest #nature
November 21, 2025 at 8:48 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #GroundedGulls, that's any Gull not in flight. And the Alternative is #Singing, that's any bird with its beak open set by @robcrank68.bsky.social - I've gone with a Starling Fledgling, not so much singing but calling for food 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife
November 21, 2025 at 8:42 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
The UK's smallest bird & a real beauty to behold "The Goldcrest" took this photo today over The Vale of Glamorgan ~ South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #goldcrest #nature
A goldcrest is a tiny, energetic bird, roughly the size of a thumb, with a plump shape and olive-green and grey plumage that feels soft to the touch. Its most distinctive feature is a bright crest on its head: a male has a stripe with a bright orange centre, while a female has a yellow centre, both edged in black. These birds move quickly and make a high-pitched "zi-zi-zi" call that is almost inaudible to some people. Size: It is Europe's smallest bird, about 9 cm long, and feels light, weighing around 6 grams. Colour: It has a dull greyish green back and a buffy-white belly, giving it a blend of soft, earthy tones. Head: The crest is its most recognizable feature, a stripe on top of its head. Male: Has a bright orange centre to the crest. Female: Has a yellow centre to the crest. Wings: Has two pale wing bars that can be felt as subtle ridges on the wings.
November 20, 2025 at 11:41 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
A bit late but today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme has been #Thrushes and the alternative is #waders set by @alan678.bsky.social Here's a Song Thrush - photo taken at Forest Farm NR 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
November 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
An early post from me for #ThursJay as grabbing my winter warmers and heading out on this frosty beautiful day here in South Wales 🥶 🌞 Chosen a Carrion Crow at Forest Farm NR 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #birds #ukwildlife #naturephotography #naturetherapy #corvids #birdphotography #wildlife
November 20, 2025 at 7:36 AM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Close up capture of a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the back garden in Cardiff ~ South Wales 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdwatching #wildlife #birdphotography #BirdLife #PhotograpyIsArt #woodpecker
November 19, 2025 at 6:10 PM
fraggenstein.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is all about Birds looking a bit on the #Round side set by @robcrank68.bsky.social
And the alternative birds are #Sparrows.
I've gone with a rather puffed-up Chaffinch 😍 🪶 🦉 #birdingWales #ukbirding #ukwildlife #naturephotography #birdphotography #EastCoastKin
November 19, 2025 at 8:42 AM