It's over winter and sights are sparse that I have to increase vigilance for photographic opportunities. There's plenty to see for most of the rest of the year which present themselves but when there's little but bleak emptiness, a lack of light and an absence of wildlife it can rather feel like I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel to find anything of interest to share.
Here's my way of sniffing out anything interesting or different. 1. Look up. The sky is usually empty so anything in it may be birds. The bare trees make a more visible host to things you often cannot see in summer. Birds, squirrels, dreys, nests, mistletoe, other plants growing up inside them, or their buds or form itself.
Birds of prey above and below.

Big drey.

New buds. Although the trees look stark they are prepping hard for the year to come.



2. Watch out for anything colourful!



3. Look down low, any rogue flowers or fungi. Sheltered patches can yield things of note all year round.
Fist primrose, spotted by C.
And 4. look for movement. Any signs of activity are worthy of attention.
5. Keep your ears peeled as often you might hear something long before you can see it!.
6. Light is interesting and gives life to what's playing in it.
Remain vigilant!
Take care,
Sophie