The Short-eared Owl is an unusual owl because it prefers to be out and about in the daytime. It’s about the same size as the Barn Owl, but with long wings and can be seen flying low over moorland, grassland and saltmarshes where they feed on field voles and small birds. The best time to see them is generally between October and March.

This is a male Stonechat that we watched flying from branch to branch with his female partner. You can tell it's a male from his striking black head, the white around the side of the neck, a mottled brown back and his orange-red breast. He was flicking his wings whilst perched, which is quite common behaviour for this beautiful bird.

This is the female Stonechat perched on a wire. She was making a sharp loud call to her partner, that sounded like two stones being tapped together, hence the name - Stonechat. The females have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests, but lack the male's black head.

This close up shot of a Blue tit sitting patiently on one of our feeding stations, really shows of the vibrant mix of colours, that make this one of our most attractive and recognisable garden visitors.

Kestrels are a familiar sight around Essex. You can often see them hovering beside a roadside, before they dive towards their prey. It's a beautiful sight to see.

You often see fallow deer whilst driving in and around Essex. When driving, a herd or single deer can run out of a hedge when you least expect it, so it's always wise to be vigilant. I took this photo near Passingford Bridge, whilst a small herd were grazing.

I got to watch this beautiful bird hunting over fields in Rainham, Essex and managed to take a couple of photos whilst it was in-flight.

This beautiful Short-eared Owl was hunting for prey over fields in Rainham, Essex. It's quite common to see them hunting during the day, they are medium sized owls with mottled brown bodies, pale under-wings and yellow eyes.

About blackbird-sized with striking black and white features. This Great spotted woodpecker is a regular visitor to our feeders and can't get enough of our 'premium fat balls'. The male has a distinctive red patch on the back of the head and young birds, like this one, have a red crown.