Communal Reptiles, Amphibians and Mammals photo thread

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This thread, alongside similar threads for birds, flowers and insects, is a place where members can post their photos for viewing, comments, advice and tips (given or taken) or just general natural history chat.

Everybody is welcome to contribute if they have a photograph of an amphibian or a mammal which they are proud of (or disappointed with and would like some advice). Based on the popularity of pictures of frogs, toads, lizards and snakes whenever they are posted then this should be a popular thread.
And then when you add in cats, dogs, deer and other popular mammal subjects this promises to be a treasure trove of images.

So have a root about on your hard drive and show us what you've got.

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Just a couple of recent meetings with deer to start us off. They do seem to be acting differently, at the moment, and long may that continue. Instead of crashing off into the forest they seem to be far more tolerant of the ambling photographer. Or perhaps just staring in wonder at my long white hair (now brought back under control of a hairdresser).

[MJ224]

Well caught. Must take a bit of stalking despite their change of behavior...:-))

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Over the years I have worked at walking slowly and quietly and not being very visible. It is the one area of photography which seems to have improved.... :-)

[MJ224]

Mum, Something with a big glass eye is staring at me.....

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deserves an oooohhh! or an aaaahhhh!

[MJ224]

And a Cantonaaa..:-))

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Don't have many snake pictures but this is a Balkan whip snake from Croatia

[alfbranch]

Oooh
Nice shot

[alfbranch]

A recent deer shot

Roe deer by Alf Branch, on Flickr

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another oooohhh

[alfbranch]

Here is a bit of tame animal

Machu picchu baby llama by Alf Branch, on Flickr

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The picture was worth giving up your lunch for...lovely shot

[alfbranch]

A couple of toads

Common Toads_ by Alf Branch, on Flickr

[BDennis]

A couple of a young Hare we saw in Suffolk last week


Hare by Bill Dennis, on Flickr


Hare by Bill Dennis, on Flickr

[BDennis]

Thanks. This was a lucky chance encounter. We were at a reserve called Hen Reedbeds in Suffolk near Southwold. We walked up to a distant hide we knew was closed due to COVID but the path offers opportunities to view wildlife and we spotted these hares in an adjacent field over a low hedge. Luckily they didn’t spot us and I managed to get some close shots, although these are still cropped! North Norfolk is a good place - if you have a car drive some quiet backroads that have openings into some fields and just park up somewhere that is OK and it can be possible to get some close shots using the car as a hide. You could try that anywhere hares are know to be about. I learnt this doing a Norfolk workshop with Chris Gomersall. David Tipling also does workshops specifically for hares - obviously not at the moment but you might want to check out this online talk I am thinking of signing up for myself https://www.photographyexperts.com/w...-living-coast..

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Bill. Thanks for that. I have looked at similar workshop experiences in the past and that may well be a good plan for another time. In the meantime I'll have a think about the online event. I have managed to creep up on hares in Oxfordshire but ended up mostly with running away shots!

[alfbranch]

Nice shots Bill

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A few lizards for Alf, as requested.

The first from Oxford, a reserve called White Cross Green Wood. The lizards are regularly seen on the rocks and branches put there by the team to encourage them.



The second from France, my Summer holiday, which always features butterflies, lizards and natural history walks. I don't enjoy sand and sea vacations....:-)



And the last, is a European Green Lizard. This one is from Hungary.

[alfbranch]

I shot a lizard coloured like that first one
Nice set

[MJ224]

They are beauties Peter, and quite big. Mine have a long way to grow...:-))

[alfbranch]

My first local lizard shot the first I new of them being here shot with my Sigma 105 and EX-25 extension tube as I had my macro kit with me so I was not socially distancing when I shot this

Lizard by Alf Branch, on Flickr

[alfbranch]

Vicuna
A South American camelid for the high Andes in Peru

Vicuna trio by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Vicuna herd by Alf Branch, on Flickr

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Shot in 2014 on an E5 with a Sigma 50-500 lens, the Bigma. This was in a nature reserve in La Brenne, France. It was not a perfect lens but this isn't bad under the circumstances. The Bigma would have been in use for the Whiskered Terns and Purple Herons but was good for mid range lizards and butterflies too.

[MJ224]

Good image Peter, the long lenses are good for Macro, as you don't have put the fear of Dog into the subject..:-))

[MJ224]

Mr Lizard

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Lovely colours and look to him...

[MJ224]

Thanks Peter, not very big in body, but a definite bold lizard....:-)