Phil Gower Bird Photography

Phil Gower Bird Photography All my bird images are of species found in the Western Palearctic.
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As an amateur bird photographer, I aim to showcase the wonder, beauty and diversity of the natural world to inspire people to connect with nature and commit to its protection.

15/09/2026

Bird ID Tester No. 669

Difficulty Level: 🟠 CHALLENGE — Let’s see how good you really are

Bird ID Tester No. 668 - this bird was photographed in Iceland but what bird is it?Difficulty Level: 🟠 CHALLENGE — Let’s...
15/09/2026

Bird ID Tester No. 668 - this bird was photographed in Iceland but what bird is it?

Difficulty Level: 🟠 CHALLENGE — Let’s see how good you really are

15/09/2026

Bird Shape and Sound ID Tester No. 005

Difficulty Level: 🟢 WARM-UP — A good one to get you started

15/09/2026

Answer to Bird Shape and Sound ID Tester No. 003

Sound recording by Ardaan Gerritsen

Bird of the Day: Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)Most of my photographs of Snow Buntings have been taken in the Cair...
15/09/2026

Bird of the Day: Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

Most of my photographs of Snow Buntings have been taken in the Cairngorms, where these beautiful Arctic visitors can be found during the winter months. There is something particularly special about photographing them in that spectacular mountain landscape, especially when the weather is doing its best to remind you just how tough these little birds are.

The Snow Bunting is a relatively large, robust bunting with a distinctive white, black and buff appearance in winter. As spring approaches, males become particularly spectacular, developing much more brilliant white plumage with contrasting black on the wings and back.

They breed across the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including Scandinavia, Greenland, Canada and Alaska. When winter arrives, many birds migrate south, with some travelling considerable distances to reach milder areas.

In the UK, Snow Buntings are mainly winter visitors, although a small breeding population remains in the mountains of Scotland. They are particularly associated with exposed coastal areas, moorland and upland habitats, depending on the time of year.

If you're hoping to find one this winter, there are several areas worth checking. The Scottish Highlands, including the Cairngorms, are excellent places to look, particularly on suitable upland ground. Around the coast, the Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Northumberland coasts can also produce wintering birds, as can other exposed beaches, dunes, shingle and coastal grasslands around Britain.

Have you ever seen a Snow Bunting in the UK? I'd love to hear where you spotted one and see any photos you've managed to capture.

15/09/2026

Big shout out to my newest top fans! 💎

Mario Porten, Jerzy Nowak, Lesley Dougan, Marcel Buschek, Mariaines Gauna, Pete Lepage, Alain Gieux, John Sheridan, Ruben Moreira, Jamie Evison, Nous Pasvous, Julie James, Shannon Lee, Franco Cornelio, Μακης Πρωτοψαλτης, Сергей Гребенюк, Ξένια Αθανασίου, Matthew Ravenhall, Rosalind ODean, Niko Aavemaa, Andrea Allori, Rycho Landowski, Thais Mattioli, C.b. Richard, Debra Tunnicliffe, Magdalena Mańkowska, Jay Birdmin, Justonio Fry, Monika Guth, Michel Wilhelme, Maria Regina Monteiro, Yvon Marois, Stéphane Vermeiren, Dan Schuetze, Luis Diaz Navarro, Silvina Testasecca, Alexandre Truc, Hennie du Plessis, Kazunobu Miyazawa, Steve Emery, Christopher Burnett, Christelle Lantelme, Xavier Codina Muñoz, Esther Lafourcade, Seppo Nieminen, Steven Jones, Krasimir Ranovski, Ilka Vasileva Ivanova, Jose Luis Coutiño Lopez

Drop a comment to welcome them to our community, fans

Bird ID Tester No. 667 - I photographed this bird in Iceland but what bird is it?Difficulty Level: 🟠 CHALLENGE — Let’s s...
15/09/2026

Bird ID Tester No. 667 - I photographed this bird in Iceland but what bird is it?

Difficulty Level: 🟠 CHALLENGE — Let’s see how good you really are

Every species matters, no matter how common or rare.

Bird ID Tester No. 666 - I photographed this bird in Scotland but what bird is it?Difficulty Level: 🟢 WARM-UP — A good o...
14/09/2026

Bird ID Tester No. 666 - I photographed this bird in Scotland but what bird is it?

Difficulty Level: 🟢 WARM-UP — A good one to get you started

Answer to Bird ID Tester Nos. 653, 654, 655 and 656.653: Dupont's Lark (URN: 3044)The Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus dupont...
14/09/2026

Answer to Bird ID Tester Nos. 653, 654, 655 and 656.

653: Dupont's Lark (URN: 3044)
The Dupont’s Lark (Chersophilus duponti) is a distinctive, slender lark with a long, slightly curved bill, pale sandy-brown upperparts and heavily streaked underparts. It has a long neck and tail, giving it a rather elongated appearance compared with many other larks. It spends much of its time walking or running through low vegetation rather than flying, and its long bill is well suited to searching for insects and other small invertebrates. I photographed this one in Spain.

654: Bearded Vulture (URN: 1355)
The Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) aka Lammergeier is a spectacular large vulture with long, narrow wings, a long wedge-shaped tail and striking colouring. Adults have dark grey wings and back contrasting with a pale, creamy head and body, while the face is marked by a distinctive black band through the eyes and a dark beard beneath the bill. It is highly specialised for feeding on bones, which it often drops from a great height onto rocks to break them open before swallowing the fragments.

655: Long-tailed Duck (URN: 6107)
The Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) is a small, elegant sea duck with a distinctive rounded head, short bill and exceptionally long, pointed tail feathers in the male. Its plumage changes dramatically between summer and winter, with the male showing striking contrasts of white, brown and dark markings, while the female is generally browner with a more subdued pattern. I photographed this one in Iceland.

656: Coal Tit (URN: 0586)
The Coal Tit (Periparus ater) is a small, active woodland bird with a distinctive black cap and throat, white cheeks, and a grey back with pale underparts. It has a small white patch at the back of the neck, which helps separate it from the similar Great Tit. Its relatively plain grey-brown wings and back contrast with the bold black-and-white pattern of the head.

14/09/2026

Bird ID Tester No. 665

Difficulty Level: 🟠 CHALLENGE — Let’s see how good you really are
A personal thank you from me to you for being such a fantastic supporter. I really appreciate you being here and following my photography journey.

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