Gordon & Maureen's Images

Gordon & Maureen's Images Images of Nature including Wildlife and Landscapes as captured on our wanderings.

Laughing kookaburra named Kylo - taken at Blair Drummond Safari ParkThe laughing kookaburra is the largest member of the...
08/09/2026

Laughing kookaburra named Kylo - taken at Blair Drummond Safari Park

The laughing kookaburra is the largest member of the kingfisher family and is native to the woodlands of Australia.

Known as the “bushman’s alarm clock” because of its loud call, a laughing kookaburra vocalises in its family group at dawn and dusk. The call sounds like a variety of trills, chortles, belly laughs, and hoots. But don’t be fooled—the kookaburra isn’t really laughing. Its famous cackle is actually a territorial call, warning other birds to stay away.

Although they are kingfishers, laughing kookaburras eat more insects, reptiles, frogs, and rodents than fish. These birds are especially famous for their snake-hunting skills. They can kill snakes up to 3 feet long by grabbing them behind the head and smacking them on the ground. Parent kookaburras often give small snakes to their chicks to help them learn how to kill prey.

These were taken in our back garden, not seen many this year, so very nice to see 😍The Small Tortoiseshell is one of our...
07/09/2026

These were taken in our back garden, not seen many this year, so very nice to see 😍
The Small Tortoiseshell is one of our most-familiar butterflies, appearing in gardens throughout the British Isles. Unfortunately, this butterfly has suffered a worrying decline, especially in the south, over the last few years. This butterfly has always fluctuated in numbers, but the cause of a recent decline is not yet known, although various theories have been proposed. One is the increasing presence of a particular parasitic fly, Sturmia bella, due to global warming - this species being common on the continent. The fly lays its eggs on leaves of the foodplant, close to where larvae are feeding. The tiny eggs are then eaten whole by the larvae and the grubs that emerge feed on the insides of their host, avoiding the vital organs. A fly grub eventually kills its host and emerges from either the fully-grown larva or pupa before itself pupating. Although the fly attacks related species, such as the Peacock and Red Admiral, it is believed that the lifecycle of the Small Tortoiseshell is better-synchronised with that of the fly and it is therefore more prone to parasitism. This is one of our most widespread butterflies, occurring throughout the British Isles, including Orkney and Shetland

Information Courtesy of UK Butterflies website


Humboldt penguin - taken at Blair Drummond Safari ParkThe penguin is one of the most graceful and streamlined swimmers t...
06/09/2026

Humboldt penguin - taken at Blair Drummond Safari Park

The penguin is one of the most graceful and streamlined swimmers there is, but out of the water it’s another story! On land, they do not perch but instead stand upright and move with a comical waddle.
The Humboldt penguin lives in small colonies along the west coast of South America, using the icy currents to hunt for fish and other tasty treats. When hunting, they will dive below the surface and effectively fly underwater, flapping their wings to provide power. Most dives last about a minute, but penguin dives as long as 20 minutes have been recorded!
Hunting and over-fishing by humans have led to a decline in Humboldt populations. They are also losing their nesting sites as people collect their poo (or guano) to use as fertilizer. Climate change is another worry for these little birds – as when water temperatures rise, it has a direct impact on their food sources.

The oystercatcher is a large, stocky, black and white wading bird. It has a long, orange-red bill and reddish-pink legs....
05/09/2026

The oystercatcher is a large, stocky, black and white wading bird. It has a long, orange-red bill and reddish-pink legs. In flight, it shows a wide white wing-stripe, a black tail, and a white rump that extends as a 'V' between the wings. Because it eats cockles, the population is vulnerable if cockle beds are overexploited. Breeds on almost all UK coasts; over the last 50 years, more birds have started breeding inland. Most UK birds spend the winter on the coast; where they are joined on the east coast by birds from Norway.

Information Courtesy: RSPB


Hooded vulture -named Kevin - taken at Blair Drummond Safari ParkThis scruffy looking vulture is smaller than other Afr...
04/09/2026

Hooded vulture -named Kevin - taken at Blair Drummond Safari Park

This scruffy looking vulture is smaller than other African vultures with a wingspan of just 5 feet. This means it can rise higher on the thermal air faster and will often be the first to spot a tasty carcass!
Flocks of vultures can sometimes be seen soaring over the landscape, searching for carcasses and following animals as they migrate. They will also eat scraps from human habitats. Hooded vultures often follow humans in agricultural fields, where they pick out the grubs and insects upturned by ploughing. Sadly, in recent years, this vulture has come into conflict with humans and has been heavily hunted and poisoned.

Juvenile Magpie:- With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there is nothing else quite like the...
03/09/2026

Juvenile Magpie:- With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there is nothing else quite like the magpie in the UK. When seen close-up its black plumage takes on an altogether more colourful hue with a purplish-blue iridescent sheen to the wing feathers, and a green gloss to the tail. Magpies seem to be jacks of all trades - scavengers, predators and pest-destroyers, their challenging, almost arrogant attitude has won them few friends. Non-breeding birds will gather together in flocks.

Information Courtesy: RSPB


A female African Lion - taken at Blair Drummond Safari ParkBig cats are some of the most successful predators on the pla...
02/09/2026

A female African Lion - taken at Blair Drummond Safari Park
Big cats are some of the most successful predators on the planet, and the African lion has to be the king of them all. Or perhaps we should say queen, as in lion family groups (or prides) females do most of the hunting. The lion is the only cat to form close-knit, long-term social groups of this kind and young are often raised communally, suckling from a number of different females.






🦋The Dark Green Fritillary is the most widespread fritillary found in the British Isles and is a pleasure to see as it f...
01/09/2026

🦋The Dark Green Fritillary is the most widespread fritillary found in the British Isles and is a pleasure to see as it flies powerfully over its grassland habitats, frequently stopping to nectar on Thistles and Knapweed. It gets its name from the green hue found on the underside of the hindwings, which are peppered with large silver spots. This butterfly can be found throughout the British Isles, although it is less common in central and eastern England. Outside of central Scotland and southern England, it is most frequently found in coastal areas and is the only fritillary found in Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Despite its powerful flight, it is somewhat surprising that this species is not particularly mobile, staying within its breeding grounds.

Information Courtesy of UK Butterflies website


Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red b...
31/08/2026

Stonechats are robin sized birds. Males have striking black heads with white around the side of their neck, orange-red breasts and a mottled brown back. Females lack the male's black head, but have brown backs and an orange tinge to their chests. Birds are frequently seen flicking their wings while perched, often doing so on the tops of low bushes. As its name suggests, birds utter a sharp loud call that sound like two stones being tapped together. They breed in western and southern parts of the UK, but disperse more widely in winter.

Information Courtesy: RSPB


Amur or Siberian Tiger -taken at Blair Drummond Safari ParkTiger, tiger burning bright! This is possibly one of the most...
30/08/2026

Amur or Siberian Tiger -taken at Blair Drummond Safari Park

Tiger, tiger burning bright! This is possibly one of the most recognisable of all the big cats. But despite their bright orange, black and white stripes, a tiger’s markings are actually designed to blend in and provide camouflage against the light and shade of the forest, so they can creep up really close to their prey.
The Amur or Siberian tiger is a rare sub-species found in the Russian Far East and in certain areas of China. It’s the largest and heaviest living cat in the world, measuring about 10 feet long and weighing as much as three grown men!
You can spot an Amur tiger by its slightly lighter coat, which is longer and thicker around the neck and paws to protect it from the cold Russian climate.
Unfortunately, these beautiful animals are poached for their fur and body parts which are often then used in the traditional alternative ‘medicine’ market. Commercial trade of tiger parts is prohibited by international law, however it still occurs illegally. Logging in Russia has also resulted in a huge loss of tiger habitat.


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