2019: hit me with your best shots

In my final post looking back at 2019, below are some of my favourite images taken over the course of the year, many of them 'previously unpublished,' in this space at least:

During our Easter week in Speyside, I observed the code of conduct which discourages searching for Capercaillie in the early morning when lekking birds are prone to disturbance. Karma repaid me when this female walked across the road near Feshiebridge at 1030 in the morning. I pulled across the road and took this photo from the car window

Having successfully photographed Mountain Hares on the lower slopes of Cairngorm at Easter, we continued up into the Coires to scan for Ptarmigan. This male flew in close to our vantage point and gave its distinctive call - a 'hold your breath' moment for George and I

A female Ptarmigan was close to the path on the way back down from Cairngorm

This male Red Grouse was also photographed at Easter from the car along the road to Lochindorb

I knew it would be too early for Dotterel to be back on the high tops when we visited Scotland at Easter so took the opportunity to see two migrating birds closer to home at Cheesefoot Head in neighbouring Hampshire 

Difficult to beat a male Wheatear in spring on a Scottish moor!

I like the movement in the wings of one of the Durlston Bee-eaters taken in May

A singing Garden Warbler posed nicely at Blashford Lakes in May

Also at Blashford the Little Ringed Plovers were doing their thing

I spent a happy hour finding and then trying to point out to other visitors, including the BBC's environment correspondent Justin Rowlatt, this roosting Nightjar from the Lake Hide on Brownsea

The shimmering song of Wood Warblers provided the soundtrack to a lovely out of county day out to Hodder's Combe in Somerset in May

This Elephant Hawkmoth visited my garden trap in June

A Brindled Beauty from the trap at our holiday cottage near Loch Insh in April

Just one entry in this post from our Mallorcan summer holiday: Crag Martin near the Albercutx tower

Back in Dorset, August also produced more Wheatear photo opportunities - this one was at St Aldhelm's Head

Great White Egret has become much commoner in Dorset in recent years - this one was at Lodmoor in September

One of my favourite shots (among hundreds!) of the Portland Lap Bunting in September

This one of the long-staying American Black Tern at Longham came out quite well

This image of a Song Thrush on a gravestone in Old Town churchyard on St Mary's captures something of Scilly in autumn for me

An unusually showy Spotted Crake was another photographic highlight of Scilly in October

Long-tailed Duck is a favourite species - this female gave close views at Oxey Marsh in Hampshire

An even more stunning drake Long-tailed Duck returned to Barrow Gurney reservoir for the winter

Not sure whether I prefer the light or dark background with this bird - so have included both!

And to end this post, this Kestrel posed beautifully for Steve Smith and I as we waited for more views of tbe Brown Booby in St Ives. Happy New Year and thanks for reading!