'Painting images with light, moments framed with love'
   
Jay - Garrulus glandarius
The Jay is a bird, I believe, to be synonymous with British woodlands. First encounters with this very timid, skulking bird, are often by means of its startled cackle. During November 2005, I was able to get pretty close to a number of these birds whilst photographing Red Squirrels in Freshfield, Merseyside
During a very cold, frosty snap in the weather, along with superb dappled light through pine trees, I managed several moody shots including the above 'portrait'.
Although very secretive birds, when food supplies are stretched, especially during cold winter weather, these birds were prepared to come quite close for my handouts of nuts and seeds. A useful tip I picked up on this occasion, was to place crushed peanuts instead of whole shelled nuts, in my designated spot. This discouraged them from flying in and out too quickly; increasing my chances of getting the shot I wanted.