I've received so many superb photographs this year from readers of Nature's Home that I wanted to end the year by sharing some more of them here on the blog. We love photos of anything from anywhere, including your gardens, local parks, local reserves and especially when they are taken on RSPB reserves! Thank you so much. I've even had several real rarities, from Oriental turtle dove to hoopoes, so please keep them coming. I love not knowing what's going to pop up on screen when I open your emails!
Here are some of my favourite shots that were all taken by Nature's Home readers on RSPB reserves - enjoy. And if you're inspired, please send your shots to natureshome@rspb.org.uk
This gorgeous shot of lapwings coming in to roost over Saltholme was taken by reader John Stephenson
A brilliantly-captured great white egret at Conwy by reader Jon Young. Great white egrets are now resident in many parts of the UK, so see if you can track down one of these kinky-necked lovelies this winter.
Quite probably the UK's most spectacular butterfly, the swallowtail, taken at Strumpshaw Fen in The Broads by Ian and Sarah Shreeves.
Love this shot of wrens at Fowlsheugh by Lorna Beattie. Look at those flies!
Timing was everything in this shot of a superb breeding-plumaged black-headed gull balancing on reedmace at Leighton Moss by Paul Morrell.
Thanks Ken!
The plan is definitely to showcase more of the great photos that readers send in as we can only show a fraction in Nature's Home magazine - there are so many more that deserve to be shared with others! There's more coming in my next blog post, so stay tuned...