As seen and photographed, during the late golden hour.

Once roaming free over the temperate forest wilderness of the furthest outreaches of the Far East, the Amur leopard, or Siberian leopard as it is also called, is now restricted to a protected reserve straddling the Russia/China border no bigger than the English county of Dorset.

Pushed to the brink of extinction, their numbers are precariously low, making them the most critically endangered and rarest big cat in the world.

Poaching and loss of habitat through illegal logging and urban development, remain the greatest threats to their survival.

With a worldwide breeding and re-introduction programme now in place, there is at least hope.

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The Sonoran desert incorporates part of Mexico, California and Arizona. One of its distinctive features is the saguaro cactus, which is unique to it and protected by law. They can grow to over twelve meters tall.

Unfortunately I do not have the name of the artist who painted this sunset scene, but as I'm sure you'll agree it a most beautiful. If you look closely you will see a roadrunner and a Gambel's Quail in either corner, both of which are found in the desert.

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This is a doe muntjac, enjoying the early morning Autumn sunshine. This particular species, the Reeve's Muntjac, is native to SE China, including Taiwan and Hainan, but for the past hundred years has been introduced to the UK from a herd kept at Woburn Abbey Park in Bedfordshire.

They are shy and largely solitary animals, a little larger than a fox. When disturbed they make a high pitched 'barking' sound. As you can see they have a stooped-like posture and prefer woodland habitat. Coming from a sub-tropical climate, unlike most deer they do not have a seasonal rut and mate throughout the year.

Since their release they have spread rapidly, and have colonised much of suburbia, with its shrubs and large gardens, taking advantage of their small size.

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As taken with natural light at close range!

It's that time of year again. My mother always used to say if you hear the cuckoo you'll hear it again next year. As well as marking the beginning of summer for some it must be a good omen!

Wishing everyone the best of the season. Take care, keep safe and take time to chill out.

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I happened to look out through my bedroom window early last night and there it was boldly rising in the sky, as colourful as you see it in my photo. I didn't realise we were due for a full moon, let alone a supermoon. I only found out today what one is. Of course a supermoon is when the moon is at its closest point to the earth, when it appears big and bright. It is called a flower moon when it appears during the month of May, a time when blossom and flowers come out.

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