Before we venture too far into 2026, I need to do what most bloggers and webmasters do: compile and publish a Best-of list for 2025. For me, it’s photos of birds.
Why?
A very short explanation.
2025 was a beast of a year around the world. A renewed passion for bird photography and birding, which suddenly reappeared about halfway through the year, quickly became my go-to way to clear my mind, a salve for wounds I didn’t cause but like all of us, am forced to tend to. And it works. I’m looking at the world around me differently. I’m traveling differently. I’m hearing differently.
It also ignited the spark needed to bring this website back to life after I allowed it to grow fallow for more than half a decade. I like the direction in which it’s evolving and look forward to seeing what next year’s annual review and reflection will look like. Many thanks to all of you who have visited, liked, commented, followed and shared since its non-ceremonial re-christening in July. I look forward to seeing and meeting more of you in the coming year and beyond. Here’s to 2026 – which will also be another beast.
Onwards.
This list is a selection of 25 bird photos taken in 2025 which are among my personal favorites. I won’t say they’re my 25 best since hundreds are still in the ‘to-be-processed’ heap, but it’s close enough.
My favorite?
The image above, taken in October at the รtang des Batayolles in the Camargue in south-central France. As much as I wished it was, it wasn’t a dance. It was a skirmish between a pair of Gray Herons and the one on the right, the instigator, emerged as the clear victor.
And the rest, in no particular order:
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Added to the Lens-Artists weekly photo challenge #379, this week on the theme of โFavorite Images of 2025 hosted by Tina andย Travels and Trifles. Again, that provided just the swift kick I needed to publish this gallery. Thank you.
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If you asked me which one was the best, I couldn’t choose. They’re all such beautiful photographs. Thank you, Love, nia
Thank you Nia!
Great Cormorant & Greater Flamingo for me, all great shot ๐ you are so right in your intro, the peace of mind and freedom from “life” gained is wonderful and your awareness grows hugely. Here’s to a great new year ๐ค
Thank you Brian. It’s gradually growing into an obsession.
A beautiful collection! ๐
Wonderful photos, Bob. The Great Cormorant is poetry.
Thank you Sofia – yes, I really liked that one too. Cormorants are plentiful in the area but they’re not always cooperative. ๐
These are excellent Bob! You’ve clearly got an eye for taking photos and there is such a variety in the collection. The Robin and the Goldfinches (both species) look like they’re enjoying posing for you. Although we have Green woodpeckers nearby (on the Wirral peninsula), we’ve yet to catch a glimpse of them, but we’ll keep trying! Not that it matters, as all of the pictures are great, but I do like the one of the reflective Little egret (oops! sorry about the poor pun!). Keep up the great work!
Thank you Colin. This is by far my favorite way to spend my time.
It took some time to spot the Green Woodpeckers, oftentimes heard and not seen. And when I finally did spot it, it was in the most difficult of places to photograph. Really just takes time and patience. Luckily I had an ample supply of both that day.
Bob, your bird photography reflects a real care for the incredible variety of bird life. Youโve built a beautiful gallery of natureโs finest aviators.
Thank you John for your kind words. Looking forward to adding to each of those galleries in the year and years ahead.
All lovely images.
Thank you Pepper.
That’s a beautiful photo of the Goldcrest
Thanks! They move around a lot and quickly so I was thrilled to snap a few decent shots.
Beautiful collection of bird images!
Thanks!
I so agree with your intro to this…and love all your portraits here. My favourite is the cormorant – the light and feeling. I lost photography this year because of the state of the world…but found my way back to painting. That brings me in some sort of harmony again and takes my whole concentration. Everyone has to find his or her own solution to be able to exist in this chaos.
Thanks Leya. That harmony and balance is key when everything seems to be getting so cruelly out of balance.
I look forward to seeing more of your work.
Thanks so much for sharing these with us Bob, what an amazing collection! I wouldn’t venture to choose a favorite, way too many of those! Happy to have motivated you to rejoin the blogging community and looking forward to seeing much more of your work in the coming year.
Thank you Tina – that’s very much appreciated.
Wow! Bob, you showed some amazing photos in this post. I’m in awe. Are the European Starlings a problem there? Here, in Texas, they are invasive and are disrupting some native bird species’ habitat, such as the Eastern Bluebird.
They are plentiful and can be aggressive, so that does turn some off. I like them – there are few things more beautiful and fascinating in the natural world than a Starling murmuration.