Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell

Home
United Kingdom
Spalding
Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell

Wildlife photograph and more by William Bowell.

08/06/2026

The king of the reed bed. This is a male Emperor Dragonfly — Britain's largest dragonfly — and honestly, every time I get close to one I'm still struck by just how impressive they are. That apple-green thorax, the sky-blue abdomen, those huge compound eyes taking in everything at once.

Emperors are fast, powerful, and almost always on the move — so catching one perched up and still like this, clinging to a reed stem in the afternoon light, felt like a proper gift.

Have you spotted one yet this year? They're out in force right now — any still, well-vegetated water and you're in with a chance.

07/06/2026

Remember on Thursday, when I said I spent an hour in the sunshine watching this kit at Coombe Abbey Hotel ?

As if pawing the ground and stretching wasn't cute enough, this youngster stopped to groom itself — and I was lucky enough to capture it. I love the cheeky sideways glance it gave me in that first shot.

The beer was still cold when I got back to the table, and it tasted all the better for getting these photos. 🍺🐰

The full sequence is on my blog. justwildimages.blogspot.com

Coombe Abbey Park

05/06/2026

Back in mid-May, my friend Hugh Wright found a 1st summer Purple Heron on his patch at Maxey Pits — picked up on his morning rounds. The weather was grim and we gave the bird all the space it needed, so these are record shots rather than portfolio pieces. But honestly? I don't care one bit.

It was great to finally add Purple Heron to my Deeping's area list.

A few more on my blog. Link in bio.

04/06/2026

I should have been sitting in the sunshine with a cold beer. Instead I spent an hour flat on the grass at Coombe Abbey watching this kit stretch out and paw at the ground for about thirty seconds. Zero regrets. 🍺🐰

Swipe for the full performance.

📸 Canon UK R6 Mk2 + RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM

Head over to my blog to read the full post and see more images! justwildimages.blogspot.com

Follow Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell for more British wildlife photography, patch birding and migration moments

03/06/2026

Something a little different today. I don't often photograph Rabbits — partly because when I was growing up they were so abundant you almost took them for granted. But over the past few decades, RHD and myxomatosis hit the UK population hard, and genuinely common sightings became anything but.

So it was genuinely heartwarming to spend some time at Coombe Abbey last week, where the rabbits were out in force — young kits like this one exploring the grass on the edge of the sunshine. This little one clearly hadn't quite decided whether I was worth worrying about.

More from my local patch and wildlife photography on the blog — justwildimages.blogspot.com

Follow Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell for more British bird photography and rare visitor updates.

02/06/2026

Sometimes the most familiar birds give you the most beautiful images. This male Blackbird came down to drink at a friend's reflection pool a couple of weekends ago — and the still water did the rest.

I've been spending a lot of time lately photographing songbirds at water. There's something about catching a common species in a quiet, unguarded moment that reminds you why you fell in love with wildlife photography in the first place.

More from these water sessions coming soon — including some that involved a rather less common visitor. Watch this space.

📖 More stories and wildlife encounters on the blog —justwildimages.blogspot.com

Follow Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell for more wildlife photography from the Lincolnshire fens and beyond.

31/05/2026

What an afternoon on the Welland yesterday. The Scarce Chasers are here in force.

For those who don't know the story — last spring, a Scarce Chaser turned up at Deeping Lakes for the very first time ever recorded there. Just a few individuals. Fast forward to this week and they are the most common dragonfly along this stretch of the river. The range expansion happening right here, right now, is genuinely remarkable.

The first image is a male in full hunting mode — perched on a reed tip. The second is one of those moments the camera gods occasionally decide you deserve: a Damselfly hovering just above the same Scarce Chaser. Two species, one frame, completely unplanned.

More images of Scarce Chaser are now on my blog, justwildimages.blogspot.com

Have you seen any Scarce Chasers this year? Drop a comment below — would love to hear where people are finding them.

13/05/2026

Back in April, I spent a few evenings virtually standing in the river during the golden hour, hoping for a few close encounters. This female Goosander was a brilliant surprise as she quietly cruised past in the warm evening light, seemingly completely relaxed by my presence.

I’ve recently added this images as a greetings card on my Etsy page too, alongside plenty more of my British wildlife photography and nature prints. 📷✨ www.justwildimages.co.uk

📖 More stories and wildlife encounters on the blog —justwildimages.blogspot.com

Follow Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell for more wildlife photography from the Lincolnshire fens and beyond.

12/05/2026

🦢📍 A travelling Mute Swan

Always fascinating when a bit of bird ringing history comes together in the field. This Mute Swan was ringed as a cygnet in November 2024 on the River Witham at Lincoln, last recorded there in January with its siblings and parents.

Fast forward to now, and I found it on the 2nd May 2026, resting on the River Welland at Deeping Lakes, where the Maxey Cut meets the river — a great reminder that even familiar species are quietly moving between our local waterways.

Thanks to Jenny at the Lincoln Swan Project for sharing this individual’s history.

📷 Canon UK RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM

📖 More from my local patch and wildlife encounters on the blog — link in bio!

Follow Just Wild Images by William Bowell for more British wildlife photography and birding stories. 📷🌿

04/05/2026

I’ve only seen a handful of Little Terns at Deeping Lakes, so this was a brilliant surprise. Yesterday morning, Hugh Wright gave me a heads-up that one had passed Maxey/Etton Pits heading my way… although it clearly took its time, arriving nearly an hour later — probably dropping into a pit or two along the way!

This tiny coastal tern is a proper inland rarity here, and a great addition to my patch year list, now sitting at 144. With two Spoonbills added later in the day, that 150 target is starting to look within reach 👀

Canon UK R6 Mk2 + EF 500mm f/4 L IS II USM

📖 Full story and more from my patch on the blog — link in bio!

Follow Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell or more British birding and wildlife moments. 📷🌿

Address

Spalding

Website

https://justwildimages.blogspot.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Just Wild Images- by Will Bowell:

Name:

Email:

Message:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Photography Service in Spalding?