Alex Clarke

These adorable little Egyptian goose goslings (Alopochen aegyptiaca) in Richmond Park didn’t stray far from their mum and only left her side when there was nobody nearby.

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Richmond Park being bothered by a swarm of flies.

I often stop to feed the ducks and geese in Richmond on my walk home from work. This Canada-Greylag hybrid goose (Branta canadensis/Anser anser) was eating out of my hand!

Cross-cutting granite dykes intruding the Mylor slate at Porthmeor, Cornwall.

Cross-cutting granite dykes intruding the Mylor slate at Porthmeor, Cornwall.

Red and green serpentinite at Kynance Cove, Lizard, Cornwall showing several generations of fracturing and serpentinisation.

The greenhouses at Kew Gardens show a dramatic contrast in light between the between the bright windows and the dark shaded interior.

The entrance to the amazing Palm House at Kew Gardens.

View across the lake crossing at Kew Gardens.

A view through the early blossoms to the stunning Palm House at Kew Gardens.

Rhodanthe floribunda in the Davies Exploration House, Kew Gardens.

A view towards the Great Pagoda from the Temperate House, Kew Gardens.

I love the structured petals of this Cornus disciflora in the Temperate House of Kew Gardens.

I saw this female mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) in Richmond Park at sunrise.

A tall fern standing like a tree in the mountainous rainforest of Parque Nacional Los Quetzales. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Rapids of a mountain stream near Providencia, Dota. Our car trouble meant we only had one day at the remote Tami Lodge near Providencia. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

A little waterfall and gorge a short walk from Tami Lodge near Providencia, Dota. Our car trouble meant we only had one day at the remote Tami Lodge. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Rapids of a mountain stream near Providencia, Dota. Our car trouble meant we only had one day at the remote Tami Lodge near Providencia. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

An early morning photo of a Lesson’s Motmot (Momotus lessonii) taken near San Isidro de El General. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Our car broke shortly after we left the Osa Peninsula and began to climb into the Cordillera de Talamanca. I took this photo of our view while we waited for six hours to get recovered. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

I spotted this Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus swainsonii) just as we were leaving the Osa Peninsula. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

It’s always a pleasure to see these little White Faced Capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) on the Osa Peninsula. They can be mischievous and cheaky (and sometimes a pest) but are always fun to watch. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

It’s always a pleasure to see these little White Faced Capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) on the Osa Peninsula. They can be mischievous and cheaky (and sometimes a pest) but are always fun to watch. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

A Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) running through the surf and sunning itself on the rocks. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

These Golden Carpenter Ants (Camponotus sericeiventris) look like tiny scraps of gold velvet scurrying about the forest floor. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Drake Bay will always hold a very special place in my heart. In 2015 and 2016, I stayed there while doing my PhD fieldwork on the Osa Mélange. The town has changed so much in just the few years since then but it is no less beautiful. The sunsets are especially marvellous. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

This photo of a juvenile Brown Boobie (Sula leucogaster) in flight was taken from a moving boat bouncing through the waves. The fact that I was able to get a usable photo in those conditions was astoundingly good luck. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

I’m really glad I was able to get a photo of this brown three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) while I was in Costa Rica. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

The beautiful Rio Sirena as it meets the Pacific Ocean. I never got a chance to visit the Corcovado National Park when I was in Costa Rica in 2015 and 2016 for my PhD fieldwork so this was a very special experience. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

We were very fortunate to watch this Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) cross the Rio Sirena and walk right past us. I never got a chance to visit the Corcovado National Park when I was in Costa Rica in 2015 and 2016 for my PhD fieldwork so this was a very special experience. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Drake Bay will always hold a very special place in my heart. In 2015 and 2016, I stayed there while doing my PhD fieldwork on the Osa Mélange. The town has changed so much in just the few years since then but it is no less beautiful. The sunsets are especially marvellous. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

I spotted this Bare-throated Tiger Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum) wading through the stream that ran through our hotel in Puerto Jimenez. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

It was so amazing seeing these brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) diving in sequence to catch fish. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

It was so amazing seeing these brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) diving in sequence to catch fish. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

We saw this Smooth-Billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) while driving along the southern coast of Osa Peninsula. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

We saw several of these pale-billed woodpeckers (Campephilus guatemalensis) while on Osa Peninsula. This one was seemingly posing for the camera! Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Christmas in Costa Rica was very different to in the UK; certainly far less showy and commercialised. It did feel very weird seeing Christmas lights while it was warm enough to walk around in just a t-shirt at night. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

I was amazed at the detail I could capture in these macro photos of these Owl Butterflies. You can see the individual components of its eye! Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

I saw this spikey Miconia paleacea when walking near Arenal volcano. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

I adore the bright reds and oranges of these incredible Centropogon flowers near Arenal. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

I love the vibrant reds and greens on the receptacle and fruit of this Pacaya palm (Chamaedorea costaricana). Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

One of the simplest yet most amazing things I saw in the rainforest near Arenal volcano was how the water droplets on the plants would focus the light to create an in-focus image of the canopy behind. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Watching the birds being fed a breakfast of ripe fruit while we ate our own Costa Rican-style breakfast was a real treat! We saw several species of birds, including these Buff-throated saltators (Saltator maximus) as well as Orange-chinned Parakeets (Brotogeris jugularis) and Green Honeycreepers (Chlorophanes spiza). Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Watching the birds being fed a breakfast of ripe fruit while we ate our own Costa Rican-style breakfast was a real treat! We saw several species of birds, including these Orange-chinned Parakeets (Brotogeris jugularis) as well as Green Honeycreepers (Chlorophanes spiza) and Buff-throated saltators (Saltator maximus). Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

Watching the birds being fed a breakfast of ripe fruit while we ate our own Costa Rican-style breakfast was a real treat! We saw several species of birds, including these Orange-chinned Parakeets (Brotogeris jugularis) as well as Green Honeycreepers (Chlorophanes spiza) and Buff-throated saltators (Saltator maximus). Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.

This inquisitive Golden-bellied Flycatcher (Myiodynastes hemichrysus) was sitting on a fence in La Fortuna watching us have breakfast. This was the perfect opportunity to break out my new Sigma 150 – 600mm lens. Taken on my recent holiday to Costa Rica over Christmas 2022.