#photography #nature #lifelist

My Photographic Life list

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I never used to be bothered about keeping a life list, it seemed a bit pointless to me. But then as I photographed more more species, in more and more locations, I started keeping tally of these animals I was photographing. I had the idea to try and photograph, well, all the animals I've seen. This became a bit of an obsession and now I'm stuck updating this list! How fun!

The categories below are not intended to be taxonomic in nature, more rough groupings based on what feels right. The location and date are those of the photo presented and not the first sighting. All animals are wild, nothing captive here apart from the odd escapee which has become established (e.g., parakeets and wood duck in the UK).

This list sits at 279 species so far but is still missing the majority of my plant and fungi observations! I'll keep updating this list. My full bird life list can be found here

Recent Updates

I've recently returned from a trip to Finland where I bagged photographs of Brown Bear, Wolverine, Green and Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, and Hooded Crow - July 2024

Use these links to jump to specific sections. For those one desktop use the contents list on the right of the page.

Mammals | Birds | Plants | Fungi | Amphibians | Bugs

Mammals

Deer

Red Deer


England - 2022

Fallow Deer


England - 2019

Sika Deer


England - 2018

Roe Deer


England - 2022

Sambar Deer


India - 2022

Nilgai


India - 2022

Chital


India - 2022


Cows and Pigs

Indian Guar


India - 2022

Wild Boar


India - 2022


Primates

Langur


India - 2022


Felines

Royal Bengal Tiger


India - 2022


Canines

Red Fox


England - 2022


Bears

Brown Bear


Finland - 2024


Musta-likes

European badger


England - 2023

Stoat


England - 2019

Indian Mongoose


India - 2022

Wolverine


Finland - 2024


Rabbits and Rodents

Mountain Hare


England - 2019

European Rabbit


England - 2022

Wood Mouse


England - 2023


Wet Mammals

Otter


Scotland - 2023

Grey Seal


England - 2022

Common Seal


Scotland (Isle of Skye) - 2024

Bottlenose Dolphin


England - 2023


Squirrels and That

Red Squirrel


England - 2023

Grey Squirrel


England - 2023

Indian Striped Squirrel


India - 2022


Birds

Birds of Prey

White-tailed Eagle


Poland - 2023

Short-toed Snake Eagle


India - 2022

Sparrowhawk


England - 2024

Shikra


India - 2022

White-eyed Buzzard


India - 2022

Oriental Honey Buzzard


India - 2022

Red-shouldered Hawk


Florida - 2016

Common Buzzard


England - 2019

Common Kestrel


England - 2019

Hobby


England - 2023

Red Kite


Wales - 2021

Western Marsh Harrier


England -2023

Osprey


England - 2022

Peregrine Falcon


England - 2022

Tawny Owl


England - 2023

Little Owl


England - 2019

Barn Owl


England - 2023

Short-eared Owl


England - 2023

Mottled Wood Owl


India - 2022

Indian Scops Owl


India - 2022

Jungle Owlet


India - 2022


Wet Birds

Atlantic Puffin


Scotland - 2023

Razorbill


England - 2023

Guillemot


England - 2023

Great Skua


Scotland - 2023

Manx Shearwater


Scotland (Isle of Skye) - 2024

Northern Gannet


England (Bempton Cliffs) - 2023

Common Gull


Scotland (Isle of Skye) - 2024

Herring Gull


England - 2022

Lesser Black-back Gull


England (iPort Lakes) - 2022

Black-headed Gull


England (Porter Valley) - 2023

Black-legged Kittiwake


England (Bempton Cliffs) - 2023

Fulmar


England (Bempton Cliffs) - 2023

Common Tern


England (Attenborough Nature Reserve) - 2023

Caspian Tern


England (Nottinghamshire) - 2024

Black Tern


England (Potteric Carr) - 2023

European Shag


Scotland (Isle of Lunga)- 2023

Great Cormorant


England (Yorkshire Wildlife Park) - 2023

Double-crested Cormorant


Florida - 2016

White-breasted Kingfisher


India (Tadoba) - 2022

Common Kingfisher


England (Porter Valley) - 2024

Brown Pelican


Florida - 2016

Open-billed Stork


India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) - 2022

Lesser Adjutant Stork


India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) - 2022

European Spoonbill


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

American White Ibis


Florida - 2016

Purple Heron


India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) - 2022

Indian Pond Heron


India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) - 2022

Green Heron


Florida - 2016

Black-crowned Night Heron


England (RSPB Adwick Washlands) - 2023

Grey Heron


England (Porter Valley) - 2024

Little Bittern


England (RSPB Old Moor) - 2016

Great Bittern


England (RSPB St Aidans) - 2024

Snowy Egret


Florida - 2016

Little Egret


India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) - 2022

Great White Egret


Florida - 2016

Eastern Cattle Egret


India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) - 2022

Indian Darter


India (Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve) - 2022

Black-winged Pratincole


England (Notts) - 2024

Pied Avocet


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2020

Bar-tailed Godwit


England - 2022

Black-tailed Godwit


England (Potteric Carr) - 2024

Eurasian Curlew


Scotland (Isle of Mull) - 2023

Common Sandpiper


Scotland (Isle of Mull) - 2023

Green Sandpiper


Finland - 2024

Wood Sandpiper


Finland - 2024

Dunlin


Scotland (Isle of Skye) - 2024

Common Ringed Plover


Scotland (Isle of Mull) - 2023

Little Ringed Plover


England (Yorkshire Wildlife Park) - 2023

Ruddy Turnstone


Scotland (Isle of Skye) - 2024

Sanderline


Ireland (Dolly Mount Strand) - 2023

Eurasian Oystercatcher


Scotland (Isle of Mull) - 2023

Common Snipe


England - 2018

Common Redshank


England - 2023

Common Greenshank


Finland - 2024

Black-winged Stilt


England - 2023

Northern Lapwing


England - 2023

Common Moorhen


England - 2024

Common Coot


England - 2023

Common Mallard


England - 2021

Carolina Wood Duck


England - 2021

Mandarin Duck


England - 2024

Common Pochard


England - 2024

Tufted Duck


England - 2023

Green-winged Teal


England - 2023

Common Shelduck


England - 2018

Mute Swan


England - 2022

Greylag Goose


England - 2023

Canda Goose

England - 2023

Egyptian Goose


England - 2023

Great Crested Grebe


England - 2023

Little Grebe


England - 2023

Slavonian Grebe


England - 2023

Black-necked Grebe


England - 2024

Water Rail


England - 2022

White-throated Dipper


England - 2024


Wagtails

Grey Wagtail


Scotland - 2022

Pied Wagtail


England - 2023


Woodpeckers

Great Spotted Woodpecker


England - 2023

Green Woodpecker


England - 2023

Black-rumped Flameback


India - 2022


Cuckoos

Common Cuckoo


England (Hatfield Moors) - 2024


Hoopoes

Eurasian Hoopeo


India - 2022


Birds that Sing a lot

European Robin


England - 2018

Oriental Magpie Robin


India - 2022

European Blue Tit


England - 2018

Great Tit


England - 2019

Coal Tit


Scotland - 2020

Cinereous Tit


India - 2022

Long-tailed Tit


England - 2020

Crested Tit


Scotland - 2020

Bearded Tit


England - 2019

European House Sparrow


England - 2023

European Tree Sparrow


England - 2023

European Goldfinch


England - 2023

Common Chaffinch


England - 2019

European Greenfinch


England - 2019

Twite


Scotland (Isle of skye) - 2024

Common Linnet


England - 2023

Common Crossbill


Scotland (Skye) - 2024

Jungle Babbler


India - 2022

Common Reed Bunting


England - 2024

Stonechat


England - 2024

Common Redpoll


England - 2019

Pine Siskin


England - 2019

Eurasian Siskin


Scotland - 2023

Dunnock


England - 2023

Common Chiffchaff


England - 2024

Common Whitethroat


England - 2023

Eurasian Blackcap (female)


England - 2024

Eurasian Reed Warbler


England - 2024

Garden Warbler


England - 2024

Cetti's Warbler


England - 2024

Willow Warbler


England (Hatfield Moors) - 2024

Skylark


England - 2024

Meadow Pipit


Scotland - 2023

Northern Wheatear


Scotland (Isle of Skye) - 2024

European Wren


England -2020

European Goldcrest


England - 2024

Eurasian Treecreeper


England - 2024

Nuthatch


England - 2023

European Starling


England - 2023

European Black Bird


England - 2023

Redwing


England - 2020

Bohemian Waxwing


England - 2023

Red-vented Bulbul


India - 2022

Grey Shrike


Poland - 2023

Barn Swallow


England - 2023

Common Swift


England - 2023

House Martin


England - 2024

Sand Martin


England - 2024


Smart Birds

Carrion Crow


England - 2019

Hooded Crow


Finland - 2024

Eurasian Jackdaw


England - 2023

Common Raven


Poland - 2023

Red-billed Chough


Wales - 2023

Common Magpie


England - 2023

Eurasian Jay


England - 2019


Pigeons and Doves

Spotted Dove


India - 2022

Collared Dove


England - 2023

Rock Dove


England - 2023

Common Woodpigeon


England - 2024


Pheasants and That

Ring-necked Pheasant


England - 2023

Grey Partridge


England - 2023

Red-legged Partridge


England - 2024

Red Grouse


England - 2024

Junglefowl


India - 2022


Parakeets

Plum-headed Parakeet


India - 2022

Ring-necked Parakeet


England - 2023


Birds that I Can't Categorise

Indian Roller


India - 2022

Asian Green Bee-eater


India - 2022

European Bee-eater


England - 2022

Purple-rumped Sunbird


India - 2022

Corncrake


Scotland (Iona) - 2023

Indian Nightjar


India - 2022

Red-vented Bulbul


India - 2022

Sandhill Crane


Florida - 2016


Amphibians

Common Frog


England (My Garden) - 2022

Indian Bullfrog


India - 2022

Common Toad


England (My Garden) - 2022


Bugs et al.

Zebra Spider


England (Yorkshire Wildlife Park) - 2020

Wolf Spider


England (My Garden) - 2021

Swamp Crab Spider


England (Potteric Carr) - 2024

Fork-palped Harvestman


England (Walkers Garden Centre) - 2021

Opilio canestrinii (Harvestman)


England (Walkers Garden Centre) - 2021

Common Harvestman


England (Walkers Garden Centre) - 2021

Scarlet Lily Beetle


England (My Garden) - 2020

Green Shield Bug


England (My Garden) - 2021

Dock Bug


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Harlequin Lady Beetle (Red with black spots)


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Harlequin Lady Beetle (Black with red spots)


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Harlequin Lady Beetle (Yellow with black spots)


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Cercopis vulnerata (Sp. Foghopper)


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Rhododendron Leafhopper


England (Walkers Garden Centre) - 2021

Meadow Grasshopper


England (Walkers Garden Centre) - 2021

Alder Leaf Beetle


England (My Garden) - 2024

Rosemary Beetle


England (My Garden) - 2023

Hawthorn Leaf Beetle


England (My Garden) - 2021

Athous haemorrhoidalis (sp. Click Beetle)


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Donacia clavipes (sp. Leaf Beetle)


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Cantharis nigricans (Sp. Soldier Beetle)


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Green Tiger Beetle


England (Hatfield Moors Nature Reserve) - 2024

Common Tiger Fly


England (My Garden) - 2021

Blow Fly


England - 2021

House Fly


England - 2021

Yellow Dung Fly


England (My Garden) - 2021

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee


England - 2020

Common Wasp


England (My Garden) - 2021

Marmalade Hover Fly


England (My Garden) - 2021

Eristalis pertinax (Sp. Hover Fly)


England - 2018

Helophilus pendulus (Sp. Hover Fly)


England - 2024

Common Drone Fly


England (My Garden) - 2021

Common Darter


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2023

Vagrant Darter


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2023

Four-spotted Chaser


England (Hatfield Moors Nature Reserve) - 2024

Southern Hawker


England (Hatfield Moors Nature Reserve) - 2024

Ground Skimmer


India (Tadoba) - 2022

Crimson Marsh Glider


India (Tadoba) - 2022

Emerald Damselfly


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2023

Large Red Damselfly


England (Hatfield Moors Nature Reserve) - 2024

Azure Damselfly


England (Potteric Carr Nature Reserve) - 2024

Azure Damselfly (Male: right | Female: left)


England (Hatfield Moors Nature Reserve) - 2024

Orange Tip


England (Idle Valley Nature Reserve) - 2024

Large Skipper


England - 2023

Firery Skipper


India (Tadoba) - 2022

Blue Tiger


India (Tadoba) - 2022

Plain Tiger (theres no such thing as a plain tiger...)


India (Tadoba) - 2022

The Baronet


India (Tadoba) - 2022

Green-veined White


England - 2022

Painted Lady


England (Idle Valley Nature Reserve) - 2019

Red Admiral


England - 2022

The Commander


India (Tadoba) - 2022

Dingy Footman


England - 2020


Plants

English Blue Bell


England - 2022

Corncockle


England - 2020

Fox and Cubs


England - 2020


Fungi

Gills and Pores

Fly Agaric


England - 2021

Birch Bolete


England - 2021

The Blusher


England - 2021

Witches Hat


England - 2021

Penny Bun (Porchini)


England - 2021

Sulphur Tuft


England - 2019

Orange Deceiver


England - 2021

Amethyst Deceiver


England - 2021

Red Sickener


Scotland - 2020

Clouded Funnel


England - 2021


Spore Shooters

Common Puffball


England - 2021

Candle Snuff Fungus


England - 2021

Orange Peel Fungus


England - 2021

Scarlette Elfcup


England - 2020

Slate Grey Saddle


England - 2021

Brackets and Similar

Chicken of the Woods


England - 2020

Dryads Saddle


England - 2020

Beefsteak Fungus


England - 2020

Flat Oystering


Scotland - 2021

Oyster Mushroom


England - 2021

Tinder/Hoof Fungus


England - 2019

Footnote: fungi identification is difficult. These are my best guesses and should NOT be used to identify any species of fungus.


Created by Niall Bell (niall@niallbell.com)