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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Upcoming DC Movies: Full DCEU Release Date Calendar

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The DC Extended Universe is in full swing! With a healthy schedule of upcoming DC movies in development, the DCEU isn’t going away anytime soon, and there’s still lots to look forward to.

So, it’s time to take a look at all of the DCEU superhero movies that will be released over the next few years. And trust us, there are a ton of them on the way, and we expect more details will be announced as we go forward. We have all the release dates for every one of ’em right here, as well as official details, the most interesting rumors, and suggestions for further reading where appropriate.

Thanks to HBO Max, The Suicide Squad is on schedule for August 2021, with The Batman, Aquaman 2, Black Adam, The Flash, and more due in 2022, . There’s a bright future for the newly revitalized DCEU movies!

Here’s how this works, because the schedule is getting a little weird. We’re starting with the DCEU movies that officially have release dates attached to them. Then we’ll get into the stuff that we know for 100% certain is in development, but that don’t have release dates yet. Then we’ll get into some of the long shots, the projects that are announced but quiet or seemingly dead, at the bottom.

Keep in mind that many of these are the CURRENT release dates as of this update, and all of these are subject to change. We’ll keep updating this with more information as we get it…

The Suicide Squad

Release date: Aug. 6, 2021

James Gunn (of Guardians of the Galaxy fame) has stepped in to write and direct Suicide Squad 2. This is now called The Suicide Squad, and it’s neither a reboot nor a straight sequel, but still firmly in the DCEU.

The cast is positively bonkers.

Returning from the first film we have Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Jai Courtney as Boomerang, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg, and of course Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn Scheduling issues forced Will Smith to bow out of the project as Deadshot.

But then that new cast is wild! John Cena is Peacemaker, with Idris Elba as Bloodsport, David Dastmalchian will play Polka Dot Man. Daniela Melchor will play a new version of Batman villain Ratcatcher…and there’s more, including Sylvester Stallone as the voice of King Shark! We have a full breakdown of the cast right here.

Pandemic be damned, this one arrives on HBO Max AND in theaters simultaneously, so that August release date isn’t going anywhere.

The Batman

Release date: March 4, 2022

The Batman solo movie has Matt Reeves as director. Robert Pattinson is the new Batman. Not only that, this movie will likely kick off a brand new trilogy of Batman movies. Expect a more low-key, detective focused approach to the Dark Knight than we’ve seen in previous movies.

Movies

New Batmobile Revealed for The Batman Movie

By Joseph Baxter

The Actors Who Have Played Batman

By James Aquilone and 1 other

In addition to Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Jeffrey Wright will play Commissioner Gordon. Jayme Lawson has a mystery role. Andy Serkis is Alfred Pennyworth. And then there are the villains to contend with! The Batman will feature an all-star rogues’ gallery of villains, with Paul Dano as the Riddler, Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, and Colin Farrell as the Penguin.

DC League of Super Pets

Release date: May 20, 2022

OK, fine, this isn’t a DCEU movie project, and it’s an animated movie. But unless you have no soul, how can you resist Krypto, Streaky, Ace, Comet, and the rest of the amazing super pets?

And what an incredible voice cast this one boasts! Dwayne Johnson is Krypto, Kevin Hart is Ace, the Bat-Hound, with Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Jameela Jamil, and Keanu Reeves also along for the ride in undisclosed roles!

They had better be fighting the Brain Globes of Rambat in this movie, otherwise, we riot.

You can read more about DC Super Pets here.

Black Adam

Release date: July 29, 2022

Originally slated to be the villain of Shazam, Black Adam will instead be played by Dwayne Johnson in a solo movie. The character is certainly strong enough to sustain his own movie. Adam Sztykiel (Due Date, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul) is writing with Jaume Collet-Serra set to direct.

Movies

Shazam: Who is Black Adam?

By Marc Buxton

Movies

Black Adam Powers and Abilities Explained

By Mike Cecchini

This is the kind of thing that could work as a nifty prequel to further flesh out the mystical world of Shazam if they choose to go that route. More importantly, this movie will feature the DCEU introduction of the Justice Society of America, including Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher!

The Flash

Release Date: Nov. 4, 2022

Andy Muschietti (of Warner Bros’ IT movies) is the latest director to try and get The Flash movie to the screen. This project has had a really rough road. Christina Hodson, who clearly made the studio happy with her Birds of Prey script, is writing.

Movies

The Flash Movie Set Photos Reveal Supergirl, Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne and More!

By Mike Cecchini

Movies

The Flash: Batman Set Photo Teases Michael Keaton’s New Batsuit

By John Saavedra

Ezra Miller will reprise his Justice League role as Barry Allen. Kiersey Clemons is Iris West. Ron Livingston will play Barry’s father, Dr. Henry Allen (replacing Billy Crudup who played the role in Justice League). But here’s where things get crazy…Ben Affleck will return to the role of Batman for this movie. And Michael Keaton will ALSO return to the role of Batman for this movie!

How is this possible? Because it’s based on the DC Comics Flashpoint story, which for the purposes of the movies will be used to create a big screen multiverse. Wow.

Oh, and it that’s not enough, this movie will introduce Supergirl to the DCEU, played by Sasha Calle!

Aquaman 2: Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom

Release Date: Dec. 16, 2022

After it made a billion dollars at the box office, you bet your trident that Aquaman 2 is happening! And it has a cool, suitably adventurous title: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Right now the plan is for James Wan to remain involved and start developing the movie, but he won’t decide whether or not to direct it until there’s a script in place. Fair enough. Patrick Wilson seems set to return, though, and of course, Jason Momoa will be back.

Shazam 2: Fury of the Gods

Release date: June 2, 2023

Shazam 2 is now officially called Shazam: Fury of the Gods and…that’s about all we know about it right now.

One thing is for sure, though, this movie will retain the look, feel, and charm that made the first one so successful, since both director David F. Sandberg and writer Henry Gayden are returning. And this time we’ll have an entire Shazam family to help out, and they’ve got sharp new costumes!

It appears that the Shazam family will be taking on the Daughters of Atlas in this movie. Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu), and another currently unnamed character played by Rachel Zegler.

Wait…did we mention the Sinbad cameo? No, really!

Wonder Woman 3

Release date: TBD (likely 2024)

Patty Jenkins will reunite with Gal Gadot for what may be the capstone on the Wonder Woman movie trilogy. No details about Wonder Woman 3 are currently available, and that release date is likely to come in 2024, since Jenkins has her Star Wars: Rogue Squadron movie to release for Christmas 2023.

Blue Beetle

Release Date: TBD

There’s a Blue Beetle movie in the works. And unlike the character potentially appearing in the Booster Gold movie (more on that down below), this one would focus on Jaime Reyes, the magical tech powered teenage hero who wields the scarab of original Blue Beetle, Dan Garrett. Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (Miss Bala) is writing the script, with Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings) directing.

There’s no release date yet, but this is scheduled to begin production in fall 2021, so maybe we can pencil in a 2023 release date. This one may be destined for HBO Max, according to a recent report.

Batgirl

Release Date: TBD

Joss Whedon was originally supposed to write, direct, and produce the Batgirl movie, one that was reportedly based on Gail Simone’s recent New 52 take on the character. He has exited the project and now Christina Hodson is writing with Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah helming the project.

‘With Batgirl, we hope to take the audience on a fun ride and see a different side of Gotham,” Burr told THR. “Christina’s script is crackling with spirit. Adil and Bilall have an excited and joyous energy, which is infectious, making them the perfect filmmakers for this Batproject. And I’m just psyched I get to be part of the DC universe, which is super cool.”

Rumor has it that this will be a project set to go direct to HBO Max.

Untitled Superman Project

Release Date: TBD

Ta-Nehisi Coates is working on a Superman feature film with J.J. Abrams producing. No other info is currently available, but it appears to be a reboot.

“To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor,” Coates told Shadow and Act when the news was announced. “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.”

Will this continue Henry Cavill’s time in the role, or will it take a new approach? Will this be a completely different take on the Man of Steel altogether? Time will tell!

Zatanna

Release Date: TBD

One of the most powerful magicians in the DC Universe is getting her own film, with a powerful writer attached. Emerald Fennell, who wrote and directed the brilliant Promising Young Woman has signed on to write a Zatanna movie for Warner Bros. No other details are available at this time, but you don’t sign an Oscar hopeful for a movie like this unless you’re serious about getting it moving.

Now, let’s get into the projects that are in the works, but haven’t had any movement in a while…

Supergirl

Oren Uziel is working on a script for a Supergirl movie. It’s not clear what kind of ties this will have to the currently dead Man of Steel franchise, especially given the uncertain state of Henry Cavill’s future as Superman.

But one thing is for sure, the DCEU does have their Supergirl! Sasha Calle will be introduced as Kara in The Flash movie, and presumably she’ll lead this one, as well.

Green Lantern Corps

Fairly or unfairly, Green Lantern has the most working against him. The 2011 film failed to kickstart the DC Universe as planned, and received a lukewarm (at best) critical and box-office reception. There are, of course, ways around this.

Comics

The Secret Origin of Green Lantern: Far Sector

By Kayti Burt

Comics

New Green Lantern Series Expands Cosmic DC Universe

By Jim Dandeneau

One way is to simply not make Hal Jordan the central Green Lantern of the movie. Thisone may focus on as many as three Green Lanterns, with the main focus on a kind of buddy/cop movie with John Stewart and Hal Jordan. Geoff Johns is writing the script, but there’s no director in place yet. There’s also the upcoming HBO Max Green Lantern TV show to consider. It remains to be seen what (if any) connection that will have to this movie.

We have more details on the Green Lantern Corps movie right here.

Plastic Man

This one is a little further off in the future as all they’ve done is hire a writer. But there is definitely a Plastic Man movie in the works, with Amanda Idoko (ABC’s The Mayor) working on a screenplay. We have some more details on it right here.

Blackhawk

Steven Spielberg has long wanted to make a Blackhawk movie, and he’s finally going to get his wish. And if it was your wish to see Steven Spielberg direct a DC movie, you’re also in luck. David Koepp is writing the screenplay. We have more details on this one here.

Deathstroke

Joe Manganiello has long been cast as Slade Wilson, known to DC fans as Deathstroke. He even made a cameo in one of the Justice League theatrical post-credits scenes back when that was supposed to set up a Justice League 2 that never happened. But it turns out that the original version of that cameo in Zack Snyder’s Justice League was meant to set him up as the villain of The Batman solo movie (that is no longer the case),

Deathstroke was also once set to get a solo film, written and directed by The Raid‘s Gareth Evans. Despite Manganiello returning for a brief scene as Deathstroke in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, it doesn’t seem likely that his solo film is happening anymore, which is a real shame as he would have been great in the role.

Nightwing

The Lego Batman Movie director Chris McKay has been tapped to direct a Nightwing movie. Bill Dubuque (The Accountant) is working on a script. No other details are currently available, and this one doesn’t have a release date yet. It appears to be dead, but McKay recently told us he’s still hoping to make this a reality.

Justice League Dark

At one time this was called Dark Universe, until Universal came along and ruined that name with their failed horror movie shared franchise. This one will feature the supernatural characters from the DC Universe. Characters like Swamp Thing, Demon, Deadman, Zatanna, and even John Constantine.

Guillermo del Toro was attached to this one for quite some time, but had to leave the project. Then it was Doug Liman. Now J.J. Abrams is involved as producer for what will likely be an HBO Max series.

And now for the long shots…projects mentioned, rumored, killed, or otherwise unlikely.

The New Gods

Ava DuVernay was set to direct a movie based on Jack Kirby‘s New Gods., but recently the project appears to have been killed by Warner Bros. No other details are currently available.

The New Gods is the story of two worlds, the warlike Apokolips and the peaceful New Genesis, each populated by immensely powerful beings with fantastic technology. Darkseid is the evil dictator of Apokolips, and he swaps sons with Highfather, the leader of New Genesis, and each child is raised on the opposite world. Darkseid’s son, Orion, becomes a troubled champion of New Genesis, while Highfather’s son (raised by Darkseid) revolts and becomes the super escape artist, Mister Miracle. This barely scratches the surface of what this movie is about. We tried to get into more detail about it here.

The Trench

Aquaman director James Wan and producer Peter Safran were working on developing other corners of Arthur Curry’s world, but Warner Bros. ended up killing the project. The Trench was to focus on the terrifying piranha-like beasts seen briefly in the first film, and would have been a smaller-scale, more horror-focused movie, and one that wouldn’t feature any of the main characters from Aquaman. Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald wrote a script, but this appears to have been sunk.

Justice League 2

Justice League 2 isn’t likely to happen at the moment given how the first film underperformed at the box office. It once had a release date, but that long since evaporated. Still, “The Snyder Cut” generated considerable buzz on HBO Max, and featured a teaser scene that was very much meant as a preview for what the director was looking for in his dark vision of Justice League 2.

Man of Steel 2

Never officially announced, with no director or writer ever attached…another solo Superman movie starring Henry Cavill seems pretty unlikely at the moment. Especially considering that Henry Cavill appears to be finished as Superman, there’s an excellent Superman & Lois TV series on the air, and the aforementioned movie in the works from Ta-Nehisi Coates.

Cyborg

OK, to be perfectly honest, the Cyborg movie almost certainly isn’t happening. Ray Fisher made his first (very brief) appearance as Vic Stone/Cyborg in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and played a crucial role in Justice League. At one point he was supposed to feature in The Flash solo movie, too, but it’s not clear if that’s still the case.

Basically, though…let’s be completely real: this movie isn’t happening. There hasn’t been any movement on it in years, despite once having been assigned an April 3, 2020 release date. As far as we can tell there has been no additional movement on this movie in years. It’s probably dead. Too bad, since Ray Fisher was great in the role.

Harley Quinn

At one point there was another Harley Quinn movie in development! Whether this is a solo project or something else remains to be seen. Keep in mind that while very good, Birds of Prey didn’t set the world on fire at the box office, which means that Warner Bros. might be a little more wary than before about additional solo projects for Harley, even with Margot Robbie’s star power.

Ms. Robbie told us that there’s been no movement from the studio about Birds of Prey 2. However she also told us that she’s hoping to finally get Poison Ivy into the DCEU, so the pair can explore their relationship! We know we haven’t seen the last of the fantabulous Harley Quinn.

As for what shape this movie was supposed to take in the first place, your guess is as good as ours!

Gotham City Sirens

David Ayer is looking to direct a Harley Quinn and friends “girl gang” movie. Geneva Robertson-Dworet is writing, with Margot Robbie producing. It’s not clear where this stands on anybody’s priority list these days. Ayer has moved on to other projects, and as mentioned above, Birds of Prey wasn’t quite the financial success that Warner Bros. had hoped for. It’s possible that Gotham City Sirens has been put in a drawer for the time being.

Booster Gold

Flash and Arrow executive producer Greg Berlanti is going to executive produce and possibly direct a Booster Gold movie. Zack Stentz (Thor, X-Men: First Class) will write the script.

Movies

Men of Steel: 11 Actors Who Have Played Superman

By Mike Cecchini

Movies

Joker: 6 Actors Who Have Played the Clown Prince of Crime

By David Crow

Early reports described this as a “superhero buddy cop movie” that would involve Blue Beetle. We’ll get you more updates on this as they become available, but keep in mind there hasn’t been any movement on this in a long time, and the Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle movie is probably taking priority for the studio.

Deadshot

Warner Bros. knows they have one of the biggest stars in the world already in costume, so they’re reportedly considering a Deadshot solo movie, as well. But with Smith now having left Suicide Squad 2 this project seems like it may not ever materialize. Unless, of course, switching Idris Elba’s role (he was originally intended as Smith’s replacement as Floyd) means they’re keeping the door open for him down the road.

Lobo

The Lobo movie may attempt to be the DCEU movies’ equivalent of Deadpool. Jason Fuchs must have impressed Warner Bros. with his work on Wonder Woman, because he’s on board to write the script for this one. Michael Bay might direct. But with Lobo appearing on Krypton season 2 and a TV series for the character that had once been put into development (but is probably dead), this might be less of a priority for the studio now.

We have some more info on the project here.

Joker & Harley Quinn Movie

At one point there was yet another Joker-centric flick in the works. This one, a Joker and Harley Quinn movie is absolutely part of the DCEU movie continuity would pick up where Suicide Squad left off. There are currently no additional details available on this one, either. This probably won’t happen, however.

Warner Bros. is very happy with how their R-rated, out of continuity Joker movie performed both critically and commercially, and with Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar win, it’s a safe bet that they’re at least quietly hoping to make him their definitive Clown Prince of Crime for the foreseeable future…even though Joker was never intended to be part of the DCEU.

Not to be confused with…

Jared Leto Joker Movie

Honestly, we’re having trouble keeping track of all these, but yes, there was also yet another Joker solo movie in development focusing on Jared Leto’s version of the character in the works at one point. Apparently, this has long been canceled, but we’re keeping it here to be safe for a little longer.

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We’ll keep updating this with more information about upcoming DC superhero movies as they get announced and information becomes available.

The post Upcoming DC Movies: Full DCEU Release Date Calendar appeared first on Den of Geek.

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dansnaturepictures · 3 years

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Photos on my 2022 wildlife photos calendar and stories of them: May-December

May: Marsh Fritillary butterfly at Bentley Wood taken in May 2020

This macro photo was an unsung photo and runaway star of my batch of butterfly pictures in 2020 a batch I was so pleased with my first with my new macro lens which I was impressed with for the detail and quality it offers for them. I actually nearly said this was at Martin Down by accident in this blog which tells a story, as I had never seen a Marsh Fritillary outside of Martin Down before but things aligned last year for us to see them at Bentley Wood in the field we saw the Pearl-bordered Fritillary this year a few weeks ago. It was like unearthing a gem finding they were here and interesting to see them somewhere different after seeing them at Martin Down last spring. I like the natural work of art of those beautiful colours of this butterfly and feel the shot portrays that well, particularly standing out against my other butterflies for the sharpness and focus on its antenna which I love to do if I can. I like how this looks against a fairly uniform background of the grass its close to a solid colour I like the orange of the butterfly looking so bright against the pure lovely green in the sun, with such a gloss to the butterfly the sun really reflecting off it in the shot nicely. It’s so beautiful as one of the best butterflies we have and this photo gave me wonderful chance to include a different species that I never had before and one of our finest on one of my calendars which I love.

June: Great Crested Grebes at Lakeside taken in late April 2021

Taken less than 48 hours before I tweeted the line up of this calendar, this other favourite bird of mine completed a trio of late victors forcing their way onto my wildlife calendar as my first ever reverse wildcard. In that by this point I was already using my 2023 wildlife calendar photos folder to put photos from my days in. To start those folders off I chose some wildcards so photos from the weeks preceding my final calendar decision which did not make the next year’s calendar as by that point I was well into the final choosing so their chances to grow on me were reduced and these go forward to compete for the next calendar. The what I call reverse one is if I take a picture after the new folder is set up but before I reveal the calendar which I want to put on I can do. As I had done and photographed memorably with a recent Twitter display picture one about a month prior these birds were doing the very beginnings of a natural spectacle which I have never seen all the way through despite having these birds so locally to me the Great Crested Grebe courtship dance. I saw these birds that day and the ones before this year, a regular pair that produced chicks on this lake last year so memorably I believe one of my reserve photos to be placed on a day box on the calendar is of this as my next post shows, line up to each other, mimic each other’s position and move a little. I had watched in aw every time I saw this in 2021. But at this moment, after seeing another pair’s adorable chicks on the other lake, it was so perfect. They were sat without a care in the world doing this on the water right beside a fishing jetty, vacant at the time I got safely closer to it and lapped a chance for like the other late successful photos Mute Swan and Cuckoo multiple shots which I took forward what turned out as three. This right place right time with my DSLR and big lens shot brings an elegant side of nature to the calendar and whilst it’s a bird I’ve featured on calendars a lot and at Lakeside over the years something I’d never showcased on one before. My experiences with these birds this year taking me right back to how I first fell in love with them at Lakeside in my early birdwatching days. I was so pleased with the sharpness and colour of this photo and the detail. A real fantastic moment I was so in aw of nature here one of my favourite species. With maybe the choosing for calendars and what would look nice sharp in my mind at that time having done the final bits of choosing right from when I was at Lakeside with this photo out of the batch I knew it looked like a calendar photo and it set up my most dramatic ending ever to one of my choosing calendar projects.

July: Keeled Skimmer dragonfly at Whitefield Moor in the New Forest taken in July 2020

With my other wildlife photo quota added this year so at least one photo from this group it gave me the chance with this one to do something I’ve wanted to for a few years, place my first ever dragonfly photo on one of my calendars. As a key maybe unsung in those summer into autumn and spring before months star of my hobby dragon or damselflies needed it for me I think. This photo portrays one of my most amazing moments on one of my best days last year and ever for watching classic New Forest wildlife of which I am so proud with this shiny golden female. Other factors did make it a tough day as that evening came for me but I must use moments like this, 10 years on from when my butterfly interest began which paved the way for me to like dragonflies I did find them fascinating as a kid actually but properly watch, to remember this as one of my greatest and most special classic summer days. I was in the right place at the right time to produce a rare dragonfly macro picture for me as I had my macro lens on at that time from chasing butterflies Common Grayling and Silver-studded Blue classic New Forest species and among my favourites like Keeled Skimmer which brighten up the bogs and heath in summer, usually you can’t get close to dragonflies and they don’t stay put as long as butterflies so I usually use my big lens as my main one for them. But there’s a reason I prefer a macro for insects with the greatest respect to my big lens which has produced last year and the years prior some dragonfly pictures I’m pleased with because the macro offers top close up detail. So this potentially makes this photo stand out from others of the same kind for me.

August: Scarlet Tiger moth taken in July 2020

Featuring heavily in my end of year posts involving photos was that Monday off in July 2020, one of my greatest ever days for insect watching and insect photography, with dozens of butterflies and great a great beetle too alongside other wildlife and views on a scorching and very blue skied day. I had some of my best ever butterfly moments with some of the most I’ve ever seen at once. I took such a memorable set of photos that day I think I definitely wanted one on this calendar I’d have put them all on if I could but they were actually already printed some of them in a photo book I got for Christmas of some of my photos taken during time off I had in 2020. Through the route of searching for my other wildlife representative it’s my first ever moth to make a calendar alongside the dragonfly that does it which is also deserved given the amount of further exploration into moths I did over the past year. This picture I found electric and so lucky to get like the Keeled Skimmer you don’t see them landed for long and can’t get close to them too often. It was such a happy moment to create a bright image of another natural and stunning work of art for me, a species that has become one of my favourite moths I have a strong fascination with it and am starting to love it a lot with its enticing colour scheme and I find it quintessential of rich summer days for me its one I feel will be fitting for August.

September: Kestrel at Lakeside taken in September 2020

It was two late 2020 Lakeside shots that battled it out to be my in air bird representative another photo I like to fill a quota for in the calendar, this and a Buzzard there a month later both I was happy with the Buzzard gets a day box but this Kestrel I just felt the real brightness and the backlighting of the tail feathers which make this image for me fitted the upbeat brightness I like having for the calendars. It was one of my standout flying pictures of the period of time the calendar photos are taken from. Like I’ve had with Kestrel so much at Lakeside being so in aw of birds of prey so close to home whilst working from home it was an amazing moment as I saw it so close in that really nice sunshine and I thought about a photo and then got to take that wonderful chance. I hadn’t had the best record for photographing Kestrels at that point at Lakeside but this changed all that as rather a goal achieved so one of the photos I most loved and found one of my best photos over the working from home months at Lakeside. To see sensational wildlife like that and be able to take photos on my lunch break is incredible. I became used to being stunned by falcons on lunch with the Peregrines on Winchester Cathedral when I’m in this office so this kept up the tradition nicely. This photo brings out a lot of beautiful colour I think and it was one of the photos I knew I wanted on this calendar very early on.

October: Wilson’s Phalarope at Pennington taken in October 2020

Like the Cuckoo this photo gave me an opportunity to put a photo I never had on a calendar and of a pretty rare species too. An opportunity in the choosing I could not pass up as it won’t happen every year. This shot one of many taken from a second look at this incredible bird giving phenomenal views in the channel beside fishtail lagoon stood out against the rest. I like how the sun lights up the back of its neck and how like a few of them its deliciously yellow legs are so visible in the clear, calm and still water. The photo felt sun drenched and as one of our most smashingly amazing views of a bird that was new to us and one we twitched it gave me such strong opportunities to mark the occasion one that called for phone videos of the bird too it was that close with a photo. Its an honour to put this species on the calendar.

November: Red Deers at Bushy Park taken October 2020

I was itching to get down on that Sunday for the Wilson’s Phalarope and a Grey Phalarope which we saw too with my beloved Lymington-Keyhaven nature reserve in the headlines as the day before we went on our pre-planned big trip to Bushy park for the Red Deer rut and more and it was a massive trip last year with over 60 photos produced making it one of my best ever weekends of wildlife and photography and generally. Red Deer to fill the mammal calendar quota I’ve had for years but for other reasons too obviously must be one of the species to appear on my calendars most as we do the annual usually Richmond and also Bushy Park trip in October the Richmond bit taken off due to COVID safety considerations last year and you get such amazing photo opportunities in the rut they’re definitely one of my favourite sets too so it’s a good bet a Red Deer shot will be the strongest mammal I feel I’ve taken over the period. Like the 2018 trip for the 2020 calendar female/young made the calendar rather than a headline stag. And like 2018 the one making the calendar toppled the other one I felt was stronger at the time. There was one I took that day of a female looking into the lens somewhat giving me mona lisa vibes but I felt this one fitted the calendar better with that bright photo feel I do feel from this you see where the Red Deer gets its name as that rich colour is portrayed nicely. I do just love looking at this picture to remind me of that moment with the protective Mum and young in one of my highlights of my 2020 as it always is in a year and I look forward to seeing it printed.

December: Mute Swan at Weymouth’s RSPB Lodmoor taken in April 2021

The other late success story of the calendar, forcing its way onto a calendar which already contained the Keyhaven Mute Swan last year which got on the cover. That Monday I instantly knew this one of a batch of the photos of two swans competed with it and I had to make room for both. It was perfect timing with that evening sunlight that very sunny week off when we came to Lodmoor the second part of one of my greatest ever birdwatching and spring days going to Portland beforehand. These swans quenched our interest coming towards us with their wings nicely spread behind them they were perhaps approaching in the hope of food or maybe it was territorial against other birds which swans can me. This one stood out from the batch with as well as the almost angelic wings the face area with the water droplets sharply in focus and that entertaining bit of mud around the tip of the beak. Like I said about the Keyhaven Mute Swan and its aquatic plant hanging down, a saturated market for me at Lakeside and elsewhere with Mute Swans but features like this make it stand out.

I’ll have my post with the reserve photos getting the day boxes in half an hour and my last post had the other photos that I put on this calendar.

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