Learning to use my DSLR camera... Capturing British wildlife!

In a previous post ('A walk in the wild... Britain?') I posted some photographs that I had taken whilst out walking with my dog, but wanted to get myself out dog-less and with a bit more time to sit and look. Today, in the glory of the first sunshine of the summer, I took out my camera and took a good long walk alone. I went to an area local to me - Cuckmere Haven and played about with a few different settings on my camera; I am by no means a photography expert, and am just trying to figure out my way around the camera! Here is what I came up with:

A close up image of a flower (not sure what type)

Bumblebee's hold a special meaning for me, and it was lovely to capture one up close! 

I sat with this Little Egret for some time, watching him wandering through the water... Unfortunately I made a movement which scared him away. 

Attempting to catch a fish perhaps? With no success I'm afraid!

I didn't manage to get a great shot of this black swan... I think it was at a bad angle in the light

I believe this is a Green Finch... Unfortunately came out a bit blurred

This is one for my big sister who loves blackbirds! 

An attempt at a close up on some smaller critters! I was fairly pleased with the results! 

A pretty little chaffinch! 

One of the easier animals of the day to capture! The only one that sat nice and still! 

I think this is a Lark, I watched it descend from the sky singing it's heart out! I managed to keep an eye on where it landed and get a little closer before it flew away. 

I've been trying to capture butterflies in flight, but not quite figured out how that should be done! 

I love seeing groups of birds in flight together... I'm not quite sure what these ones are! 

I spent ages trying to get an in-focus photo of a swallow! They were speeding around past me, and when I looked closer at the photographs I realised that they were carrying pieces of grass in their beaks... could they be nesting?

Result! Swallows sat still! 

A low saturation portrait of Cuckmere beach.

So I am very aware that my photographs aren't fantastic, but I'm practising what I can! Any advice would be very well taken :) 

I hope you enjoyed!