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Autumnal wildlife shots catch 'incredible' moments

Samantha JaggerNorth East and Cumbria
Wildlife by Ash A kestrel stares down the barrel of the camera. The kestrel has light beige feathers with small brown flecks in it. It has bright hazel, beady eyes. Wildlife by Ash
Ashley Johnson said it was "incredible" to be watched by a kestrel

Photographers have been busy documenting wildlife as autumn draws in and wet weather nears.

The first named storm of the autumn, Storm Austen, battered parts of the UK with severe gales and heavy rain on Thursday night, with further heavy rain due across the weekend.

Before the storm hit, Ashley Johnson was out in Seaton Common near Hartlepool, where he had the "incredible" experience of being watched by a kestrel.

Meanwhile, Natasha Roberts had a "lovely encounter with a red deer stag and his family" near Hawkshead in the Lake District and Anthony Skordis said it was a "real treat" to see a pod of dolphins darting around at Roker in Sunderland.

Ant and Dex Photography A dolphin breaches the water in the sea at Roker in Sunderland. It is sleek and grey.Ant and Dex Photography
Anthony Skordis said it was a "real treat" seeing dolphins this time of year at Roker
Ant and Dex Photography A dolphin breaches the water in the sea at Roker in Sunderland. It is fully airborne with its body in a diagonal position, its head closest to the water and its tail high in the air. Ant and Dex Photography
Dolphins and their young put on a show near Roker beach
Natasha Roberts A red deer stag raises its head in long green meadow. It has long antlers, mottled auburn and brown fur. Natasha Roberts
Natasha Roberts had a "lovely encounter with a red deer stag and its family" near Hawkshead
Fred Garrigan A bitten bird in flight. The bittern has a large wingspan and brown speckled feathers. It has a large throat and a large, sharp beak. There are green rushes in the background.Fred Garrigan
Fred Garrigan spotted a rare bittern at Gosforth Nature Reserve
Fred Garrigan A kingfisher, which has bright turquoise and orange feathers, sits on a dead branch with a small minnow type fish in its beak. The kingfisher has speckles blue feathers on its head and a long navy coloured sharp beak. Fred Garrigan
Fred also spotted a kingfisher enjoying a snack
Wildlife by Ash A male kestrel hold its prey on some grass. It is a mottled light blue head and brown and black speckled feathers. It has beady black eyes with a yellow rim. Wildlife by Ash
Ashley Johnson said he was "blown away that this male kestrel landed only metres" in front of him
Phil Groves A red squirrel sits munching on a nut on a stump. The red squirrel has short auburn coloured ears and black beady eyes. The background is green blurry coloured, assumed to be shrubbery.Phil Groves
Phil Groves said it was a "huge relief" to see red squirrels out when he returned to Shap
Dan Watson / DWX Photography A marsh harrier circles in the sky as it hunts for prey. The sky is a hazy blue colour.Dan Watson / DWX Photography
Daniel Watson said it was "brilliant to watch" a marsh harrier circling over wetlands at RSPB Saltholme
Dan Watson / DWX Photography A stag bellows and raises its head against a backdrop of green shrubbery and dry grass. Dan Watson / DWX Photography
He also said it was "great" seeing the deer rut at Raby Castle in County Durham, "especially with the autumn colours starting to come through"
B.Dawson Photography A pair of juvenile barn owls close their eyes in rest in a gap in a trunk. The owls have brown and flecked grey feathers. B.Dawson Photography
Ben Dawson said spotting juvenile barn owls in a tree trunk near Durham was an "incredible moment"
Tarquin Pentecast A blue tit rests on a green mossy branch with a white small nut in its beak. The blue tit's camouflage of blue and sage green feathers fits in with the branch.Tarquin Pentecast
Tarquin Pentecast spotted a hungry blue tit along a cycle track in Cumbria
Paul Haughian Clouded Yellow butterfly in Aldingham Beach, Ulverston. It has bright yellow wings with a brown trim and is sitting on a purple flower.Paul Haughian
Paul Haughian said he caught this Clouded Yellow butterfly late in season at Aldingham Beach in Ulverstone
Peter Brown A kingfisher, which has bright turquoise and orange feathers, sits on a dead branch. The kingfisher has speckles blue feathers on its head and a long navy coloured sharp beak. Peter Brown
Peter Brown said to him autumn was when "the king of the fishers leaves the flooded river"

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