With British birds being notoriously shy, occasionally rather drab in appearance and hard to photograph well in the often grim weather here, I have found myself drawn away to sunnier climes where birds are generally more confiding, often more colourful and, on occasion, simply spectacular. I haven't included all my best shots here - they would run into the thousands! - but just a selection, and from a variety of locations. (See Gallery)

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Right: Harlequin Duck, Myvatn, Iceland