Trevor Clifford, of Kirby, presented an outstanding display of wildlife images at a recent local Essex Wildlife Trust meeting.

Prints are displayed at several galleries showing the class of an associate of the Royal Photographic Society.

He also had the distinction of a peeping barn owl at Great Holland being chosen for the 2017 BBC Countryfile calendar.

Since retiring, Trevor has revived a serious passion for wildlife photography dating back to his youth on the Oakley side of the Walton Backwaters.

More than 40 years ago he won an American photographic society medal for a study of a reed warbler at its nest. In those days, bird photography often involved patient waiting in a small camouflaged portable hide with official licence to closely approach scheduled nesting birds with the minimum of disturbance.

The restraints of equipment then meant that considerable care and skill was required to obtain good results. The digital revolution with camera shutter speeds of ten frames a second and autofocus are a bonus.

A recent visit to the Farnes resulted in 3,000 pictures, unimaginable when rolls of film had to be developed.

However Trevor brings his hard-won experience of composition and exposure largely “in camera” rather than later using software to manipulate and edit.

In our era of wildlife decline, the return of the black and white avocet with its upturned bill and semi-webbed blue feet has been most pleasing.

Locally this includes both a large wintering group and some remaining to breed.

Trevor has devoted long hours to securing a large portfolio of these charismatic birds. Hares more recently have received similar full attention. He will station himself in a likely spot and often they will resume their daily business all around him - sometimes too close to focus the camera on. Bank voles at his allotment even more obligingly appear to have their picture taken - as if aware of the human obsession now with selfies.

Recently a small American wader’s identity as a Baird’s sandpiper could be confirmed from his timely image.