A passionate wildlife photographer has captured the most extraordinary images of a fox in his own garden and surrounding woods.

Robert Ferguson from Lower Bourne moved back to the area four years ago after living and working in Hong Kong for 35 years.

Since moving back he has been re-discovering Farnham’s flora and fauna and describes the timing of his photographs as luck and patience.

Robert said: “The photos divide into two different ways.

“One of them is a hide that I put up at the bottom of my garden and I did this over a period of about three weeks.

“I put up field camera traps to try and establish where the foxes moved and at what time.

“That would tell me roughly when they came through at specific times, normally around half hour, 45 minute window.

“Then I would go down to my hide and sit there and wait and eventually they'd come along and if I was quiet enough, I wouldn't disturb them and I would take photos.”

Robert's hide and camera set up waiting for foxes to come by.
Robert's hide and camera set up waiting for foxes to come by. (Robert Ferguson )

Robert’s love of nature stems back to his work in Hong Kong as an international award winning photographer of wildlife and as an author with four published books.

His other photographs of a fox with what he calls a “quizzical face” were taken in an entirely different way compared to the ones using a hide.

Robert says: “The fox with the quizzical face was taken with a dSLR camera trap which is a remotely triggered infrared trigger system where the fox actually moves through a barrier or a trigger system.

“Then the camera shoots off some pictures and you don't know what you've got until you go down and open up the camera and look at the back and see what you've got.”

The fox with the quizzical face checks out the camera.
The fox with the quizzical face checks out the camera. (Robert Ferguson.)

However, Robert considers reptiles to be his speciality having co-authored the Field Guide to Hong Kong Snakes and hopes to uncover Surrey’s reptilian world.

“I’ve been trying to to find them and discover where they are and I enjoy going out on walks looking for particular reptiles. Robert said.

“The sand lizards are fantastic and of course the adders that we have here.” He adds.

By chance, Robert managed to capture a picture of a Eurasian Sparrowhawk sitting outside his kitchen window and has been exploring his garden and finding the tiniest of bugs and insects for a photo opportunity.

While Farnham may not have the same biodiversity as Hong Kong there is no doubting Robert’s enthusiasm for local wildlife and what it has to offer.

Check out Robert’s local photos on the Love Farnham Photography’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/lovefarnhamphotography

Fox looks right into the camera.
Fox looks right into the camera. (Robert Ferguson.)