A year in the life of Richmond Park: Photographer captures London's secret wildlife

By Daily mail Reporter
Last updated at 9:26 AM on 5th April 2011

A photographer who rose every day before dawn for a year has unlocked the secret world of London's majestic wildlife.

The stunning scenes, which occur right under the noses of the eight million people living in the capital, were captured on camera in a series of incredible pictures.

Dedicated Alex Saberi went out every morning before work to scout out the beautiful sights that most city dwellers would expect to travel to the New Forest or Exmoor to find.

Winter wonderland: The stunning scenes, which occur right under the noses of the eight million people living in the capital, were captured on camera in a series of incredible pictures by dedicated amateur photographer Alex, 34

Family affair: Dear in the snow at Richmond park. A year of getting up before dawn to record the changing seasons had paid off for Alex with collection of stunning photographs

But Alex, 34, travelled around Richmond Park, south west London, on a bicycle to find the fairytale scenes of rutting stags and swans swimming through the eerie dawn mist.

His outstanding shots include pictures of majestic deer roaming placidly under beams of sunlight and rabbits rising from their warren on a dewy morning.

An inquisitive squirrel is caught on camera hunting out his breakfast while a kingfisher surveys the silent morning.

Alex, a web designer from Putney, said: 'I used to live right next to the park and I would go every morning to take pictures.

Mysterious: Alex, a web designer from Putney, cycles around looking for the best scenes to take photographs of

Gulls on a frozen winter lake: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Crows in the freezing winter: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Swans on a misty lake: Photographed by Alex Saberi

A winter scene and a kingfisher captured resting on a tree: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Deer in a spring glade: Photographed by Alex Saberi

'I'd wake up before it got light and head out there. If it was a work day, I'd go for an hour then cycle straight to the station to catch the train.

'It's a magical place. You feel like you're out in the wild.

'The best conditions for me are when there's a bit of mist to make it atmospheric, especially when it's sunny or with a bit of cloud.

'I like the drama of the beams of light shining through.

First rabbit of spring: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Lone stag at sunset: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Resting damselfly: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Lone goose at dawn: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Geece fly over a still lake: Photographed by Alex Saberi

Stags at dawn: Photographed by Alex Saberi

'I'm a bit different from other photographers in that I don't have the huge amounts of patience. I like to get on my bike and cycle round, just seeing what I can find.

'If nothing's happening in one area, I'll cycle off somewhere else and see what I can see. It's all about perseverance really.

'Even on the best days, you only get perhaps an hour and a half of the maximum conditions so you have to make the most of it.

'That's the exciting part of it - you never know what you're going to see next.'