Mr Bull -Bos Taurus [cattle], our docile neighbour.  He is home alone at the moment, missing the girls and killing time snoozing and scratching amongst the buttercups.

The bulls are hired in each year to work their romantic magic on the girls and whilst waiting, Mr Bull groans and moans – a rumbling, resonant sound from deep in this pure muscle .  This bull is called Ecrivere, the writer.  His companions held in neighbouring fields are Janvier, Mistral and Joker.   Bull naming is alphabetical, each year the new bulls are allocated a name based on whatever letter is due.  Packs of hunting dogs are named in the same manner.

Very obliging with the camera, I wanted to get some shots of this friendly guy before he headed off to frolic.  Once with the girls, they become extremely territorial and agitated and with just a tiny electric wire between us, time to use a zoom lens only.  Last year one bull became very aggressive, pushing through the females, who were not bothered about me at all, to show he ruled the roost, bellowing, stopping, until I made a safe distance retreat.

These were taken with my Tamron on a Canon Mark III.  I wanted a workhorse zoom to be light enough and versatile.  Canon make superb lenses but pricey. I have three Canon lenses, but this is a great “on the bike” lens when I need lots of focal lengths.  This is a 70-300mm.  I also like the colour it gives, a slightly cool affect, which I can then warm up as I need to post-production.