Shots of animals, domestic or wild, always bring a flurry of positive comments from readers of the paper and recently, too, the rich diversity of animal life in our local waters featured in the BBC final Autumnwatch programme. The following five shots feature sea-life which made the news in years gone by.

Pic1:

One of the most outstanding mammals to visit the Clyde, the errant humpback whale locally dubbed 'Clydie' provided some staggering picture opportunities for those willing to patiently stand in the freezing cold. I caught the whale on camera back in 1995 as it breached in front of a passer-by only a short distance off Greenock's Esplanade.

Pic2:

Humpback whales breathe air through their blowhole to herd fish together, before thrusting through the surface to gobble up their prey. This process, known as 'bubble net feeding is usually performed in very deep waters, making this shot, taken from Gourock, quite unique.

Pic3:

Keeping the camera pointed at a spot where seagulls circled paid off when, again, I photographed the whale breaching near the Esplanade. The mammal made a giant splash as it fell beneath the waves.

Pic4:

Greenock's Esplanade offered a great picture again in 2005 when Tele photographer Douglas Hendry caught this image of a seal left high and dry on its perch after the tide receded. All ended well when the podgy sea dog rolled over and, with a plop, fell back to his watery domain.

Pic5:

Anyone passing Coronation Park will notice the swans who have made their home there. After one of the birds was injured in an attack in 2013, it was taken into care and underwent veterinary treatment. Here we see the swan returned to its home by animal welfare worker Karen Wriggly in what was a happy conclusion to a sad tale.