Eric & Lesley's Wildlife Blog - Wildscotphotos

Fast Water, Slow Shutter

11/11/2019

We have routines so it was time to visit our go-to place for Dipper. The Dippers are present but not giving great views at the moment. However it has still been profitable to go there.
On the first visit we heard a Wren making an unusual call. Remarking upon it, I turned around to see a female Sparrowhawk in the shrubbery. It had made a kill (turns out it was a Jay) and was busy feeding.
On the third visit we saw a Kingfisher. Perhaps it will get more approachable but, no matter, we have patience on our side.
But on the second visit we discovered a Heron below a waterfall. The water was flowing fast so we were able to make a more interesting picture by deploying a show shutter speed and using the trip to keep the camera steady.

The Reeds are Alive

26/10/2019

We live close to some reedbeds where it can be worthwhile visiting. In fact it is one of the more difficult habitats since it is quite possible to see nothing although you may well hear birds such as Water Rail. That said, it has been quite productive lately. A Stonechat has been hanging around which is not usual. Hopefully it is a sign that their recovery from harsh winter is complete; soon after the two consecutive hard winter there were virtually no Stonechats in the county. A much commoner visitor to the reedbeds is the (well named) Reed Bunting. They can be a bit hit or miss but are more often seen. Finally the Bearded Tit. As a breeding species they are boom and bust and are quite migratory through the reedbed system. Lately we have been lucky, seeing them regularly. Of course it is a great idea to learn the distinctive call since that it usually the first indication they are about. Pictured is a Male, doing what they do best at this time of the year, namely feeding on the tiny seeds,

The Bald One

12/10/2019

Last month we made a shortish trip to Morocco. After landing in Marrakesh we travelled east close to the border with Algeria. This gave us an opportunity to spend a day in the Sahara where the bird life is adapted to Desert - Desert Sparrow, Desert Warbler, Desert Wheatear. You get the picture. Later we travelled west, across the whole breadth of the country to Agadir. There we found the highlight of the trip - the Northern Bald Ibis (pictured). Once widespread through much of Europe, hence alternative name of Waldrapp, it became confined to a small area around Agadir. Conservation efforts in Morocco and elsewhere have brought it back from the brink. It is merely "Endangered" now. This one is an adult walking though the scrub and feeding. Much of the food comprise snails.

What's in a Name?

17/9/2019

Autumn is underway. Cold starts, pleasantly warm day and little rain at the moment. There's plenty of food around for birds. Winter visitors to add to the bounty eater have yet to appear. The hide area is quiet. Even the Squirrel are uncommonly see; I hope they have not become road casualties.
I recently had a Song Thrush visit. In fact there was an adult(pictured) and a young bird. Often I hear but don't see them but this one came to take a sip of water. The Song Thrush has been also called Mavis, first noted in Chaucer. Throstle is also used for the Song Thrush and the Mistle Thrush. However in some parts of Scotland the Mistle Thrush is referred to as Mavis. The Mistle Thrush is also known as Stormcock but that's another story.

A mixed Day

8/9/2019

There were large tides at the start of the month so I got ready and went to my hide on the East coast. The forecast had been for clearing weather around or just after high tide and so it proved. However, it also predicted it would be very windy and unfortunately that was also correct. This can affect the behaviour of the birds but worse, it also affected the height of the tide; as a result it didn't come far enough to properly flood in front of me. I had to content myself with taking flight shots of birds, mainly Curlew.
When it was time to leave I checked and found an Osprey sitting on a post just outside the hide. (I wish it was a more attractive post). Slowly and very carefully I pulled the camera in from the front and slid it out the side of the hide. The bird stayed for a couple of photos before it flew towards me and over the hide. A nice ending to the visit,

Hill Start

25/8/2019

For health reasons we have avoided hills for almost a year. Yesterday we put it to the test and passed. Aching knees but that's par for the course. Despite the weather being sunny and bright below us we battled against a fairly strong wind and constant cloud. At one point the cloud base was below us - a warning sign.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed good views of Mountain Hare until they quickly move off. With good reason - a eagle was circling overhead being mobbed by Ravens. Searching all the rocky runs eventually proved successful when we "bumped into" a pair of Ptarmigan. By being patient we were able to get a decent picture and leave them in the same place we found them Rather satisfactory day.

Summer Warbler

3/7/2019

I spend a lot of time at my little hide. Why? Because I enjoy it. There are around seven regular birds I see almost every time. These are a challenge to see whether I can show them in a different light. Of course it is a pleasure to get a window into their lives whether it results in a picture or not. Then there are the more irregular visitor. For the past couple of months I have heard Blackcap frequently but he is only very rarely interested in the food. Sometimes one comes to bathe.
This time it neither drank, bathed or feed. It just appeared and allowed me to enjoy it. That's why I spend so much time; for these few moments.

Sweden in Spring

6/5/2019

Just back from a very satisfying short trip to Sweden. Mostly we were photographing birds which are present in Scotland, however, for some species opportunities are better there. These include the two Diver species (Red-throated and Black-throated) and the two Grebe species (Great Crested and Slavonian). These and Osprey were targets.
One bird that we had seen before but hadn't photographed before was the Ural Owl. We photographed one by the road and another which was flushed during the ringing programme for this species. The Ural Owl is an impressive Owl with a huge range, all the way from Norway to Japan.

A Surprising Swimmer

22/4/2019

The tide is an important factor to be aware of as a wildlife photographer. I am lucky enough to have a hide on a tide line. However, so that it is never swept away it has to be placed for the highest tides. At most, these are once a month for two or three consecutive days. In March, there was one usable day but in April we had two days of the perfect height - enough to immerse the landscape in front of the hide but not too much or the birds will go past. Redshank, Curlew, Dunlin and Godwits all fed close by.
One view I sometimes get is of waders swimming. I have seen Knot swimming but most often it is the commoner Redshank crossing a flooded stream. They look comical, concentrating on getting to the other side quickly.

Spring Break

19/4/2019

To get away for a short break, somewhere reachable in the car we drove north past Aberdeen to Fraserburgh for a couple of days. Having booked it a month before, the weather would be a lottery. In fact it turned out to be the windiest, wettest weather of the Spring. This certainly hampered our efforts, however, in these circumstances you plough on. We visited Troup Head, Scotland's only mainland Gannetry. From a distance it looks like a seabird cliff which you would expect to be populated with Auks and Gulls. However, close up, a myriad of Gannets plastered the slopes.The Gannet's breeding cycle had begun and some were gathering moss for a nest lining. This Gannet, pictured, was quite calm, just preening and taking in the cold air. Chilled out you might say.