Eric & Lesley's Wildlife Blog - Wildscotphotos

Tufty's Continental Cousin

26/12/2021

We rightly prize our Red Squirrel in Scotland. In fact the term iconic is often applied. The past is a bit darker though. Not so long ago they were widely persecuted as vermin. Foresters, in particular, despatched them as counter to their objectives of planting and maturing forests.
The numbers fell so low that they may have gone extinct. We don't know for sure since there was a re-introduction programme carried out. Likely the population went through a bit of a genetic bottleneck.
Our Squirrels are brownish in all months but support ear tufts from about November to March. Pictured is a Red Squirrel from Sweden in April. The tufts are much longer and his winter coat is much greyer, so much so that some would initially query whether it is in fact a Grey Squirrel. Not so.

Chips to Go

13/12/2021

Like many others I like to recycle. This often manifests itself in appropriating stuff that's being thrown out. I can sometimes repurpose it; for example most of the hides I have built use pallets as sides.
Recently I collected some wood panels from the back of a hotel. I think it may have been a wardrobe in a previous life. I am slowly turning it into a Tawny Owl nest box. I cannot quite manage to do it for nothing - I need screws and a latch to open/close the inspection hatch. One task is to provide a floor lining for the nest itself. Fairly large wood chips are recommended. I managed to source them in an unusual way. Our town has active beavers. Out on a walk I found a tree active with Beaver gnawing so I collected the chips in a bag ready for the nest box lining. I'm stupidly pleased with myself.

Unusual Squirrel Food

18/10/2021

I like pictures that generate a bit of research. This Red Squirrel came to my feeding station. It was the only one which paused at a broken-off stump. Often it would rub against the broken part. It was clearly enjoying it. I still don't know why but it appeared to be self-medicating.
Later, I noted that fungi had appeared in the log. That too was investigated. At first I thought that was all but in fact it was eating the fungi. But why only one Squirrel was interested? I don't know.
Apparently it is well known that Squirrels eat fungi although they usually just nibble. I have a tentative name for this species - Trametes pubescans. The fungus has now gone. I wonder if it will come back, and whether the Squirrel will eat it again.

The Return of Ratty

31/7/2021

Travel is still fraught with stress at the moment but when I was invited to join a friend who lives in SE England I took up the offer of "getting away". I'm glad I did.
The insect fauna was quite different from what I usually see. For example the Hoverflies; I ended up ordering the Hoverflies of Britain to try to photograph then identify more of them. However, our main targets were a bird, Little Owl, and a mammal, Water Vole. The vole seems to making a bit of a comeback so we were delighted to be able to view at a private pond. Due to fluctuating water levels they were not as predictable as hoped (when is wildlife?). Through a fair bit of patience I was able to secure a selection of pictures of this, most charming, indigenous mammal.

Badger Watch

25/4/2021

Another season begins so I have checked out the Badger sett. It looks like it is still active. I never want to assume all is well. This year I have begun earlier in the hope of seeing youngsters, especially if they are playful and confiding. Who wouldn't?
Starting earlier has brought a bonus. My woodland is dominated by Beech trees, however they have not yet leafed up so the penetration of light into the woodland is better at the moment. Later in the year I will be aware that, at a session end, the light levels raise significantly when exiting the woodland and the green canopy. At the moment I still have enough light until about 10 minutes after dusk. Its a huge advantage when you only want to shoot with available light.
I'm excited to see what 2021 will bring. Roll on.

The Seed Thief

12/3/2021

When you put out food for wildlife I always say that you have limited control over what comes next. That's why, as well as standard feeders there are reinforced one to restrict what gets the food. I have a Squirrel box with flap lid to feed the Red Squirrels, however, particularly when it is full, al sorts of visitors favour it such as Blackbird and Nuthatch. I believe that this is because the peanuts require no work and can be taken away to safety for consumption.
That said, I was getting confused about the seed feeder emptying so fast until today I found a visitor with a big appetite. A Roe Doe gingerly approached and took her fill of the seed, all the while taking glances in my direction. Clearly she neither saw nor, more surprisingly, smelt me. The Seed Thief unmasked. What a surprise!

Midwinter

11/1/2021

Following on from last post I am trying to take advantage of fleeting opportunities for pictures with a wintry feel. At the start of the year we had lots of frosty nights, however, the frost usually disappeared before I dared venture out on the icy roads. Very frustrating since the cold bring lots of visitors to the tasty treats.
Then, belatedly we had a little snow (now gone). This was my opportunity. Red Squirrels are constant companions at my feeding site, nevertheless, it was heartening to grab a picture in snow. Usually they deploy a smash-and-grab technique, never pausing for a picture, but with persistence, I managed to get a pleasing view in glorious winter light.

Close Encounters of the Brock Kind

15/10/2020

Last week we got away for a week in the west of Scotland, in Ardnamurchan. Ardnamurchan is a place we had visited before but some decades ago! The use of single track roads has changed little, in fact it did seem quite familiar. At this time of the year it is a beautiful place enhanced by mountains which rise close to sea level - and close to the observer.
Like other before, we hoped to get pictures of Pine Marten, which we did, although not as great as I hoped due to naff backdrops and then them not coming at all in the second half of the week.
Compensation was provided by close encounters of the badger kind on our personal wildlife channel.

A Prickly Customer

24/9/2020

Because we live inland all our breeding migrants are gone. The winter arrivals are just beginning but there are other subtle changes afoot.
There are a small number of species that are more often seen dead than alive. Badger is one, Hedgehog is another. Mostly Hedgehogs are nocturnal but before and after hibernation they can certainly be active during the day. This one, in two separate days, came trundling in from the scrub to forage in front of my little hide. As far as I could tell it seemed pretty fat but, for a Hedgehog, I guess it's never too much when your life depends on plenty of reserves.

Stoat(al) Suprise

21/8/2020

The coast is where it's at just now. I had a productive session yesterday with waders in my tidal hide. Large numbers of Curlew (heartening) and Redshank. The number are building; some will be young birds and some failed breeders. The number will swell further soon with migrants and breeders.
However at the woodland hide its been very quiet, so much so that I was going to stop feeding for a while. However, the most recent visit was entertaining. Not too much had happened when I heard the Blackbird alarming. Then the Robin began to tick. I waited quietly, watching the other birds. After about 5 minutes the small birds seemed to be going back to feeding normally. I was on the point of leaving when this Stoat appeared and raced up the tree.
It then ran about excitedly so I tried to follow with the lens. It couldn't see me but it could see the lens moving hence the opportunity to see it rise up. A lot of fun.