Eric & Lesley's Wildlife Blog - Wildscotphotos

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.

At The Match

28/5/2020

It pays to have friends. People you trust and trust you. Recently I got a tip-off that two hares were in a field, close to home and were sometimes boxing. So I set off with camera in car and waited by the edge. Perhaps unfortunately we had some weather that day. Basically strong winds were blowing rain into the car on the side I had to sit whilst awaiting the action. As a result, I had to periodically take the camera kit inside the car and hope that I could shoot in between the worst of the weather.
In the end I got some pictures and was pleased to see that the rain enhance the images. The smaller male (Jack) Hare is on the right of the picture. After I left, a third Hare came so he would likely have to up his game even further. Although I have seen boxing Hare before, the only pictures I have were on transparency film so it was great to get some fresh footage.

Small is Beautiful

21/12/2019

Not long back from a trip to Thailand. Lots of birds photographed (some fairly well!). A lot of the photography was in shaded situations requiring the best equipment to deal with the low light levels.
However, we also encountered this little beauty. It's a Lesser Mouse Deer; it is the smallest hoofed animal in the world, weighing up to 2 kg. It inhabits quite dark forest where it moves around furtively, as if terrified of what is around. Highly strung.
We were in a hide photographing birds at the time when two of them appeared in the background. From the sniffing that was going on I would say that there were a pair.

A Project Fulfilled

14/6/2019

Increasingly we take pleasure from not travelling too far for wildlife images. There are always species that gnaw at our brains because they should be possible, if difficult, but not yet achieved. Such was the case with Badger. We have photographed them here and there in the UK but not close to home and always thanks to someone else who has carried out the fieldwork.
Last year we set ourselves the task of getting Badger pictures - we failed. The sites we chose either had no Badgers or they emerged too long after dark. This year started in the same vein, however in June it changed and suddenly it didn't seem the impossible dream. We had a site that was sufficiently private and the Badgers were comfortable enough to emerge with a little light remaining. The relief and joy is overpowering.

Furry Friend

27/5/2019

Some visitors to the hide are unsurprisingly seasonal. Examples are migrant birds which only appear in the warmer months in contrast to Long-tailed Tits which are generally confined to winter.
Rabbits, however only appear in the afternoon. Both last year and this year rabbits have occasionally been sighted from the hide. The one that is regular this year seems very young and so sweet.
Who would have thought that rabbits could become rare but they are declining due to diseases. As well as myxomatosis there are newer diseases that are affecting them. I am sure I would miss them if they disappeared from our countryside.

Hare Today

26/1/2019

I don't really make New Years resolutions as regards wildlife photography - the target species are the same as the last ten years. I'm too embarrassed to state the species but a little progress has been made on all three. None are rare but all difficult in different ways.
Anyway, this year I have resolved to spend quite a bit of time on the local mammals. Brown Hare will hopefully feature and I expect that the best results will be in a couple of months time. I was therefore so pleased to be able to settle fairly close to this Hare and wait. After not too long it stirred and had a good stretch before cantering about and then settling down again. Result all round.

Hebrides for Otter

30/12/2018

Last week we had a little adventure, visiting the inner Hebrides for some R & R and to be in a more remote and wilder countryside for Christmas. Mostly we drove around to see what we fouls find. In the event there was lots to enjoy from Eagles to three species of diver, to the thousands of yelping geese, Barnacle and White-fronted. Then there were the Deer, Red and Roe.
The undoubted highlight came with the three sightings of Otter although each was in fairly poor light. Today's equipment can deal with that situation much better then the equipment of yester year. Time spent watching Otter is always quality time. This one caught crabs, otherwise drifted along the shoreline investigating each kelp bed for tasty morsels.

October 30th, 2018

30/10/2018

When we think of Deer locally we think about Red and Roe Deer. In the right places they can be found. Neither is easy to get close to for photography but that's the challenge and I welcome that.
However, there's another deer to seek out - the Fallow Deer. There's a population close by. As with the Red Deer, October is an important month for rutting. You can often hear them before seeing them. In other areas, notably in England, selective breeding has promoted the pale form of Fallow Deer which is most attractive but in unmananged populations a darker form will predominate.
It was not possible or advisable to approach during the rut so I waited close to the woodland edge and was rewarded by a sighting of this youngster.

Roe at Dusk

5/9/2018

I like to take pictures from hides where you are likely to see natural behaviour. A car is often referred to as a mobile hide and that can work too. However, as a wildlife photographer who wishes to realise a good range of pictures you need to be flexible in your approach.
Last night I set out to get pictures of this Roebuck. I've tried before with, at best, limited success. As a prey species Roe Deer have superb senses with sense of smell and sight being particularly acute. On foot I am limited in carrying ability so, for once I left the tripod behind and relied on a bean bag to rest on the wall.
You can see it worked; I was able to get a very close but obscured view before the buck moved into shorter grass and showed the whole animal.

A Clean Beaver

14/7/2018

We have been following Beavers in our area for a while now. This is our seventh season. In that time they have spread, but equally, they have been killed in some places. They now have legal protection but with caveats. For me, as a wildlife photographer they are exciting and challenging but when you get lucky, very rewarding. Last year, for the first time I enjoyed watching mutual grooming and, on a different evening one suckling. The enjoyment was spread over 33 evening visits.

This year's highlight so far has been this one grooming. To me, he resembled a large fat hairy man with a bar of soap in the shower. I even have a short video clip of his behaviour. Since I am not far away and visible a part of the pleasure is when your subjects allows you to share a moment.