Eric & Lesley's Wildlife Blog - Wildscotphotos

Whiteout

9/2/2021

Well, far from winter abating it is still here with a vengeance. Snow has been building outside since the icy rain has departed. The forecast for the next four days is more of the same. As a result I have not been able to get to my feeding station. Fortunately I have kindly people to assist with the feeding.
We have been walking from home more than usual. Snow is much easier to walk on than ice. Of course the snow will likely turn to ice before it departs.
We found a Mandarin, a rare duck locally on a pond within town but we can see that wildlife is struggling as the snow takes hold. Today we found Blackbirds "enjoying" the conditions.

Brambling Time

26/1/2021

Winter is still firmly ensconced here. The snow is hanging on in many areas and looks like it is going to be supplemented soon. A difficult time for most wildlife.
I can still get to the hide most days; opportunities for wintry birds are always there. New snow has fallen overnight, turning to rain now.
As well as the "usuals" I am still getting Nuthatch. Long-tailed tits and Woodpeckers are regular. Amongst the commoner stuff you hope for something a bit rarer. The seed has attracted Finches, Siskin, Goldfinch and Greenfinch so I wasn't too surprised to get a Brambling. Bramblings migrate to us in winter, sometimes forming big flocks but many hang out in Chaffinch flocks. This is a female; the day before a male visited.

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.

Favourite Season?

27/12/2020

What's your favourite season?
Autumn is a good time. However, for a wildlife photographer, it all happens on the coast (slight exaggeration). If you are a landscape photographer then its the best for the changing colour.
Summer has never been the favourite due to the fact that, in our part of the world, it is likely to be downpours rather than sultry. It is also the insect-rich time good for getting subjects but also getting bitten. Best time for mammal watching.
Spring is probably my favourite because there's a lot happening with new arrivals (migration or emergence). The days are not too long and there always interesting behaviours to observe.
Winter, however is the most photogenic; it is the easiest to take a picture that places itself in a season. That said, climate change is making that more difficult.

Berry Time

11/12/2020

We are moving into winter now and the wintering migrants have arrived. The Woodcock moon has come and gone last weekend. Bad weather in continental Europe could result in an influx of birds but basically that's it for now.
There's a run of mild and fairly damp weather - good for most birds although not for Barn or Short-eared Owls that rely on dry feathers and being able to hear prey but otherwise the mildness will help them survive.
One feature of the local conditions is the lack of berries on trees. I do not think that this is nationwide but there's a shortage in town. Fortunately I collected some form last's year's bumper crop. These have been appreciated by our local Blackbirds as you can see.

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.

Patch Bird

11/9/2020

Birders talk about having a patch where they visit frequently throughout the seasons. Over time, they get to know it intimately and are aware of how and when to look for something unusual.
My "patch" is where I feed birds. I also provide water which hugely adds to the attractiveness to wildlife although that is largely dependent on the amount of recent rain.
By dint of spending so much time I find more unusual birds. Earlier in the year I had a Crossbill. Two weeks ago I heard a Nuthatch in the area but it wasn't until a couple of days ago that it decided to present itself in front of the camera. (Nuthatch is becoming more often seen but is still uncommon) It was raiding the seed feeder to find the Sunflowers and then taking them away for later storage. I fear that it may have moved on since I no longer hear it but, nevertheless it was a treat.

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.

Rare Gulls

11/7/2020

Over the past month we have seen a number of rarer gulls. At Arbroath a full adult Mediterranean Gull has been consorting with the similar, but much more common, Black-headed Gulls. The Mediterranean Gull is a fairly recent colonist to Britain; another with an expanding range.
Close to home we found an adult Little Gull. These are found regularly on the east coast, as passage migrants in all sorts of plumage. However ours was decidedly inland.
Rare, however, was the Ring-billed Gull. This is a North American species. Occasionally they find themselves stranded on the wrong side of the Atlantic. Although the one pictured left is a first sighting of this bird for us it has been know to spend the summer in the same area where Common Gulls nest. I do not believe it was partnered with a Common Gull but it was certain looking good.

Bumbling Along

28/6/2020

A couple of days ago we went walking in a local den which is a strip of woodland with a steam running through. At this time of the year its usually hard to see much and so it proved.
We retreated to the upper slopes where it was quiet of people although a bit windy. There, we found a couple of bumble bees feeding. I had an inkling that I hadn't seen this pattern before so I took a couple of pictures but the wind made it difficult.
Back home I found another on the pavement in front of the house (pictured). Its a Tree Bumblebee.
Tree Bumblebees were first discovered in Britain in 2001. They have been steadily moving northwards. They are aided by a liking for nesting in bird boxes so humans have been helping them along if inadvertently. It was satisfying to find a new species literally on the doorstep.