Eric & Lesley's Wildlife Blog - Wildscotphotos

The Joy of Terns

15/6/2021

We have just returned from a trip to the far North East of Scotland. (Foreign trips are currently suspended.) There was much to enjoy.
The seabird cities of the north coast were alive with noise and the joy and the smell of the breeding season. As far as I could tell food for chicks was not a problem here.
Since I like to work from hides it was great to be able to photograph Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns from the safety of hides. In the case of the Arctics it was my safety!
This is a Sandwich Tern returning to the colony. Birds in the flight are so much easier now with modern kit. I often say that it is only the kit that is improving. A tiny bit self-deprecating since I believe that it it is what you carry in your head that makes the difference.

Dotterel Encounter

30/5/2021

Some birds need a special approach. Dotterel is one to point. They winter in North Africa then return to our shores in May. Shores is not really accurate since they are a plover of high ground. They migrate through traditional lower hills before getting to the high tops.
It is said that they are very approachable. My take is that this is not the whole story. Care must be taken.
Dotterel are what is called Schedule 1 which means that it is an offence to disturb them near to the nest or when they have dependent young. For that reason, I simply leave them alone. I only look for them when they first arrive. Over the years I have noted that I see them more often on wet Springs. I believe the reason is that the wetness produces food for them. In dry Springs they move through quickly to find food elsewhere. The picture opposite is the brighter, more marked female bird.

New Technology

13/5/2021

Camera equipment is developing all the time and I am happy to take advantage. Quicker focus, tracking and the ability to take lots of images in a scattergun approach to get a result are all on the table.
I was by the river and watching the Sand Martins flying around. I guessed that they were feeding but I could not see any prey.
I decided to have a go and banged away with motor drive, frame after frame. Back at base there was much to throw away but I struck lucky with this images. Not only was the Sand Martin in reasonable focus but I could also see a fly just ahead. No doubt it was about to be eaten.

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.

A Start to Spring Bird Migration

12/4/2021

We currently have a run of bright, but very cold days with overnight frosts. Perhaps bird migration is slower than normal but there have been a few sightings. As well as the expected Chiffchaff we have seen Blackcap, Wheatear and yesterday our first Common Sandpiper which felt a bit early.
Today we returned to the area we saw it, hoping to see the Osprey we missed the day before but no luck there. However we did see three Sandpipers. Luckily one was on the right side of the river for photography. Before it appeared I was cursing the only cloud in the sky hovering over us, but once I was on the bird I was thankful of the softer light. I was able to lean over the edge to fill the frame. Initially the bird was roosting but it woke up and started moving after a second Sandpiper flew by, calling.

New Life

26/3/2021

Its officially Spring and the season of growth and new life. The resident birds are singing, holding territory and nest building. The Red Squirrels are still up for freebie nuts.
However, I have been captivated by the age old spectacle of Frogs spawning. Ponds are my first love so I decide to collect some spawn and raise a few tadpoles at home. The small ball I collected had hundreds of yet-to-hatch tadpoles so I have had to return quite a few so I don't overload the tank. This picture is quite early on before the spawn had expanded. Each little life is encased in its own cell. At present they have all hatched with few casualties. Watch this space.

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!

Does Size Matter?

27/2/2021

We are currently waiting on tenterhooks to see whether Spring has arrived. It looks like it has, it feels like it has, but we have here before in other years and its not even March yet.
Birds are singing; new songs to challenge identification. In most case being alerted means that a view is possible to aid Id. This is when size comes into play. Just as we have all identified a large white object as a Swan or a small blue one as a Kingfisher, we can get it wrong with smaller birds. Here we see two finches, both sporting yellow and green plumage and sometimes misidentified. But, the Siskin on the left is much smaller than the Greenfinch on the right. Side by side - easy peasy; in the field less so. Other clues will help - Siskin may be feeding in Larches or Alders whereas Greenfinch might be at the top of a pine tree giving the sneezy call. Happy hunting.

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.