Eric & Lesley's Wildlife Blog - Wildscotphotos

A Little More from Down South

13/8/2021

Continuing from last theme, another picture from "down South", this time a Little Owl.
Little Owl is, in many ways, a controversial species since it was originally introduced to Britain. I don't think anyone would like it eliminated but it makes it more difficult to pursue the general theme of eliminating alien species. It is however, also present in New Zealand where it may be eventually culled.
This is an adult bird, likely a female, since there were two Little Owlets close by but no other adult. It nested in a fruit farm so was quite used to the comings and going of human traffic and their vehicles. It was pretty chilled.
Since I am unlikely to see one close to my home this was a thrill just enjoying that stern gaze.

Butterfly Time

8/7/2021

It's July now and the birds are off the menu. They have no reason to show themselves unless they have a second brood. The vegetation is as high as an elephant's eye. Insects are the order of the day.
Technically there's a challenge that comes with insects. Because they are so small there's little depth of field. Sometimes that's a good thing - a long telephoto exploits that fact. However with macro you have difficulty in getting even the whole insect in focus. With butterflies that results in two styles of picture. Top view or side view. In this way the whole subject is in the same plane. This is a Northern Brown Argus, a local species. The subject has chosen to offer me the side view.

On Reflection

30/6/2021

Sometimes I take pictures and sometimes I make pictures. I have set up a little reflection pool. Small, yes, but quite a lot of work to put it together. The longer that we have a dry spell the more it will attract wildlife to drink and bathe. Seed-eating birds like Finches need to drink regularly so there must be enough puddle to keep then going. So far it has been fairly quiet, just Chaffinch and the odd Siskin.
Jay and Great Spotted Woodpecker are fairly regular visitors. I have had one visit from a young Woodpecker but this is the male having a good drink.

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.