Eric & Lesley's Wildlife Blog - Wildscotphotos

April 20th, 2018

20/4/2018

Its been a long time in planning but I was able to have a hide session for Black Grouse locally. After being refused permission that I did not think I need two years ago we have been building towards using a different site.
Getting to the hide meant half and hour driving following by half an hour walking. The birds appeared in the dark almost one hour before sunrise. With that in mind you need to get up at silly o'clock.
Once you have light you are treated to one of the greatest spectacles of British wildlife watching and, of course, you cannot forget the unique soundscape. It's a good lek with at least 15 males struttng their stuff. The intensity noticeably increased when females appeared to watch the show,

Loch Visit

30/3/2018

Officially Spring is here but the appearance of the countryside says otherwise. We have still to see a genuine migrant. Farmers are reporting that grass growth is 2-3 weeks behind schedule. The immediate weather forecast predicts continuing cold with an east wind to deal with. No doubt the seasons will catch up but there's not much to suggest it at the moment.
We visited a local loch and were in for a treat. Some birds are defying the weather and displaying. These Great Crested Grebes are performing their ritual displays despite people walking fairly close by. They are banking on the Spring with small fish fry available to feed their chicks in a few weeks time. I hope the nest does not get washed out.

No Bunting Like Snow Bunting

11/2/2018

My flu has dragged on, in fact, we both have suffered with it; nevertheless we are well on the way to recovery now but still not quite there.
Earlier this week we had an appointments to fulfil so we visited Grantown. After I had delivered my presentation it ended up as mainly recuperation but we managed to see Red Squirrel, Mountain Hare, Golden Eagles displaying and Crested Tit. Alas, none of these provided a photographic opportunity.
The photographic highlight was provided by the Snow Buntings. Arguably the hardiest of our passerines; they are the only passerine to visit Spitsbergen and have even been recorded at the North Pole. They have also been celebrated in song - see Anne Murray and "Snowbird".
Its seems only appropriate to depict one on snow which is what we did.

Coastal Treats

3/10/2017

A visit to the coast is always interesting at this time of year, as you never know what birds could have arrived or be passing through. At one end of the scale we've had encounters with Yellow-Browed and Barred Warblers this year.
On our recent visit to East Lothian we enjoyed Ruff, Redshanks and a Spotted Redshank that day. The incoming tide brought this foraging Curlew close to us letting us enjoy it's feeding and preening antics. It didn't seem a rare bird to us but recent bird studies have shown that it has declined by half in only 10 years. That's a really worrying statistic.

Life Skills

18/9/2017

As my last post suggested, autumn is very much the time of migration. This is particularly true for birds. They are positioning themselves ready for winter. However, there are other important activities going on at this time of the year. Many birds have bred; what happens next is particular to the species but many abandon their young. It is then up to the young to perfect the life skills which ensure their survival into the next year. Many young birds are unsuccessful.

Here is a Kestrel female which has captured a small vole. For this bird it is looking promising but winter will be a difficult time for Kestrels should we get snow since food can be particularly difficult to find.

A Rare Sight

18/8/2017

I spend quite a bit of time in hides, often alone in my own hides. It is monotonous but not necessarily boring. This week I had a rare sight. A (Bank) Vole was foraging close to me. I noticed it and was hoping it would come closer although it barely showed above the vegetation. From the corner of my eye I saw a movement. Then it was all over. A Stoat has caught the Vole. Fortunately It remained around for a few moments before Jays approached and it disappeared into cover.
It all happened so fast I was glad I use my camera almost daily otherwise I would have been so gobsmacked that I wouldn't have taken the shot. I am sad for my late furry friend although realistic that this is how Stoats are and there's nothing we can to prevent it; we just have to admire and wonder at the intricate balance of nature.

A Butterfly Success

6/8/2017

The news about UK butterflies is, in the main, depressing with general decline throughout. The Comma, is however, a success story. It used to be confined to southern parts of the UK but is now found widely, if sparsely, across a good part of Scotland. This fresh individual was photographed in North Perthshire earlier this month. The reason for the increase is twofold. Firstly is is responding to climate change allowing it to benefit from a warmer Scotland (doesn't feel it today). The other reason is more intriguing. that it has been able to switch food plant. Previously it preferred hop but this is no longer widespread so it has switch to nettle. Any Scottish little boy could tell you how abundant nettle is.
Could other Butterflies switch foodplant. I think the answer is yes. I think that Northern Brown Argus uses Cranesbills in Scotland but this will remain our secret for the present.

New Life

31/7/2017

As a hay fever sufferer high summer is probably my least favourite season. It is, however, the time for studying insect life since, in our fairly northern climes they are at the most abundant. Dragonflies are a passion. The previous post was an outing to the west of Scotland where the richness of species is highest but this post was taken closer to home.

Darters and Hawkers can still be found emerging - they will continue into autumn. This one pictured is a freshly emerged Common Darter which is able to fly weakly. On that day it was fairly cool allowing a close approach for a more interesting picture with the Foxglove playing a part in the backdrop.

A Puzzling Name

14/7/2017

When the gentleman naturalists of the 19th century began to explore and record Scotland's fauna they provided English names for the species they found. No less than three moths have Rannoch in the name, Rannoch Sprawler, Rannoch Brindled Beauty and this species opposite the Rannoch Looper. The reason for the popularity of Rannoch is, at first puzzling since they all occur in Strathspey, probably in greater numbers. However the answer is, in historical terms, plain to see. These naturalists explored Scotland using the new train system and they would have disembarked and Rannoch station to set off and record so these species were first known from that area.
We photographed this species close to Loch Ness last week whilst searching for Dragonflies

East of Eden

3/4/2017

Spring is really here although, as soon as that is said, there's usually a sting in the tail. However it is fairly warm and sunny for the time being.

Many wintering birds are feeding up ready for migration. Waders, at the coast and estuaries are frantically feeding before making a journey - some short, some long. Amongst them are Black-tailed Godwits (picture). Some of them develop their breeding finery before they set off. Its always been an aim of mine to properly catch one in that stage. Finally, with the big tides of last week I managed. The supporting cast included Curlew, Redshank, Knot and the diminutive Dunlin.