Back Home & Off Again

Scottish Boarders - 19.05.23 -21.05.23

I'm heading out on another trip in two days time so this will be a short blog post, in the mean time here's some text and a few images which will add too when time permits. 

No sooner than I'm home I'm back on the road again this time up to the Scottish Boarders for a few days to photograph a variety of species both at night time and during the day. First up it's a couple of hours with an otter that's making a regular appearance near a river, it dosen't spend long but long enough hopefully to get some images.

Otter

Whinchat - male 

Now the following day I'm up on the moors specifically to concentrate on Stonechat and Wheatear may be even a Whinchat a summer migrant to the UK, and a big plus I'm going to remain in the mobile hide (car) which also saves all the walking about.

During the visit the male and female both put in an appearance.

Stonechat - female

This female was in the process of rejecting an unwanted food pellet.

Stonechat - male

Stonechat - fledglings

Nice to see these recently fledged Stonechat chasing the parent birds begging for food, posed nicely for this shot.

Wheatear - male

I didn't expect to see this male Wheatear which poped up on a post, having said that I had another on a wall further down the track.

Badger

It's my final day or in this case my final evening so its a couple of hours with some badgers, nothing new at this location as I've been here several times before but it's always great just to watch and connect with nature.

This particular animal was a lot smaller than the others, I guess could be last years offspring.

Most of the time the badgers were nose down, not so good when your trying to get a shot !

Back Out After 13 Weeks

Scottish Photography Hides   18-20th, November 2022

After a long career in amateur sport requiring some parts replacing I'm finally back out after 13 weeks of inactivity and to celebrate the occasion I've arranged a three day trip up to Galloway at the Scottish Photography Hides, three days and three night hides sessions and likely to be full on for the entire weekend.

Day one consists a combined day and nigh session concentrating on Kingfishers in a hide aptly named the "Kingfisher Hide" and later in the evening Otter. Located right next to the river Tarff...no not Taff that's in Cardiff ! it's ideal placed for both target species.

Photographing Kingfishers in this location in my opinion cannot be bettered due to the uncluttered background way off in the distance with some great colours provided by the green field and autumn gold bracken, all that's required now is...Kingfishers.

Appearing every hour sometimes staying for a minute other times five minutes gives you ample opportunity to change the shot, some shot arrangements you've seen before others you may not. After many visits all too soon it's 3.0pm the light fading under the grey clouds signalling time to change the gear over ready for the Otter night shoot.

Kingfisher

Otter

On may last visit a Otter family comprising a female and two cubs were visiting, now my understanding is the female was killed on the nearby road and the cubs chased from the territory by the now large single male....gear ready....I'm ready. 

The male regularly visits around 5.0pm and true to form at 4.50pm it turns up. I spot the Otter as it climbing the ramp on to the pool, sticks it's head into the water then shaking it's head in a halo of water droplets.

After about ten minuets of action...is all over, but there's always tomorrow.

Sparrowhawk

Day two, I'm at the "Sparrowhawk" Hide probably Alan's most well known hide that's featured on BBC's SpringWatch, today I have all four hides all to my self, take your pick !

On previous visits I've found the species can vary dependant on the time of year, daytime Tawny Owl, Red Kite and Buzzard have all been visitors but with nothing of note reported the highlight will undoubtedly be the Sparrowhawk pretty much a guarantee. I've waited maybe an hour and a male Sparrowhawk turns up around midday, it stays for maybe 15minuets which gives me plenty of time for a couple of hundred shots...more editing !

Now around 3.0pm with the light fading I call time and make my way up the the Pine Martin located in the blackest of black....Caledonian Forest...ooow !

Pine Martin

Pine Martin a species where you have to be quick to get the shot, I've missed many in this hide but I'm getting better. Alan's change the set since my last visit at the beginning of the year and as before the LED lights have gone in favour of a superior flash system. Now the wait which be be long, very long ! 

Out of the backness the mustelid appears, jumps straight up onto the log to retrieve it's prize, this process goes on three times given you a more chance to get a better shot, then along the stone wall investigating for anything edible, then it all over like all these hide sets, fast, furious and quick.

Badger

Day three, I'm back in the Kingfisher Hide again taking the opportunity to change the set after each Kingfisher visit, more of the same as you would expect always trying for that next best shot.

Late afternoon it's now time for the night session with Badgers, on my last visit I managed just one shot before the Badger got spooked disappearing never to return, here's hopping for better successes.

It's a long wait before I get any action, the Tawny Owl makes a quick fly in visit, and was quick, less than a second, in and out in less than a second ! 

More wait, then I detect low frequency noise and a Badger appears, not three as seen in other images. Nose down never giving a great shot permanently sniffing and feeding the free offerings, then gone. As it's now 2 degrees and I'm happy to call time and head back to the car to thaw out.

Until the next time.

Back Over The Boarder

Dumfries & Galloway - 6.3.22

Earlier this year as I hadn't been up to the Scottish Boarders I though I'd treat myself to a weekend away now that restrictions were ending, and what a better way to blow the cobwebs off than three days of hectics photography.

Friday is always a late night starting with a couple of hours hopefully with Badgers, in reality after a long wait it was only the briefest of visits as something spooked the Badger never to return, hey ho !

Saturday was a long session starting around 9.0am with Kingfishers but little else, a location in previous years where Buzzards could be photographed on a deer carcass across the river but no longer. Loads of chatting helps pass the time with some visits evert 45 minuets or so until an evening session with an Otter family. The Otter session being the highlight of the weekend and most looking forward to having been to this location many times, the images below only gives so idea what an experience it was.

Now Sunday with blue sky's the light is very harsh and not really conducive to getting any decent images but I make the best of my time. Now late afternoon it's a time to say hello again to the Pine Martin but this time using flash rather than LED lamps which are more difficult to get the correct exposure, two visits and it's all done, time to the road and a long drive. Until the next time.

Badger

Female Kingfisher

Otter

Male Sparrow Hawk

Blue Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Red Squirrel

Pine Martin