Shall I, or Not !

Lancashire - 24.07.2025

It's been a couple of years since I last visited this location to try for images of fledgling Long-eared Owls one of our most iconic and rarest owls. 

I thought about a visit several times but never managed the five mile drive, to many distractions, holidays, maintenance, fitness regime trying to be super fit, I might just do that half marathon I've been threatening.

It's my day off so on the spur of the moment I've decided to make the trip to see what’s on offer, normally I would schedule a visit late afternoon when the young start calling the adults to feed them, but it's late morning so that won't work so instead I’ve deciding just to take the "bins" and the thermal imager leaving the heavy camera gear at home (a mistake ?) and do just a rece, if I locate any fledglings I can aways make a return visit. 

It's late in the breeding season and calling may have stopped also the owls are more likely to be active early evening but I'm happy to visit as it’s quiet the weathers kind in some nice countryside. Following a route I’ve used previously scanning with the thermal...nothing, then my thermal imagers battery runs flat, so no calling, no thermal it's scanning only and start making my way back towards the car.

One location that I’ve not tried previously that might be worth a look and it's also close to the car so give it a go, I often find myself just standing taking in my surroundings just observing and out the corner of my eye just partially hidden sat on a dead branch is a young fledgling owl, I’m surprised by its size it seems much bigger than an adult, it's a beauty and it's out in the open !…doh....NO CAMERA !…big mistake, it’s just an opportunity not to miss....so the decision is made….return home and get the gear !

Now an hour later I'm back and the owl is still where I left it sat happy preening occasionally distracted by butterflies flitting pasted. Slowly working into favourable unobstructed position the camera's is in overdrive even in the UK climate the camera still has a tendency to over heat. Now some forty five minuets later I've managed to amass some 1,600 images on the card, then the owl flys to adjacent pine tree, a quick look with the bins the fledgling owl is obstructed sat well inside the tree and not really worth any further attention, time to call it a day and leave the owl to get on with it’s day.

Surprisingly it's been very productive morning visit albeit a little hectic in the end returning home getting the camera gear, next time I won't leave it so late in the season, and aways take your camera !

Below are a few of the many images taken on the day, no crops, no extender just the “big white” as I've well over 1K of images I may well add more shortly.

Until the next time.

Long-eared Owl

The Islands

Inner Farne - 03.07.2025

Today it’s the islands, the southern most jewel in the crown sea bird breeding colony, specifically Inner Farne. Gone are the days when you could spend four hours on the islands including Staple Island but since the Bird Flue epidemic the only option now is Inner Farne for a quick one hour dash.

Over the years I’ve had mixed success with boat operators failing land on the islands due to wave conditions which have always been mono hulled boats, so make sure when visiting you choose an operator using twin hulled cats which are far more stable. I’ve posted below an image to help your choice a good one !

First up is a cruise around the outer islands passing Longstone Lighthouse around Staple Island “Pinnacles” rock stacks and back to Inner Farne for the one hour visit. On this trip I've probably seen more Atlantic Grey Seals than in the past with maybe well over sixty individuals, at this time of year a fair few have already made the trip to join the vast numbers gathering on the sand banks on the mainland side of Holy Island (Lindisfarne)

First stop after landing on Inner Farne is always to head up to the cliffs at the lighthouse ignoring the temptation of the terns for another time, this way you get the best location for the best shots before the reminder of the boat passengers arrive. On may way up I spot Steve Race having a quick chat but I have no time for socialising as it's back to the action.

Puffin’s are the order of the day and are everywhere resting often with full bills of Sand Eels, a few Shags, Guillemot’s and even less Razorbill’s. Using the “big white” I’m looking for interesting uncluttered static shots. The light troublesome with bright sunlight then cloud, then bright sunlight, you know in-out, in-out !

Tomorrow I’ll probably try the light weight zoom setup for a few tern flight shots and any anything else of interest. All too soon the one hour slot is over shooting well over 2K of images on the card, I’m sure there’s a few “keepers” in there somewhere.

Seahouse Harbour

The Pinnacle's - Staple Island

Atlantic Puffin

Farne Time

Seahouses - 02.07.2025

So it's a return visit to Seahouses on the north east coast of England after a three year absence, a great part of the country with options of great walks in some stunning countryside. The seaside town still looks the same after a few years away a mixture of a holiday resort and working fishing port, I’m happy to be back.

I have a loose plan as previous visits, before venturing out to Inner Farne to spend a couple of hours photographing the Eider Duck particularly in the harbour then it’s out to the islands, so that's the plan for this evening. Eiders are very obliging ducks that often come way to close so it’s better to have an assistant (wife) with you to act as a distraction ensuring the ducks are a little more at distance.

Just like the last few visits the National Trust has restricted landings only to Inner Farne, access to Staple Island probably the best of the islands has now stopped with the excuse to limit the spread of Bird Flue, no matter this gives me the opportunity to experience and reacquaint myself with the warm welcome of the Arctic Tern if you know what I mean, a hard hat is highly recommended.

Anyway back to this evening, I’m laying down on the mud/sand waters edge using a plate and gimbal, the tides incoming and I keep finding I’m actually laying in the water, hey ho, that’s what you do.

Tomorrow I’m of to Inner Farne for Puffins and Tern’s possible something else, who know’s what you might see, watch this space !

Eider Duck - female

See You Next Year

Undisclosed Site - 17.06.2025

This the last visit of the season, well for me it is, for images of probable our most iconic of summer migrants the Common Cuckoo, now more often see only in favoured locations, gone are the days when I would hear them locally.

Weather conditions over the three visits has been a mixture of rain, sun and overcast conditions giving quite a different look to the images, these taken in sunny cloudy conditions.

As previous the process is the same, it's sunrise as I'm making my way to uncut field with tall waste high grass, a location favoured by Reed Buntings and Sedge Warblers and probable target species of the Cuckoo’s. It’s still quite dark as I make myself comfy in a weathered and worn fabric portable hide, nothing fancy at least it will keep you out of the wind and dry if it rains.

With still plenty of activity with a single dominant male chasing several female's around the area of the field along with the inevitable periods of waiting between the action. Not an extensive post this time but you can read earlier posts if you choose.

Images below of the male bird which was the more elusive, unfortunately not the classic cock tail pose.

Common Cuckoo - male

The next image shows a Sedge Warbler taking exception to this female Cuckoo with more images of the female.

Startmount Goose

Starmount Lodge - 15.06.2025

Not so long back there was an unusual siting on a local park lake of a Red-breasted Goose likely an escapee, twelve months later another unusual appearance this time a Brent Goose more likely seen on a salt marsh again hanging out with Canada's on another local lake, or lodge as they call them in these parts.

Dark breasted Brent Geese breed in Russia, Western Siberia wintering in Western Europe and generally the east side of the UK so a little out of normal range. Recent geese sittings that have enjoyed the local hospitality have been a Pink-foot at Birtle (plenty of fly overs) a Red-breated Goose at Haywood and now a Brent Goose at Little Lever all within five miles travel distance, so with this new unusual turn up it's off for some images.

The last time I was at Starmount Lodge was probably about twenty years ago as a rescue diver on a New Year's Day swim one of the funniest events I've ever witnessed, all the yelps and screams from revellers that thought a cold water dip was a good idea to kick off the new year...bonkers !

It's around eight thirty am the light pretty good, so with the sun behind to get some colour in the water I make my way to where the geese are just milling around in the corner of the lodge. Local fishermen start to arrive and the geese get active moving where I just want then, then a Mute Swan take exception to some goslings and pandemonium breaks out, the Brent Goose takes to the air and I'm thinking it's off surprisingly only to circle and land back on the water.

Now with many walkers along with their dogs the geese head to the middle of the lodge and with a overcast sky and deteriorating light time to call time.

19.06.2025....Visit to Bolton, called in on way, no longer present with Canada's on lodge.

Brent Goose 

A Chance Opportunity

Undisclosed Site - 11.06.2025

It’s now 8.30am the session over for today…really !… I’ve had enough as I’ve been up since 2.30am so I’m well and truly ready for a rest, then in a field next to where I’m parked no more than fifty meters away I note about eight Hare’s chasing each other around a field, as I watch I’m thinking there could be a photo opportunity here, so I get the gear back out of the car and slowly make my way over to the field finding a suitable location under a hedge.

The Hare’s take no notice more interested chasing each other along the edge of the field, some disappear through a gate, but one individual runs straight passed me no more than three meters away, it sits for a few seconds, the camera rattles off a few frames before the Hare continues on it’s run to the far end of the field.

As the temperature warms the Hare’s become less active, they just hunker down and sit. It’s now around 10.0am with little or no further action I call time, I really mean it this time, I’m off to bed.

Hare