Almost Time

Ringford - 19.1.20

At this time of year the light disappears around 4.0pm a little too early really to call time on the days activities so after some refreshment I've arranged a session in one of Alan Mcfadyan's hides to see if I can get some images of Tawny Owls.

I'm a bit conflicted at the end of a weekend's trip wanting the owl to make an early appearance so I can set off on the long trip back home but no so early that I miss an encounter as you can't always predict when and if they'll turn up. Now some thirty minuets since we're enveloped in complete darkness a Tawny Owl is calling in nearby trees, surly an appearance is imminent...fingers are at the ready. The owl makes a fly pass illuminated by the LED's looking bigger than you would expect, moments later in lands on the post and the actions starts.

Usually over a couple of hours you can expect several visits but not on this occasions just silence other than a hoard of night dwelling rats emptying the bird feeders. With no further visits over the next ninety minutes I call time on the session and the weekends activities, now for the long drive home but looking forward to my visit to Spain which is only in two days time!

Tawny Owl

Some Sun At Last

Cumstoun - 19.1.20

A new photo opportunity for me this morning to view a deer carcass thats been attracting several Common Buzzards including a pale phase individual. On occasion Buzzards will sit on some vantage point and so long as you remain in the car you can get quite close, but not these individuals they were the most wary of birds and the slightest movement or noise they detected they were off.

Work in progress....

Common Buzzard

Pale Phase Common Buzzard

Into The Pine Forest

A Forest Somewhere In Galloway - 18.1.20

After last nights no show visit of the Pine Martin due to the foul weather, apparently Pine Martins they don't like rain, I'm back again and with luck get some images of the northern generally nocturnal mustelid. You may notice the images aren't lot different to those posted from last year, next time I'll try for something different, never the less its always good to catch up with scares animals.

With rain now having passed through the indications look good for a visit. To one side of the wall set there's a pole where an egg can be placed up towards the top....Pine Martins love eggs. I'm given some advice that the Martin will go for the egg first but you got to be quick.

With all the waiting which can be well over an hour after darkness you can loose concentration from the constant scanning for the martin appearing, then sudenly I'm given the nod the martin has appeared out of the blackness of the forest, it runs along the wall and up the pole grabbing the egg disappearing back into the forest, it happened so quick and yes I missed the shot of the animal on the pole managing just a slightly blurred shot...hey ho !...maybe next time.

Pine Martin

It's Almost a Complete Wash Out !

Ringford - 18.1.20

The weather has well and truly given it's best today with heavy rain and wind, the light is so poor I've pushed the iso as high as possible and still I'm shooting at best no more than 200/sec, with very little photo opportunities it's a complete right off, occasionally a photo op presents itself like this Goldfinch probably one of the best images I have taken of this bird to date.

Goldfinch

Chaffinch

It's tough going picking out targets that are worth photographing but here's an image of a Chaffinch that I think work really well, the dark overall look and the rain streaks I think adds to the image.

Pheasant - hen / female

Great Spotted Woodpecker - male

Another image where the look is overall dark, the woody looking a little dirty I guess from all the mud !

Generally I quite like "rain shots" but today been there's not a lot to show for my efforts but must say I'm quite please with the images above. 

It's Cold Up Nof Ain't It !

Kirkcudbright Area - 10.01.20

I've just started packing for my three day trip over next weekend up to the Scottish Boarders taking in some of Alan Mcfadyan's Scottish Hides in association with Gary Jones, I also intend to visit the Red Kite feeding Centre at Bellymack so it's full on action eighteen hours a day !

Watch this space....

Packing !

Bellymack Farm 

The weather forecast for the weekend is looking pretty dire so it's an early start on Friday morning arriving midday to visit the Red Kite feeding centre at Bellymack Farm. You opulent believe it the sun is making an appearance hard to believe with the eminent arrival of the forecast of heavy rain and wind.

Feeding time is 2.0pm but the kites are already circulating in anticipation and at one point up to maybe a hundred birds present, spending the next three hours on site here are a few images.

Red Kite

A few hours later the forecast of heavy wind and rain materialised and a session arranged to visit a Pine Martin location was a wash out...sorry about the pun, tomorrow's another day as they say.

I Can't Seem To Get Out !

Crosby Coastal Park, Boating Lake - 3.1.20

I'm keen to get out but the weather's been pretty dire in recent days but today it all looks good but where...decisions, decisions. With options in north Wales, north west Lancashire or even south Yorkshire as possibilities I decide to opt for the easy option and head over to Merseyside for the the long staying Long-tailed Duck on Crosby Marina finishing late afternoon at Lunt Nature Reserve for the wintering Short-eared Owls....perfect.

This will be around my fifth visit to Crosby Coastal Park located alongside sand dunes that flank Crosby Beach where you can also find Antony Gormley's army of statues facing out to sea, well worth a walk in it's own right just makes sure its not weekends with the hundreds of walkers with their free range dogs !

Current reports are the Long-tailed Duck has relocated to the smaller of the two lakes making it much more likely of getting closer for an image, well thats the plan. With a cold wind blowing and light cloud cover its a short walk down to the lake, a scan picks out a few Mallard, usual group of gulls but no sight of the LTD, then close in to the wall edge near the far end of the lake I locate the Arctic breeding duck not at all obvious with it's mainly brown plumage camoflarged on the dark grey water.

The sun tries its best to make an appearance the best images always being when the sun's light is diffused by the light cloud but still not great for photography. After a couple of hours I have the best images I'm going to get on the day and decide to head the short drive to Lunt Nature Reserve for wintering Short-eared Owls.

I'm not going the dwell too much on the visit other than to say due to the high water levels the owls reported off the reserve in fields near the bridge for people that know the area and a no show whilst I was there.

Another time maybe.

Long-tailed Duck