An encounter with three grown-up Fox cubs playing on top of bales of hay has been one of the highlights of late summer. I waited several nights for them to perform !!!

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With the exceptional Summer that we have had it’s been an absolute pleasure to spend time in the company of hunting male Long Eared Owls. So as they return to their strictly nocturnal activities we can savour some of the photographic delights that they have provided me with.

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After a highly successful breeding season all the Sand Martins at my local nest-site have now moved south. Some have reared two broods so with fifty pairs present hundreds of young have been reared from just one sandy bank – well worth the effort to get it ready for their return every March!!

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Now is the time that two species of birds of the Pennine streams have their second broods. Both Kingfishers and Dippers managed to rear their first young without a drop of rain falling on them. For their second attempts the weather has not been as kind and one of my Kingfisher nests failed after a dramatic thunderstorm – the flood-water coming down the stream was ten foot above normal and the Kingfishers nest-hole was only three foot above normal water levels. Disaster ensued with all the young drowning. Thankfully the Kingfishers take it all in their stride by clearing out the nest-chamber and laying again! Lets hope that there is no repeat performance. www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife

Having spent all summer filming the hunting male Long Eared Owls it was good to catch up with the fledged juveniles. They would normally be hard to find in the forest but when they are hungry they give a high-pitched call which makes them easier to locate. Unfortunately for the male Owl he will still have to feed them for some weeks to come so his job is not yet done.

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With all this summers superb weather I have spent many hours watching Long Eared Owls as they hunt, hoping for one to capture prey when I was within photographic distance. It finally happened on a wet evening , with wet grass and a wet bird! Nevertheless I was able to capture several photos of the Owl taking off with the vole in his mouth ready for presentation directly to one of his young.

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