Master Builders
There is little doubt that in the bird world Long Tailed Tits are the supreme nest builders. Firstly they start their nest off with moss and spiders webs then they decorate the outside of the dome with lichens before finally lining the inside with as many as 2000 feathers. This whole process can take up […]
Eclipse
I never intended photographing the eclipse but thin cloud moved in and made it possible without special gear. It may after all be the only one that I ever photograph! I enjoyed the spectacle but only wish I could have viewed it from Spitsbergen where it was a complete eclipse. This weeks gallery is of […]
Crestie Birthday
A late entry this week due to only just having returned from four days in the Cairngorms. What better way is there of spending your birthday than filming Crested Tits and other birds of the Caledonian pine forests. After -3° overnight Aviemore yesterday was the sunniest and warmest place in Britain and of course […]
Breeding Season Begins
Even on Islay last week, with wintery weather, the breeding season had begun with pairs of Ravens nest-building. Upon returning home this week my regular Herons were well into breeding with several nests showing the signs and sounds of having young in them. This weeks gallery shows photos I took from this Heronry a couple […]
Goose Feast
Another week on Islay and the wildest week we have ever seen with hail, snow, rain, gales and even a powerful thunderstorm that disabled telephone contact for part of the island. Dramatic conditions but good news from a camera point of view with many photos taken. The Raven is one of Britain’s wariest birds to […]
Islay Whiteout
A week on Islay has coincided with the snowdrops at Bridgend being in perfect condition. As usual amongst them were some fine examples of Scarlet Elf Cup fungi. Three Bullfinches were feeding on the buds of a shrub in an adjacent garden. The first wildlife photo of the week was of a Mink, on a […]
Shrike Wins
During the last five weeks I have spent time in the Ribble valley trying to attract a Great Grey Shrike to food. A friend with a farm near Clitheroe has a cat that regularly catches mice and voles. These I placed on a stump for the Shrike to eat. Unfortunately the Shrike had to find […]
Jack Snipe Week
With high pressure all week and a low temperature of -5°C it made perfect conditions to go looking for Jack Snipe. The aim is to locate a Jack Snipe before it flies off and this I achieved early in the week as the Snipe roosted in an iron water ditch. For five consecutive days I […]
Spring On Hold
This week the early flowering snowdrops and gorse have been covered by several inches of snow topped off with frost. These stunning arctic conditions always remind me of the pristine beauty of Spitsbergen with the only missing ingredient being Polar Bears so this weeks gallery is a short selection of photos I took when I […]
Iced Over
Whether you like them or not you have to feel sorry for the Canada Geese when the canals and lakes freeze over as they have done this week. On our local canal more than one hundred were stood around on the ice with little or no food available. They must be able to survive long […]