Magical Long Ears
There have not been many years when I have had the pleasure of filming three different pairs of Long Eared Owls. While the Spring weather, in general, has been awful one of those pairs did manage to rear five young with their success more dependant on the availability of voles rather than the weather.
Creaking Gate
Now is the time during your walks in the Pennine forests to listen out for a sound that you will only ever hear at this time of year. It is the hunger calls of recently fledged Long Eared Owls and resembles that of a creaking gate. I have spent most of early summer filming in […]
Kestrel Success
I had already checked out this superb Kestrel nest-site earlier in Spring and as no Kestrels were seen I presumed that it was not being used this year. It was, therefore, a pleasant surprise to see five young ready to fledge when I passed by the other day. Unfortunately, when I returned to film the […]
Haste Ye Back
It is a sad reflection on our recent visit to Islay when the best weather we had was on the sail back to the mainland! It was sublime – but what was on show was even better – thousands of Manx Shearwaters and Gannets, 2 Minke Whales, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 Black Throated Diver […]
Hen Harrier Spectacular
Any visitor to Islay in summer is bound to be impressed by the number of sightings of Hen Harriers.The prolonged cold, wet weather with northerly winds has produced the latest breeding season in the last fifty years. Most of the females were still incubating eggs and I even watched a male sky-dancing. The result of […]
Black Magic
Not only is the Sound of Islay a good place for Otters it is brilliant for Black Guillemots. Last week we came across three places that were home for a dozen pairs, at least, of these birds. As they are the latest sea bird to start breeding there was plenty of activities to watch and […]
Wader Delights
Everybody wishes for good weather when you are away on holiday but sadly we have no control over what comes our way. On Islay ,for the last two weeks, we have had Northerly winds and a maximum temperature of only 15 degrees. What might appear to be bad news turned into a bonus as it […]
Lunch Time
Here are some of the more traditional prey items captured the other week by the Kingfishers for their young. All have now fledged, thankfully before the recent spells of torrential rain.
New Garden Arrival
It may have taken more than fifty years but last week we had a new species visit the garden – it was a Jackdaw! By chance I had just been watching Jackdaws taking fine hair off the local cattle to line their nests.The wet weather also brought into the garden hordes of Starlings with their […]
A Triple Delight
Despite the awful weather I have just had the best week of a lifetime with the local Owls.Starting with three different male Long Eared Owls, then the male Barn Owls and culminating at 9pm one night with the oldest male Short Eared Owl that I have ever seen. His face goes whiter and whiter with […]