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Date: 23 Oct 2022
View: DF3_20220914_1250_051 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male perched in hedge (crop).jpg
Description: This perfect male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly teased us a bit before perching about 2 metres up
in a hedge where we could get his portrait.
View: DF3_20220914_1429_097 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly flying past small hover-fly.jpg
Description: As the afternoon warmed up we found this Migrant Hawker Dragonfly hunting
near the blocked gate - one of their favourite places every year.
The small Hover-fly was only spotted as we prepared the image.
View: DF3_20220914_1430_105-107 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in flight @7fps (accurate montage).jpg
Description: This flying Migrant hawker dragonfly montage is accurately spaced at 7 frames per second.
View: D72_20220909_1241_025+029 Hobby in flight 2+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: Even a few Dragonflies bring along visits from the Hobby who specialise
in hunting these insects.
We miss most of them of course, but here caught this one flying overhead.
Date: 22 Oct 2022
View: DF3_20220914_1425_079 Small White Butterfly feeding on Great Willowherb flower.jpg
Description: A Small White Butterfly feeds on a Great Willowherb flower.
View: DF3_20220914_1554_156 Sloe Bug (Dolycoris baccarum) on Mullen leaf (crop).jpg
Description: In a self-set Mullen plant in a pot protected outside a window, this Sloe Bug
is wandering around.
Shieldbugs and Squashbugs are fascinating insects with multiple
appearances as they develop into adults.
Date: 21 Oct 2022
View: DF3_20220913_1034_013 Dandelion Seed Head by conservatory door (crop 1).jpg
Description: In a sheltered spot by the side of the Conservatory door we find this
perfect Dandelion seed head.
View: DF3_20220913_1034_013 Dandelion Seed Head by conservatory door (crop 2).jpg
Description: Details from the centre.
All that intricacy just to hold about 200 seed 'parachutes'.
Date: 20 Oct 2022
View: D72_20220912_1050_070 Bracket Fungus on fallen Willow branch (orig & final).jpg
Description: These bracket fungi fruiting bodies are on a Willow branch broken in
a storm a couple of years ago.
We had a go at identifying the species in our 640 page 2400 species
ID book, but found sufficient near matches to leave us stumped.
So 'Bracket Fungus' it remains.
View: D72_20220912_1050_073 Bracket Fungus on fallen Willow branch (orig & final).jpg
Description: More detail.
Date: 19 Oct 2022
View: D72_20220912_0726_245-252 Swan in flight @8fps (accurate montage 1).jpg
Description: We rarely see Mute Swans here, so this flyby by just this one Swan was especially welcome.
The corvids on the 11kV cables and poles couldn't care less.
View: D72_20220912_0726_245-247 Swan in flight @8fps (accurate montage 2).jpg
Description: More Detail of the three images at the left.
View: D72_20220912_0730_274-277 Pigeon flies under the morning moon (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: A few minutes later we see this Pigeon flying 'under the moon'.
Date: 18 Oct 2022
View: BUA_20220908_2217_003_SC8 Badger entering site at east hedge gap.jpg
Description: Brock strolls in - what's on the menu tonight?
View: BUC_20220912_0103_163-165_SC7 Badger foraging on Round Mound (impression montage).jpg
Description: A badger quietly forages the slope of the mound.
Date: 17 Oct 2022
View: D01_20220909_2114_025+2118_027_2121_033_FB6 Tawny Owl visits to meadow post over 8 minutes 1+2+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: This Tawny Owl spent several minutes visiting the Meadow Post.
View: D01_20220915_0043_073+0041_071_FB6 Barn Owl short visit to meadow post 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: A Barn Owl makes a short stop visit a little after midnight.
You can't see their face, but even the rear plumage is wonderful.
Date: 16 Oct 2022
View: E63_20220912_1242_046_FB1 Great Tit on stone at hedge bottom with foot on small twig.jpg
Description: A fine Great Tit with left foot on a tiny twig we doubt that the bird
has even noticed is there.
View: E63_20220909_1438_089_FB1 Robin foraging in debris by stone.jpg
Description: This Robin is excavating at the bottom of the stone.
It it more normal to see them, perkily perched hoping for a handout!
View: E63_20220910_1133_128_FB1 Great Spotted Woodpecker male juvenile at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: This Great Spotted Woodpecker appears to be a male just losing his juvenile plumage.
Date: 15 Oct 2022
View: D72_20220909_1248_200 Red Kite in flight.jpg
Description: A somewhat tatty Red Kite glides overhead.
View: DF3_20220911_1213_038-040 Buzzard leaving perch on 11kV crossbar at blocked gate @7fp (montage).jpg
Description: A couple of Buzzards seem to have settled on this area as as much of a 'home'
as they have before the nesting season, moving between the power poles and
sometimes cables to hunt. We don't have any idea whether they are a 'pair'.
View: DF3_20220911_1213_049-052 Buzzard leaving perch on 11kV crossbar at blocked gate @7fp (montage).jpg
Date: 14 Oct 2022
View: E6A_20220907_1829_237+1831_238_FB5 Weasel at Meadow site (accurate montage over 2 mins).jpg
Description: A Weasel visits the meadow site for a couple of minutes.
Here the two views the camera took are accurately montaged (left first).
The 'top' view on the right manages to hide all of the distinguishing details.
View: E6A_20220914_1208_192_FB5 Weasel (crop).jpg
Description: A week later the Weasel pays another visit to the Meadow site.
View: E6A_20220914_1842_249_FB5 Weasel.jpg
Description: 6 hours later what looks like the same Weasel makes another transit.
Date: 13 Oct 2022
View: E6A_20220907_0000_160-20220908_0422_255_FB5 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) and Vole at Meadow site - vole+RH mouse in 1 frame (approx montage).jpg
Description: A selection from 14 pics (over 3 days) of Fieldmice (Wood Mice) at the meadow site turned into a little
celebration. A Vole (much darker fur centre & lowest) muscled into a couple of the
pics, here appearing in the same original frame as the mouse on the right.
View: E63_20220908_0518_257_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) carrying away whole Blackberry fruit.jpg
Description: The hedge bottom shows far less Rodent activity, but we rather liked this one of
a Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) carrying off a whole Blackberry
Date: 12 Oct 2022
View: DF3_20220904_1602_016 Green-veined White Butterfly feeding on mint flower (crop 1).jpg
Description: A Green-veined White Butterfly enjoys a mint flower
View: DF3_20220904_1602_016 Green-veined White Butterfly feeding on mint flower (crop 2).jpg
Description: Here is a closer look at just the Green-veined white Butterfly on a mint flower.
View: DF3_20220904_1603_019 Green-veined White Butterfly feeding on thistle flower surrounded by old flowers and seeds.jpg
Description: The same individual Green-veined White Butterfly goes on to visit this thistle flower, surrounded by
withering flowers and a tangle of seeds ready to be blown to pastures new.
Date: 11 Oct 2022
View: BUA_20220904_0558_052+053+0559_055_SC8 Hare stops momentarily as they enter at East hedge (montage).jpg
Description: A Hare bounds into our patch through the east hedge gap, momentarily pauses
for a sharp selfie, before carrying on into the plot.
View: BUA_20220908_0155_026_SC8 Fox entering east hedge gap at 0200.jpg
Description: Two hours after midnight, in walks the Fox intent on several more hours of 'mischief'.
Date: 10 Oct 2022
View: E60_20220901_0851_003_FB3 Sparrowhawk female on Kitchen Window perch.jpg
Description: A female Sparrowhawk lands on the kitchen perch.
Once or twice some days we see her doing the 'bird feeder' circuit.
View: D36_20220907_1333_042_FB4 Chaffinch male landing on Tree-stump showing green back.jpg
Description: A male Chaffinch lands on the tree stump, providing a fine view of the
normally hidden green feathered back.
Date: 09 Oct 2022
View: D01_20220827_0446_108+0451_114+0452_116_FB6 Barn Owl 2 visits to Meadow Post over 7 mins 1+4+5 of 6 (montage from right).jpg
Description: A gorgeous Barn Owl drops in for a few minutes on the Meadow Post.
View: D01_20220827_0452_116_FB6 Barn Owl 2 visits to Meadow Post over 7 minutes 5 of 6 (crop 1).jpg
Description: The image at the left in the montage in more detail.
Date: 08 Oct 2022
View: DF3_20220830_1547_047-051 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male in flight at 7fps 1-5 of 5 (approx montage).jpg
Description: We have a good number of Migrant Hawker Dragonflies this year.
This montage just over half a second of flight catches the chaotic manoeuvring
of these insects. Top left downward, then vertically upwards.
View: D72_20220901_1251_126 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male in flight 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: A closer look at a male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly hunting over a concrete
access track that acts as a suntrap.
Date: 07 Oct 2022
View: DF3_20220830_1029_007 Common Darter Dragonfly female perched on seed head of Red Campion (q) (crop 1).jpg
Description: Not many Darter Dragonflies (intermediate in size between Hawker Dragonflies
and Damselflies) so far this year. This one is perched on what looks like a seed head.
Down the stem is a rather nice Spider's web, though a fly caught in it would disagree.
Date: 06 Oct 2022
View: D01_20220829_1055_002-1102_020_FB6 Green Woodpecker juvenile on Meadow Post 1+4-6 of 8 (montage over 7 mins).jpg
Description: We have recently seen 3 juvenile Green Woodpeckers outside our patch.
Here one of them spent several minutes coming and going from the Meadow post.
This one looks like a male.
View: D01_20220829_1102_021_FB6 Green Woodpecker juvenile on Meadow Post 7 of 8 (crop).jpg
Description: Another image from the Green Woodpecker sequence.
Our anthropomorphic eyes can not help but see this creature as 'Mr Grumpy'.
Date: 05 Oct 2022
View: BUA_20220826_1611_028_SC8 Hare near east hedge gap.jpg
Description: We are sure that the Hares in the surrounding field feel rather dispossessed
after harvest and harrowing. Woodland are not quite their 'thing', but their
occasional visits are most welcome.
View: BUA_20220826_2245_034_SC8 Fox carrying Rabbit to east hedge gap 1 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: We nowadays see very few Rabbits in our patch, but this fox has obviously found
one and appears to be carrying it out of the plot through the east hedge gap.
Another less clear instance occurred on the next night.
View: BU9_20220830_0419_017_SC2 Fox notices camera dull red flash at orchard (2nd pic of 3).jpg
Description: 100 metres away this Fox apparently notices the trail cam's dull red glow, and
takes a look, the night time optimised eyes acting as reflectors.
Date: 04 Oct 2022
View: E63_20220826_1840_204_FB1 Great Tit perched on slope of stone.jpg
Description: An immaculate Great Tit stops for a moment on the edge of the stone.
View: E63_20220828_0850_358_FB1 Great tit about to launch with Corn grain in beak.jpg
Description: This Great Tit has 'won' what to us is a tiny seed - to the bird a decent high protein beakful.
Date: 03 Oct 2022
View: E63_20220823_1834_124_FB1 7 Chaffinches at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: Chaffinches have had a good year - here are 7 (NOT a montage) rootling
about at the hedge bottom.
View: E63_20220822_0928_006_FB1 Robin with almost fully red breast.jpg
Description: A perky young Robin now with breast almost completely 'red'
Date: 02 Oct 2022
View: E63_20220822_1718_029_FB1 Grey Squirrel female nibbling food from paws.jpg
Description: Lots of things to eat for this female Grey Squirrel.
View: D36_20220825_1322_005_FB4 Grey Squirrel eating Banana peel.jpg
Description: A nice fresh piece of Banana Peel gets nibbled like a stick of celery.
Date: 01 Oct 2022
View: DF3_20220821_1744_233-235 Buzzard in flight calling & blinking nictitating membrane @7fps 08-10 of 56 (approx montage).jpg
Description: We were startled by a whoosh of wings followed by a loud avian scream right over our heads.
This Buzzard had just landed on the top of the 11kv power pole right by us,
realised the mistake of landing near humans, and immediately took off.
The Buzzard made several more calls as they flew away, as you see here
View: DF3_20220821_1744_254-256 Buzzard in flight calling & blinking nictitating membrane @7fps 29-31 of 56 (montage).jpg
Description: We generally try to avoid pictures of birds with their nictitating membrane - a
semi transparent second eyelid) over the eye.
But here the bird is using it to 'blink' closed for less than 140mS (seventh of a second)
View: DF3_20220821_1744_261 Buzzard in flight calling & blinking nictitating membrane @7fps 36 of 56 (crop).jpg
Description: Finally a detailed look at the Buzzard in flight.
Date: 30 Sep 2022
View: DF3_20220821_1736_175 2 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly males hanging from hedge branch (crop).jpg
Description: These two male Migrant Hawker Dragon flies are NOT a montage. We watched one of
these land to hang in the hedge, and the camera found two almost perfectly
aligned as you see here. The cameraman really did think he was getting some sort
of double image, but quickly realised not, to get this pic. Trying to get a
better angle induced one to take off. The other either took off unseen or just
used it's camouflage to stay hidden.
Date: 29 Sep 2022
View: D01_20220820_0251_099+0319_105_FB6 Tawny Owl visits to meadow Post 1+4 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: A couple of visits to the Meadow post by this Tawny Owl about 20 minutes apart.
View: E6A_20220820_0318_098-20220822_0153_243_FB5 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) at FB5 - 4 pairs (montage).jpg
Description: It is unlikely to be just chance that at almost the same moment we start to see Fieldmice (Wood Mice) (and a few voles)
disporting themselves at the Meadow camera site about 10 metres away?
Here a selection with a pair of Fieldmice (Wood Mice) in each natural frame.
View: E6A_20220820_0421_103-20220821_2158_238_FB5 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) & Voles at FB5 (montage).jpg
Description: Here we just had some fun picking from the remainder of the 23 frames.
Most of the these are Fieldmice (Wood Mice) except for Voles 1st & 3rd from the left.
Date: 28 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220817_1159_041+045+048+050 Reed (q) Warbler picking one drupelet from a Blackberry fruit 1+2+5+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: This 'Little Brown Bird' (we think a Reed Warbler) is outside the conservatory
picking off the spherical 'drupelets' from blackberry fruits. The bird is as well disguised
in these 4 sequential images as it was trying to find it in the camera viewfinder!
Drupelet is what seems to be the official spelling although Druplet is freely used.
Date: 27 Sep 2022
View: E60_20220815_0445_023_FB3 Tawny Owl landing on kitchen perch after visit to Meadow post 15m before (crop).jpg
Description: Near the end of the night this lovely Tawny Owl lands on the perch at the kitchen window.
Whether the natural interference of the Blackberry stem enhances or degrades the pic
of the Owl is open tho question, but it made it clear it was time to exercise the secateurs!
View: E60_20220814_0131_011_FB3 Tawny Owl aerobraking to land on kitchen perch.jpg
Description: The day before this Tawny Owl lands at the Kitchen bird table & perch 90 minutes after midnight
Date: 26 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220813_0724_059-071 Buzzard flying from 11kV cable to crossbar 1+3+6+8+13 of 15 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: There seems to be a single Buzzard hunting the area to our North and West
using the 11kV cables and crossbar system as hunting perches.
Normally when the Buzzard decides to move we get a flight of at least
100 metres (typical spacing of the poles) but this one did a short 'hop' of
a couple of metres from a cable to the top of a cable insulator mount.
It seems that Buzzards CAN perch on the cable, but prefer a larger surface area.
View: D72_20220815_0650_168-170+172+174 Kestrel female landing on 11kV crossbar (accurate montage @8fps)jpg.jpg
Description: This nervous female Kestrel doesn't like us walking down the Farm Road 50m away,
and flies 100m from the nearer pole to the next one along.
Date: 25 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220814_0711_106 Green Woodpecker juvenile on Farm Road grass margin inside bend.jpg
Description: A juvenile Green Woodpecker - one of three foraging on a grass area
bordering the Farm Road.
View: E6A_20220816_1521_106_FB5 Green Woodpecker juvenile at Meadow site.jpg
Description: One of the juvenile Green Woodpeckers.
We think they are magnificent - and you can believe they evolved from dinosaurs.
View: E6A_20220815_0710_200_FB5 Green Woodpecker juvenile.jpg
Description: Typical 'teenager' in a sulk - no I won't look at the camera!
Todays image (view it Here)
Date: 24 Sep 2022
View: d01_20220809_0132_019_fb6 tawny owl hunts from meadow post over 150m including catching shrew 03 of 16 (crop).jpg
Description: We haven't seen much of anything on the Meadow post in this second batch
of heat-wave days, so particularly pleased to see a Tawny Owl spending
two and a half hours hunting on our site.
Here the Tawny Owl has arrived with a Shrew in the beak.
In the next frame (not shown) the shrew has gone, presumably 'down the hatch'.
View: e60_20220809_0229_006_fb3 tawny owl hunts from meadow post over 150m including catching shrew 09 of 16 (crop).jpg
Description: An hour later presumably the same Tawny Owl landed face to camera on the
Kitchen window perch.
Image Archive arch 2022 sep.htm (view it Here)
Date: 23 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220808_1224_228 Southern Hawker Dragonfly male in flight (crop).jpg
Description: More usually found here around ponds and low over the meadow,
Southern Hawker Dragonflies mostly hawk at lower heights and slightly
more predicable paths. But usually seen singly
View: D72_20220808_1225_262-267 Southern Hawker Dragonfly male in flight 1-6 of 6 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
View: D72_20220808_1225_264 Southern Hawker Dragonfly male in flight 3 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: Detail from the 3rd from the right montage above.
Date: 22 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220808_1217_171-174 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male in flight 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: Continuing the celebration of Migrant Hawker Dragonflies.
View: D72_20220808_1216_158-164 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female in flight 1-7 of 7 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
View: D72_20220808_1215_148-154 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female in flight 1-7 of 7 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: Walk the Line!
Date: 21 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220808_1213_034-037 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in flight @8fps (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Most years we get a good show of Migrant Hawker Dragonflies at the south end of
the access track, and in the evenings over the meadow. Here is a little sample,
starting with Migrant Hawkers near the gate.
View: D72_20220808_1214_084-087 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male eating and discarding midge 1-4 of 5 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Here we caught a male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly finishing sucking a midge dry
and dropping the empty exoskeleton. That dot below the 3rd from the left Dragonfly
is the dropped insect you can see just being released in the second pic.
Immediately the prey has gone the legs move back to their aerodynamic
position.
Frame rate is 8 fps throughout this selection
View: D72_20220808_1215_118-125 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female in flight 3-10 of 10 (accurate montage 2).jpg
Description: The nice sweep of the Migrant Hawker Dragonfly at the bottom is supplemented by
another Dragonfly flying in from the top of the frame.
Date: 20 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220806_1442_065 Holly Blue Butterfly female 2nd brood on blackberry flower.jpg
Description: A female Holly Blue butterfly feeding on late blackberry flowers.
This is a new emergent - they have two broods a year.
View: D72_20220806_1626_089 Holly Blue Butterfly female 2nd brood on blackberry flower with shadow of buds on wing.jpg
Description: This single female 'haunted' the side of the garage for 3 days.
Here she catches the shadow of an adjacent unopened head
of blackberry flowers to make an interesting pattern.
View: D72_20220808_1112_003 Green-veined White butterfly female (1st of 2022).jpg
Description: The first Green-veined White Butterfly this year.
Date: 19 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220806_0818_021 Lords and Ladies fruit spike.jpg
Description: A single spike of Lords and Ladies berries.
We wondered whether anything eats them, and a web search
reveals that the whole plant is poisonous to humans and animals,
the berries especially so. There is no antidote, and people have died.
View: D72_20220806_1102_030 Ragwort in Grass Margin (orig).jpg
Description: Outside our south hedge is this grass margin. The only thing we could find that
doesn't look dead is this seemingly indestructible but stunted Oxford Ragwort
plant. A poppy we had been following just withered and died. Seeing this got us
thinking about Cinnabar Moths and their caterpillars which feed on this plant,
and of which we have seen none at all, and its now the end of their
caterpillar's growth period.
View: D72_20220807_0922_154 Hedge to south of block gate showing individual plants within.jpg
Description: Drought and heat-waves do unusual things to normally passive items.
Here the hedge running south from the blocked gate shows a pattern
of growth variation reflecting the different plants in the hedge, and some
hint of the planting pattern used at least 100 years ago.
Date: 18 Sep 2022
View: E63_20220804_1755_099_FB1 Great tit flying in to hedge bottom stone.jpg
Description: An adult Great tit aerobrakes to land on the stone.
View: E63_20220805_0924_142_FB1 2 Chaffinch males in flight skirmish.jpg
Description: Chaffinches are aggressive birds, the males especially so.
View: E6A_20220809_0919_081_FB5 Blackbird female picking up food on desiccated grass at meadow sie.jpg
Description: A female Blackbird seems to be almost gleeful as she pecks at the ground
at the meadow site. The thin fibrous material you see on the ground is Badger fur.
Date: 17 Sep 2022
View: E6A_20220806_1724_183_FB5 Green Woodpecker juvenile (crop 2).jpg
Description: In the last few days we have heard the Green Woodpecker 'Yaffling' around the plot,
got a few glimpses, always of a juvenile.
This one at the meadow site is casting a beady eye on the offerings.
View: E6A_20220808_1317_021_FB5 Green Woodpecker juvenile at meadow site.jpg
Description: 2 days later possibly the same juvenile Green Woodpecker at the Meadow
site.
a few days later a circular walk outside our patch saw 3 juvenile Green Woodpeckers
simultaneously on the grass margins to the farm road. A good year for
them!
View: D01_20220804_0913_007_FB6 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: If you live in a town you are more likely to see Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
A few sightings at the peanut feeder are supplemented by this pic of
a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker stopping off at the Meadow post.
Date: 16 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220803_1629_139-141 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in flight - right to left @8fps (accurate montage).jpg
Description: In the warm sunshine a few Migrant Hawker Dragonflies were hawking up and down
the concrete track. Roy can't resist photographing them in flight even if it
does mostly produce hundred of blurred or blank frames.
View: D72_20220803_1629_153-155 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female in flight - left to right @8fps (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A female left to right.
View: D72_20220803_1748_304-306 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female in flight - right to left @8fps (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A female again right to left - the first is a bit disguised against foliage.
View: D72_20220803_1749_356-362 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male in flight turns back in 200mS (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: Out venerable garage provides a clear backdrop for this male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly flying
right to left and in two frame (fifth of a second) has turned completely round to fly the other way.
What manoeuvrability!
Of course the cameraman didn't react quickly enough to the reversal and camera panning left
lost the insect out of frame :-(
Want to try for a still image yourself: Even top-end autofocus is hopeless
unless the background is bland sky, and auto exposure usually goes badly wrong.
So you need a camera with lockable manual focus and ability
to set shutter speed, aperture and ISO rating in manual mode. Even low-end SLRs can do this
although the frame rate will be low..
Typical sunny day settings Shutter 1/1250 Aperture F9 ISO 640 Lens 50 - 100mm focussed about
5 metres away. Shutter button: high-speed continuous.
As you spot a dragonfly flying towards your focus distance, start taking frames until it
has passed your focus distance. If you can't follow the action in the viewfinder just
learn to point the camera 'blind' with lower enough zoom that it keeps the insect 'in-frame'.
Expect a huge failure rate and check that your 'aim' keeps insects mostly in-frame.
If you have any successes please send them along!
Date: 15 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220801_1514_021 2 Migrant Hawkers perched in Hedge tree at blocked gate 5 of 9 (crop).jpg
Description: A 'pair' (one female and the other male - but they don't pair up for more than mating) of
Migrant Hawkers were warming themselves in a well chosen sunny spot at the corner
of a hedge. Here the male is in the foreground with the blurred female behind and left.
The insects are only about 10cm apart, but close-up focus is very sensitive to distance.
View: D72_20220801_1514_030+033 2 Migrant Hawkers in Hedge at blocked gate (female over male) 9 of 9 (accurate montage for focus).jpg
Description: Here are the same pair more as human brains re-construct the images it gets
from the eyes flitting between the two and re-focussing without you noticing.
So this is a montage of camera frames focussed on each insect in turn.
Hope that you will enjoy this 'impression'.
Date: 14 Sep 2022
View: BU5_20220731_2349_227+229+231_SC1 Roe Deer male walks along edge of Round pond (montage).jpg
Description: A few minutes before midnight this elegant male Roe Deer visited the
East of our patch. Firstly a drink - now a couple of metres from the edge :-(
View: BUC_20220731_2354_184+186_SC7 Roe Deer male walks past dead Badger 1+2 of 2 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Then a passage over the Mound, completely ignoring the dead Badger (a second road-kill
within a couple of weeks) as you would expect from herbivore.
View: BUA_20220731_2356_211+212_SC8 Roe Deer male walks towards camera (montage).jpg
Description: And finally walking up to the camera near the east hedge gap.
Date: 13 Sep 2022
View: BU5_20220731_1250_158-1256_182_SC1 Muntjac Deer male walks along inside of pond joined by female 1-3+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: Round Pond seem to be the major source of water for the larger mammals. This
pond is in real trouble - it has a slow leak for years but the water table in
now so low that we lose an inch every day. We have decided to stop daily top-ups
of several cubic metres, and in any case topping it up may soon be illegal due
to a hose pipe ban, and have installed a makeshift drinking trough for animals
that expect to find water.
Date: 12 Sep 2022
View: E60_20220729_1001_012_FB3 Sparrowhawk female on kitchen perch.jpg
Description: The local female Sparrowhawk stops off briefly at the kitchen perch in the
bright morning sunshine. The swinging Peanut feeder suggests that she
either attacked a bird in it, or birds successfully fled in terror.
View: E60_20220802_1914_009+1852_008_FB3 Sparrowhawk female on kitchen perch after flying away (accurate montage over 20 mins).jpg
Description: The last few days has seen many passes a day of the female Sparrowhawk past the
conservatory window on her pass of the kitchen and study peanut feeders.
We rarely see her perched on either feeder, but the patient IR bean triggered camera
at the kitchen window does occasionally see her land or fly by.
This montage shows both in perhaps misleading pair of unrelated events - the
bird in flight occurred 22 minutes before the landing bird, but it does make a
striking montage.
Date: 11 Sep 2022
View: BU8_20220728_2058_028-2125_041 Fox hunting near Duck Pond over 27 minutes (montage).jpg
Description: Probably the same fox appears almost every night at this grass patch near the
Duck Pond. This hunting session lasted almost half an hour.
View: BU8_20220730_1946_127-1947_132 Fox hunting near Duck Pond (approx montage clockwise from bottom right).jpg
Description: Probably the same fox appears almost every night at this grass patch near the
Duck Pond. This hunting only lasted a couple of minutes, but here there was
enough light for this selection to be in colour.
Date: 10 Sep 2022
View: E64_20220728_1432_012_FB2 Magpie flying over Woodland site showing iridescent tail.jpg
Description: Whoosh - this Magpie flashes their plumage as they skim over the Woodland site.
View: D01_20220801_0822_060+0823_0620825_066_FB6 2 Magpies spending a few minutes on Meadow Post (montage).jpg
Description: These two Magpies seem to include an adult (left - judging by the long tail)
but we have no idea what was going on. Every Magpie we see this year
has had a moderate to heaving infestation of feather mites over the head.
Date: 09 Sep 2022
View: E63_20220726_1934_211_FB1 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile landing at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: We no longer see much of Great Spotted Woodpeckers on feeders near the house -
at this time of year there is masses of 'natural' food available.
But this juvenile sweeps in with aplomb to check out the hedge bottom.
View: E60_20220727_2314_029_FB3 Bat flying over kitchen bird table (crop).jpg
Description: Approaching midnight a bat flies over the kitchen window bird table flying towards
the window and takes a selfie. The bat is closer to the camera than the woodwork
(the Bat casts a shadow from the flash high inside the window) making them look
larger than reality.
Date: 08 Sep 2022
View: PK1_20220725_0633_122+DF3_20220725_0634_005 Hare juvenile eating weeds at front of main pond (montage).jpg
Description: Many metres from the safety of the surrounding crop field, this juvenile Hare is nibbling
on the grass and some weeds at the front (i.e. visible from the house) of the
main pond. Left is a view eating a leaf in 'suck-it-in' style taken through the kitchen window.
On the right through the window of a room above the kitchen with a more capable camera.
View: BUA_20220720_2123_109_SC8 Hare near east hedge gap after sunset.jpg
Description: Hares now find it easy to hide from sight in the ripening (more like already ripe
after the heat-wave) wheat, but after dark seem to like coming into our patch - for a change of diet?
Date: 07 Sep 2022
View: DF3_20220723_1252_191 Southern Hawker Dragonfly male (1st of 2022).jpg
Description: The Southern Hawker Dragonfly appears most years, and here is
the first one we have spotted hanging on a blackberry stem up in a sunny hedge.
View: D72_20220725_1638_002 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female perched in hedge.jpg
Description: A female Migrant Hawker Dragonfly perched in a hedge.
The yellow 'T' shape behind the wings helps in identification when perched, and the
atypically long pair of 'anal appendages' help here and when in flight.
View: D72_20220715_1604_100 Willow ( (q) poss Apple) Ermine Moth perched on timber post (crop).jpg
Description: This Ermine Moth is perched a wooden posts. All of the Ermine Moths are beautiful creatures.
We expected this to be a Spindle Ermine Moth that invaded the Spindle
trees and hedge several weeks ago, but the ID book assures us that it is
most likely a Willow Ermine Moth, or maybe an Apple Ermine moth.
Date: 06 Sep 2022
View: DF3_20220722_1612_016-020 Kestrel female taking off from telephone pole near house 1-5 of 7 (montage @ 7fps).jpg
Description: Rounding the side of the house on our way out for a walk reveals this female Kestrel
on top of the 'phone pole across the track. She didn't immediately fly off, so we assume
that this is the tolerant 'Grey Feather' who mostly ignores us.
We waited patiently, and after a few minutes she flew off anyway.
Here is the launch.
View: DF3_20220722_1612_018 Kestrel female taking off from telephone pole near house 3 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: Here is the middle image in more detail.
View: DF3_20220722_1620_034+036+1621_050+051 Kestrel female preening on wooden power pole on south boundary 2-5 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: A few minutes later we discovered where she had gone - round our SW corner
and onto the top of the wooden mains power pole in the south hedge.
She was enjoying a major preen of her beautiful feathers.
Date: 05 Sep 2022
View: D01_20220721_0522_254+0523_256_FB6 Kestrel female or juvenile lands on meadow post with rodent in beak to swallow 1+3 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: After the two-day heat-wave the weather quickly cooled overnight. To our
surprise this female Kestrel arrived on the meadow post shortly after sunrise
with some sort of Rodent in her beak - we guess a vole or Shrew. One minute
later the Rodent was almost entirely inside the bird.
View: D01_20220721_0522_255+0523_257_FB6 Kestrel female or juvenile lands on meadow post with rodent in beak to swallow 2+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: At the meadow post each camera trigger generates 2 images - the first with
the flash firing, and the second in natural light. At night the second frame is black,
but here in very poor light it is possible to extract a poorly balanced image
in which the rodent can be seen more clearly than in the high contrast flash images.
Date: 04 Sep 2022
View: E63_20220720_1039_154_FB1 Great Tit juvenile with small seed in beak.jpg
Description: A juvenile Great Tit makes the most of the comparative cool of the morning,
and the shade of the hedge, to root out some small seeds to eat.
Date: 03 Sep 2022
View: D73_20220718_0803_007 Peacock Butterfly feeding from Great Willow Herb flower.jpg
Description: This was at 8 a.m. on the first day of the heat-wave - the morning was already
pleasantly warm - a portent of the events to come. Many of the normally mid-day
visitors were already out making the most of this atypical weather. Here a
Peacock Butterfly has the proboscis in a flower hidden by the one closest to the camera.
View: D73_20220718_0804_017 Peacock Butterfly resting in hedge.jpg
Description: A more 'classical' view of the Peacock Butterfly.
View: D73_20220718_0805_025 Honey Bee collecting pollen from Teasel flowers.jpg
Description: A honey Bee working their way around a Teasel Flower head.
They will often go round several times at different heights.
View: D73_20220718_0807_040 Gatekeeper Butterfly feeding on Blackberry flower.jpg
Description: This pristine Gatekeeper Butterfly is 'tucking into' a Blackberry flower.
The temperature then quickly rose as the hot south wind supplemented the
hot sun. By mid-day the skies and flowers were deserted in favour of finding
a shady spot and staying there!
Date: 02 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220717_1004_305-308 Red Kite in flight 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: Mid-morning the day before the heat-wave this Red Kite gave us a couple
of minutes of delight as they glided and powered their way around us.
View: D72_20220717_1004_328-332 Red Kite in flight 03-07 of 14 (approx montage @8fps).jpg
View: D72_20220717_1005_362-391 Red Kite gliding around thermal 1+3+5+7 of 9 (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: The circles birds make are far too big to show in any detail
so we have turned this flight into a design.
View: D72_20220717_1005_430+437+439 Red Kite gliding overhead 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: The Red Kite finished with a flight low overhead - giving us a
prey's eye view.
Date: 01 Sep 2022
View: D72_20220716_1131_119 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female becoming mature (first of 2022).jpg
Description: The first Migrant Hawker Dragonfly we have spotted this year, this one a female
just becoming mature, here 'caught' in flight.
View: D72_20220717_0950_293 Common Blue Damselfly female Drab form (orig).jpg
Description: A female Common Blue Damselfly in the so called 'Drab' or 'Common' form.
View: D72_20220721_1548_011 Common Blue damselfly female (blue form) on dead clover flower.jpg
Description: This female Common Blue damselfly 'Blue' form is the most common here.
She is perched on a Dead Clover flower usefully providing scale.
She has yet to develop the full blue colour.
Image Archive arch 2022 aug.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Aug 2022
View: BU3_20220712_0354_090_SC6 Roe Deer male on access track looking at camera.jpg
Description: 2 days after the amble over the Round Mound probably the same male Roe Deer
stops on the access track and gives the dull red glow from the camera's IR lamps
a suspicious stare.
View: BU3_20220715_1308_037-039_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer female walking over access track to west hedge gap (accurate montage).jpg
Description: We now regularly see the disappearing end of creatures at the whole in the hedge, and think
that the camera must have moved a bit. Here a 'smiling' female Reeves' Muntjac Deer
makes her way off the track into the safety of our 2 acre haven.
View: BUC_20220719_0520_010_SC7 Roe Deer male on Round Mound.jpg
Description: A male Roe Deer looking very elegant on the Round mound just after sunrise.
View: BU3_20220719_0524_089+0525_092+093_SC6 Roe Deer male leaving at west hedge gap and wandering on access track (montage).jpg
Description: A few minutes later the same (judging by the antlers) Roe Deer wanders a little
aimlessly on the access track.
Date: 30 Aug 2022
View: BU7_20220715_0304_016+017 Fox exits site through SW corner hedge gap (montage).jpg
Description: Bye Renard - see you again tomorrow!
View: BU7_20220719_0029_004+006+2354_007+008+20220721_0001_035_036 Fox identical exits around midnight on 3 successive days (accurate montage).jpg
Description: 4 days later, and for the 3 days in a row, probably the same Fox making
appearances just a few minutes before midnight and half an hour afterwards. We
can't tell the sex, but maybe a female with cubs to suckle. Its unusual for
predatory animals to be this predictable.
View: BU8_20220721_0521_118-120 Fox hunting over grass near Duck Pond (impression montage).jpg
Description: "If I keep looking I'm bound to find something to eat even in this sun-baked
ground."
View: BU8_20220721_0524_121+123+124 Fox hunting by Duck Pond (montage).jpg
Description: "I'm still looking."
The searches must be successful some of the time or the Fox would
go searching elsewhere!
Date: 29 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220710_0922_061 Badger Road-kill left at FB5 (orig & final).jpg
Description: Having collected a badger road-kill in the early morning, we decided to leave the body at the
meadow site and see what happened, expecting a Fox would be along in a day or two to drag
away the remains.
But we didn't factor in a (for the UK) hot day and sunshine blazing
down.
WARNING: Skip the two
images following this one if you might become upset.
View: D72_20220712_1618_033 Badger Road-kill left at FB5 08 of 27 (crop with maggots detail insert).jpg
Description: We noticed a few flies on the carcass even the same day, but didn't think much of it.
The stink was unpleasant downwind of the site and we limited our visits.
But 2 days later in the afternoon (that's 55 hours later) we were astounded
to find the carcass completely smothered with Maggots - thousands we can see
in this photo, and probably many times more hidden inside.
View: D72_20220713_1559_082 Badger Road-kill left at FB5 21 of 27 (crop).jpg
Description: 24 Hours on we now have a Badger Rug with ribs sticking out of the top
and skull at the right side. The fur looks like it is attached to skin,
but in fact the skin has complete gone and fur is laying loose and will soon
start being spread around by wind and animal visitors.
Date: 28 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220710_0839_056 Badger - underneath rear paw (orig & final).jpg
Description: It is hard to get a good look at badger paws, so we put down this badger Road-kill
on our excuse for a lawn to photograph them.
Here the Badger's rear paw.
View: D72_20220710_0840_059 Badger - underneath front paw (orig & final).jpg
Description: Here the Badger's front paw.
Date: 27 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220713_1048_045 Yellowhammer on 11kV cable.jpg
Description: This has been a great year for Yellowhammers in the hedges at all 4 compass
points outside our site, but not in it. Several are nesting in the stretch of hedge
running south from our SW corner, and they find the overhead 11kV cables
an ideal spot to do lookout duty. The 11KV cable don't look much from
the ground, but they dwarf the Yellowhammer - a bird about the size of a
Sparrow or Chaffinch.
View: D01_20220714_0352_376_FB6 Tawny Owl short visit to Meadow Post.jpg
Description: Barely landed, and already this Tawny Owl is staring at something off to one side.
Date: 26 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220710_1559_083 Gatekeeper Butterflies mating (1st sighting of 2022).jpg
Description: Our first sighting of a Gatekeeper butterfly this year is of this pair mating.
The double white dots in the black oval is a characteristic of the species.
View: E60_20220712_2301_060_FB3 Brimstone Moth flying over kitchen perch an hour before midnight.jpg
Description: A Brimstone Moth (NOT butterfly) flies over the Kitchen
perch an hour before midnight. The Blackberry stem was awaiting cutting back
but here makes an interesting natural juxtaposition.
You can find a few much better pics of Brimstone Moths in flight on the subject
indexed page around
http://www.moorhen.me.uk/iodsubject/moths_02.htm.
Date: 25 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220708_1010_006 Mallow Flower.jpg
Description: A Mallow flower including stem and leaves.
View: D72_20220710_0932_068 Teasel starting to flower (1st of 2022).jpg
Description: Teasels are really interesting and useful plants.
Here is the first one we have seen starting to flower this year, a patch on
the sunny side in the middle. The flower heads first form a ring around the
circumference, and then split into 2 rings - one working up the head and one down.
Insects enjoy the flowers, and the hundreds of resultant seeds last right through
as a food source for finches and similar into next year.
View: D72_20220713_1059_055 Crocosmia first flowers.jpg
Description: A favourite summer flower is the Crocosmia which flowers in sequence
along the horizontally V-shaped head.
View: DF3_20220709_1301_012 Sumac Flower cluster.jpg
Description: We have had a soft spot for Sumac trees ever since we saw one while
we lived in a 'modern' terrace in Welwyn Garden City.
We have planted one or more at every house we have bought since,
and here, with the greater space, several.
But this is the first time we have seen such an exuberance of flowers.
Date: 24 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220706_0940_063 Ants under corrugated Iron sheet in meadow - ants + tiny to large pupae + alates.jpg
Description: Mid-morning sees that the ants under the corrugated iron seem to have brought
the entire nursery of eggs and Pupae to the surface to warm. On really hot days
lifting the sheet shows barely any ants because they have all been transported
back to the cooler underground tunnels.
All the Pupae can be
returned underground in only a few minutes by these industrious colonies as we
once watched in real time.
View: D72_20220712_1620_034 Ant Alates on west side of access track.jpg
Description: Another Ant nest some 100m away we come across these Ant alates -
flying ants leaving to breed.
Date: 23 Aug 2022
View: E63_20220704_2302_057_FB1 Badger inspecting Hedge bottom an hour before midnight (crop 1).jpg
Description: A Badger on the nightly round.
View: E63_20220704_2302_057_FB1 Badger inspecting Hedge bottom an hour before midnight (crop 2).jpg
Description: A much more detailed crop from the above.
Dog lovers may think that the Badger looks affectionate, but if you got this
close they would try to have off your fingers!
View: E63_20220707_0104_171_FB1 Badger at hedge bottom an hour after midnight.jpg
Description: With little rain for a week, Badgers lose their generally muddy
snouts and appear a little more pristine.
Date: 22 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220704_1741_035 Broad Bodied Chaser Dragonfly male perched in tree on Duck Pond island.jpg
Description: A couple of times in the last few weeks we have shown you the orange
female of the Broad Bodied Chaser. Here at last we see the very different male.
The blue colour (called Pruinescence) is a powder that can be rubbed off
and you can see a few patches missing on this individual.
The Pruinescence is very bright in Ultra-violet light - you can see an old
set of images of this at
Broad Bodied Chaser in UV
Date: 21 Aug 2022
View: E63_20220704_1037_025_FB1 Wood Pigeon looking backward spreading the neck feathers.jpg
Description: Wood Pigeon feathers look so smooth and matt you can forget that they
are made up of hundreds of overlapping feathers.
View: D01_20220702_0813_234_FB6 Magpie lands on Meadow post with unripe Cherry in beak.jpg
Description: A Magpie carrying a somewhat unripe cherry.
Most of our cherry trees make yellow cherries which we find
have a slightly unpleasant aftertaste.
Only the sprout of our deep red cherry tree is producing cherries
this year - we must time our cropping carefully to be 'ripe enough'
but before the Squirrels also find them 'ripe enough'.
The main cherry tree was damaged by the Oak tree that broke
off last year in a storm and after cutting back has not got round
to blossoming.
Date: 20 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220701_1550_053 Common Blue Damselfly male.jpg
Description: A male Common Blue Damselfly delicately perches on a dead grass stem.
In recent years Azure Damselflies dominated the Damselfly population, but this
year it is about 50-50 Common and Azure.
View: DF3_20220702_1121_147 Beautiful Demoiselle female.jpg
Description: An unexpected find of a female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly long after
most of them have 'gone'. The Damselfly's wings are as undamaged as ever.
View: D72_20220707_1814_066 Common Blue Damselfly male immature not yet developed blue colouring.jpg
Description: Damselflies go through several appearances after emergence from 'teneral' (newly
emerged) to 'over-mature', each species following it's pattern and timescale.
This one is a male Common Blue Damselfly but yet to develop the blue colour
along the middle abdominal segments.
Date: 19 Aug 2022
View: E60_20220630_1023_004_FB3 Sparrowhawk female on kitchen perch (crop).jpg
Description: Our 'resident' female Sparrowhawk stops on the Kitchen Perch.
View: D72_20220630_1048_027 Kestrel female in Lodgepole pine tree.jpg
Description: No sightings of the resident female Kestrel at her haunts around the house in
the last few days (that doesn't mean she hasn't been there) but here she is in
another of her hunting haunts near the top of a Lodge Pole Pine tree perhaps 60
metres away.
Date: 18 Aug 2022
View: E63_20220630_0149_164_FB1 Badger at hedge bottom (crop).jpg
Description: A badger picking up a few food scraps at the hedge bottom.
View: E63_20220630_0149_164_FB1 Badger at hedge bottom (detail of rear and front claws).jpg
Description: A contraction of the two visible sets of claws shows the powerful
rear and front claws.
Date: 17 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220628_0837_003 Ringlet Butterfly (1st of 2022).jpg
Description: The first sighting of a Ringlet Butterfly this year.
View: DF3_20220625_1608_155 Large Skipper Butterfly perched on leaf.jpg
Description: A male Large Skipper Butterfly.
'Large' is a relative term - All skippers are smaller than the normal run of Butterflies.
Date: 16 Aug 2022
View: E63_20220625_1022_167_FB1 Magpie juvenile begging.jpg
Description: Patience is NOT a virtue that young Magpies possess. FOOD!!!
View: D01_20220625_1420_466+1456_484+485_FB6 Magpie collecting caterpillars and using crack in Meadow Post top 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: The left pic is about half-an-hour earlier than the two on the right (just 400mS
apart) as probably the same Magpie takes some sort of caterpillar to the Meadow
Post, undoubtedly on the way to a demanding youngster. On the right the Magpie
seems to be deliberately Jamming the insects into a crack in the top of the
post.
Woodpeckers do this to steady nuts to break open - quite why a Magpie
would do this doesn't seem obvious.
Date: 15 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220625_0847_084 Hare sitting with ears down at edge of Farm Road (crop 1).jpg
Description: A Hare hunkered down at the edge of the Farm Road.
View: DF3_20220625_0847_084 Hare sitting with ears down at edge of Farm Road (crop 2).jpg
Description: A detail from the same photo to show you how the Whiskers always seem to droop down.
Date: 14 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220624_1518_063+064 Muntjac Reeves Deer male watching cameraman as he guards female (accurate montage for focus).jpg
Description: Turning a corner finds this male Reeves' Muntjac Deer staring back as he guarded
the female out in the light behind.
View: E6A_20220628_2056_136_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer male at meadow site.jpg
Description: One of the male Reeves' Muntjac Deer takes an idiosyncratic self-portrait.
View: BU8_20220629_1823_149+153+1826_172 Muntjac Reeves deer male on meadow beside Duck Pond (montage).jpg
Description: One of the male Reeves' Muntjac Deer spends a few minutes foraging near
the edge of the Duck-shaped pond
Date: 13 Aug 2022
View: E60_20220623_1229_007_FB3 Sparrowhawk landing on kitchen perch probably after failed attack at bird feeder.jpg
Description: The female Sparrowhawk has started making appearances at both the study and
kitchen feeders. Here the wildly swinging peanut feed on the chain suggests and
unsuccessful attack on a bird at the feeder just before landing on the perch.
View: DF3_20220624_1408_044-1411_055 Kestrel female hunting from orchard apple tree 1-4 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: Our other regular Raptor visitor is this female Kestrel 'Grey Feather' who has
returned to some of her old haunts. Here she is hunting from a dead branch on an
old apple tree ignoring the photographer perhaps 10 metres away.
View: DF3_20220625_1616_159+1618_175 Kestrel female hunting from Apple tree (montage).jpg
Description: Our lovely 'Grey Feather' Kestrel hunting from a favourite perch.
You can see here that her tail is not 'quite right', but she nevertheless
obviously a successful individual and we are always pleased to see her.
Date: 12 Aug 2022
View: D01_20220623_0743_024+0744_026+0745_028_FB6 Wood Pigeons mating on Meadow Post 1-3 of 3 (montage@1minute intervals).jpg
Description: These three moments at 1 minute intervals.
We can't tell you whether the bird left on the post is the same one or not,
but we do rather like the idea of him 'flying in for a quickie'!
Date: 11 Aug 2022
View: BU9_20220623_2047_032_SC2 Fox eye reflection showing vertical slot Iris.jpg
Description: Almost all of our detailed pics of Foxes are at night when there Irises
are close to fully open. Here we catch an evening moment where the
partly closed irises clearly show that the closed iris is a vertical slit.
View: BU5_20220616_2059_091-093_SC1 Fox standing still by Round pond only moving ears & tail 1-33 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: These 3 pics taken a few seconds apart show the Fox standing stock-still - the
only movement is a slight lowering of the lovely tail and the Fox's right ear
swivelling about.
View: BUA_20220629_0624_174_SC8 Hare near east hedge gap with ears twisted in different directions.jpg
Description: Humans seem a bit 'ear deprived' compared to many wild species.
Here an early morning Hare shows us his lovely floppy ears.
Date: 10 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220622_1041_103 Banded Demoiselle Damselfly male (1st seen 19jun2022) (crop).jpg
Description: Our first (visual only) sighting of a Banded Demoiselle Damselfly was 3 days
earlier.
The Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies have almost finished - in the past
they have peaked here at about the same time. We MAY be seeing female Banded
Demoiselles, but they don't have the dark band and we find it hard to tell them
from The Beautiful females unless we see them both close together, when their
hues are subtly different.
View: D72_20220622_1059_123 Banded Demoiselle Damselfly male (1st seen 19jun2022).jpg
Date: 09 Aug 2022
View: D72_20220621_1631_041 Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) flower and hairy and spiked fruits (crop).jpg
Description: The startling appearance of the spiked fruits of Herb Robert along with a flower
of the same plant.
View: DF3_20220619_0903_056 Snail crossing Farm Road (& rescued).jpg
Description: Several instances recently of snails out in dangerous places.
This one is in the tyre tracks on the Farm Road. They had a few seconds
'aviation' experience to take him where they were going without the risk of
being flattened by the next vehicle.
Date: 08 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220620_1227_019 Red Admiral Butterfly feeding on flower in hedge.jpg
Description: A Red Admiral butterfly perched to show both top and bottom of wings.
Because most butterflies and moths build their wing pattern with tiny scales
on each side, the two sides can be entirely different.
It very frustrating that so many ID book show only one side or other!
View: D72_20220621_1626_037 Comma Butterfly on leaf show uper and lower wings.jpg
Description: A similar view of a Comma Butterfly. The 'comma' is the white shape
appearing only on the underneath of the wing.
View: D72_20220621_1737_084 Comma Butterfly showing top of wings.jpg
Description: Not a trace of the 'Comma' on the top of the wing.
View: D72_20220621_1258_014 Meadow Brown Butterflies mating on leaf 3 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: A pair of mating Meadow Brown Butterflies enjoy the highlight of their short lives.
Date: 07 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220618_0723_013 Hare juvenile on field margin to north (crop 2).jpg
Description: In the field margin the Hare watches events from the conveniently short grass..
View: DF3_20220619_0559_032-036 Hare running along bridleway to north 1-5 of 5 (slightly stretched montage @7fps).jpg
Description: This is a field margin along the edge of the bridleway to our north.
We never manage to take a Hare who rests here by surprise -
they can see us way before we arrive from either direction.
View: DF3_20220619_0600_043 Hare running from Farm Road west towards our patch 1 of 6 (crop 2).jpg
Description: Just 1 minute later, this is a different Hare a bit less terrified of us, here they are sitting on the Farm Road.
View: DF3_20220619_0600_044-048 Hare running from Farm Road west towards our patch 2-6 of 6 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: Something spooked the Hare (we were keeping still) and they ran
off towards the interior of our patch.
Date: 06 Aug 2022
View: D01_20220622_1808_221_FB6 Magpie juvenile lands on Meadow Post to beg from adult already there.jpg
Description: A juvenile Magpie arrives already demanding food before they have even landed!
View: D01_20220617_1625_055+056_FB6 Magpie stopped from landing on Meadow Post by threating Magpie already there (montage @400mS).jpg
Description: Looks to us like an adult Magpie trying to land on the Meadow Post top
already occupied by a begging juvenile. The adult decides to pass by -
possibly not the parent of the bird begging, or just nothing to give them.
View: E63_20220621_1820_090_FB1 Magpie juvenile demanding food from another.jpg
Description: Demanding (begging seems to be too weak a description!) juvenile Magpies
are to be seen regularly at the hedge bottom.
View: E63_20220622_0524_120_FB1 Magpie juvenile demanding food from adult.jpg
Description: Here you can see the Red gape that the adults are keyed to
fill with as much food as they can find.
Date: 05 Aug 2022
View: D36_20220616_1824_013_FB4 Wood Pigeon landing magestically on Tree-stump (crop).jpg
Description: This seems to have been a week for Wood Pigeons making symmetrical landings.
First on the tree-stump ....
View: D01_20220620_0743_035_FB6 Wood Pigeon symmetrical landing on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: ... a few days later the Meadow Post in the morning ...
View: D01_20220621_0605_061_FB6 Wood Pigeon landing on Meadow Post backlit.jpg
Description: ... and then at about 6 a.m. against the light.
The winds have been atypical, and every pic is the back view!
Date: 04 Aug 2022
View: D01_20220620_0040_021_FB6 Tawny Owl landing on Meadow post.jpg
Description: This night visiting Tawny Owl appear to have 'eyes of blue'.
What we are actually seeing is the appearance of the nictitating membrane
closed over the eyes to protect them (as many bird momentarily do during
accident prone manoeuvres) but with the eyes aligned with the camera
we see internal reflection from the retina.
Date: 03 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220615_0742_443-451 Grey Squirrel running over concrete track then grass 01+03+05+07+09 of 25 (approx montage @7fps).jpg
Description: Catching the gait of a Grey Squirrel in a high-speed run is here shown as
alternate frames (at about 7 frames per second), mostly accurately positioned.
At some points the legs are spread legs as you see portrayed in Victorian paintings of
horses before Mybridge discovered the reality.
View: DF3_20220615_0742_446-452 Grey Squirrel running over concrete track then grass 04+06+08+10 of 25 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: The above is the odd numbered frames, so here is the 'same' sequence using even numbered frames.
View: DF3_20220615_0742_452-457 Grey Squirrel running over concrete track then grass 10-15 of 25 (near accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: Picking up speed on the grass we can see every frame in this montage (still at 7fps).
In the montage above and this one (twice) we see a landing with head almost banging the ground
so this must be part of the intended behaviour.
Date: 02 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220614_1803_412+1756_388+1801_401 Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly female - Great Willow Herb + Blackberry (montage).jpg
Description: A moderately regular visitors is the Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly.
This female was fluttering from perch to perch - here is a little celebration.
View: DF3_20220615_1744_544 Broad-bodied Chaser female Dragonfly facing camera backlit on desiccated teasel (q) stem.jpg
Description: A female Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly beautifully back-lit while
perched facing the camera on what looks like one of last years Teasel stems.
View: DF3_20220614_1804_415 Four-spotted chaser Dragonfly male.jpg
Description: A once regular breeder in the Round Pond, but now occasional visitor, is the Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly.
But there are there 8 black spots you say!
The outer spots (actually rectangles boarded by wing veins) are called
pterostigma which appear in some form on almost all Dragonflies. The 'spots'
count is of the round spots half-way down the leading edge of the wing - and yes
- there are four!
Date: 01 Aug 2022
View: DF3_20220614_1606_368 Buzzard flying overhead with large piece of Rabbit in claws.jpg
Description: This Buzzard wings past with this disgusting looking mess of very-dead Rabbit
messing up the bird's aerodynamics. The voracious chicks will be pleased.
Image Archive arch 2022 jul.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220614_1400_317+318+320 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly rolling up Proboscis 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly coils up his proboscis until it completely disappears.
View: DF3_20220615_0926_479 Small Heath Butterfly (1st of 2022) perched on windblown rubbish.jpg
Description: The first sighting of a Small Heath Butterfly this year - choosing a piece
of wind-blown rubbish to perch on :-(
Date: 30 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220612_1220_240 3 Thick-legged Flower Beetle on Oxeye Daisy Flower.jpg
Description: On an Oxeye daisy flower are 3 Thick-legged Flower Beetles.
Only the 2 males here have the leg bulges.
View: DF3_20220610_1107_014 2 Dog Rose flowers bleached by sunlight.jpg
Description: A pretty pair of Dog Rose flowers, already bleached white by the sunshine.
Date: 29 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220612_0919_212 Black-tailed Skimmer fame on corrugated Iron sheet.jpg
Description: We seem to have Black-tailed Skimmer Dragonflies this year, here perched on the
warm Corrugated Iron sheet intended to attract snakes underneath.
View: D72_20220613_1223_031 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly male.jpg
Description: A Few Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies are still to be found in the middle of warm days.
Here a male ...
View: DF3_20220615_1102_532 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly female with wings slightly offset.jpg
Description: ... and here a female with wings misaligned so you can see 3 of the 4 pseudo-pterostigma.
'Pseudo' because they are white rather than the usual dark - in this species (and the Banded
Demoiselle) only the females have any mark at this position.
Date: 28 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220610_1641_023-20220613_1239_047 Mullein in concrete crack hosts Mullein Moth caterpillar 3+2+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: Each year a Mullein plant pops up from a crack in a concrete block blocking
the unused end of our access track.
This year the block-bound plant has been 'invaded' by Mullein Moth Caterpillars
who have stripped the plant of leaves and left it to wither.
Will we see the plant again next year? Most probably!
Date: 27 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220612_0532_060+064+065 Pied Wagtail collecting small insects (accurate montage).jpg
Description: In the early morning (5.30 a.m.) this Wagtail diligently gathers insects to feed the chicks.
View: DF3_20220614_0818_266+267 Pied Wagtail takes off with insects in beak 2+3 of 3 (impression montage).jpg
Description: Out before the world gets too busy, this Pied Wagtail is tearing about
collecting food from the grass margin. Hundreds of frames not shown never got
to see the bird actually picking up some interesting item.
Date: 26 Jul 2022
View: D36_20220603_1611_031_FB4 Grey Squirrel using tail as umbrella.jpg
Description: Lots of rain in the last few days, and we often see Grey Squirrels using
their tails as 'umbrellas' - even though the rain seems to have stopped.
View: D72_20220604_1733_029 Grey Squirrel female grooming in sun warmed cleft of tree.jpg
Description: This female Grey squirrel is enjoying a major grooming session in a sun-warmed cleft.
In other shots nipples are clearly visible - her tummy is swollen enough
that she is probably pregnant. Yet more of the little blighters!
View: E63_20220604_1849_196_FB1 Grey Squirrel eating Banana peel held in paws.jpg
Description: Banana skin is a favourite for some of the squirrels.
View: E63_20220605_1640_019+1726_029_FB1 Grey Squirrels visiting hedge bottom (montage).jpg
Description: 10 minutes apart we assume the same Grey Squirrel practises looking innocent and twee.
Date: 25 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220607_1539_063-068 Magpie launching from concrete electricity pole 1+2+4-6 of 6 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: The human infrastructure in rural areas is full of posts and overhead
power and phone cables. The animals don't care how the perches get there,
they just use them like any tree branch.
Lots of birds stop over on this very old concrete power pole.
View: DF3_20220612_0537_073 Chiffchaff dwarfed by 11kV power cable.jpg
Description: This Chiffchaff is utterly dwarfed by the 11kV power cable high overhead.
Date: 24 Jul 2022
View: PK1_20220612_1350_950-998 Great Spotted Woodpecker female collects broken peanut & flies off with it 1-4+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: Mum Great Spotted Woodpecker breaks and collects a peanut fragment and flies off
to cram it into the ever-open beak of her youngster waiting in the trees behind.
View: D5C_20220613_0813_010+003 Great Spotted Woodpecker female feeding juvenile 2+1 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: A day after the mother Great Spotted Woodpecker was photographed collecting bits
of Peanuts at the Kitchen Window feeder, we catch this moment of what we assume is the
same adult taking a just extracted piece of peanut and giving it to the juvenile below.
We never get the extraction phase at the site - Mum is always hidden by the tube of nuts!
Date: 23 Jul 2022
View: E63_20220611_1647_146_FB1 Magpie at hedge bottom with peanuts in beak.jpg
Description: At he hedge bottom site you can cram your beak with peanuts ...
View: D01_20220611_1658_157_FB6 Magpie with beak crammed with peanuts with huge Dog Rose bush in background.jpg
Description: ... and something like a minute later, stops off on the way home before braving
the nest-full of screaming youngsters!
Date: 22 Jul 2022
View: D72_20220609_0656_005-0658_017 Hare on alert crouches down before running off 1+3+4+6+7 of 19 (impression montage).jpg
Description: An earlyish morning (7 a.m.) walk finds this Hare on alert almost 100 metres away..
We started walking towards the Hare who inexplicably moved across a concrete
track towards us, and then gradually folded back the wonderful ears before
crouching down in the short grass probably hoping to be rendered invisible.
This sequence is a construct to show the change in position of the hare, including
major relocations and approximate changes of scale from both the Hare and
the humans moving. But this 3 minutes of change is a genuine reflection of what
happened in a strange sort of slow-motion.
View: D72_20220609_0658_021-031 Hare on alert crouches down before running off 08-18 (alternate) of 19 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: Eventually the Hare seemed to realise that his hiding posture was doing no good at
all, so ran off into the crop out of frame to the left.
One and a quarter seconds of the run shown here.
View: DF3_20220612_0907_138 Hare crouching by wheat crop with whiskers splayed symmetrically.jpg
Description: Away from the Road, Hares hang around a little longer.
This one is crouched at the edge of the crop watching us.
Date: 21 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220607_0836_007+008+011 Yellowhammer male singing in top of hedge across main road (montage).jpg
Description: From behind a hedge on one side of the main road this Yellowhammer
could only see our heads and didn't take fright as he sang to the world.
Unfortunately traffic noise completely obliterated his song for us. -
a known problem for birds nesting near roads and in towns.
Date: 20 Jul 2022
View: E64_20220602_1435_028+1024_015_FB2 Moorhen stepping over log showing multiple foot positions (montage).jpg
Description: Our industrious moorhen here gives a good view of the multi-purpose legs and feet
in various positions.
Date: 19 Jul 2022
View: E63_20220529_2124_380_FB1 2 Badgers sharing hedge bottom.jpg
Description: Two badgers at the hedge bottom site - we think a youngster and Mum or Dad
off the right side.
View: E63_20220529_2353_381_FB1 Badger at hedge bottom (orig & final).jpg
Description: 2 hours later this Badger has a look at the offerings.
More than likely not either of the 2 we saw together.
View: BU5_20220607_0240_163+165_SC1 Fox sitting under cherry tree gazes upwards 1+3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Sitting by the Round Pond seems to be a favourite bit of behaviour for this fox
who seems to be gazing upwards at an overhanging branch of a large cherry tree.
Perhaps a Pheasant is almost irresistibly perched in the elevated sanctuary.
Date: 18 Jul 2022
View: E60_20220605_1954_008_FB3 Sparrowhawk female landing on Kitchen Window Perch.jpg
Description: After weeks of absence to female Sparrowhawk comes in to land
on the Kitchen Window perch as the evening darkens.
View: E60_20220608_1303_142_FB3 Sparrowhawk female landing on Kitchen window perch.jpg
Description: Three days later in mid-afternoon the female Sparrowhawk makes another visit.
Photographically inferior but lovely to see.
Date: 17 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220603_1019_077 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly male.jpg
Description: The Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies are to be found in well separated
spots of shelter and sun. There are far fewer than last year when at least
50 spent midday on a south facing stretch of hedge.
We notice that these delicate creatures (in fact Damselflies in general) seem
to remain pristine - presumably they do not frequent bramble patch where
the prickles tend to damage wing edges.
Here is a male ...
View: DF3_20220603_1026_090 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly female.jpg
Description: and here a female.
View: D72_20220604_1733_017 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly female perched on 3 leaves.jpg
Description: A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly managing to perch on
3 leaves simultaneously - and still look elegant.
Date: 16 Jul 2022
View: BU5_20220603_1755_289_SC1 Moorhen adult runs to find more food for chick on Round Pond bank - first chick of 2022.jpg
Description: So far the ONLY direct evidence we have that there are Moorhen
chicks about - the black blob on the right is definitely a Moorhen chick.
View: E64_20220604_0518_182_FB2 Moorhen with insect in beak (crop).jpg
Description: Another adult Moorhen taking food in the opposite direction - so
there must be another brood hatched even if we don't know where it is.
View: E64_20220606_1132_102+0802_084+20220605_1827_021_FB2 Moorhen carrying food to chicks (montage).jpg
Description: Our busy Moorhen here carrying food across the Woodland site for the chicks
hidden in a nest somewhere. Left to right the bird seems to be carrying
Unknown, a large fly and a small damselfly we can't ID.
Date: 15 Jul 2022
View: E60_20220603_1323_074+1327_075_FB3 Great Spotted Woodpecker female leaves juvenile returning in 4 mins with food (montage).jpg
Description: Mum Great Spotted Woodpecker flies off, 4 minutes later returning with a beakful for her youngster.
View: E60_20220603_1327_075_FB3 Great Spotted Woodpecker female feeds juvenile on perch (close crop).jpg
Description: More detail of Mum about to stuff the food into juniors open gape.
View: E60_20220604_2019_113_FB3 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile flies over female on perch.jpg
Description: The Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker flies in to land next to Mum.
Date: 14 Jul 2022
View: D01_20220602_1658_045_FB6 Magpie on Meadow Post manipulating long awkward twig for nest.jpg
Description: These crazy shapes pieces of twig are the result of last years hedge cutting.
Farmers generally use a flail cutter which smashes the wood to small
pieces, but our manually handled electric pole cutters leave the pieces whole.
View: E63_20220607_1705_123_FB1 Magpie feeding juvenile.jpg
Description: FEED ME.
Date: 13 Jul 2022
View: D72_20220602_0650_146-167 Hare ambles towards us along Farm Road but runs back 02+05+08+11+14+16 of 34 (acc montage @8fps).jpg
Description: This pristine Hare is probably a youngster inexperienced in the dangers of being
near Humans. Over a few minutes this one wandered up the Farm Road towards us
until perhaps 10 metres away. The Hare turned sideways and stopped, assessing
the 2 stationary creatures (us) standing on the grass.
View: D72_20220602_0650_168-181 Hare ambles towards us along Farm Road but runs back 17+20+22-30 (alts) of 34 (acc montage @8fps).jpg
Description: Deciding that it was time to depart with a soupcon of haste, the Hare did an
about-turn and accelerated off.
The first image pics are about 375mS apart and still quite close
This image shows gaps of about 250mS apart and more spread out anyway
Date: 12 Jul 2022
View: BUA_20220527_0210_044_SC8-D72_20220529_1735_006 Muntjac Reeves Deer male loses both antlers in 2 days (montage).jpg
Description: We recognise this male Reeves Muntjac Deer from the length and curve
of his Antlers and facial markings, so are confident that each of these pics
is of the same individual losing first one and then the other Antler over 2 days.
Top Left: BUA_20220527_0210_044_SC8 27 May 2022 02:10 Both Antlers present
Top Right: BU9_20220528_1029_047_SC2 28 May 2022 10:29 Left Antler absent
Bottom Left: BU8_20220528_1203_161 28 May 2022 12:03 Right antler rubbed with rear hoof
Bottom Right D72_20220529_1735_006 29 May 2022 17:35 Both Antlers gone
We guess that in the bottom left pic the remaining antler was becoming loose and
was irritating the Deer.
We remember years ago in a wildlife film seeing a large antler falling from a
much larger deer, and the surprise the animal showed at the suddenly unbalanced head.
We doubt that the small Antlers of Muntjac Deer have a serious unbalancing effect.
Date: 11 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220527_0900_031-0902_037 Harlequin Ladybirds 1-4 of 4 (montage from 3 minute selection).jpg
Description: Harlequin Ladybirds are very variable - even the two bottom left obviously
know that the different markings don't matter!
View: DF3_20220529_0931_035 Scorpion Fly female.jpg
Description: A female Scorpion Fly - so no 'scorpion' tail.
Date: 10 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220527_1118_043 Cloudscape - ghost Swallows gathering on cable (cloud & contrail moving as one) (orig & final).jpg
Description: Clouds are interesting at this time of year, and the human pattern-creating brain
can't resist seeing things in the patterns.
Here we imagine a cable (probably a contrail) through the sky with Swallows fluttering around it.
View: D72_20220601_1625_104 Cloud mountain in snow surrounded by ring of cloud (crop).jpg
Description: On a grander scale we imagine a snow-topped mountain surrounded by
a ring of cloud at a lower altitude, like you really see around volcanos.
View: DF3_20220529_0524_175 Sunrise over pineham farm (orig & final).jpg
Description: And then there are the abstract moment in the sky.
Date: 09 Jul 2022
View: D36_20220528_0353_040_FB4 Tawny Owl landing on tree stump (crop).jpg
Description: A Tawny Owl stops on the tree stump in the woodland.
Date: 08 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220527_1241_062 Spindle Ermine Moth caterpillars clumped at end of vertical silk thread.jpg
Description: Here a dozen Spindle Ermine Caterpillars seem to arrived at
the 'End of their tether' - quite literally.
View: D72_20220531_1015_039 Ermine moth caterpillars clustered under leaf.jpg
Description: The Saga of the Spindle Ermine Moth seems to be nearing it's end.
Under a leaf we find this 100 or so in a clump.
View: D72_20220531_1016_040 Ermine moth caterpillars hanging on vertical silk thread.jpg
Description: A metre away we find dozens more clinging to this vertical thread.
This has been an exceptional year for these moths. The adults are
said to be about from June to September, so we hope they provide
good feeding for the new crop of birds building up their bodies ready for Winter.
And the moths are rather pretty as well!
View: DF3_20220607_0844_020 Spindle Ermine Moth Caterpillars wrapped in Spindle leaves.jpg
Description: The mass showing this year of Spindle Ermine Moth caterpillar has effected every
one of our Spindle Trees - we haven't counted, but we planted 25 about thirty years ago
and most of them 'took'. Damage varies from perhaps 30% loss of foliage
to about 10 of the trees stripped completely bare of leaves.
Date: 07 Jul 2022
View: D01_20220530_1030_008+_0846_003_FB6 2 Magpie landings on Meadow post one with food pellet in beak (montage over 2Hrs).jpg
Description: A couple of Magpie landings.
The bird on the left seems to have some sort of food pellet in the beak.
If one of our neighbours tells us what it is we will insert the info here.
View: D35_20220601_0815_067 Magpie carrying hedge cutting for nest.jpg
Description: Its looks like its nest building time again for this Magpie.
Date: 06 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220527_1253_077 Azure Damselfly male perched on grass blade.jpg
Description: The colour of some mature Damselflies is quite remarkable.
If they were not so small they would be lauded as amazing.
View: DF3_20220527_0903_039 Micro-moth Nemophora degeerella perched on leaf.jpg
Description: This rather pretty Micro-Moth has no common name. The out-of-proportion antennae are
many times the length of the insects body.
View: DF3_20220528_0911_159 Hover-fly (maybe Helophilus pendulus) (crop).jpg
Description: The species of this Hover-fly is uncertain.
References images with similar markings all have much more dominant black.
Pleased to meet you even if we don't know what you are!
Date: 05 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220527_0858_028 Cinnabar moth on short grass.jpg
Description: Cinnabar Moths seem to be unusually plentiful this year.
View: DF3_20220527_1236_051 Cinnabar Moth clinging to underside of grass blade.jpg
Description: How you usually (don't) see Cinnabar moths - hiding behind and under leaves.
View: DF3_20220527_1455_103 Blood-vein Moth (timandra comea) (orig).jpg
Description: A 'Blood-vein Moth hiding in foliage.
The 'Blood vein' is just coloured scales - nothing nasty.
Date: 04 Jul 2022
View: BU7_20220525_0635_037 Muntjac Reeves Deer female barking at end of orchard 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: We didn't hear her ourselves, but here a female Reeves' Muntjac Deer greets the day.
She may be calling a fawn - see next image.
View: BUA_20220601_0558_122+123_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn with mother (montage for clarity).jpg
Description: The morning provides awful lighting for this first Reeves' Muntjac Fawn this year,
quietly following Mum towards the rising sun.
Date: 03 Jul 2022
View: DF3_20220528_0905_131 Spindle Ermine moth caterpillars (Yponomeata cagnagella) cling to metres long 20 silk threads on Spindle Tree 1 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: Continuing the story of the Ermine Moth caterpillars: a walk down a 20 metre
long path found our way blocked by about 20 silk threads hanging from a Spindle
Tree about 4 metres above. Clinging to the thread were hundreds of caterpillars
we have to believe to be Spindle Ermine Moths. Much harder to photograph than
to see, here is an attempt to catch the hanging wall of threads.
View: DF3_20220528_0906_142 Spindle Ermine moth caterpillars (Yponomeata cagnagella) cling to metres long 20 silk threads on Spindle Tree 3 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: Looking up we see the same nets of silk we saw in the hedge, but this time
several metres up in the Spindle tree.
View: D72_20220530_0708_050 Spindle Ermine Moth caterpillars on hanging silk threads.jpg
Description: 2 days later only a few of the threads used by the Spindle Ermine Moth Caterpillars remain.
Here a camera flash makes them clearer.
View: D72_20220530_0708_051 Spindle Ermine Moth caterpillars on hanging silk threads.jpg
Description: This is the clump of Spindle Ermine Moth caterpillars in the middle of the above image,
but photographed with flash from the other side.
Date: 02 Jul 2022
View: D01_20220525_1128_181_FB6 Wood pigeon settling wings after landing with tail fully spread.jpg
Description: Isn't it wonderful how birds can manipulate their feathers?
The tail is spread into almost a complete semi-circle.
View: D01_20220524_1142_078+79_FB6 Wood Pigeon lands on Meadow Post displacing another (mirrored montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: We rarely get pictures of birds leaving the Meadow post (a technical matter) so
were surprised to get these two usable moments 3 hours apart.
View: D01_20220524_1448_092+093_FB6 Wood Pigeon launching from Meadow Post (approx montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: We rarely get pictures of birds leaving the Meadow post (a technical matter) so
were surprised to get these two usable moments 3 hours apart.
Date: 01 Jul 2022
View: D01_20220519_2215_051+2216_053_FB6 Tawny Owl on Meadow Post with Black Bird prey in right talons 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: At 75 minutes after sunset it is almost completely dark. This Tawny Owl arrives
on the meadow post carrying some sort of Black Bird in his right Talons.
It's unlikely to be Rook or Jackdaw, and there is not enough white to be a Magpie,
too small for a Moorhen, so our best guess is a male Blackbird.
The image to the right is 1 minute later.
Another minute later both had departed.
The Owl may have landed on the kitchen perch or Tree stump to eat it, but as
Murphy's law would have it, this was the night that the RCD tripped on the North
side camera cabling in thunderstorm, so we will never know.
Image Archive arch 2022 jun.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220519_1621_080 Brimstone Butterfly male feeding on Red Campion flower.jpg
Description: A male Brimstone butterfly 'tanking up' from a Red Campion flower.
View: D72_20220518_1237_072+073 Peacock Butterfly on Buttercup + 2 Thick-legged Flower Beetle (oedemera nobilis) females on Buttercup (accurate montage for focus).jpg
Description: A Peacock Butterfly feeding on a Buttercup almost entirely hidden by the insect.
On the adjacent Buttercup we see two female Thick-legged Flower Beetles.
The females don't have the characteristic legs bulges that give the species their name.
View: DF3_20220522_1045_101 Tortoiseshell Butterfly (very worn) feeding on Buttercup.jpg
Description: This Tortoiseshell Butterfly must have overwintered, and while faded and
a bit pecked was still flying well, here re-fuelling on a Buttercup.
Date: 29 Jun 2022
View: E64_20220513_0928_134+20220514_0844+245+20220513_0721_126_FB2 Moorhen carrying nest lining materials west over Woodland site 3+5+2 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: We still don't know where the nest is, but this little fellow is still hard
at work finding stuff to build it up.
View: E64_20220515_0647_302_FB2 Moorhen steps over woodland log.jpg
Description: Our diligent Moorhen making his way back 'empty beaked' as usual.
View: E64_20220521_1130_190-20220519_0827_009_FB2 Moorhen crosses Woodland site to west with nesting & food over 3 days (montage).jpg
Description: Presumably the same Moorhen is still relentlessly carrying nesting and (left & latest image) food
across the woodland site towards the main pond. Either the nest is in the pond very well disguised,
or is up a tree hidden by leaves. Either way we hope the Rooks don't find it!
View: E64_20220520_1853_148+1406_095+20220521_0649_168_FB2 Moorhen returning from west never with anything in beak (montage).jpg
Description: Timing of between 4 and 8 minutes between carrying stuff across and coming back unladen suggests
that this is the same bird. Moorhen are hard working little creatures we greatly admire.
This is moorhen.me.uk web site after all!
Date: 28 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220519_1458_068 Four-spotted Chaser female - first of 2022 (crop).jpg
Description: A 'four-spotted chaser' Dragonfly - this is the first we have seen for since
2012 (10 years ago) and are delighted to see one again. We couldn't find any
larval cases around the pond where they used to breed, but we are not good at
spotting these things.
In May 1999 we photographed the emergence sequence of this insect (using a
slightly different common species name) you can see at
http://www.moorhen.me.uk/dflyem.htm
Date: 27 Jun 2022
View: D72_20220518_1240_078 Hairy Dragonfly male - 1st of 2022 (crop).jpg
Description: This Hairy Dragonfly was initially disturbed while cutting overhanging brambles
and he flew away. Returning a couple of hours later with no real
expectation of finding the insect again, he had returned to its
favoured sun-warmed patch for this photo. Hairy Dragonflies are
one of the earliest to appear each year. Dragonflies rest with
their wings outstretched as you see here.
View: DF3_20220519_1236_013 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly female perched on leaf with intense shadow.jpg
Description: Damselflies perch with their 4 wings aligned along their backs.
Here a female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly with aligned wings casting a deep shadow.
View: D72_20220518_1245_098 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly fluttering wings.jpg
Description: Here we catch a male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly momentarily
fluttering his four wings as they sometimes do when perched.
Date: 26 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220517_1538_079+085 Azure Damselfly male sucking fluid from prey item & then dropping it (montage).jpg
Description: We came across this Azure Damselfly perched on a leaf sucking dry a midge
(or something) it had caught. Perhaps half a minute later he dropped the
'empty' husk you can see below him.
Date: 25 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220517_0846_031 Small Yellow Underwing Moth (Panemeria tenebrata) (typically 9mm) feeding on Buttercup (crop).jpg
Description: This one of the thousands of buttercups around is right by the back-door.
This moth is about 9mm across - one of a family of micro lepidoptera
that are fascinating but size makes them hard to study.
View: DF3_20220517_1540_086 Green Carpet Moth.jpg
Description: This Green Carpet moth landed inside a bush.
The green colour of the insect soon becomes bleached - this is the greenest
one we have ever seen, though this might be enhanced by light
being tinged by the surrounding foliage.
View: DF3_20220517_0846_033 Scorpion Fly female - 1st of 2022.jpg
Description: The first appearance this year of a 'Scorpion Fly' - this is a female that doesn't
have the scorpion-like tail tip that gives the species it's name.
Date: 24 Jun 2022
View: E60_20220516_1956_021_FB3 Stock Dove landing on Kitchen perch - 1st of 2022.jpg
Description: We haven't seen a Stock Dove for many months.
This one has made several appearances since this moment of discovery.
View: E60_20220517_1852_055_FB3 Stock Dove landing on Kitchen perch.jpg
Description: Next evening the Stock Dove visits again for this rather Quirky portrait.
View: E60_20220517_1947_056_FB3 Stock Dove about to land next to Wood Pigeon.jpg
Description: Another hour on a third landing for the Stock Dove, this time with a
Wood Pigeon already perched. Similar size but different eye colour,
no white flash and different coloured beak.
Date: 23 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220514_1417_029 Burnet Rose hosting Bumble Bee (1st of 2022 - 2 weeks earlier than 2021).jpg
Description: The first Burnet Rose this year - 2 weeks earlier than last year.
This species has an abundance of perfume you can smell from yards away.
View: D72_20220516_1548_009 Dog Rose after rain.jpg
Description: A Dog Rose delicately spangled with raindrops.
This classic 'first rose of spring' has only a hint of perfume.
Date: 22 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220515_0846_039 Hare on field margin south of hedge near Pineham Farm 01 of 10 (crop).jpg
Description: This hare about 50m away didn't seem bothered by us, and carried on as usual.
View: DF3_20220515_0847_046-054 Hare on field margin south of hedge near Pineham Farm 02-10 of 10 (aligned montage).jpg
Description: The Hare moved onto the mown patch in the field margin and ambled
about before disappearing into the rank grass.
View: DF3_20220515_0848_061 2 Red-legged Partridges on field margin North of hedge.jpg
Description: Wondering whether the Hare might appear on the other side of the hedge
we took a look, but instead found a couple of Red-legged Partridges.
Not pleased to see us they quickly took flight low over the crop.
The horrible yellow is the farmer's weed-killing the edge of the crop.
Date: 21 Jun 2022
View: E6A_20220513_1901_172_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer male (full Antlers) head detail.jpg
Description: A 'pin-up' shot of the most mature (well best Antlers anyway) male Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
Note his tiny Tusk (Marie calls them 'Vampire Bambis'!) and torn but healed ears.
View: BU9_20220515_1105_244+246+1106_248_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male browsing across end of orchard (montage).jpg
Description: The long Antlered male Reeves' Muntjac Deer quietly browsing across the end of the orchard.
View: BU9_20220517_0712_067+070_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male browsing at end of orchard (accurate montage).jpg
Description: 2 days later we get a closer view of an approach towards the camera.
View: BU5_20220516_1850_063+066+067_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female browses along edge of Round Pond (montage).jpg
Description: A female Reeves' Muntjac Deer browses quietly along the edge of Round Pond.
Date: 20 Jun 2022
View: D72_20220512_1351_014 Silk meshes in south facing hedge (poss Ermine Moth caterpillars) with 2x insert 1 of 3.jpg
Description: One patch of the south side of the south hedge becomes a 'nursery' for
hundred of what we think are Ermine Moth caterpillars.
The caterpillars 'hide' behind sheet of silk in groups a a few dozen.
View: D72_20220512_1353_029 Silk meshes in south facing hedge (poss Ermine Moth caterpillars) 3 of 3.jpg
Description: The stretch of hedge showing the density of the clusters
View: DF3_20220517_1046_038 Patches of hedge stripped of leaves by Ermine Moth Caterpillars (orig & final).jpg
Description: 5 Days later there is not a caterpillar to be seen.
The previously occupied areas are completely stripped of leaves.
Date: 19 Jun 2022
View: BU8_20220511_2037_196+198+199+2038_202 Fox visits Duck Pond 1+3+4+7 of 7 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Not yet quite dark, and Reynard is already on the prowl.
View: BU5_20220513_2016_280_SC1 Fox creeping up on prey - ears pricked.jpg
Description: A Fox most definitely 'on the hunt'.
View: BU9_20220517_0155_053_SC2 Fox hunting in grass at end of Orchard.jpg
Description: This Fox is hunting at the end of the Orchard at 2 a.m.
Is the front leg raised ready to pounce?
Date: 18 Jun 2022
View: E64_20220511_0952_145-20220512_0636_252_FB2 Moorhen carrying nest materials to west over Woodland site 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: Surprise!
We have been assuming that if Moorhen are nesting then they are on the more remote
Duck Pond, Round Pond, or a tree in that area.
Here 4 times over 24 hours we see this Moorhen obviously carrying transporting nesting
material towards the main pond near the house.
Date: 17 Jun 2022
View: BU5_20220510_0934_134_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female + Daffodils + Cow Parsley +Dock + Forget-me-not + Garlic Mustard.jpg
Description: No, not a still from Disney's Bambi, but capturing a moment of peace at Round
pond.
Bottom upward we see the now 'finished' Daffodils, one of female Reeves' Muntjac Deer,
Cow Parsley, Dock, Forget-me-not and Garlic Mustard. Oh, and some grass to fill the gaps.
Date: 16 Jun 2022
View: E63_20220508_1758_295_FB1 Grey Squirrel and pheasant male confrontation at hedge bottom (orig & final).jpg
Description: It seems that the male Pheasant (Silverback) will defend his patch from this
otherwise aggressive Grey Squirrel.
View: E6A_20220506_1637_154_FB5 2 Grey Squirrels squabbling watched by distant Wood Pigeon.jpg
Description: A sort of 'Aerial Ballet' but with claws and teeth!
View: E63_20220509_1641_051_FB1 Grey Squirrel reaching sideways.jpg
Description: "What Me - chase off innocent little birds, other squirrels or annoy the Pheasants?"
Date: 15 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220508_0544_299 Heron outside east hedge takes off towards camera (@7fps erratic) 03 of 55 (crop).jpg
Description: Out on a dull morning shortly after an 'invisible' sunrise we unexpectedly find a Heron
on the grass margin outside the South hedge. This patch is an especially good place
to feed on worms, and about 10 Rooks were also spread over the area probing the ground.
View: DF3_20220508_0544_335-337 Heron outside east hedge takes off towards camera (@7fps erratic) 33-35 of 55 (approx montage).jpg
Description: The Heron sees us and decided to leave, but unexpectedly flies towards us before
veering to the right to fly over the south-east corner of the
hedges.
These are close to accurately positioned. The camera was struggling to maintain
focus in the poor light, the gaps between frames was somewhat erratic.
View: DF3_20220508_0544_340+343-345 Heron outside east hedge takes off towards camera (@7fps erratic) 38+41-43 of 55 (impression montage).jpg
Description: As the bird turned the corner against the bland sky, the bird gets caught in the
swirling wind and started to make all sort of interesting twists. We have no way
of building an accurate flight montage, so here an interpretation of about 1 second
of flight. These are in proper left to right order but unknown relative positions.
View: DF3_20220508_0544_349-351 Heron outside east hedge takes off towards camera (@7fps erratic) 47-49 of 55 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Finally the Heron starts flying North down the East hedge and we have some trees
to provide a frame of reference for accurate positioning.
Date: 14 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220507_1628_280 Cardinal Beetle.jpg
Description: A Red Cardinal Beetle - the first seen in 2022.
View: DF3_20220508_1045_422+1046_425 2 Snails on dead Teasel stalks (montage).jpg
Description: Two Snails on old Teasel stems.
You can see the form of the shell patterns are the same, but the
intensity and consistency are very variable.
Date: 13 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220506_1331_200 Orange-tip Butterfly male feeding on Green Alkanet Flower (crop).jpg
Description: An Orange-tip Butterfly feeding of the (blue!) flowers of Green Alkanet.
The insects Proboscis extends right to left from the insects head, down the
edge of the petal and then into the flower.
Enjoy the intricate green on white pattern on the lower surface of the wings.
View: DF3_20220507_1628_281+286 Holly Blue Butterfly female (montage).jpg
Description: Two views of a female Holly Blue Butterfly.
Females have much darker markings on the wings tips than the males.
View: DF3_20220508_1615_440 Speckled Wood Butterfly.jpg
Description: A remarkably pristine Speckled Wood Butterfly, probably fresh out of the Chrysalis.
This species has 3 broods per year and we see them throughout the summer.
Date: 12 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220505_1801_135 Hare in long grass near garage.jpg
Description: At least one Brown Hare is visiting out little patch.
Here 20m away near the garage ...
View: DF3_20220505_1815_143 Hare outside study patio doors.jpg
Description: ... and 15 minutes later right outside the Patio doors of the 'study'.
View: BU9_20220506_1916_043+045_SC2 Hare (juvenile (q)) at end of orchard (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A different individual Hare we think, judging by the different markings on the ears.
This one bounding to the spot before stopping completely still.
Date: 11 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220514_1419_038 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies female (left) + male immatures - first of 2022 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: First Odonata (Dragonflies et al) this year is the now annual uncanny visitation by
Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies started on the especially warm Saturday 14 May 2022.
Only a handful seen - all but one in the 'usual' place near the South East corner in the
parallel south facing hedges. Mixed sexes of obviously immature individuals.
Date: 10 Jun 2022
View: D72_20220505_0706_026 Horse Chestnut tree near Pikes Farm in full bloom (crop).jpg
Description: This Horse Chestnut tree across a field has delighted us for the last 30 years
with this generous show of candles.
View: D72_20220505_0706_027 Horse chestnut candle (ist of 2022).jpg
Description: Our own Horse Chestnut trees from an assortment of sources are only just
starting to flower. This is the first candle we spotted from the outside of
our south hedge some 5 metres up the tree.
Date: 09 Jun 2022
View: BU5_20220503_0018_141_SC1 Roe Deer male with bare antlers at edge of Round Pond.jpg
Description: This Roe Deer makes another short passage through our patch, here
stopping for a drink from the Round Pond.
View: BUA_20220503_0036_087_SC8 Roe Deer male reaching up east inner hedge to eat leaves 3 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: The final view of the male Roe Deer finds him reaching up for some
fresh foliage near the east hedge gap.
View: BUA_20220504_2007_162_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer male staring upwards in east hedge gap.jpg
Description: This smaller male Reeves' Muntjac Deer at the same camera can't reach as high!
Date: 08 Jun 2022
View: DF3_20220430_1627_056 Orange-tip Butterfly male feeding on Garlic Mustard flower - both sides of wing showing (crop).jpg
Description: This has been a great year for seeing Orange-tip butterflies, possible because
the area is now 'infested' with Garlic Mustard 'weeds'. Garlic Mustard is the
caterpillars food plant (so where the females lay their eggs) but they also
feed on the flowers as well as those of Dandelions and most other
flowers.
This pic catches the insects proboscis curving round into a flower, and also
shows the very different top and bottom of the wing. The green tracery on the
bottom of the wing is absolutely beautiful, and provides good camouflage when
resting in foliage with the wings closed upwards.
View: DF3_20220430_1333_021 Orange-tip Butterfly male courts Small White female (q).jpg
Description: Whoops!
The male Orange-tip Butterfly woos a female Small White butterfly.
They spend about a minute fluttering around each other before they
spot their mistake and part 'amicably'.
Date: 07 Jun 2022
View: D36_20220429_1857_053_FB4 Grey Squirrel with Rodent in mouth (crop 2 with 2x insert).jpg
Description: For years we have been putting dead mice on this tree-stump, only to see
Squirrels completely ignoring them, and Magpies (previously Jackdaws)
taking them away.
Not having recently caught anything other than live mice (released elsewhere)
we suddenly get this single image of a Squirrel apparently swallowing some
sort of rodent we are sure we didn't leave there.
A WWW search indicates that Squirrels prefer nuts and seeds but will eat a
rodent if they can catch one. But our experience suggests that it will not eat
them as carrion.
Date: 06 Jun 2022
View: E60_20220429_1803_030_FB3 Wood Pigeon lands behind another on Kitchen bird table.jpg
Description: Hi There!
View: E60_20220502_1414_009_FB3 Wood Pigeon dislodges perch clamped to bird table.jpg
Description: The perch on the kitchen window feeder is clamped in place.
Obviously the clamp has become a bit loose and the arrival of
this heavy bird is the 'final straw' to dislodge it.
Birds must forever try to land on branches that bend or break,
so the Pigeon probably didn't give it another thought.
View: E60_20220502_1749_015_FB3 Wood Pigeon pair squeezed onto small bird table after perch collapses.jpg
Description: "I'm sure there was more room here before".
Date: 05 Jun 2022
View: E64_20220429_0717_139-20220430_0541_229_FB2 Moorhen at Woodland site over 22Hrs - genuine pair at right (montage).jpg
Description: Couldn't resist this largely accurate montage of this Moorhen crossing over the log
at the woodland site over a day and following night. At the right end is a moment
of a genuine pair feeding together - the other four are solitary visits.
View: E64_20220501_0704_282_FB2 Moorhen crossing woodland site looking back at camera.jpg
Description: A Moorhen again crossing the Log at the Woodland site, this time moving away
from the camera but looking back. The land / weed-clogged water compromise feet
are well displayed.
Date: 04 Jun 2022
View: E63_20220428_1850_116_FB1 Dunnock attacking Chaffinch female (orig).jpg
Description: The female Chaffinch on the ground doesn't look the least 'ready-to-flee'.
View: D36_20220429_1838_052_FB4 Robin with feathers lost in fight.jpg
Description: "You should see the other guy!"
Date: 03 Jun 2022
View: E64_20220428_1838_099+1910_108_FB2 Grey Squirrel attacking Moorhen twice in 30m (montage).jpg
Description: Over 30 minutes the camera catches probably the same Grey Squirrel
chasing away probably the same Moorhen.
View: E63_20220429_1822_202+1826_203+1828_204_FB1 Grey Squirrel and Pheasant male skirmishes over 6 mins 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: At the hedge bottom we have a more even contest - squirrel teeth and claws vs.
Pheasant spurs. Looks like the Pheasant eventually 'won' the skirmish.
View: E63_20220418_1737_057_FB1 Grey Squirrel leaping from top of stone.jpg
Description: Rear feet already off the ground as this Grey Squirrel starts his leap
at some poor unfortunate interloper out of the cameras view.
Date: 02 Jun 2022
View: E63_20220427_0040_144_FB1 Roe Deer male - 3 points in velvet just starting to emerge (crop).jpg
Description: This male Roe Deer spent several hours wandering around the plot,
taking a variety of IR monochrome Selfies as he went.
This is the only one at a hi-resolution site.
We count 3 Antler points (per Antler), one of which has just started to emerge
from the 'velvet'.
Date: 01 Jun 2022
View: E64_20220425_1248_031_FB2-BU9_2136_061_SC2 Fox kills & carries away Mallard Duck female 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: Sad event of the week is the death of one of the female Mallard Ducks.
Left to right:-
1 12:48 Our last sighting of what may be her, walking over the Woodland site.
2 20:35 A Fox showing excessive interest in the Duck-shaped pond, appearing several
times at irregular intervals.
3 20:51 Probably the same fox walking over Round Mound.
4 21:36 The Fox walks past the camera at the end of the orchard carrying a dead female Mallard Duck.
Five days later we spotted a female Mallard Duck, dutifully followed by 'her' male, entering the
main pond by the house. We really have no idea what is going on!
View: BU8_20220426_1944_181+183+1945_184 Fox walks to edge of Duck Pond and sits down 1+3+4 of 4 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Next day this very obviously 'Red' Fox walks up to the Duck Pond, and spends at least a
minute sitting, we are sure not really admiring the Daffodils!
Image Archive arch 2022 may.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 May 2022
View: E63_20220426_1010_073_FB1 Yellowhammer male with blue beak coating partly chipped away.jpg
Description: A male Yellowhammer in all his breeding season glory.
Noticing a mark on his beak, we suddenly realised that breeding
male Yellowhammers have a similar blue coating on the beak to that we see on Chaffinches.
Here it is more visible because part of it has been chipped off.
In all that glory of yellow it is easy not to notice a small patch of blue.
View: E64_20220428_0540_179_FB2 2 Moorhen at woodland site.jpg
Description: What is presumably a 'pair' of Moorhen scratch around at the woodland site at first light.
We don't know what these secretive birds are doing here, and we are playing the 'waiting game'.
The wonderful red and yellow bills maintain their colour throughout the year.
Date: 30 May 2022
View: D72_20220424_1222_073 Holly Blue Butterfly male (first seen 18apr2022 - visual ID only) 3 of 3.jpg
Description: We first saw a Holly Blue butterfly 6 days before this pic.
You can see both sides of the wing with similar colour but different markings.
View: D72_20220424_1220_064 Holly Blue Butterfly male sometimes attracted to white feather caught in bush (orig).jpg
Description: We noticed that this male kept fluttering by this white feather
caught in the foliage, but it didn't fool him long enough to land.
Date: 29 May 2022
View: D72_20220424_1211_048+1212_058 Bee-fly feeding on Green Alkanet flower 1+5 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: This Bee-fly was feeding on Green Alkanet flowers along the edge of the concrete
access track. You can see here how useful the long proboscis is on these
flowers. This is two pics of the same individual as they worked along the 10m
strip of flowers.
View: D72_20220424_1347_115 Orange-tip Butterfly male feeding on Garlic Mustard flower.jpg
Description: This male Orange-tip butterfly is feeding on a Garlic Mustard flower. This plant
is where the females lay their eggs so that it acts as the food plant for the
caterpillars, but the Butterflies feed on any flower they can manage.
View: D72_20220424_1223_075 Small White Butterfly male feeding on Dandelion flower.jpg
Description: A male Small White Butterfly with proboscis deep in a Dandelion.
View: D72_20220424_1338_079 Large White Butterfly male perched on Hazel leaf.jpg
Description: A male Large White butterfly perched on a Hazel leaf.
At the front of the head you can just see the coiled up Proboscis.
Date: 28 May 2022
View: D01_20220423_0101_137_FB6 Tawny Owl 2 minute visit to Meadow Post 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: A Tawny Owl makes a lovely touchdown on the Meadow Post.
View: E60_20220422_0341_044_FB3 Tawny Owl flying in to land on Kitchen perch (crop).jpg
Description: A Tawny Owl about to land on the Kitchen Window perch.
The Owl has flown along the sense beam line so the camera has triggered 'early'.
If it landed blocking the beam line then (on this camera setup) it wouldn't be
photographed again, so we don't know how long the owl stayed.
Date: 27 May 2022
View: E60_20220422_1604_062_FB3 Chaffinch male defending position on Kitchen bird table (crop).jpg
Description: NO! - I'm staying here
View: BU8_20220421_1638_079+080 2 Magpies attacking Rook near Duck Pond 1+2 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Normally corvids (here Rook and Magpie) get along quietly, but here a little
skirmish near the Duck-shaped pond got caught by the trail cam at the pond.
First thought might be that the Rook on his back is losing the contest, but by
turning over the Rook provides the best use of both beak and claws. The fracas
could only have lasted a few seconds.
Date: 26 May 2022
View: D72_20220424_1045_003-007 Hare sprinting across Farm Road 1-5 of 5 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: Sightings of running Hares are a rarity here.
Walking south up the slope of the Farm Road caught this Hare (and us) unawares somewhere
near the east or north hedge of our patch, and the Hare sprinted across the Road
in front of us and vanished into the crop. Here we capture the moment at about 8 fps
accurately positioned - you see about half a second of the sprint here
View: D72_20220424_1045_004 Hare sprinting across Farm Road 2 of 5 (crop).jpg
Description: A repeat of the obvious frame from above at better resolution.
Date: 25 May 2022
View: DF3_20220418_1319_046 Muntjac Reeves Deer female standing in tractor rut in crop (crop).jpg
Description: An unexpected sighting of a female Reeves' Muntjac Deer standing in a tractor
rut in the field to our east.
View: DF3_20220418_1320_053+054+055 Muntjac Reeves Deer female leaping through crop (Hor stretched montage @7fps exposure framed).jpg
Description: She wasn't pleased to see the humans, and made a lively exit.
Trying to catch the sequence was made harder by the discovery that the camera
was still in 'exposure framing' mode - taking 3 pics in quick sequence at
different exposures and then stopping. Hence this montage's variable quality as
the paint package magics away the different exposures but not other
variations.
View: DF3_20220418_1320_056-064 Muntjac Reeves Deer female running and pronking through crop (acc montage alternate frames @7fps).jpg
Description: The camera restored to 'normal' (this camera takes a few seconds to select and
load a new group of settings) she has made it to near the edge of field,
'pronking' her way to prove she is fit and not worth chasing. As if we could!
Date: 24 May 2022
View: DF4_20220416_1203_003 Muntjac Reeves Deer male outside kitchen window (crop 2).jpg
Description: We have at least 3 male Reeves' Muntjac Deer visiting. This one was at the main
pond chomping away at the vegetation.
If only we could get him to thin the overgrowing Iris plants!
View: D36_20220426_0722_021_FB4 Grey Squirrel gathering green and dead grass for bedding.jpg
Description: Don't remember ever seeing a Grey Squirrel collecting green grass, here mixed
with a little of the dry stuff. Off to the Dray we don't doubt.
Date: 23 May 2022
View: PK1_20220416_1011_283 Mallard Duck male standing on edge of main pond with speculum exposed.jpg
Description: Male Mallard ducks really are magnificent before they moult into 'eclipse' for the summer.
You don't usually see the Speculum (the blue Rhombus) in the resting bird.
View: E63_20220424_0946_379_FB1 Pheasant male silverback.jpg
Description: Our new male Pheasant (Silverback) still rules the roost.
Date: 22 May 2022
View: E64_20220415_1608_108_FB2 Grey Squirrel runs off with half Avocado Pear Rind.jpg
Description: The Rind from half of an Avocado pear is worth stealing away to eat in peace.
View: PK1_20220420_1045_332 Grey Squirrel sunbathing on bird table.jpg
Description: This Grey Squirrel is spread out to catch the warmth of the sun, and probably
the UV rays needed to manufacture vitamin D.
View: D36_20220420_1752_048_FB4 Grey Squirrel first to freshly baited tree stump.jpg
Description: This Grey squirrel is the first to the just placed 'bait' on the tree-stump.
Date: 21 May 2022
View: BU9_20220419_0305_043_SC2-BU8_20220419_0328_107 Roe Deer male 4 points in velvet at 6 cams in 20 mins 1-6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: This male Roe Deer (of 3 individual males seem in the last couple of weeks)
spent 20 minutes wandering around the site. The Deer entered at the south hedge
(but NOT at the camera that monitors the normal hedge gap), walked diagonally to
near the East hedge gap, went back to visit the mound, then the woodland feeding
site (the coloured pic), Round Pond and finally walks past the Duck-shaped pond.
Where he went then we have no idea.
View: E64_20220419_0326_052_FB2 Roe Deer male with 4 points in velvet visits 6 cameras in 20 minutes 4 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: More detail of portrait that the male Roe Deer took of himself in the 3 a.m. darkness.
Date: 20 May 2022
View: DF3_20220418_1111_029+032 Goldfinch singing in top of conifer (montage).jpg
Description: Goldfinches seem to be breeding somewhere on our patch.
Here a male declares his territory from the top of a conifer.
View: DF3_20220420_1524_127+129 Chaffinch male singing in Rowan tree (montage).jpg
Description: A male Chaffinch declares his territory from the side of a hedge.
Date: 19 May 2022
View: DF3_20220418_1110_020 Crab Apple Blossom (crop).jpg
Description: Crab apple blossom is a delicate delight
View: DF3_20220418_1111_035 Crab Apple Blossom (crop).jpg
View: DF3_20220420_1522_120 Red Crab Apple blossom.jpg
Description: We inherited just this one 'Red' apple tree with the house.
The blossom is red. the wood is red, the fruit is red.
After a very poor show and no fruit at all last year, we hope for better this
year.
Red apple crumble looks odd but tastes good!
Date: 18 May 2022
View: DF3_20220415_0907_008+009 Rook flying with nesting material 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: A ball of desiccated leaves to line the new nest.
Date: 17 May 2022
View: D72_20220414_1254_038 Comma Butterfly perched on Orange plastic barrier at blocked gate.jpg
Description: Butterflies tend to look for somewhere already warm to bask.
This means they make for the ugliest human surfaces that they can find!
View: D72_20220414_1300_052 Peacock butterfly perched on Corrugated Iron.jpg
Description: Butterflies tend to look for somewhere already warm to bask.
This means they make for the ugliest human surfaces that they can find!
View: DF3_20220417_1512_065 Speckled Wood Butterfly - first of 2022.jpg
Description: The first Speckled Wood Butterfly we have seen this year.
View: DF3_20220417_1522_067 Comma Butterfly on hedge.jpg
Description: Here a Comma Butterfly (comma marks on the dark bottom of the wings hidden here)
making an attractive contrast with the fresh green leaves.
Date: 16 May 2022
View: DF3_20220410_1009_438 Badger hind paw print in soft mud.jpg
Description: Near the duck-shaped pond masses on Molehills have degenerated into patches
of soft mud. Here is a Badger's rear paw print, complete with deep holes
that the impressive claws have sunk into the mud.
View: E6A_20220413_2208_310_FB5 Badger.jpg
Description: A Badger walks through the Meadow site a couple of hours before midnight.
Several Badgers visit the site so this probably not the
individual that left the paw print
Date: 15 May 2022
View: BU5_20220413_1723_368-371_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female walks edge of Round Pond past Mallard Duck pair on bank (montage).jpg
Description: One of the female Reeves' Muntjac Deer ambles quietly along the edge of
Round Pond. The pair of Mallard Ducks watched unperturbed barely moving
their heads as the Deer turns away.
The Ducks are aware that the worst a small Deer is likely to do is accidentally step
on them. As usual the female duck is well camouflaged - she sits on the left
of the male blending almost perfectly with the muddy bank.
Birds are NOT bird-brained - think of the mental processes necessary to
differentiate this small Deer from a similarly sized Fox.
Date: 14 May 2022
View: BU5_20220411_2147_177-180_SC1 Fox walks by Round Pond and sits down (montage).jpg
Description: One of currently visiting Foxes seems to like sitting down on the grass
at the front of Round Pond
View: BU5_20220421_0246_399_SC1 Fox watching Mallard Duck pair.jpg
Description: Is the Fox salivating at the thought of a nice bite of Duck?
Click Leap and collect?
Date: 13 May 2022
View: PK1_20220410_1142_992 Moorhen foraging in water of main pond.jpg
Description: This Moorhen has moved to traditional habitat - weed clogged water.
Date: 12 May 2022
View: DF3_20220410_1613_450+462 Rook flying to new nest with unwieldy forked twig 03+15 of 27 (montage).jpg
Description: A new nest being started in the Black Poplars needs more twigs to build it.
Here a new twig, complete with tiny fir cone, is transported up to the heights.
View: BU7_20220411_1002_005 Rook picking up Blackthorn twig but too unbalanced to fly yet.jpg
Description: Next day a trail cam catches this Rook picking up a long piece of Blackthorn
twig way out of balance for the bird to fly with.
Elsewhere we watched how a Rook managed unbalanced loads.
About 10 times a Rook picked up a long twig away from the balance point,
drop it, and immediately pick it up again. About the tenth attempt found a reasonably
central point and the Rook flew off with their prize.
It would seem that Rooks can't estimate where the centre of balance is,
and substitute persistence as a means of getting the job done!
Date: 11 May 2022
View: DF5_20220410_0915_024+027 Moorhen walking along hedge top outside livingroom window 1+4 of 4 (spread montage).jpg
Description: The first sighting this year of a Moorhen.
It was quite a shock as this one suddenly landed on the low hedge outside
the Living Room window.
View: DF5_20220410_0915_034 Moorhen on hedge top looking back.jpg
View: DF5_20220410_0915_040-044 Moorhen walking along hedge top outside livingroom window 04-08 of 11 (spread montage @7fps).jpg
Description: The bird walked carefully along the rather sparse hedge.
Here you see one 'cycle' of the bird right leg.
View: BU5_20220413_1324_310_SC1 2 Moorhen at Round Pond (ID only).jpg
Description: Well this (not montaged) pic at the edge of the right frame tells us that after
our initial surprise, 3 days later there are at least two Moorhen on the site.
They may be nesting on the already overgrown pond island, or in trees where
the nest may escape the attention of Corvids or a Fox
Date: 10 May 2022
View: DF3_20220409_0947_222 Muntjac Reeves Deer male looking back down Butterfly Alley.jpg
Description: One of the male Reeves' Muntjac Deer looks back at the photographer
along 'Butterfly Alley' - a sun drenched path between a low hedge (left)
and a wall of conifers on the right.
View: DF3_20220409_0949_239+240+243 Muntjac Reeves Deer male eating hawthorn twigs 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A couple of minutes later the male Reeves' Muntjac Deer is eating twigs
on a hawthorn bush.
Date: 09 May 2022
View: DF3_20220409_0940_211+212+215 Yellowhammer perched on hedge top (montage).jpg
Description: At this time of year Yellowhammers provide some moment of vivid yellow
around the hedges. This is a male spending a few seconds on the hedge top.
View: E63_20220409_1657_279_FB1 Yellowhammer male flying over Chaffinch male.jpg
Description: Yellowhammers in flight seem to create more of a yellow flash than you might expect.
Here we see that the brown patterned wings cover the vivid yellow body when not in flight.
On the ground the normally vivid male Chaffinch (with breeding coloured blue beak)
is largely eclipsed by the bird above him.
Date: 08 May 2022
View: DF3_20220408_1745_153 Little Egret in flight.jpg
Description: Few sightings of Little Egrets recently until this one flew by at high speed in
the North East direction, and disappeared from sight.
View: DF3_20220408_1745_163-165 Little Egret in flight passing white cloud 3--5 of 5 (montage impression @7fps).jpg
Description: These 3 pics are at 7 frames per second - this is a big bird to be flying
with this much separation between frames.
View: DF3_20220408_1745_158+157 Little Egret in flight passing white cloud 2+1 of 5 (montage for detail).jpg
Description: Successive frames, lower then upper.
Natural spacing with no cloud detail would be guesswork, so we had
a little 'artistic' moment.
Date: 07 May 2022
View: DF3_20220408_1502_040-043 Kestrel female hunting from wooden power pole 1-4 of 6 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: This female Kestrel was on the wooden power pole at out south boundary.
She got interested in something in the grass margin outside, and dived
down out of sight.
View: DF3_20220408_1503_051+053+056+063+069 Kestrel female returns pole with worm in claws to eat 01+03+9+13+19 of 21 (montage).jpg
Description: Only slightly expecting the bird to return, the camera stayed on the post, and about
a minute later the bird returned, now with a worm in her right claws.
A moment later the worm went 'down the hatch'
View: DF3_20220412_1132_017 Kestrel male hunting from 11kV crossbar.jpg
Description: We don't often catch sight of a male Kestrel.
This one was 100m north of our patch hunting from one of the 11kV crossbars.
Date: 06 May 2022
View: E6A_20220405_2120_230_FB5 Pheasant male road killed left in meadow for Fox is quickly replaced 12 of 14 (crop).jpg
Description: The crafty Fox remembers the Road-kill Pheasant left at this site, and keeps
coming back to see what else there may be!
View: E63_20220407_1042_032_FB1 Pheasant male - Silver Back.jpg
Description: A 'compact' portrait of the lovely Silverback Pheasant that quickly replaced
the previous dominant male.
Date: 05 May 2022
View: E6A_20220404_1824_113-20220405_1615_124_FB5 Pheasant male road killed left in meadow for Fox is quickly replaced 01-06 of 14 (montage).jpg
Description: The King is Dead. Long Live the King
The sad death of our dominant male Pheasant.
12 pics in 2 blocks of 6 document the event as the various mostly automatic camera caught the events.
Bottom left of the first block was the first we knew of the event as we walked by our
access to the main road.
Each photo is time stamped as xxx_yyyymmdd_hhmm_...
E6A_20220404_1824_113 01 of 14
The new male Pheasant occasionally on the site for some days.
BU3_20220404_1835_138_SC6 02 of 14
The dominant male Pheasant on the access track to main road.
BU8_20220405_1300_220 03 of 14
The last sighting of the dominant male, here full of himself calling at Duck Pond.
DF3_20220405_1612_123 04 of 14
The dominant male road-killed in the previous 3 hours.
BU3_20220405_1613_157_SC6 05 of 14
Yours truly dodged the traffic to collect the body.
DF3_20220405_1615_124 06 of 14
The sad remains left at the meadow site.
View: E6A_20220405_1704_180-2348_169_FB5 Pheasant male road killed left in meadow for Fox is quickly replaced 08-11+13-14 of 14 (montage).jpg
Description:
E6A_20220405_1704_180_FB5 08 of 14
Rooks had a look at the remains.
E6A_20220405_1715_182_FB5 09 of 14
The new male may have no idea that this was once his rival.
E6A_20220405_1816_204_FB5 10 of 14
Several Magpies took away beakfuls.
E6A_20220405_2039_229_FB5 11 of 14
We see a Fox - the remains now gone dragged off somewhere.
BUA_20220405_2330_166_SC8 13 of 14
3 hours later this Fox is carrying part of the remains.
BUA_20220405_2348_169_SC8 14 of 14
18 minutes later the head end of the dead bird is carried away.
View: DF3_20220406_1015_132+1016_136+137 Pheasant male lands on kitchen bird table 2+6+7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: By next day the new 'King' was fully established all over the plot.
Calling every few minutes (we hear over the CCTV). Here he flew up onto
the kitchen bird table - something the previous bird had never done.
Although the automatic camera caught the event (back to camera) we
took a few frames while he was picking up some corn, and then jumping down.
Date: 04 May 2022
View: DF3_20220403_0931_085 Ruddy Shelduck male calling in small field to NW 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: A first 'here' is this Ruddy Shellduck - where 'here' is a field to our North West.
The bird stayed for at least 20 minutes just turning the head side to side
and calling.
The RSPB recorder for this area says he hasn't seen one for years.
Seen again at the same place 10 days later (14 April 2022), but as of
04 May 2022 no further sightings.
Date: 03 May 2022
View: DF3_20220403_0921_064 Robin in Hawthorn hedge just starting to leaf.jpg
Description: A Robin perched in a Hawthorn hedge whose leaves are just starting to emerge.
View: E63_20220331_0732_003_FB1 Great Tit.jpg
Description: A Great Tit stops off on the stone.
If the bird wasn't so small the markings would be considered startling.
Date: 02 May 2022
View: BU7_20220401_1129_137 Muntjac Reeves Deer female near south entrance.jpg
Description: This female Reeves' Muntjac Deer takes her portrait.
View: BU8_20220401_1523_239+241+246 Muntjac Deer male browsing near Duck Pond (approx montage).jpg
Description: This male Reeves' Muntjac Deer wanders quietly over the grass at the front
of Duck-shaped Pond.
View: BU7_20220402_1616_214+218 Muntjac Reeves Deer male entering site at south and foraging in ditch (montage).jpg
Description: This male Reeves' Muntjac Deer comes into the site and starts with a forage in the ditch.
Date: 01 May 2022
View: DF3_20220331_1556_017 Kestrel female 3 afternoon visits over 3 hours 3 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel visited (or stayed in) out patch for at least 3 hours.
View: D01_20220331_1659_051+1700+053_FB6 Kestrel female 3 afternoon visits over 3 hours 4+6 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel visited (or stayed in) out patch for at least 3 hours.
View: DF3_20220404_1232_062 Kestrel female in budding Cherry tree.jpg
Description: A few days later we find her again, this time perched on a tree
branch at the east boundary.
Image Archive arch 2022 apr.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Apr 2022
View: BUA_20220328_2116_104_SC8 Roe Deer male near east hedge 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: We had already spotted the Hoof prints.
Now we see this magnificent Roe Deer Buck.
View: D71_20220324_0727_016 Muntjac Reeves female and behind her male deer at north end of east outer hedge.jpg
Description: We catch sight of a female (left front) and male Reeve's Muntjac Deer
quietly browsing at the North East corner of our patch.
The cameraman is about 50 metres away, but even at this distance they are
wary of humans at this distance so we moved away to leave them in peace.
View: BU9_20220408_0103_024+0658_035+BUC_0704_376 Roe Deer female then male visiting over over 6 hours (montage).jpg
Description: A week after the male Roe Deer with magnificent antlers, we see
what we guess is a young male, still with single spike Antlers in Velvet,
spending 6 hours after midnight wandering around the site.
Date: 29 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220326_1403_301 Comma Butterfly feeding on Laurel flower.jpg
Description: A Comma Butterfly feeds on a flower of our gigantic Laurel bush
View: DF3_20220326_1403_304 Comma Butterfly feeding on Laurel flower showing underwing mark.jpg
Description: Same actual insect, this time looking quite different with wings closed
and showing the white 'comma' that gives these Butterflies their name.
Date: 28 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220326_0840_159 Red Kite circling overhead.jpg
Description: A Red kite wheeled around above, gradually moving upwards without
more than a twitch of the wings and tail.
Date: 27 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220326_0829_107 Mallard Duck and Drake drowsing on Main pond (crop).jpg
Description: Next morning we find one of the Mallard Ducks pairs quietly drowsing on
the still water of the main pond.
Trying to catch a 'perfect' rippleless reflection was impossible. Both water and
birds were completely still, but the birds were continuously creating a ripple
from their breasts. It seems likely that this is the birds invisibly breathing.
Date: 26 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220325_1159_028-037 Kestrel female moving along 11kV cables & onto new cable 01+02+05+08+10 of 10 (montage @7fps).jpg
Description: The 'nervous' female Kestrel is becoming a little more tolerant of us, and we could watch her
on the 11kV cables to the south.
She decides to move from one cable to a few metres along on another cable.
View: DF3_20220325_1200_058 Kestrel female hunting (unsuccessfully) from 11kV cable.jpg
Description: Once there she started an intense stare at the ground (on the other side of a huge
hedge for us). But whatever she saw must have 'gone away' as she then relaxed.
View: DF3_20220325_1203_072-078 Kestrel female flying from 11kV cable 1-7 of 7 (montage @7fps vertically accurate).jpg
Description: A few minutes later she decides to fly on, soon to go out of sight.
View: DF3_20220325_1203_089 Kestrel female in flight 1 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: She flew off as the camera captured this moment of flight.
Date: 25 Apr 2022
View: BU9_20220325_0725_058-060_SC2 Grey Squirrel pair mating on orchard grass 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Why are we so well endowed with Grey squirrels?
Because they keep doing this!
Date: 24 Apr 2022
View: BU5_20220322_1402_130_SC1 Muntjac Deer male on bank of Round pond as Mallard Ducks swim by.jpg
Description: A pair of Mallard Duck swim quietly by the quietly browsing male Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
View: BU5_20220325_1555_325_SC1 Mallard Duck pair + Rook + Wood Pigeon.jpg
Description: This pair of Mallard Ducks swim to the edge of the Round Pond, feeling
no fear from the Rook or Wood Pigeon.
View: BU5_20220329_2348_309_SC1 Fox (q) + Badger + Mallard Duck pair at Round Pond.jpg
Description: Just before midnight, what we think is a Fox (2 eyes left) watching a Badger
foraging along the edge of Round Pond, with a pair of Mallard ducks safely
out on the water.
Date: 23 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220326_0843_257 Robin on tip of stem not removed by flail cutter.jpg
Description: A weird moment as we spot what initially looks like a bird completely
static in the middle of the sky! It turns out to the Robin perched on
last years hedge growth that the flail managed to mostly strip
of bark but not actually cut.
It must have been like this for months without us noticing.
View: E63_20220326_1244_214_FB1 Yellowhammer male at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: A male Yellowhammer stops by on the hedge bottom stone.
View: E63_20220322_0531_060_FB1 Blackbird female hopping across hedge bottom.jpg
Description: A female Blackbird double-footed hopping over the site.
The number of different 'walking' gaits used by birds is fascinating.
Date: 22 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220322_1306_263 Peacock Butterfly (overwintered) pair courting in may blossom.jpg
Description: Peacock Butterflies have emerged from their winter torpor and need
to get going with mating to get the next generation underway.
View: DF3_20220322_1307_283 Peacock Butterfly (overwintered) pair courting in may blossom.jpg
Description: Peacock Butterflies have almost black underside to their wings.
You can just see the tip of the top of the wing at the left of the lower insect.
They flew into impenetrable brambles before we could see them actually mating.
View: DF3_20220322_1316_308 Brimstone Butterfly male feeding on Primrose flower.jpg
Description: The bright yellow male Brimstone Butterflies have a quieter bottom of wing
colour that blends remarkably well with the yellow of the Primrose petals.
Date: 21 Apr 2022
View: DF4_20220320_0934_007+0935_010+0936_017 Sparrowhawk perched on woodpile behind main pond 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: This female Sparrowhawk lands on a small Woodpile on the far side of the
main pond. These morning portraits are from an upstairs window.
View: E60_20220320_1811_097_FB3 Sparrowhawk female (crop).jpg
Description: At around sunset of the same day what looks like the same bird lands on the kitchen
perch for an unknown length of stay.
Date: 20 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220320_1357_179+184 Rook pair mating near partly built nest in Black Poplar north of track 5+8 of 9 (montage).jpg
Description: This branch hear the new Rook nest in the furthest Black Poplar Tree was suddenly the site of
commotion as these two bird mated in the space above us.
He tried once, obviously 'failed', and the female was immediately tail and wing fluttering again to
encourage a second try, for which he immediately obliged and apparently satisfied her.
We have no records or memory of ever previously seeing Rooks mating.
View: DF3_20220323_1229_399+401+404 Rook lands near nest while partner calls (montage).jpg
Description: At the same nest site as the mating one of the Rooks flying in to land a few metres above the nest.
His mate is wing flapping and calling (encouragement?).
The incoming bird has very little of the beak covered in white skin, so the
pair are most likely on their first-ever nest. They have stopped building with
about half the weight of wood of the other nests, and it seems likely that the
next storm will destroy it - with a lot of luck it will be after they finish a brood.
But Rooks form stable pairs - if it goes wrong this year they will know better for next
year!
Date: 19 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220320_0950_135 Blue Tit pecking Lombardy Poplar buds (crop 2).jpg
Description: This Blue Tit wasn't bothered by us watching as they industriously
pecked at numerous Lombardy Poplar catkins.
View: DF3_20220322_0900_208 Dunnock singing from hedge top.jpg
Description: Several pair of Dunnocks along the sunny end of the access track have
suddenly become extremely tolerant of humans - well to us anyway.
This one was singing his little heart out about 3 metres away.
Date: 18 Apr 2022
View: E64_20220319_0903_153_FB2 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: A shaft of orange sun supplements the camera flash to enhance the golden
glow of this male Pheasant.
View: BU2_20220319_1001_208-210_SC7 Pheasant male walking down Round Mound 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: An hour later the same bird struts down the Round Mound.
View: E64_20220320_0913_221+0918_223_FB2 Pheasant pair feeding together at Woodland site for 5 minutes (montage).jpg
Description: We don't often see a female Pheasant with 'her' male at the same time.
Here the two spent several minutes feeding together.
There are at least two female pheasants on the site
Date: 17 Apr 2022
View: E63_20220317_1628_057_FB1 Magpie walking along hedge bottom.jpg
Description: Magpies strut about as if they own the place.
In a way they do.
View: E63_20220318_1753_139_FB1 Magpie walking along hedge bottom.jpg
View: DF3_20220317_1546_029 Rook perched in top of Silver Birch Tree.jpg
Description: King of all they survey - a Rook at the top of one of the Silver Birches.
Date: 16 Apr 2022
View: E6A_20220310_0817_003_FB5 Rook on grass.jpg
Description: A pristine Rook takes a selfie.
View: DF3_20220315_1239_075-077 Rook chasing off Buzzard to north 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage @ about 7fps).jpg
Description: A Rook (left) very indeterminably seeing off a Buzzard (right).
Buzzards are a threat to eggs in the Rookery.
View: D72_20220317_0707_008-012 Rook launching from 11kV cable 2 of 5 (horizontally spread montage @8fps).jpg
Description: A Rook perched on an 11kV cable quietly launches.
We have shifted the bird along the wire so you can see the detail.
Date: 15 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220315_1235_074 Violets growing in cracks in disused concrete track.jpg
Description: A small patch of colour from a 30cm long patch of Violets growing
from a crack in the disused concrete track. Violets always look much paler
in photos than real life, and we have here partially corrected the colour.
View: D12_20220319_1420_011 Dog Violet Flowers in RGB & UV light (montage).jpg
Description: Why do violets display a weak colour - rather like Bluebells displaying the WRONG
colour?
It is usually blamed on the UV light component picked up by camera but not
eye.
A decade ago we did masses of photos of insects and plants in UV light - not
luminescence - actual UV reflectance. We 'dusted' off the kit and rounded up the
scattered boxes of bits, unearthed our instructions, and spent a couple of hours
coaxing it all back to life. Here is a bit of the plant under normal flashgun
light (showing better colour than in daylight!), and showing what it looks like
in UV light. The Petals DO have substantial UV reflectance, explaining the
wash-out effect, but the top of the flower (top in the pictures) is not as
bright as the underneath of the petal. We have seen similar in daisies, where
the effect is quite extreme. We can't see why either plant has evolved a
difference.
It was 'fun' to re-visit our past endeavours where the whole subject
was triggered by a Wendy - a Dragonfly researcher at Swansea University. The
previous work is indexed at
http://www.moorhen.me.uk/uv/uv.htm
(including links to the technicalities) with 'highlights' on a few pages from
http://www.moorhen.me.uk/uv/highlights_01.htm.
Date: 14 Apr 2022
View: D72_20220314_0703_030 Pheasant male (unbroken neck ring) in Wheat crop backlit by morning sun.jpg
Description: As the sun lights the growing crop, this male Pheasant wanders around
keeping a beady eye on the humans.
This is NOT our 'regular' pheasant whose neck ring has a substantial
break at the front.
View: E64_20220314_1353_025_FB2 Pheasant male - dominant bird with broken neck ring at front.jpg
Description: This is our 'regular' male ...
View: E64_20220315_0905_059_FB2 Pheasant male with light coloured crown (ID only).jpg
Description: ... and this a very occasional visitor with complete neck ring and
very noticeably almost white crown.
Date: 13 Apr 2022
View: BU5_20220314_0121_273+274+0122_276_SC1 Fox on bank of Round Pond with 2 Mallard Ducks on the water 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: This pair of Mallard Ducks seem to spend the night afloat on Round Pond.
As the Fox stops for a drink the birds paddle to have the maximum amount of
protective water in every direction.
View: DF3_20220314_1025_016 Mallard Duck female in main pond.jpg
Description: In daylight female Mallard Ducks really are well camouflaged ...
View: DF3_20220314_1026_019 Mallard Duck male in main pond.jpg
Description: ... while males are quite the opposite. In this quiet area with just a few ducks that
pair up with a male, the males often quite deliberately distract attention from the female
for perceived threats.
Date: 12 Apr 2022
View: E6A_20220312_1723_156_FB5 Blackbird male with worm in beak (crop).jpg
Description: A male Blackbird has caught a worm!
View: E6A_20220313_1340_196_FB5 Grey Squirrel nibbling inside of banana skin held in paws.jpg
Description: Meanwhile the Grey Squirrel has raided the fruit bowl - for some Banana skin.
Date: 11 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220312_1512_121+122 Kestrel female on IR beam sender post (montage).jpg
Description: The current female Kestrel prefers the more distant post, supporting the IR
sender for the meadow post, to the meadow post itself.
Nothing 'automatic' about these pics.
View: DF3_20220314_1528_041-1529_045 Kestrel female launching from IR sender post 1-5 of 5 (accurate flight montage).jpg
Description: 2 days later we catch her launching from the same post.
Date: 10 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220311_1237_086+1239_096 Chinese Water Deer male resting on field margin 200m to east 2+3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Gazing along the hedge lines to our east, we see a brown shape
that resolves in the long-focus lens as this Chinese Water Deer.
About 200 metres away, she does no more than have a look at the interlopers.
We left her in peace to practice looking like a Teddy Bear!
In retrospect we are not sure of the sex of this deer - neither have Antlers
View: BU3_20220315_1104_123_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer female about to re-enter site from track.jpg
Description: Seen on most days, Reeves' Muntjac Deer are regular sightings. This female steps
delicately over the concrete lumps at the edge of the track to enter our patch.
These Deer always look to us like they are smiling!
Date: 09 Apr 2022
View: PK1_20220311_1125_232+1126_233+237 Coal Tit (1st sighting in 30 years) (montage).jpg
Description: A FIRST for us here.
After 30 years of unexpected absence here, we at last see a Coal Tit.
This is 3 pics from the same visit. We hope they become a regular addition to
the guest list.
Date: 08 Apr 2022
View: DF5_20220306_1552_002 Grey Squirrel sunbathing on pollarded Willow stump.jpg
Description: On a windy but sunny afternoon this Grey Squirrel finds a sheltered nook
in the sunshine to sit and meditate. Love the craggy wood.
View: D36_20220312_1353_024_FB4 Grey Squirrel 1st to bait.jpg
Description: Yummy!
Date: 07 Apr 2022
View: E64_20220308_1754_115_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at woodland feeding site.jpg
Description: Probably the 'resident' Reeves' Muntjac Deer feeds quietly at the Woodland site.
Her fur is lovely and glossy - we hope a sign of good health.
View: DF3_20220306_1122_106+PK1_20220306_1119_947 Muntjac Reeves Deer female @ main pond (right) then eating day Lilies (montage).jpg
Description: The 'resident' female Reeves' Muntjac Deer foraging IN the main pond
(right) and 3 minutes later chomping her way through a clump of emerging
'day lilies' on the bank.
Date: 06 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220307_1606_008 Cherry Blossom - light pink behind Frog Pond.jpg
Description: Cherry Blossom is starting all over the site.
View: DF3_20220308_1245_028 Cherry Blossom pink in front garden.jpg
View: DF3_20220308_1246_033 Cherry Blossom white in front garden.jpg
View: DF3_20220309_1643_078 Primrose clump at base of tree next to round pond (orig & final).jpg
Description: On a mostly shaded piece of ground at the base of a tree growing near
the edge of Round Pond, we find the first decent primrose clump.
Date: 05 Apr 2022
View: DF3_20220305_1321_018-022 Hare running across growing crop 1-5 of 7 (montage stretched about half).jpg
Description: Seeing Hares has always been a rare event here, so when we catch one on-the-run
we keep a finger on the camera button ...
View: DF3_20220305_1321_020+021 Hare running across growing crop 3+4 of 7 (montage stretched about half).jpg
View: DF3_20220305_1321_034-048 Hare running along field margin to south 02-16 (alt frames @ 7fps) of 16 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: By the time the Hare was 100m away it was more relaxed - here we have taken alternate
frames for the montage so this is about 2 seconds of the run.
Date: 04 Apr 2022
View: E63_20220305_1525_147_FB1 Robin emphasising thin legs.jpg
Description: A perky Robin.
Here you see clearly how thin the legs are compared to their rotund little bodies.
View: D72_20220301_1039_072+070 Dunnock waiting in hedge to be fed (montage).jpg
Description: Dunnocks along the access track are becoming bold as they wait for
a hand out of corn.
Date: 03 Apr 2022
View: E60_20220228_1246_003_FB3 Sparrowhawk female lands on kitchen perch facing camera (crop 2).jpg
Description: The female Sparrowhawk stops on the Kitchen perch right over the
peanut feeder as she does her rounds looking for 'tasty and nutritious' Tits.
Date: 02 Apr 2022
View: D01_20220228_1522_049-1525_056_FB6 Kestrel female 4 minute visit to Meadow Post 1-5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels spends a few minutes on the meadow post.
View: D01_20220228_1522_049_FB6 Kestrel female 4 minute visit to Meadow Post 1 of 5 (crop).jpg
Description: A closer look at the landing female Kestrel
View: D01_20220305_1206_207+208_FB6 Kestrel female landing on meadow post (montage over 400ms).jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels lands on the meadow post, but didn't stay.
Date: 01 Apr 2022
View: E63_20220228_0122_239_FB1 Fox (crop 1).jpg
Description: An hour after midnight sees this Fox exploring the hedge bottom site.
View: E63_20220228_0122_239_FB1 Fox (crop 2 head detail).jpg
Description: More detail of the Fox's stare.
View: BU5_20220225_0417_141_SC1 Fox sitting on edge of Round Pond.jpg
Description: "Reynard - SIT!"
Some hopes - a little joke for April Fools day.
Image Archive arch 2022 mar.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Mar 2022
View: DF3_20220226_1240_188 Brimstone Butterfly male in flight - first of 2022.jpg
Description: First of the year - male Brimstone Butterfly whizzing about over the garden bushes,
hedges etc. This time we got lucky with a hand-held camera to get a reasonable
image of this delight-in-flight.
We hope this year to refurbish the kit we use to photograph insects in flight.
You can see our efforts over the last few years as about 400 images starting at page
http://www.moorhen.me.uk/iodsubject/insects_in_flight_in_controlled_setup_01.htm#01
Date: 30 Mar 2022
View: DF3_20220226_0921_168 6 Goldfinches in budding willow tree top (crop).jpg
Description: 6 Goldfinches sparsely spread among the Pussy-willows.
View: DF3_20220227_1222_343 Red Kite rising in thermal looks down at photographer.jpg
Description: Photographer gets the - Oh it only you - brush off from this Kite who
found a thermal above where we are standing.
Date: 29 Mar 2022
View: DF3_20220226_0859_085-087 Kestrel pursued by Rook @7fps 04-06 of 16 (accurate montage @7fp).jpg
Description: Rooks almost always chase away a Kestrel in their territory, and in the breeding
season are especially diligent. Here from one long sequence we build 3 accurate montages:-
View: DF3_20220226_0859_088-092 Kestrel pursued by Rook @7fps 07-11 of 16 (accurate montage).jpg
View: DF3_20220226_0859_093-097 Kestrel pursued by Rook @7fps 12-16 of 16 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Date: 28 Mar 2022
View: DF3_20220225_0958_057 Chaffinch male (hint of blue on beak) on corner of concrete block.jpg
Description: On a concrete block to our south a male Chaffinch has become very 'brave' at
approaching us for food. This bird's beak shows the earliest tinge of the blue
breeding coating ...
View: DF3_20220226_0907_141+146+151 Chaffinch male in breeding colours singing from budding hedge @7fps01+06+11 of 13 (montage).jpg
Description: ... while next day we find this individual singing his heart out in one of our hedges.
This bird has the full blue beak coating - ready to breed!
View: DF3_20220227_1215_292 Dunnock.jpg
Description: This Dunnock, and their mate, who live in a wood pile 'temporarily' dumped
at the blocked end of our access track, is becoming habituated to us.
Somewhere in this pile the pair made a nest last year, so we are now very
reluctant to 'tidy up'.
View: DF5_20220303_1158_004 Wren on edge of Main Pond.jpg
Description: Views of a Wren are usually 'what was that', but this one spent an atypical
several minutes rooting about near the main pond edge - for once time
to grab a camera and focus on the subject.
Date: 27 Mar 2022
View: E63_20220227_1650_231_FB1 Robin in flight diving on Chaffinch male on ground (crop).jpg
Description: The Robin dives down at the threatening male Chaffinch, both atypically in accurate focus.
Date: 26 Mar 2022
View: BU5_20220224_1312_045_SC1 Round Pond with reflections and shadows + Magpie.jpg
Description: A moment of tranquillity at the Round Pond, complete with shadows and reflections.
View: E64_20220224_1500_045_FB2 2 Grey Squirrels squabbling over food.jpg
Description: Not so tranquil - there is more fruit here than both of these Squirrels
could eat in one go, but they will squabble over them anyway.
View: D36_20220226_0919_034_FB4 Grey Squirrel with strawberry top in mouth.jpg
Description: Strawberries for the Squirrels?
It's us that must be nuts!
Date: 25 Mar 2022
View: DF3_20220223_0922_030 Snowdrops along NW bank of main pond.jpg
Description: Except when the sun is high in the sky in summer, the North West corner of the main pond is
mostly in shade. Here a shaft of morning sunlight skims past the east end of the
house for a brief glow on the bank of Snowdrops. This pic taken across the pond.
View: DF3_20220222_1619_025 Snowdrop clump on NW bank of main pond.jpg
Description: The previous evening a single shaft of light found its way through the intervening 'jungle'.
This pic taken from behind the bank of the pond.
Date: 24 Mar 2022
View: E64_20220223_0448_109+0452_110_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding at woodland site 1+2 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: With a couple of hours of darkness left in the night, this female Reeves' Muntjac Deer stops
by for a feed for several minutes.
View: E64_20220223_0836_133_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male feeding at woodland site.jpg
Description: 4 hours later, the sun has risen as this male Reeves' Muntjac Deer, with fully emerged antlers,
stops by for a feed. There seems to be a scar at the top of his left front leg.
Date: 23 Mar 2022
View: BUA_20220223_0309_064+066_SC8 Badger pair entering at east hedge gap (accurate montage over a few seconds).jpg
Description: A pair of Badgers amble in side-by-side formation into the patch.
View: BU5_20220223_0327_117+120+0328_121_SC1 Badger visiting Round Pond (montage).jpg
Description: 20 minutes later just one Badger (possibly not even one of the pair) walks up to Round Pond.
Date: 22 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220220_0944_190+1328_202_FB6 Magpie visits with twig and mud for nest building (montage).jpg
Description: Magpies have heard the nest-building starting gun!
View: D01_20220222_0830_088_FB6 Magpie visiting meadow post with heavy twig 2 of 2.jpg
Description: Eyes bigger than the Beak?
There are lots of pieces of Blackthorn twig lying around from hedge cutting,
but they are really at the limit of what a Magpie can handle.
Balancing it better would help - we don't know what the Magpie actually did.
View: D01_20220221_1619_070_FB6 Magpie landing on meadow post.jpg
Description: A Magpie makes the characteristic tail rise to balance after landing.
Date: 21 Mar 2022
View: DF3_20220217_1237_002 Muntjac Reeves Deer female hiding in Blackberries at side of garage (orig & final).jpg
Description: Our little brown Reeves' Muntjac Deer is in this same patch of brambles about every other time we pass.
A quick 'snap' and gone doesn't bother her.
She is well camouflaged - one eye is just below centre.
View: E64_20220218_2135_093+2145_094_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding at woodland site (montage 10 minutes apart).jpg
Description: Here 10 minutes apart, hours after dark, we see this female Reeves' Muntjac Deer
quietly collecting corn left over by the afternoon visitors.
View: E64_20220219_1130_147+0655_098_FB2 2 Muntjac Reeves Deer males at woodland site (Montage different individuals 4hrs apart).jpg
Description: About 9 hours later, on a truly grey day we first see the male Reeves'
Muntjac Deer (right) with the fully emerged Antlers, and then another 4 hours of
a different male (left) with Antlers still in Velvet.
Date: 20 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220217_1201_023_FB6 Kestrel female brief stop on Meadow Post 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: This years 'nervous' Kestrel has been out and about, almost entirely photographed
by an automated camera on the post in the meadow.
View: D01_20220217_1402_027-1409_047_FB6 Kestrel female 8 minute visit to Meadow Post 1+4+8+9 R2L of 9 (montage).jpg
Description: Two hours after the short visit, the female Kestrel stops by for about 10 minutes.
View: D01_20220221_1408_042_FB6 Kestrel female brief visit to meadow post.jpg
Description: 4 days later we select another visit, the wind now increased and blowing around her feathers.
View: D01_20220221_1436_045+1437_047+1439_049_FB6 Kestrel female lands and departs Meadow Post 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Another half-an-hour later we catch her leaving after a 4 minute stay.
Date: 19 Mar 2022
View: E64_20220213_1418_213_FB2 Pheasant male + Wood Pigeon.jpg
Description: A male Pheasant steps over the log as a Wood Pigeon watches.
View: D01_20220214_1657_023_FB6 Wood Pigeon landing on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: A Wood Pigeon makes a symmetrical touchdown.
View: PK1_20220215_0730_665 Sunrise with Wood Pigeon.jpg
Description: From the living room window, this silhouetted Wood Pigeon decorates a somewhat
threatening Sunrise.
Date: 18 Mar 2022
View: DF3_20220216_0923_019 Muntjac Reeves Deer female.jpg
Description: Seeing the arrival of the photographer along this path along the inner hedge, this female
Reeves' Muntjac Deer takes a careful look before wandering into the thicket on the right.
View: DF3_20220211_1430_049 Muntjac Reeves Deer female hiding in blackberry thicket by garage (crop).jpg
Description: We have just discovered that one of the female Reeves' Muntjac deer regularly
'hides' during the day in a patch of bramble hedge alongside the garage.
It is fairly sheltered and we can't see how anything could get near her
without making warning noise.
Date: 17 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220212_0143_109_FB6 Barn Owl landing on Meadow post.jpg
Description: This immaculate Barn Owl lands on the post but doesn't stay.
View: DF3_20220210_1026_006+008+010 Red Kite flying (visually) above Hanslope Church spire (montage alternate frames @7fps).jpg
Description: This Red Kite glides the skies, visually for us over the distant tower of Hanslope Church.
Date: 16 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220211_1404_085+086_FB6 Kestrel female lands on meadow post (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: This female Kestrel makes a short stop on the Meadow Post.
View: D01_20220212_1345_137-1350_143_FB6 Kestrel female 6 minute visit to Meadow Post 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: This first visit by the female Kestrel to the meadow post lasted 6 minutes ...
View: D01_20220212_1446_159_FB6 Kestrel female 2 minute visit to Meadow Post 1 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: ... returning almost exactly an hour later for a brief stop.
We always enjoy seeing the bird's Alula - the anti-stall 'flaps' half way along the wing.
Date: 15 Mar 2022
View: BU2_20220214_1114_007_SC7 Fox jumping over falling tree (crop).jpg
Description: The quick brown Fox jumps over the lazy dog fallen log.
View: BU5_20220210_2310_043+045+048_SC1 Fox walks along edge of Round Pond and stops for a drink (montage).jpg
Description: In the hour before midnight, this Fox walks along the edge of Round Pond
before stopping for a drink.
View: BU7_20220215_0545_009+BU8_20220215_0559_047+BU2_20220215_0616_083_SC7 Fox visits at quarter hour intervals (montage).jpg
Description: Left to right what we assume is the same fox enters the site at the South-West,
visits the Duck shaped pond near the South-East corner, finally meets a 'friend'
at the mound to the North-East, each visit almost exactly 15 minutes apart.
Date: 14 Mar 2022
View: E63_20220210_0821_009_FB1 Dunnock launching from stone.jpg
Description: A Dunnock lifts the wings in preparation to launch from the stone.
View: E6A_20220212_1536_228_FB5 Blackbird male.jpg
Description: A pristine male Blackbird - if only he would wipe the mud from his beak!
Date: 13 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220210_0335_217+0339_219_FB6 Barn Owl lands on meadow post & 4 minutes later flies off 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: This Barn Owl pays a 4 minute visit to the meadow post.
On the CCTV recording we were able to see the bird actively moving about on the
post top looking for prey, before launching off into the darkness.
Date: 12 Mar 2022
View: BL1_20220209_0951_238-10000_250 Muntjac Reeves Deer male joining path north from FB1 (montage impression).jpg
Description: We found a hole dug in the ground on a little-used path. We couldn't identify the
'owner', so placed the trail-cam to see what used it. The main outcome
was 'no visits to the hole', but we were surprised by the number of times
creatures wandered in and out of the 'tunnel'. Here a male Reeves' Muntjac
Deer wanders into the main path and provides a good view of his antlers.
View: BU2_20220209_1305_219_SC7 2 Muntjac Reeves Deer females feeding together.jpg
Description: On the same day another trail cam sees a quiet afternoon together for these two
female Reeves' Muntjac Deer.
Date: 11 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220208_0826_035-0850_069_FB6 Kestrel female 26 minute visit to meadow post 01+07+08 of 10 (montage).jpg
Description: This female Kestrel has an unusually long 26 minute visit to the Meadow post, apparently
enjoying an extensive preen.
Date: 10 Mar 2022
View: E64_20220205_1534_164+1536_165_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at woodland site for 10 mins 3+4 of 4 (montage 2 for clarity).jpg
Description: The 10 minute start of what turns out to be a whole series of overnight visits
to this woodland site by what seems to be the same female Reeves' Muntjac Deer.
Here it looks like the Magpie is taking the chance to nip in and grab something to eat.
View: E64_20220205_1920_183-20220206_0628_201_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female 6 visits at woodland site over 11 hours 1-3+5+4+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: For the rest of the night at typically 2 hourly intervals the Deer returns for short stays.
Always approaching in the same direction, here are one image from all six visits after
the initial long stay.
View: BU5_20220206_1349_243_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female licking foreleg in shaft of sunlight.jpg
Description: A day later this female Reeves' Muntjac Deer stops to groom her front leg
with her incredibly long tongue you can see here under her chin.
Humans are tongue and tail deprived!
Date: 09 Mar 2022
View: DF5_20220204_1159_033 Sparrowhawk female perched on sloping branch (crop 2).jpg
Description: Across the main pond we spot this female Sparrowhawk trying to sun
herself in the pollarded willow tree out of the wind.
View: DF5_20220204_1200_050+059 Sparrowhawk flies to Raptor post and sunbathes 1+2 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: But the Grey Squirrels likes this tree as well, so when one arrives on the bole
of the tree a few metres below the Sparrowhawk decides to move.
She flies about 10 metres to land on top of an old post ...
View: DF5_20220204_1201_071 Sparrowhawk flies to Raptor post and sunbathes 3 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: ... where she spends several minutes sunbathing while keeping her eye on the
humans watching her from the window some 20 metres away.
Date: 08 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220206_1417_129_FB6 Kestrel female visits Meadow Post for 7 minutes 1 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: A female Kestrel lands face to camera on the Meadow Post.
View: D01_20220206_1418_131-1423_141_FB6 Kestrel female visits Meadow Post for 7 minutes 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: The untidy centre of the raised tail (2nd from left) makes us think that this
might be our original human tolerant female Kestrel landing on the meadow post
and staying for several minutes.
View: DF3_20220204_1107_009 Kestrel female hunting from 11kV cable over Bridleway to north.jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels high on an 11kV power cable over the Bridleway
much more interested in something below than the pesky humans.
Date: 07 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220203_0241_145_FB6 Barn Owl landing on Meadow Post (crop).jpg
Description: The small hours sees this Barn Owl landing on the Meadow post.
The bird didn't stay this time - maybe it quickly spotted something
tasty on the ground beneath
Date: 06 Mar 2022
View: E63_20220130_0000_292_FB1 Badger at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: Dead on midnight, this Badger stops off at the hedge bottom.
View: BUA_20220201_0243_013_SC8 Badger pair near east hedge gap.jpg
Description: This pair of badgers wandered the plot together for several hours before indulging
in what looks like a bit of rough-love.
Date: 05 Mar 2022
View: D01_20220131_1220_021-1222_024_FB6 Kestrel female landing and departure on Meadow Post 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel made a brief visit to the Meadow Post.
The half-bird on the left is NOT a Damian Hurst inspired artistic effect!
View: D01_20220202_1350_123+124_FB6 Kestrel female preening on Meadow Post 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: 2 days later this female Kestrel makes a very short stop to give her feathers a little reef out.
Date: 04 Mar 2022
View: E6A_20220131_1110_006_FB5 Pheasant male at meadow site.jpg
Description: The male Pheasant out in some sunshine.
View: E63_20220201_1411_157+1418_161_FB1 Pheasant male feeding at hedge bottom with rear and front views (accurate montage).jpg
Description: These two pics of the male Pheasant 7 minutes apart overcame any resistance
to making this surprisingly symmetrical accurate montage.
Date: 03 Mar 2022
View: E63_20220131_0754_013_FB1 Dunnock diving to ground (crop 2).jpg
Description: A Dunnock diving to the ground broke the sense beam just nicely in focus.
Date: 02 Mar 2022
View: E60_20220129_1452_028_FB3 Sparrowhawk female on kitchen perch (crop).jpg
Description: The female Sparrowhawk stops off at the kitchen window perch.
View: E60_20220131_1333_010_FB3 Sparrowhawk flying by kitchen perch.jpg
Description: The female Sparrowhawk this time flies by the kitchen feeder.
We notice such passes once or twice a day, so she must be passing
many times hoping to catch out a Blue Tit or other small bird
visiting the peanut feeder here and on the other side of the house.
Date: 01 Mar 2022
View: BU5_20220128_2033_202+204+205+207_SC1 Fox visit to round pond (montage).jpg
Description: One of the visiting Foxes wanders along the edge of Round Pond and sits for a minute
before wandering off.
View: BU2_20220201_0548_091-093_SC7 Fox on Round Mound glances upwards (montage).jpg
Description: A Fox on the mound suddenly glances upwards.
Sometimes when out before sunrise we disturb both Pigeons and sometimes
Pheasants that are roosting in the treetops in this area.
View: BU7_20220129_0658_048 Fox pauses and looks right while approaching south hedge gap.jpg
Description: A last look around before this Fox wanders home at the end of the night.
Image Archive arch 2022 feb.htm (view it Here)
Date: 28 Feb 2022
View: D01_20220128_0950_051_FB6 Buzzard 14 minute visit to Meadow Post 01 of 13 (crop).jpg
Description: This visit by a Buzzard to the Meadow Post lasted for a quarter of an hour
View: D01_20220128_0951_053-1001_099_FB6 Buzzard 14 minute visit to Meadow Post 02+05+08+11 of 13 (montage).jpg
View: D01_20220128_1003_104+105_FB6 Buzzard 14 minute visit to Meadow Post 12+13 of 13 (montage).jpg
Description: By the middle of the visit we were aware of the bird, and went to enjoy the
sight from different viewpoints. The first was manually triggering the normally automatic
camera at the moment of take-off.
The next pic on this locked position camera is almost entirely out of frame.
View: PK1_20220128_1003_483-485 Buzzard take-off from meadow post 1-3 of 3 (approx montage).jpg
Description: From a downstairs window this hand-held camera could follow the action a bit better.
Date: 27 Feb 2022
View: E64_20220128_0846_047_FB2 Magpie jumping onto fallen branch.jpg
Description: A Magpie hopping onto the fallen branch, the vertical iridescent tail helping to regain balance.
View: D01_20220131_1337_026_FB6 Magpie lands on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: This immaculate Magpie stops off at the meadow post.
Date: 26 Feb 2022
View: E64_20220127_1457_026_FB2 2 Grey Squirrels feeding quietly together.jpg
Description: Grey Squirrels synchronised feeding?
View: D36_20220127_1458_007_FB4 Grey Squirrel first to heap of fruit waste.jpg
Description: All mine!
Date: 25 Feb 2022
View: E60_20220126_0935_007_FB3 Sparrowhawk landing on kitchen perch (crop 2).jpg
Description: The local female Sparrowhawk stops off on the Kitchen Window perch, undoubtedly
after hoping to catch something tasty from the feeder below (out of crop).
View: E63_20220124_1504_076_FB1 Grey Squirrel nibbling banana peel.jpg
Description: A Grey Squirrel trying to play the Harmonica?
Date: 24 Feb 2022
View: BU7_20220123_0710_032+033 Muntjac Reeves Deer male rubbing forehead on grass (montage).jpg
Description: Reeves' Muntjac Deer appear most nights around the site. This male is rubbing
his forehead on the ground. We assume that this is to rub-off the dead 'velvet'
from the newly formed antlers.
View: BU9_20220123_0905_086_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male browsing on undergrowth - antlers and Tusk visible.jpg
Description: Possibly the same male Reeves' Muntjac Deer chomping away at the
seemingly never ending supply of Blackberry wood.
Anyone fancy spiked stems for breakfast?
View: DF5_20220203_1333_015 Muntjac Reeves Deer female eating spiked Holly leaf (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: A week later we see this female Reeves' Muntjac Deer chomping away happily
on a spiky holly leaf!
What are their mouths made of?
Date: 23 Feb 2022
View: BU5_20220122_1426_363+1427_364-365_SC1 Pheasant male walks towards Rook who flies over Pheasant & lands behind (montage).jpg
Description: One of those 'little moments' - the Pheasant walking along the edge of the pond
spooks the Rook who flies over the Pheasant to land behind.
We are sure the Rook is not frightened, but doesn't want to get 'steamrollered'.
The middle pic shows the Pheasant twisting his head to watch the Rook pass by.
View: BU5_20220121_2330_241-243_SC1 Fox Barking (q) as Muntjac Reeves Deer ignores the Fox (montage).jpg
Description: The Reeves' Muntjac Deer (left edge) ignores the fox that is presumably barking
across the water.
Date: 22 Feb 2022
View: E63_20220120_1959_106_FB1 Badger (orig).jpg
Description: Badgers appear most nights in various Trail cams, but only occasionally at
one of these high resolution sites.
View: E6A_20220124_2010_072_FB5 Polecat (crop).jpg
Description: Sightings of Polecats at the high resolution sites are fairly rare, so this one
is a welcome addition.
Date: 21 Feb 2022
View: BU8_20220121_0038_064+066+068+0039_070 Fox drinks at Duck Pond from atypical place (montage).jpg
Description: A Fox skulks along the edge of the Duck-shaped Pond, stops for a drink
in an atypical place, and then stops for a stare across the water at the island.
View: BU3_20220121_1959_031-033_SC6 Fox carrying large prey item down access track 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A bit of a mystery as this Fox apparently exits our site onto the concrete
access track with something quite large in the mouth. The first image
is overexposed, but the remainder give an idea of the size of the prey item.
We at first thought it might be a Pheasant, but the regular male has since been
seen 'present and correct', and a female has also appeared.
Large Rabbit, Hare, Large Pigeon?
After watching a Fox take a Stoat in a recent 'BBC TV 'Winterwatch' (you can
catch it on YouTube) we could believe that the prey is almost anything!
Date: 20 Feb 2022
View: DF3_20220120_1010_001 Rookery to west starting new nests after storm destroyed all old nests.jpg
Description: A short savage storm late last year that brought down or broke several of our
trees, impacted much of the local area - damaged hedges and trees can be found
within a mile or two. Rooks normally see about half of one years nests survive
for refurbishment come the Spring, but the 50 or so nests in the large Rookery
to our west were completely stripped of nests in the storm. Hence unusually we
see the trees all with freshly constructed nests. This is one of the 3 main
nesting trees.
View: DF3_20220120_1018_005 2 Rooks on 11kV power cables (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: A pair of Rooks stop off on the local 11kV cables.
Date: 19 Feb 2022
View: PK1_20220119_0945_298 4 Long-tailed Tits in kitchen peanut feeder.jpg
Description: The Long-tailed Tits have at last started using the Kitchen peanut feeder
where no direct sunlight (as opposed to sun or bright sky flaring the camera)
provides opportunities for some pics. There seem to be 6 birds in this little
group, taking turns in the feeder - here are 4 of them.
View: DF3_20220119_1011_009 Long-tailed Tit perched on vertical blackberry stem.jpg
Description: Several perched nearby waiting their turn ...
View: DF3_20220119_1012_013+014 Long-tailed Tit on cut Blackberry stem takes off (montage).jpg
View: DF3_20220119_1012_019 Long-tailed Tit perched on vertical twig.jpg
Date: 18 Feb 2022
View: E63_20220118_1341_116_FB1 Robin + Great Tit in flight skirmish (crop).jpg
Description: It seems a long time since seeing a sharp photo of an in-flight skirmish.
Here a Robin (left) and Great Tit think it worth a little conflict to take
control of the food on offer.
View: E63_20220117_1121_006_FB1 Chaffinch male feeding at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: A male Chaffinch looking eagerly through the scraps.
Date: 17 Feb 2022
View: DF5_20220117_1144_015 2 Grey Squirrels sunbathing together in Birch tree.jpg
Description: A few hours of sunshine brought out a pair of Grey Squirrel sociably
sunbathing, grooming and eating a few catkins on the far side of the main pond.
View: DF5_20220118_1205_029 2 Grey Squirrels in sunshine on Willow Tree (crop 2).jpg
Description: About the same time next day some more sun brought out first this couple
of Grey Squirrels ...
View: DF5_20220118_1207_035 4 Grey Squirrels in sunshine on Willow Tree.jpg
Description: ... soon joined by another pair who spent some time playfully chasing
each other up and down the willow tree. All 4 are in this pic if you look hard.
Date: 16 Feb 2022
View: D01_20220116_1411_109-1414_115_FB6 Kestrel female takes rodent to Meadow Post & eats it over 4 mins 2+3+6+8 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels lands on the meadow post.
Hardly visible as she lands, there is some sort of rodent in her right claws.
Over the next 4 minutes she devours part of her catch.
She probably flew off with the remains - what's left is too big to eat, and
kestrels normally have a little rest after a big meal before flying on.
View: D01_20220116_1412_111_FB6 Kestrel female takes rodent to Meadow Post and eats it over 4 minutes 4 of 8 (crop).jpg
Description: A detail between the bottom two images in the montage.
Some of the rodents fur is stuck to her beak.
View: D01_20220119_1307_123+124_FB6 Kestrel female lands with prey but Magpie interferes 1+2 of 2 (impression montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: Three days later we see the right claw of this female Kestrel firmly grasping
some incautious rodent that we are sure the Kestrel was going to devour on the
post top. But as she went to land a Magpie was already making for the post (or
making for the Kestrel's prey - you decide!) so the Kestrel aborted the landing
and flew off out of sight.
Date: 15 Feb 2022
View: E64_20220115_1529_170_FB2 Pheasant male stepping over fallen branch.jpg
Description: Our lovely Pheasant stepping over the branch at the Woodland site.
View: E64_20220113_1611_066_FB2 Pheasant male at Sunset.jpg
Description: The male Pheasant still out after sunset.
Date: 14 Feb 2022
View: E63_20220111_2245_134_FB1 Fox in rain.jpg
Description: This drenched fox hopes for an easy meal.
View: BU2_20220114_0803_204-206_SC7 Fox walking quietly across bottom of Round Mound (montage).jpg
Description: A fox walking quietly across the bottom of the mound on the last trip of the night.
View: BU2_20220115_1701_386+398_SC7 Fox walks up mound to visit Rabbit hole under step now blocked with leaves (montage).jpg
Description: More usually we see a Fox on the mound an hour after dark. This individual seems
to check under the bottom slab every night. It used to be the primary entrance
to the Rabbit warren in the mound, but is now blocked with leaves. The main
entrance is now at one end of the mound, but perhaps the smell of 'Rabbit' still
drifts from the hole.
View: BU2_20220120_0616_415+417_SC7 Fox checks disused Rabbit hole (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A little before dawn this Fox again visits the disused rabbit hole on the Mound.
Lots of pics of this suggest that one or more foxes check this hole every night.
Date: 13 Feb 2022
View: E6A_20220115_1330_473_FB5 Grey Squirrel eating Banana peel.jpg
Description: This Grey Squirrel seems to have started at one end of a banana peel strip -
will it finish the whole thing?
We have no idea what transpired.
View: D72_20220116_1328_133 Grain bag with Grey Squirrel looking out of bitten open hole.jpg
Description: From Grey Squirrels breaking into peanut feeders we have moved to 'wanton
destruction' of the 'grain bag'. We hung up the bag in its normal place and half
an hour later a return to the bag finds this!
The munching Squirrel waited until the human was about a metre away before making
a hurried departure.
Verdict: VERY Guilty - in flagrante delicto
View: E63_20220110_1343_025_FB1 Grey Squirrel chasing away another.jpg
Description: A claw in the side would probably make our faces screw up in pain as well.
Date: 12 Feb 2022
View: DF3_20220112_1307_084+090 Blue Tit eating Lichen from tree branch 2+3 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: We can find no reference to Blue Tits eating Lichen, so this may be an unusual
moment to catch on camera.
On the left is the bird with a beakful of Lichen from the branch they are
perched upon, and on the right an enlarged and exposure adjusted detail of the
bird actually lifting the lichen from the branch.
View: DF3_20220112_1307_094 Blue Tit eating Lichen from tree branch 5 of 5 (crop).jpg
Description: Having eaten several pieces of Lichen, the Blue Tit perches quietly.
Date: 11 Feb 2022
View: DF3_20220110_1241_012+1242_013-017+1243_018 Buzzard flying from 11kV cable 01 of 07 of 11 (acc flight montage@7fps).jpg
Description: This Buzzard seems to have chosen areas north to south of our patch as their
current feeding area. The bird didn't seem bothered by us about 70m away, but
eventually decided to try a different hunting perch and here flew another 50m away
to another set of cables, this time rubber covered 'mains' cables, to carry on the
hunt, moving along that set of cables periodically.
Date: 10 Feb 2022
View: DF3_20220109_1359_042 Rook pair in Black Poplar catkin buds swelling.jpg
Description: A 'loving couple' of Rooks high in a Black Poplar.
The Tree's buds are already starting to swell from which Catkins will emerge.
Black Poplars produce Catkins weeks before first leaf.
Black Poplars seem to be a dead-end species - all of our trees are male,
and we understand that females smell awful when flowing so are not planted.
A quote from https://www.ashridgetrees.co.uk
The number of Black Poplars has been falling steadily for many years and
there are a few thousand of them left in Britain. Less than 10% of the remaining
trees are female and these are increasingly hybridizing with commercially grown
poplar cultivars, creating highly variable offspring. It is its ability to regrow new
trees from broken branches and roots that keeps the species alive in the wild.
Broken branches is exactly how the 6 giant Black Poplars in our patch came about,
cut from the branch of a tree along the access track, cut into 6. All 6 'took'.
Date: 09 Feb 2022
View: E6A_20220108_0817_236_FB5 Pheasant male (crop).jpg
Description: The male Pheasant just fitting the photo frame.
You get a good view here of the 'spurs' on the back of the strong legs.
View: BU2_20220108_1225_193+195_SC7 Pheasant male using wings to jump onto fallen tree-trunk (+ Pigeon) (montage).jpg
Description: Hours later we see the male Pheasant again, using a 'wing assist' to jump up
onto the fallen tree on the Mound.
View: BU5_20220111_1242_121-123_SC1 Pheasant male walking along edge of Round Pond (slightly stretched montage).jpg
Description: The male Pheasant walks quietly along the edge of Round Pond.
Date: 08 Feb 2022
View: BU5_20220108_0137_183+0138_186+188_SC1 Badger walks up to drink at Round Pond 1-3 of 3 (impression montage).jpg
Description: This Badger quietly ruffling through the leaf litter, decides to visit
the pond for a drink.
View: E64_20220113_0340_270_FB2 Badger at woodland site.jpg
Description: This Badger a few days later taking a selfie at the Woodland camera site.
Date: 07 Feb 2022
View: D01_20220107_0924_055+0923_053_FB6 Sparrowhawk short visit to Meadow Post 2+1 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: The local female Sparrowhawk is undoubtedly feeling the cold, so out
early to find something ready-heated to eat :-(
View: D01_20220107_1611_085-1615_091_FB6 Kestrel female brings short-tailed Field Vole to meadow post to eat at dusk 1+3+5+7 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: As the day draws to a close this female Kestrel visits the Meadow Post
with a short-tailed Vole for what is probably her final meal of the day.
View: D01_20220107_1623_093_FB6 Kestrel female lands on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: The female Kestrel returned 8 minutes later for a couple of minutes, this time 'empty clawed'
View: D01_20220108_1947_131+1948_133_FB6 Tawny Owl 5 minute visit to meadow post 1+2 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A Pleasant surprise to see a Tawny Owl making a 5 minute visit
to the Meadow post a few hours after dark.
Date: 06 Feb 2022
View: E64_20220105_2129_176_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male stepping over fallen branch.jpg
Description: One of the at-least 3 male Reeves' Muntjac Deer takes a selfie
in the dark of the night while stepping over the fallen branch.
View: BU9_20220104_1022_036_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at end of orchard.jpg
Description: It's quite hard to pick out the outline against the similar colours and randomly
patterned leaf litter, as this solitary female Reeves' Muntjac Deer quietly browses.
She looks like she is smiling, but that's anthropomorphism for you.
View: PK1_20220104_1037_170+178+179+184 Muntjac Reeves Deer female visits Main Pond island (montage).jpg
Description: 15 minutes later, and 70 metres away, probably the same individual spent a few
minutes grooming on the island of the main pond
Date: 05 Feb 2022
View: D01_20220103_2044_021-2051_035_FB6 Tawny Owl 8 minute visit to Meadow Post 1+2+3+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: This Tawny Owl makes a welcome visit to the meadow post, staying
for about 8 minutes. Past experience suggests that this was just one
of many stops on the numerous other hunting perches around the site.
Date: 04 Feb 2022
View: E6A_20220104_1522_158_FB5 Rook head detail.jpg
Description: Rooks really are interesting creatures.
We know birds don't have 'expressions', but you try to tell this Rook that!
View: D01_20220102_1230_129+130_FB6 Rook landing on meadow post with cloud of Midges ahead (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: A Rook landing on the Meadow Post. Ahead of this is a cloud of midges
View: BU5_20220105_1312_240_SC1 Rook and their shadow.jpg
Description: A serendipitous moment as the sun makes a shadow of this Rook
so precise that at first viewing looks like two birds.
Date: 03 Feb 2022
View: E64_20220101_1347_185_FB2 Grey Squirrel chasing away male Pheasant.jpg
Description: This male Pheasant doesn't argue with a belligerent Grey Squirrel.
View: E64_20211230_1247_027+1308_033_FB2 2 Grey Squirrels feast at woodland site for 15 minutes (montage).jpg
Description: These 2 Grey Squirrels are often seen sharing a feeding site.
Here they spent 15 minutes sharing the largess.
Individual Grey Squirrels seem to have huge variability in behaviour towards
both members of their own species and other species.
Date: 02 Feb 2022
View: E6A_20220103_0510_263_FB5 Fox at Meadow site (crop 2).jpg
Description: One of our Foxes offering a head and shoulders portrait.
Love the whiskers!
View: BU5_20220104_0705_071_SC1 Fox Drinking from Round Pond near end of night.jpg
Description: An hour before sunrise, this Fox stops off for a drink from the
now easily accessible water, complete with reflection.
View: BUA_20211231_0609_057_SC8 Fox gazing up tree by east hedge gap.jpg
Description: Possibly the same Fox 24 minutes apart - first near the east entrance ...
View: BU5_20211231_0633_081_SC1 Fox at edge of Round Pond gazing upwards.jpg
Description: ... and then at Round Pond with a very similar upward gaze.
Date: 01 Feb 2022
View: PK1_20211228_0826_151 Strange early morning sunlight looking north from kitchen window (orig & final).jpg
Description: Out of the Kitchen windows this extreme orange sunrise lit up the whole
area.
It was quite eerie.
View: D01_20211228_0824_002_FB6 Magpie on Meadow Post as sunrise streaks over meadow (crop).jpg
Description: Unknown to us at the time, the same light was playing on this Magpie who was stopping
off at the Meadow Post.
Image Archive arch 2022 jan.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Jan 2022
View: E60_20211226_0807_020_FB3 Sparrowhawk perched on kitchen perch (crop 2).jpg
Description: At the Kitchen perch at around sunrise this female Sparrowhawk spends a moment.
View: D01_20211228_1504_040+1503_038_FB6 Kestrel female 2 minute visit to meadow post 2+1 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: The new nervous Kestrel makes a short visit to the meadow post.
Here you get to see both sides of the bird at once.
View: D01_20211228_1556_041-1503_038_FB6 Buzzard + Magpie + Wood Pigeon + Kestrel female on meadow post (same scale montage).jpg
Description: All at the same scale: Buzzard, Magpie, Pigeon, and the unexpectedly small Kestrel.
Date: 30 Jan 2022
View: D01_20211228_1556_041_FB6 Buzzard 3 minute visit to meadow post 1 of 3 (crop 1).jpg
Description: This Buzzard makes a spectacular landing on the Meadow post
View: DF3_20211224_1249_019 Buzzard perched on 11kV cable (crop 2).jpg
Description: A Buzzard perched on an 11kV cable.
We assume that this is a young bird - fully mature birds seem to be
too heavy to be comfortable doing this.
View: D01_20211227_1253_139_FB6 Buzzard 3 minute visit to Meadow Post in drizzle 1 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: Another sighting of a Buzzard on the meadow post. It is about mid-day despite
the dark background. The bird's feathers (particularly over the head) appear drenched.
Date: 29 Jan 2022
View: D36_20211227_1329_037_FB4 Magpie collecting dead Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) (crop).jpg
Description: Our old house leaks in Rodents. Many are caught and released from live traps,
but some just won't or can't use them and have to be caught in snapper traps.
Here a dead mouse placed at the trees-tump camera sees a Magpie grateful for the
gift. It normally takes between about 4 minutes for a Magpie to come and collect.
View: D36_20211228_0708_044_FB4 Release of Vole from live Mousetrap.jpg
Description: Our preference is to release live Rodent well away from the house. This one
looks like a vole - about a third of the Rodents we catch indoors are some sort of vole.
View: D36_20211230_0706_027_FB4 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) just released from trap leaps from top of Tree-stump.jpg
Description: 2 days later a Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) sort-of vaults off the edge of the
tree-stump.
FREEDOM!
Date: 28 Jan 2022
View: BU5_20211226_0149_210_SC1 Fox gazing at Round Pond Island now pond partly re-filled.jpg
Description: As the pond level rises the easier access to the island at the rear becomes a swim.
Is it now worth a cold swim to check it out?
View: BU5_20211227_0528_301_SC1 Fox carrying prey (unidentified) along edge of Round Pond.jpg
Description: This blurry mess (supported by even worse pics a second or two on either side)
shows a fox carrying some unfortunate prey in the mouth at the edge of Round Pond.
Most likely a young Rabbit, but only a guess.
Nighttime pictures of fast moving animals from simple battery-powered trail-cams
need 'long' exposure of 1/16 to 1/4 second, so are always rather movement blurred.
View: BU5_20211229_0627_088+089+091_SC1 Fox sits momentarily while walking along edge of Round Pond 1-3 of 3 (spread montage).jpg
Description: This Fox still seems obsessed with the Round Pond island, 'sitting' for a moment
for a gaze over the water.
Date: 27 Jan 2022
View: E64_20211225_1334_085_FB2 Wood Pigeon pair stepping over branch.jpg
Description: Wood Pigeons now often appearing in pairs.
Finish the last nest in November, start again in January?
View: E6A_20211227_1335_263_FB5 Wood Pigeon pair at meadow site.jpg
Description: Wood Pigeons now often appearing in pairs.
View: E64_20211229_1324_103_FB2 Wood Pigeon pair at woodland site as leaf drifts down.jpg
Description: Wood Pigeons now often appearing in pairs.
Date: 26 Jan 2022
View: E64_20211224_1203_023_FB2 Pheasant male stepping over log.jpg
Description: We admire the male pheasant, even if he flees in terror the moment he sees us.
We thought this pic highlighted how strong his legs are - after all, the spurs
behind the feet are his built-in weapon.
View: BU2_20211224_1208_008_SC7 Pheasant male walking up mound.jpg
Description: 5 minutes later the male Pheasant has moved about 40 metres to the 'Round Mound'
to continue the search for food. We scatter corn on this slope every day so
there is bound to be something to find.
View: E6A_20211225_1430_168_FB5 Robin attacking another bird as Muntjac Reeves Deer feeds behind.jpg
Description: As the female Reeves' Muntjac Deer quietly browses, a Robin (just above bottom
centre) mounts a furious attack on some unidentified similar sized bird.
Date: 25 Jan 2022
View: E64_20211221_1527_144_FB2 Grey Squirrel gathering leaves for Drey.jpg
Description: If a Grey Squirrel needs some dead leaves for the Drey then
they now have millions to choose from!
View: BUA_20211221_2220_152+153_SC8 Badger foraging under Leaf litter (impression montage).jpg
Description: Badgers do not hibernate, fattening up in Autumn and then making minimal forages on
warmer nights. This Badger has just entered through the East hedge gap and is
already rummaging through the leaf litter for food. Actually the Badger had not
moved, so this montage is just an 'impression'.
Date: 24 Jan 2022
View: D01_20211221_1031_034_FB6 Green Woodpecker male short visit to Meadow post.jpg
Description: Not even a distant call of the Green Woodpecker recently, so this pic
of a pristine male on the Meadow Post is an unexpected pleasure.
Date: 23 Jan 2022
View: DF3_20211218_1440_004+006+008+010 Rook flying in joined by another to fly off together (acc montage alternate frames @7fps).jpg
Description: A Rook perched on a twig takes off to join another flying by.
View: D01_20211221_1331_058+1335_062_FB6 Rook and Jackdaw (identical scale montage).jpg
Description: A hopefully useful size comparison - Rook (left) and Jackdaw.
Date: 22 Jan 2022
View: BU5_20211218_2347_364_SC1 Fox on edge of Island watches Reeves Muntjac Deer on bank through midnight fog (crop).jpg
Description: Just before midnight, in an overnight fog, glowing eyes reveal a male Reeves'
Muntjac Deer in the foreground watched by a Fox who has made it onto the pond
island and is walking along the edge. The Fox probably paddled through the mud
on the other side of the island - the water level is very low at the moment -
rather than swimming across.
View: E64_20211218_2350_085_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male with chipped Antler + cut Ear + Tusk.jpg
Description: 3 minutes and about 20 metres away we see what must be the same male Deer.
He is beginning to look a bit 'beaten up' with the chipped right Antler and
a somewhat cut and healed left ear. His 'Tusk' seemed to have survived intact.
View: E64_20211221_1256_103_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding (2 mins after hand-held pic).jpg
Description: A few days later this female Reeve's Muntjac Deer trips the same sense beam
to take her portrait.
Date: 21 Jan 2022
View: D01_20211217_1318_047-1321_072_FB6 Kestrel female 4 minute visit to meadow post 1+2+5+3+8 of 9 (montage).jpg
Description: The 'newer' female Kestrel visits the Meadow Post for a few minutes.
View: D01_20211217_1321_071_FB6 Kestrel female 4 minute visit to meadow post 7 of 9 (crop).jpg
Description: One of the pics not included in the Montage.
Date: 20 Jan 2022
View: D71_20211213_0714_009 Muntjac Reeves Deer female walking to us while collecting camera memory cards (crop).jpg
Description: Your's truly out in the pre-dawn gloom with 'headlights' blazing to collect the camera cards,
this little face emerged from the surrounding dark and waited for a hand-out.
She is only about 1.5 metres from the cameraman.
View: E64_20211216_1236_038_FB2+DF3_20211216_1235_016 Muntjac Reeves Deer ignores FB2 flash 1+2(insert) of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: This is the almost 'tame' female Reeves' Muntjac Deer stepping over the fallen branch
to pick up some of the corn sprinkled down for her. As she triggered the camera
and flash for the main image the hand-held camera was recording the same moment
(see insert). She didn't react at all to the flash - she must be completely used to
cameras clunking and flashing as she wanders around the sites.
Date: 19 Jan 2022
View: DF3_20211215_1226_014 Fungi Fruiting on animal escape pole in water butt (crop 2).jpg
Description: All of the water-butts have a stick in them to allow anything that falls
in to crawl out. This perpetually wet stick has grown a nice little
crop of Fungi in a micro-jungle of moss.
View: DF3_20211215_1008_002 Japanese Lantern seed heads (caught up in Monkey Puzzle Tree).jpg
Description: Like little flames in a tracery lantern, this group of 3 'Japanese Lanterns' glow
in the dark foliage of a small Monkey Puzzle tree they have managed to get tangled into.
Date: 18 Jan 2022
View: D01_20211212_0725_219-0730_229_FB6 Sparrowhawk lands & 6 mins later leaves Meadow Post 30m pre-sunrise 1+5+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: At 07:25 a.m. dawn is only just arriving and this Sparrowhawk is already hunting in the near dark.
The bird's Irises are fully open hiding the normal bright yellow eye ring.
She must be really hungry to be out so early - as we type this 3 days later we saw her
flash by the Kitchen bird feeder only 15 minutes later than this, so these early outings
may be a regular event.
Date: 17 Jan 2022
View: E64_20211210_1130_111_FB2 Pheasant running over log as Grey Squirrel watches from foreground.jpg
Description: Whoosh. Visually similar to a 'Roadrunner' animation, we can't be sure that
the Grey Squirrel in the foreground has any connection to the Pheasant's speed
(but see the 3rd image in this sequence).
View: E63_20211210_1313_078_FB1 Pheasant male + Magpie keeping one peck away (orig & final).jpg
Description: Any of the Corvids make better sharers with Pheasants than do Squirrels.
The Magpie isn't really nervous of the Pheasant, but noticeably stayed just over one peck distance away.
View: E64_20211213_1225_037_FB2 Grey Squirrel leaping at fleeing Pheasant male.jpg
Description: A Grey Squirrel seeing off the male Pheasant.
View: E6A_20211215_1028_137_FB5 Pheasant male feeding with nictitating membrane half closed (crop + insert).jpg
Description: The Vibrant portrait of the male Pheasant caught a moment where his nictitating
membrane (a sort of translucent eyelid) is half closed. Eye detail is in the insert.
Date: 16 Jan 2022
View: DF3_20211210_1003_010 Magpie on Ash branch at south hedge.jpg
Description: A Magpie watches us watching them from high in this Ash tree
View: D36_20211215_1426_045_FB4 Magpie landing on edge of tree-stump.jpg
Description: This Magpie touches down in a flurry of feathers.
Date: 15 Jan 2022
View: DF3_20211209_1234_037-1253_119 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding and accepting corn around garage (montage over 20 mins).jpg
Description: We came across this female Reeves' Muntjac Deer just outside the garage.
She spent 20 minutes feeding on fallen leaves and corn we threw down for her,
until she wandered into the hedge along the access track.
Bottom right you can see the Deer's teeth and tongue.
View: E6A_20211210_1318_101_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding at meadow site - first of 3 visits very similar inside 1 hour.jpg
Description: This Deer wanders over the whole plot. Here she is probably licking up corn in the meadow.
View: BU9_20211211_1126_053_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female foraging in leaf litter.jpg
Description: As the autumn leaf litter darkens, the matching colours of the Reeves' Muntjac Deer
and the ground really show the value of camouflage.
Date: 14 Jan 2022
View: E60_20211206_1458_008_FB3 Wood Pigeon landing on kitchen perch already occupied by another.jpg
Description: Pigeons are brilliant fliers, but can be a bit clumsy when landing
on a perch, here possibly whacking the occupant on the face.
View: E6A_20211208_1422_242_FB5 Wood Pigeon lands over another who ducks to avoid impact.jpg
Description: On the ground, perhaps trying to use the resident as a trampoline.
The shadow indicates that the landing bird has actually contacted the lower bird.
Date: 13 Jan 2022
View: E60_20211208_0830_013_FB3 Kestrel female diving down from Kitchen perch (crop).jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels landed on the Kitchen perch without triggering a photo,
but her dive down the 1.5m to the ground did trigger this photo.
View: DF3_20211209_1244_068 Buzzard perched on tree at Brook.jpg
Description: We haven't seen much of Buzzards or Red Kite this week, but did spot this
Buzzard bending down a twig that can just support the bird's weight.
Date: 12 Jan 2022
View: BU2_20211206_2306_178_SC7 3 Roe Deer at Round Mound.jpg
Description: Roe Deer here are normally fleeting sightings, but for about an hour 3 Roe Deer check
out the area for something to eat. From the middle of their visit we pick a 20 minute
sequence of appearances
View: BU3_20211206_2316_166_SC6 3 Roe Deer on access track.jpg
Description: 10 minutes later and about 70m away they are on the concrete access track.
View: BU3_20211206_2320_170_SC6 3 Roe Deer enter from access track and 6 mins (100m) later at east hedge gap 2 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: 4 minutes later they have walked up in-line along the edge of the concrete
track and are queueing up to come back in.
Past observations indicate that females can get through these hedge openings,
but that the male's Antlers block this route, and they have to walk around to
reach easier routes.
View: BUA_20211206_2326_203_SC8 3 Roe Deer enter from access track and 6 mins (100m) later at east hedge gap 5 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: Another 6 minutes on sees at least 2 of them 100m right back across the site
to the East hedge.
None of these 4 pics are montages.
Date: 11 Jan 2022
View: BUA_20211206_2017_182_SC8 Fox peering round tree on entering site.jpg
Description: You may know of the Janacek Opera 'The Cunning little Vixen'.
We don't know the sex of this visitor, but they are having a cunning peer around
the tree to surprise anything tasty.
View: BU2_20211207_0052_201_SC7+BU5_20211207_0053_232+234_SC1 Fox leaves Round Mound for drink in Round Pond 1+2+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: After midnight on the same night this Fox on the prowl at Round
Mound walks directly to the edge of the Round Pond for a drink.
View: BU5_20211209_0449_497_SC1 Fox walking by edge of Round Pond looking up.jpg
Description: Two days later this Fox gazes upwards into the trees surrounding Round Pond.
Pheasants used to roost in the now broken conifers that fell onto
round Mound in the recent storm, and we suspect that they have found
a new relatively close roosting perch right where the Fox is looking.
Date: 10 Jan 2022
View: D72_20211204_1242_046 Muntjac Reeves Deer female looking up at photographer (crop).jpg
Description: Our 'almost tame' female Reeves Muntjac Deer gazes up at the photographer
a couple of metres away. Coat pockets are always bulging with corn
to spread around, and this little beauty got some.
We had a strange effect while working on this pic while choosing a size to
show it. We auto-generate a local web page with the whole range of sizes
that we prefer so we can pick one without guessing. Every image that scrolled
up or down for a moment visually had no head as the wonderful colour and pattern
match between face and leaf carpet gave a wonderful demonstration of camouflage.
No - we didn't have magic mushrooms for breakfast - the illusion may work for you.
It did again for us on the final read-through.
View: E60_20211205_1146_021_FB3 Squirrel on Kitchen bird table.jpg
Description: An odd moment of this Grey Squirrel caught by the kitchen window camera.
Close one eye to help thread the invisible needle.
Date: 09 Jan 2022
View: DF3_20211202_1322_013 Grey Squirrel sunbathing on branch.jpg
Description: Ah - a lovely warm patch of sun out of the wind ...
View: E6A_20211202_1343_057_FB5 Grey Squirrel looking for food on snowy ground.jpg
Description: ... but 20 minutes later the tummy is rumbling - and all the food is down on the cold ground.
Reminds us of the Macaques in Japan that spend most of the day luxuriating in a hot
spring but in the end have to come out into the snow to feed.
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/snow-monkeys-hot-springs-japan/index.html
Date: 08 Jan 2022
View: E63_20211201_0213_092_FB1 Fox walking through Hedge site while licking nose (crop).jpg
Description: Looking suspiciously smug and 'licking his chops', we wonder whether this
fox has just finished eating one of the other inhabitants!
View: D36_20211202_0745_066_FB4 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) leaps from live trap (crop).jpg
Description: Some mice and Voles caught in live traps in the house have to be physically
shaken out of the traps. But the moment the trap was open this one leapt
for freedom right over the tree-stump, leaving only the shadow.
"So long - and thanks for all the peanut butter!"
Date: 07 Jan 2022
View: D01_20211130_0548_001+0550_005+0554_011_FB6 Barn Owl 6 minute visit to Meadow Post 1+3+6 of 6 (mirror montage).jpg
Description: The Barn Owl visited at the end of the night, ...
View: D01_20211201_1847_091+1846_089+_FB6 Barn Owl short visit to Meadow Post with back to camera 2+1 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: ... and then a brief stop a day later after sunset.
Go on - turn round - No? Oh well you are lovely from the back as well!
Date: 06 Jan 2022
View: D72_20211129_0727_007+0729_017 Muntjac Reeves Deer female ignores night humans to feed in snow cover 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: While collecting the camera cards before dawn we find this female Reeve's Muntjac Deer
quietly pushing aside the snow and leaves to find something to eat.
She isn't disturbed by either us nor the camera flash.
We left some more corn to lick up.
View: D72_20211129_1301_049 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding around Round Mound (crop).jpg
Description: The leaves on this fallen branch don't look very appetising to us, but
the female Reeve's Muntjac Deer was obviously hungry enough to tackle them.
View: D72_20211129_1306_067 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding around Round Mound (crop).jpg
Description: This female Reeve's Muntjac Deer picks up the corn with her tongue.
View: E6A_20211130_1458_104+1455_103_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding at meadow site 2+1 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: A female Reeve's Muntjac Deer feeds at the Meadow site for several minutes.
Date: 05 Jan 2022
View: D72_20211129_0735_040 Sunrise (orig & final).jpg
Description: After a light snow overnight, the day starts with this slightly angry Dawn.
View: D36_20211129_1008_011_FB4 Robin on tree-stump in light snow.jpg
Description: A Robin in the snow - a living Christmas card (only a few days late)
View: D72_20211129_1242_025 40 Molehills with snow not yet melted on NE side.jpg
Description: A few hours later most of the snow has melted in the direct sun, but here the
North East side of all these Molehills has remained in the shade, creating this
unusual effect.
Date: 04 Jan 2022
View: DF3_20211128_1230_094 Kestrel female hunts + kills + eats Rodent 01 of 23 (crop).jpg
Description: After a failed hunting attempt the female Kestrel flies to this branch where she stays
for a couple of minutes intently studying the ground.
View: DF3_20211128_1232_112-128 Kestrel female hunts + kills + eats Rodent 05+08+09+11 of 23 (impression montage).jpg
Description: She suddenly dives down onto the grass path behind the pond.
View: DF3_20211128_1235_137+141+145 Kestrel female hunts + kills + eats Rodent 12-14 of 23 (bottom up montage + rodent insert).jpg
Description: Read this sequence bottom upwards.
We could just see movement as she smothered her prey (only a blurred brown
on camera) before flying upwards and off towards the Black Poplars along
the access track.
If you look carefully at the insert to the top image you can just see her capture
(it looks to us like a Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse)) grasped in one foot.
View: DF3_20211128_1236_155-1238_197 Kestrel female hunts + kills + eats Rodent 15+16+20+21 of 23 (montage).jpg
Description: She fortuitously chooses a branch on one of the Black Poplars to consume
her prize. The various angles reflect the photographers efforts to find better
angles to view the activity through the hedge and against the sun.
Date: 03 Jan 2022
View: DF3_20211128_1228_053 Kestrel female in flight.jpg
Description: We believe that the original human-tolerant female Kestrel is back.
Here she flies quite close to us to land in a tree on the island in
the main pond, where she stopped for a hunt. We were both already
quite close when she landed for a hunt.
View: DF3_20211128_1228_073-076 Kestrel female launches for unsuccessful attack 4-7 of 7 (montage impression).jpg
Description: Left to right and then down, she dives on some prey but obviously
misses her prize and flies to the top of another tree.
More Tomorrow
Date: 02 Jan 2022
View: BUA_20211127_2343_160-162_SC8 Fox scent marking 1-3 of 3 (approx montage).jpg
Description: The Fox stops off at the tree to the left for a moment of scent marking.
View: BUA_20211201_0244_156+20211202_0121_207_SC8 Fox scent marking on successive days (montage).jpg
Description: A few days later, then two consecutive days an hour or two after midnight,
it is the tree on the right that gets scent marked with incredibly similar gesture.
View: BUA_20211130_0424_084+0456_091_SC8 2 Fox visits 30 minutes apart (accurate montage IR).jpg
Description: A couple of days later there are 2 Fox visits near the east entrance half an
hour apart. Facial marking suggest that they are different foxes.
Maybe they prefer different trees to scent mark.
Date: 01 Jan 2022
View: D01_20211121_1958_051+1959_053_FB6 Barn Owl short visit to meadow post 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: A Barn Owl makes a brief stop on the Meadow Post.
View: D01_20211126_0129_019_FB6 Barn Owl lands on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: 5 days later, at an hour and a half after midnight, this gorgeous Barn Owl stops
off at the Meadow Post, but this time didn't stay.
Image Archive arch 2021 dec.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Dec 2021
View: BUA_20211119_0328_043_SC8 Fox (IR).jpg
Description: A sly looking fox with a couple of hours hunting left in the night.
View: BUB_20211120_0559_105 Fox lying down by Duck Pond (IR).jpg
Description: Next day a different Fox lies down by the Duck-shaped Pond.
Its hard work this night-time hunting.
View: BUA_20211122_1915_016+017_SC8 Fox entering site peers round tree 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: After entering the site at the east hedge the Fox slyly peeks around the
tree, but sees nothing to ambush.
View: BU2_20211123_0202_141_SC7 Muntjac Reeves Deer female watches Fox arriving at top of Mound (orig).jpg
Description: The female Reeve's Muntjac Deer at the bottom of the mound looks up at the
arriving Fox coming over the top. A Fox could not tackle even a relatively small
Muntjac Deer, but could certainly attack a Fawn.
Date: 30 Dec 2021
View: E64_20211124_1315_232_FB2 Red-legged Partridge.jpg
Description: An unexpected visit by this Red-legged Partridge at the Woodland site.
It's just past mid-day, but you wouldn't think it from the background light.
View: E60_20211124_1449_039_FB3 Sparrowhawk launching from Kitchen perch.jpg
Description: The Conservatory is usually too cold to make pleasant sitting 'out' for the
next few months, so we don't see the Sparrowhawk flashing past the Windows
doing her circuits of the peanut feeders around the house.
But this pic assures us that she is still 'doing the rounds'.
View: D72_20211121_1220_048 Grey Squirrel sunbathing on pollarded Willow tree stump.jpg
Description: The sun isn't offering a lot of radiant warmth at this time of year, but what there
is this Squirrel is having some.
Date: 29 Dec 2021
View: D72_20211121_1055_038 2 Rooks courting on 11KB cable (crop).jpg
Description: Two Rooks treating this 11kV cable as an avian 'Love Seat'.
View: DF3_20211122_0955_008 Rook pair in Black Poplar Tree.jpg
Description: Next day these two Rooks are pairing up in the Black Poplar trees.
Date: 28 Dec 2021
View: D72_20211121_1045_009-019 Kestrel female hovering near 11kV cables 01-11 of 11 (montage 1 @8fps).jpg
Description: The new Female Kestrel doesn't provide any opportunities for hand-held portraits,
but she hunts while hovering much more than 'Grey Feather', so here is one
of her near the Bridleway to the north, hovering in front of an 11kV cable.
The hover starts at the top and this sequence, with a cable a useful
vertical reference, and a tower (cropped out) providing horizontal positioning,
shows how well the Kestrel keeps station.
Here is a general view of about 1.3 seconds of action ...
View: D72_20211121_1045_009-019 Kestrel female hovering near 11kV cables 01-11 of 11 (montage 3 @8fps).jpg
Description: ... and here more detail of the bird to see the wings and tail in action.
View: D01_20211121_1516_027-1525_045_FB6 Kestrel female 10+ min visit to Meadow Post 01+02+05+08+10 of 10 (montage).jpg
Description: A few hours later the female Kestrel spent at least 10 minutes at the Meadow
Post. The sun came out after a few minutes transforming her colour scheme!
View: D01_20211121_1524_043_FB6 Kestrel female 10+ min visit to Meadow Post 09 of 10 (crop).jpg
Description: A moment not included in the Kestrel montage above.
Date: 27 Dec 2021
View: E64_20211120_0925_118_FB2 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: Our currently resident male Pheasant with a slight quirky look.
Its 9.25 a.m., but it looks like the Sun's alarm didn't go off.
View: D72_20211124_1108_011+014+017+020 Pheasant male running over grass to hedge (accurate montage @8fps every third frame).jpg
Description: The new 'resident' male Pheasant is totally anti-human - the merest sight of the
photographer sends the beautiful creature into a sprint - a behaviour that may
serve him well should he meet a shooter
Date: 26 Dec 2021
View: DF5_20211118_1356_017+027 Muntjac Reeves Deer male browsing in salad bed (montage).jpg
Description: All of the current Reeve's Muntjac Deer visitors are exceptionally skittish
at any sight of a human. This male didn't spot the cameraman on the other
side of a ground-floor window, so here are a couple of moments as this male
helped to clear the salad bed of weeds!
View: BU5_20211112_1850_102_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female inside pond watches male on bank.jpg
Description: "Hiya Babe!"
Date: 25 Dec 2021
View: E63_20211115_1644_040_FB1 Woodcock (crop).jpg
Description: Our first ever sighting of a Woodcock, here at the hedge bottom site.
For several days we have spotted single holes in muddy patches around the site,
but didn't know what has made them.
Date: 24 Dec 2021
View: D01_20211114_1753_047-065_FB6 Tawny Owl 10+ minutes visit to Meadow Post 01+03+05+10 of 10 (montage).jpg
Description: A few moments from an extended visit (i.e. over 10 minutes) by this Tawny Owl to the meadow post.
View: D01_20211119_0245_001+246_003_FB6 Barn Owl 4 minute visit to meadow post 1+2 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: This Barn Owl visit, after many weeks of absence, was taken at 2.45 a.m.
Date: 23 Dec 2021
View: DF3_20211117_0839_014 Ivy covered tree-trunk at brook.jpg
Description: This feast of browns and green along the edge of the Brook really caught
our eye in the sunshine. The unbroken green of the Ivy covering the tree-trunk
looks almost surreal against the bare bole of the tree.
View: DF3_20211117_0832_001 Sycamore in Autumn colour along south hedge (orig & final).jpg
Description: Our Sycamore trees are outstanding for a canopy of Autumn leaves.
Date: 22 Dec 2021
View: DF3_20211113_1458_012 Grey Squirrel nibbling peanut stolen from bait bag.jpg
Description: Turn your back on the bait-bag for a few minutes and you come back to find
a Squirrel making the most of the largess.
It must have been IN the bag to reach the peanuts in the nearly empty bag.
View: PK1_20211117_1305_912+1306_929+939 Grey Squirrel raids nut feeder after removing top (montage).jpg
Description: We thought the issue of this open-able peanut feeder was solved, but it clearly isn't.
On the right image you see the white cable tie that was holding the lid on.
These clear plastic ties deteriorate in sunlight and become brittle, and it looks
like the Squirrel nibbled an edge and started a crack that broke the strap.
We put the 'other' similar feeder back while we find a foolproof scheme.
Date: 21 Dec 2021
View: D36_20211113_0658_031+0659_032_FB4 Robin visits tree-stump (montage over 1 minute).jpg
Description: A Robin photographs themselves twice in a minute on the tree-stump.
Date: 20 Dec 2021
View: BU9_20211111_0923_016+018_SC2 Pheasant male walking through autumn leaf litter (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Two glorious colours at once - a scatter of Autumn turned Sycamore leaves and stepping
over them a very smart male Pheasant matching some of the colours.
View: D72_20211115_1509_065+068+071 Pineham Field North hedge from Farm entrance (montage for width).jpg
Description: The North hedge of our patch with a mix of yellows, browns and green as
the huge mix of different trees choose to welcome Autumn in their various ways.
View: D72_20211115_1517_092 Sumac in front garden showing Autumn colours (orig & final).jpg
Description: After planting a Sumac at out first house about 1970, moving here 1990 we found
a couple of such trees in the front garden which we have allowed to develop into
several trees. They are so robust they have to be hacked back every other year
or so, but always come back thriving.
Date: 19 Dec 2021
View: DF3_20211111_1112_045-074 Rook with sprouting bean on cable drops shoot & hangs below wire but also drops bean 2+4+8-10+15+17+19-21 of 21 (montage @7fps).jpg
Description: The 11kV cable you see here is near the Farm Road entrance over the hedge.
The Rook was busy pecking at something clamped to the wire by the bird's claws.
The larger part of the item the Rook allowed to drop into the hedge (not caught
on camera). The bird then went chasing after the remains of the item which appears
to be a spouted Bean seed (the last crop was field beans). The bird lowered
the whole body below the wire while hanging on to the cable above with the claws.
But the bird also dropped the bean seed (third to fifth frames) into the hedge.
After a few seconds the bird released one claw, then the other to 'fall' into flight.
We have never seen anything like it before except in joke cartoons.
View: DF3_20211111_1112_062 Rook with sprouting bean on cable drops shoot & hangs below wire but also drops bean 14 of 21 (crop).jpg
Description: More detail of the Rook hanging from the cable above just after dropping the Bean.
Date: 18 Dec 2021
View: DF3_20211109_0839_008 Autumn colours outside east hedge (orig & final).jpg
Description: Some views of Autumn colour - here outside our East hedge.
View: DF3_20211109_0844_019 Autumn colours along brook (orig & final).jpg
Description: Some views of Autumn colour - here along the Brook to the north.
View: DF3_20211112_1343_027 Farm Road Lombardy Poplars in Autumn colour.jpg
Description: The Lombardy Poplars along the Farm Road are all starting 'the Fall' in the same manner.
We understand that Lombardy Poplars are all clones of one another so don't
show much variation in behaviour.
Date: 17 Dec 2021
View: DF5_20211107_1013_018-035 Muntjac Reeves Deer suckles from mother at main pond 2+3 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: A mid-morning delight was watching the suckling Fawn drinking their morning
fill from Mum. She was intermittently grooming the Fawn as the Fawn got really
quite rough 'pumping' the udder up and down to get at the last drop!
The lower pic shows Mum starting to not enjoy the youngster's behaviour.
View: DF5_20211107_1015_051 Muntjac Reeves Deer suckles from mother at main pond 6 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: The next moment is caught as an MP4 video you may be able to view.
You see here the natural speed 'pumping' action - we think that you will agree that
it really is rather OTT. Mum decides she has 'had enough' and walks away over her
disappointed youngster.
The file is about 10MB for 10 seconds of grabbed (silent) HD video and may take
a few seconds to load.
Video of Reeves Muntjac Deer Fawn feeding from_mother
Once the feed had finished Mum affectionately grooms her Baby - all is forgiven.
Date: 16 Dec 2021
View: D01_20211101_1349_019+020_FB6 Kestrel female lending on Meadow Post 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels lands on the meadow post.
She is in shadow so is a bit colour-cast compared to the sunlit background.
View: D72_20211104_1029_004-005 Kestrel female takes off from post top 1-3 of 3 ((montage).jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels leaves the disused telephone pole near the south hedge.
Date: 15 Dec 2021
View: E63_20211030_2038_197_FB1 Yellow slug on hedge bottom stone with eye stalks visible and casting shadow.jpg
Description: This 'Yellow Slug' seems to have started the climb up the
mini-mountain, didn't see anything interesting from the top
so started back down. The eye stalks show better as shadows.
View: E64_20211107_1405_262_FB2 Grey Squirrel seen with circles effect on tail (crop).jpg
Description: This abstract pattern is the tail tip of a Grey Squirrel.
Date: 14 Dec 2021
View: BUA_20211028_1627_065_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer female looking back at camera in dappled light.jpg
Description: A beam of late afternoon sun penetrates 100 metres of woodland to shine on the
ear of this sweet female Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
View: BU7_20211104_1217_016 Muntjac Reeves Deer male following female towards south entrance.jpg
Description: The male Reeve's Muntjac Deer follows the Deer equivalent of Chanel No 5?
The male Deer must catch the moment that the female is receptive to mating.
Date: 13 Dec 2021
View: D01_20211103_1504_205_FB6 Magpie landing on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: The markings on Magpies are a wonder.
The Black/wide divide on the wings runs diagonally across the feathers,
and the tips of the primaries (the main flight feathers) are tipped with Grey.
And we can't even see the back and tail in this landing.
View: D01_20211103_1527_211+212_FB6 Kestrel female on meadow post with worm in beak 1(mirrored)+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: Most Raptors will eat worms when they have not been successful with their preferred
prey, but the worms are usually swallowed 'on the spot', so we don't know why this
female Kestrel brought one to the Meadow Post top to swallow.
Date: 12 Dec 2021
View: E6A_20211102_1245_114_FB5 Stoat 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: Not seen before in this calendar year, a Stoat appears at the meadow site
twice about 30 minutes apart. This first appearance provides this better image.
Date: 11 Dec 2021
View: PK1_20211031_1006_797 Freak short storm damage - before during & after - during storm thu kitchen window 19 of 24 (crop).jpg
Description: On an otherwise moderately windy day, about 10 a.m. saw an intense wind lasted only about
15 minutes but the whole area suffered various levels of damage.
This pic of the storm through the kitchen window shows EVERYTHING bending
right in the Westerly gale. The air was full of twigs and leaves whipping across
horizontally, but the camera misses most of them - blurred out by their
speed.
Note that the timestamps are a mix of BST & GMT as the affair completely messed up our
normally systematic tour of the cameras to do the end of summer-time updates.
View: D71_20211031_1520_003_etc Freak short storm damage - before during & aftermath - our site 07-09+11+12 of 24 (montage).jpg
Description: At least 6 trees have fallen or broken off, and three of our normal access paths are
completely blocked by fallen wood.
Top left is a badly broken conifer that has half smothered Round Mound.
Bottom right is a freshly fallen Squirrel Drey.
Left of the Drey image is an Oak tree near the SE corner, now bereft of it's
crown hanging down blocking the path beside it.
View: D71_20211031_1542_054 Freak short storm damage - before during & aftermath - Oak at SE 10 of 24 (orig & final).jpg
Description: A closer look at the poor Oak tree with all three major branches snapped off.
The wind seems to funnel through various places, and it seems that the Oak
was 'in the wrong place at the wrong time'.
Date: 10 Dec 2021
View: DF3_20211030_1821_016 Grey Squirrel eat apple just plucked from further up tree.jpg
Description: Through the conservatory window this Squirrel is seen pulling at apples high in
the tree. Finally one comes away and the Squirrel brings the prize down to this
almost level branch to gorge. The Squirrel eats about half of the apple before
leaving the rest.
View: E63_20211028_1734_042_FB1 Grey Squirrel chases Magpie from hedge bottom.jpg
Description: A not-so-sweet Grey Squirrel chases off a Magpie who dared not to leave
the moment the Squirrel arrived.
View: E6A_20211101_1522_048_FB5 Grey Squirrel and Magpie quietly eating Peanuts together (crop).jpg
Description: A Grey Squirrel - Magpie mix usually sees the Mammal chasing away the bird.
But here we see the same pairing quietly eating peanuts together.
So the Squirrel is probably the much more sociable female of the
species!
Date: 09 Dec 2021
View: D01_20211030_1058_001-1105_015_FB6 Sparrowhawk female 9 minute visit to meadow post 1+2+4-6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: A rare occurrence - the Sparrowhawk landing on the meadow post and staying for almost
10 minutes.
View: D01_20211030_1100_005_FB6 Sparrowhawk female 9 minute visit to meadow post 3 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: A closer look at frame 3 omitted from the selection above.
View: DF3_20211022_0853_019 Cloud bank to SW (crop & adjust).jpg
Description: A weather front approaching from the South West displayed really 3-D
'ramparts' of clouds above the grey base an hour or so after sunrise.
Date: 08 Dec 2021
View: BUB_20211028_2030_019 Muntjac Reeves Deer male looks back at female.jpg
Description: As male Deer follow females about in the hope of mating it is easy to think that
the 'girls' just have to 'put up with it'. But as the females reach Oestrus (USA Estrus)
suddenly it becomes apparent that the females welcome the male attention.
View: BU5_20211029_1917_119_SC1+BUA_1857_133_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer Pair - female inviting mating (montage right to left).jpg
Description: Next night we see (right) the female waiting for the male to keep up with her.
30 minutes later we see them near Round Pond with the females vertical
tail inviting a mating attempt.
View: BU8_20211103_1734_151 Muntjac Reeves Deer Mother + Fawn + Father 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: This little 'family group' of Reeve's Muntjac Deer wandered past the Duck-shaped Pond.
Mum on the left probably licking the Fawn's head, as Dad quietly follows.
Date: 07 Dec 2021
View: D01_20211027_0759_053_FB6 Kestrel female landing on meadow post in gloomy morning 1 of 2.jpg
Description: One of the female Kestrels lands on the Meadow post in a seriously gloomy morning.
View: D01_20211029_1441_035+036_FB6 Kestrel female landing on meadow post (montage 400mS apart).jpg
Description: 2 days later this female Kestrel chooses a fine afternoon to land on the same post.
View: DF5_20211029_1340_009+019+020 Kestrel female preening on bird table 1+3+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: A female Kestrel doesn't often visit the bird table / perch outside the kitchen,
but on this occasion stayed long enough for a few portraits as she cleans
herself up, most probably after a kill.
View: DF5_20211029_1647_006-009 Kestrel female flying from concrete power post to wooden power post 1-4 of 6 (impression montage).jpg
Description: Twice we have photographed the same female Kestrel flying in this manner
flying from the top of the concrete mains power pole, each time the next target
being the top of the wooden mains power pole some 30m south.
We have also startled her from this post
top a couple of times as well this week, so have to assume she uses this hunting
perch sequence on a regular basis - far more often than we are aware
of.
Although called the 'Windhover', and 'ours' do hover when the wind is right,
experience suggests that they are more 'Postwatchers' in a human built setting.
Date: 06 Dec 2021
View: E6A_20211024_0122_257_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer male head and shoulders (crop with inserts).jpg
Description: This male Reeve's Muntjac Deer triggered this Head-and-Shoulders portrait at the meadow site.
The inserts show his little Tusk casting a shadow in the camera flash, and the tip of his right
Antler which has been broken off we know not how.
View: E64_20211024_1904_225_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at woodland site (uncropped).jpg
Description: A female Reeve's Muntjac Deer passed through this camera site twice in a few
days. The other pic had the top of the head missing instead of just the tip of the ear!
View: BU2_20211024_0320_376+377+380_SC7 2 Badgers Rough & Tumble at Round Mound 1+2+5 of 6 (montage impression).jpg
Description: These two Badgers tumble down the Round Mound in a ball of fur, before quietly
wandering off. Despite their toughness, even adult Badgers seem to be really playful.
Date: 05 Dec 2021
View: E63_20211021_1946_116+20211021_2007_119_FB1 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) at Hedge bottom (montage 21 minutes apart).jpg
Description: Fieldmice (Wood Mice) now at all of the ground level sites.
This montage is from two images taken 21 minutes apart.
View: D36_20211023_0731_046+0732_047+0744_048_FB4 Magpie carries away 3 dead Fieldmice (Wood Mice) leaving Leopard Slug (montage 1m+12m gaps).jpg
Description: Unfortunately the exterior Mouse glut is mirrored by the invasion of mice inside
our old house. We learnt a few years ago that some mice are too big to get into
the live traps, or are not attracted top them, so Rats and Mouse traps catch the rest.
The sad little corpses are welcomed by Magpie(s) - here carrying off 3 of them
over a few minutes. The middle and right pics also show a juicy Leopard Slug,
but the Magpie doesn't seem to fancy it.
View: D36_20211022_1745_042_FB4 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) released from live trap.jpg
Description: But the Fieldmice (Wood Mice) are not all doom - some 'like' the live traps and end up 'relocated'
well away from the house.
Date: 04 Dec 2021
View: E6A_20211021_1602_040_FB5 Grey Squirrel carrying Rose Hips in mouth.jpg
Description: The Bounty of Autumn comes in many forms.
This Grey squirrel makes off with a couple of Rose Hips.
View: DF3_20211022_1450_024 Grey Squirrel female feeding outside south hedge.jpg
Description: Outside the south hedge this lactating Grey Squirrel watches the humans
appearing, and then quietly walks into the hedge. The moment we are gone she
will be back.
View: E60_20211027_1259_013_FB3 2 Grey Squirrels fighting on bird table.jpg
Description: "Ouch!"
View: DF3_20211026_1544_050 Grey Squirrel inside bait bag watches humans returning.jpg
Description: If you leave a bag of food unattended you should expect to return to find a Grey
Squirrel feasting within!
Date: 03 Dec 2021
View: D72_20211020_0917_009+012+015 Shaggy Ink Cap Fungus opposite blocked gate (montage).jpg
Description: The Annual appearance of Shaggy Ink Cap fungus 'fruiting bodies' took place
overnight. By the time we saw them something had already had a chew on
several. This image shows most of the visible Fungi + details of an unopened
and an opened and partly eaten fruiting bodies.
View: DF3_20211023_1249_045 Shaggy Ink Cap fungus patch almost clear.jpg
Description: Fungi under the ground (the Mycelium) may live for years, but the fruiting bodies
(e.g. mushrooms and toadstools) generally survive for only a few days.
Here is the same patch of grass only 3 days later - just a few fallen stalks.
View: D72_20211020_0920_018+021 Fungus fairy ring around south end Lombardy poplar outside east hedge (montage).jpg
Description: Several 'Fairy Rings' of Fungi appear each year around some of the Farm Road Lombardy Poplars.
The best one we pass by is at the south end outside of our east hedge, and is a more than three-quarters circle.
Date: 02 Dec 2021
View: E63_20211016_1104_349-20211017_1522_474_FB1 Moorhen visiting hedge bottom over 3 days 4+6+8 of 9 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Over 3 days we saw what looks like a single individual Moorhen visit the
hedge-bottom site. Here are 3 of the better pics from the second & third days.
View: E63_20211019_1055_194_FB1 Moorhen at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: This Moorhen spent about 3 Hours coming and going from the Hedge bottom site.
View: E63_20211019_1209_204-1351_221_FB1 Moorhen at Hedge Bottom over 2Hrs (montage).jpg
Description: An assortment of pics of Moorhen visits over 2 Hours
Date: 01 Dec 2021
View: PK1_20211016_1059_770 Spiders hatching at top right of kitchen window (crop).jpg
Description: When the surrounding fields were used for raising 'Dairy replacement' cattle,
flies in the house became something of a problem. One solution was to let spiders breed
in corners of the house, catching many of the flies without us having to regularly use chemicals.
The land is now 'arable' and flies much reduced in numbers, but we still let
the spiders do their thing. Here in the kitchen hundreds emerge from an egg
case.
Photo sizes can be deceptive - the ball is only about 6mm (quarter of an inch)
across.
View: E6A_20211017_1712_274_FB5 Grey Squirrel grooming.jpg
Description: "I'll get that flea if it kills me!"
View: E60_20211016_1736_036+20211017_1026_045_FB3 Grey Squirrel works top off peanut feeder next day eating 2 nuts (montage).jpg
Description: The Saga of the ill-fastened peanut feeder lid continues. We try to jam the top
on - then Squirrels spend ages trying to wheedle their way in. This time one
succeeded - on the right the Squirrel is holding two of the nuts won from
displacing the lid.
Image Archive arch 2021 nov.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Nov 2021
View: E63_20211014_2238_140+2240+143+2246+144_FB1 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) + Leopard Slug at hedge bottom 1+4+5 of 9 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: This accurately positioned montage is built from just 3 images taken in less than 10 minutes.
The Leopard Slug suspending itself between the stone and a lump of (unidentified)
fruit stayed almost motionless throughout.
View: E64_20211020_2016_249_FB2 2 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) (one landing head first) + 3 Leopard Slugs.jpg
Description: A chance moment of 2 Fieldmice (Wood Mice), one making a very awkward looking landing
from which they undoubtedly 'bounced' unharmed, along with 3 leopard
slugs in the surrounding leaf litter.
Where are the slugs - under the horizontal mouse, another in front of the
horizontal mouse, and another just 'above' that one, half buried in the leaf litter.
Date: 29 Nov 2021
View: D36_20211014_1553_009_FB4 Jay on Tree-stump.jpg
Description: After a disappointing few weeks for sightings of Jays, we finally have some good
views of this elegant bird.
View: D01_20211017_1722_080+081_FB6 Jay lands on meadow post (right) chased away by Magpie 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: As the day ends this Jay lands on the Meadow Post (right) and within 400mS
is already persuaded to leave by an arriving Magpie.
We have often commented that the various Corvid (Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws
and Magpies) usually tolerate each other well. Jays are also Corvids but
it looks like the others may not consider them 'part of the clan'.
View: E6A_20211019_1512_104_FB5 Jay at Meadow site.jpg
Description: A Jay foraging on the ground takes this selfie.
Date: 28 Nov 2021
View: BUA_20211020_1911_136+137_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer mother and new Fawn (montage).jpg
Description: Ah! We have a new Reeve's Muntjac Fawn to watch!
We have to admit that we hadn't noticed that any of the females were pregnant.
These two moments were caught soon after dark ...
View: BUA_20211021_0419_160_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer new Fawn.jpg
Description: ... and here 9 hours later, an hour or two before first light, we see the fawn
again, on their own this time, at the same site. Mum was undoubtedly nearby.
Date: 27 Nov 2021
View: E6A_20211008_0637_088_FB5 Reeves Muntjac Deer male at meadow camera site showing long Antlers + Tusk.jpg
Description: At the meadow site this male Reeve's Muntjac Deer provides a good view
of one of the Antlers, and at the mouth, one of his little tusks.
View: BU7_20211009_0602_195 Muntjac Reeves Deer male eating leaves from fallen twig.jpg
Description: At around the same time next day this male Reeve's Muntjac Deer has spotted this
litter of leafy twigs and stops off to eat some.
Date: 26 Nov 2021
View: D72_20211014_1544_030-045 Red Kite flies in to land near kill in field to south 02+04+07+10+17 of 19 (montage @8fps).jpg
Description: This Red Kite swings round to fly over and land near this bird kill in an adjoining field.
The landing bird is accurately montaged at 8 fps skipping the frames as indicated.
The right hand landed bird is shifted right for clarity.
A second bird (lower left) basically stands still throughout the 2 seconds.
View: D72_20211014_1545_055-059 Red Kite flies in to land near kill in field to south 02-06 of 32 (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: A vividly coloured Red Kite flies in to the same kill.
At 8 frames per second this just fits using successive frames.
No, its NOT the same bird pic 5 times - look at the subtle changes in tail and wing tips.
View: D72_20211014_1545_073-092 Red Kite flies in to land near kill in field to south 11+14+17+24+30 of 32 (montage @8fps).jpg
Description: When this bird arrives the other had gone.
Again the final pic is shifted right.
View: D72_20211014_1606_144+146-148 Red Kite flies from kill in field to south leaving another 1+3-5 of 5 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: 20 minutes later we find 2 Red Kites perched by the kill.
One takes off, here caught departing.
Date: 25 Nov 2021
View: E64_20211013_0831_091_FB2 Grey Squirrel carrying sprig of Sloe Berries (Blackthorn fruit) - third similar over a few days.jpg
Description: This is the third time this week that we have this (or maybe several) Grey Squirrel(s) entering
this site in the same direction with a mouthful of foliage with several Sloe Berries (Blackthorn fruit).
View: D72_20211010_1521_109 Grey Squirrel under table eating piece of apple peel raided from compost bin.jpg
Description: This Grey squirrel under an outside table, on top of a damaged
traffic cone (dumped decades ago) is eating a lump of apple peel
grabbed from a knocked over box of items intended for compost.
Taking no notice of the humans 3 metres away, the little creature
quietly eats the whole piece before scampering off.
Date: 24 Nov 2021
View: D01_20211012_0024_013+E60_0054_008+D01_0055_015+0058_021_FB3 Tawny Owl lands on meadow post & kitchen bird table (montage).jpg
Description: Just after midnight this Tawny Owl did a mini-tour of two of 'owl friendly' photo sites.
Left to right: Landing on the meadow post but soon leaving, and then 30 minutes
later arriving at the perch outside of the kitchen window. Just 3 minutes later the
Owl arrives back at the Meadow post for a several minutes stay.
View: D01_20211012_0815_038+0816_040+0822_052_FB6 Kestrel female 8 minute visit to meadow post 3 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: Next morning it is the female Kestrels turn to spend several minutes on the top of the meadow post ...
View: D01_20211012_1213_054+055_FB6 Kestrel female landing on meadow post back to camera 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: ... and another visit 4 hours later.
Date: 23 Nov 2021
View: E63_20211009_2217_113_FB1 2 Yellow Slugs - 1 mostly hidden lower right.jpg
Description: Hours after dark this Yellow Slug (the common name) slithers over the side of
the stone. We have only seen this species a couple of times before.
Date: 22 Nov 2021
View: BUA_20211010_2035_272+20211011_0156_297_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer males with short and long antlers 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: This montage shows that we have two male Reeve's Muntjac deer around the site
with markedly different antler lengths.
View: BU7_20211011_0518_484 Muntjac Reeves Deer male rubbing forehead on ground.jpg
Description: The shorter antlered male Reeve's Muntjac Deer rubs his forehead
on the side of the ditch.
Date: 21 Nov 2021
View: D72_20211001_0953_001 Kestrel female on conifer at SE corner 1 of 3.jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel watches us briefly as we approach her
perched in the Conifer at the SE corner of out patch, viewed from outside.
View: D72_20211001_0953_003+0954_004 Kestrel female on conifer at SE corner 2+3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: The same bird photographed from a different angle, ignoring the humans as
she has an extensive preen.
View: D01_20211009_1215_114+115_FB6 Kestrel female landing on meadow post 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: This immaculate female Kestrel make an elegant landing on the Meadow post.
This is NOT our regular moderately human tolerant bird but another female with a 'perfect' tail.
Date: 20 Nov 2021
View: DF3_20211006_1039_102+113+119 Red Kite starting to bank in flight (montage impression @7fps).jpg
Description: This Red Kite flying towards us starts to bank and turn off to the side ...
View: DF3_20211006_1039_121-124 Red Kite gliding behind Lombardy Poplar tree (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: ... before sweeping past over the Farm Road.
These are accurately positioned at 7 fps (about 140mS between frames) ...
View: DF3_20211006_1039_147 Red Kite in flight.jpg
Description: ... before sweeping back overhead for this back-lit view before flying away.
A busy 1 minute of camera action.
Date: 19 Nov 2021
View: D72_20211005_1625_249-254 Kestrel female launches downwards from 11kV cable (impression montage).jpg
Description: A female Kestrel hunting from the 11kV cables spots something interesting and
flies down to the field to our west out of site by the tall hedge.
View: D72_20211005_1625_250 Kestrel female launches downwards from 11kV cable.jpg
Description: A closer view of the second image above.
View: DF3_20211006_0805_008 Kestrel female on disused phone pole footrest lit by morning sunshine.jpg
Description: In the morning sunshine our regular female Kestrel warms in the sunshine
and watches us walk past.
View: D01_20211007_1248_005_FB6 Kestrel female perched on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: This lovely bird was first spotted on another post - a thin one
supporting the IR sense beam transmitter some 25m further away
than the 'meadow post'. She left this post and 'vanished', but
returned to this 'proper' post a few minutes later for this
'formal portrait' from the patient automatic camera.
Date: 18 Nov 2021
View: BU7_20211004_1800_073-076 Grey Squirrels mating on tree bole 1-4 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: We have only seen Grey squirrels mating a couple of times
before:- June 2012 at the Woodland site, and December 2016 on the
Kitchen Bird Table! Here a couple have chosen the bole of the
tree next to the south entrance for their encounter. At the end
it looks like they both fell off and rolled into the ditch!
View: D72_20211005_0925_211 Grey Squirrel resting on tree branch outside east hedge.jpg
Description: In the morning sunshine on the east hedge, this Grey squirrel is stretched
out along a branch on the inner hedge. Just before getting this photo we saw
the Squirrel turn round on the branch, presumably to warm the other side!
That's the life!
Date: 17 Nov 2021
View: D72_20211004_1054_034 Red Admiral Butterfly on Yellow Buddleia flower.jpg
Description: The only regular Butterfly sightings this October are a few pristine Red Admirals,
mostly using our Yellow Buddleia for fuel.
Our venerable (30 years old) Butterfly ID book says that these migrants mostly die
when winter arrives, but a few survive to spring. But it seems that decades on
they do overwinter but don't 'Hibernate'. An article from George Pilkington's
site 'Nurturing Nature' discusses the whole issue at
https://nurturing-nature.co.uk/wildlife-garden-videos/red-admiral-butterflies-do-they-hibernate-in-britain/
.
View: D72_20211003_1327_082+080 Common Darter Dragonfly (montage).jpg
Description: This Common Darter Dragonfly was warming on the ground in the sunshine on
an otherwise cold day, remarkably well camouflaged . Here are two views blended into one picture.
The colouration is typical of this species when well past the prime of life.
Dragonflies and Damselflies die in the Autumn, but their
eggs will have hatched in the depth of ponds to make nymphs that feed and grow
for between 1 and 3 years. They emerge in the Spring or Summer as flying adults.
Date: 16 Nov 2021
View: DF2_20211003_1251_005+012+017 Kestrel female barely managing to balance on wind-blown phone line (montage 1).jpg
Description: Through a house window we see this female Kestrel trying to balance on one of our
3 swaying 'phone' cables (only one of which works) spanning the field to our west.
View: DF2_20211003_1251_005+012+017 Kestrel female barely managing to balance on wind-blown phone line (montage 2).jpg
Description: A different montage of the same 3 frames.
View: D72_20211003_1333_116+122+128 Kestrel female leaves hover (selected montage).jpg
Description: 3 moments from an extended hover by this female Kestrel on the far side of the hedge
across from the front door.
View: D72_20211003_1335_142-145 Kestrel female flying down after hover @8fps (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The Kestrel spotted something from the extended hover and makes a controlled
but speedy descent out of sight on the other side of the hedge as usual :-(
Date: 15 Nov 2021
View: BUA_20211001_1857_151_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer male with Antlers now velvet free.jpg
Description: A male Reeve's Muntjac Deer with his little Antlers now on proper display.
View: BU7_20211002_1658_170 Muntjac Reeves Deer female eating fallen hand of leaves.jpg
Description: A female Reeve's Muntjac Deer eats the leaves from a fallen 'hand' of leaves
from the tree whose trunk is at the upper left in this photo.
Date: 14 Nov 2021
View: E6A_20211004_0355_244_FB5 Fox cub (crop).jpg
Description: This Fox Cub makes their first visit to any of the photo sites.
We hope the flash and click wasn't too much of a shock in the quiet of night.
View: BU7_20210930_2333_059+E64_20211001_0106_074_FB2 Fox at south entrance & woodland site 90m apart(montage IR + colour).jpg
Description: These two photos, about half an hour apart, appear to be of the same adult Fox roaming the site.
View: BU7_20211004_2120_108 Fox enters at south entrance and looks about (IR).jpg
Description: One of the Red Foxes that visit takes a look about before setting off
on the nights hunt.
Date: 13 Nov 2021
View: BU5_20210929_2314_690+2232_682+2251_688_SC1 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) frolicking (montage of 3 images).jpg
Description: We now have Fieldmice (Wood Mice) at all three ground level sites, and sadly several a day
in the house as well. Here at the meadow site they seem to be jumping for joy.
A short life but packed with action.
View: E6A_20211001_1714_117_FB5 Rat looking twee.jpg
Description: For most of the year our photo-sites are Rat free. But each year the harvest
disturbs the wildlife and for a couple on months we see Rats at some ground
level photo sites.
Is this Rat a gift of nature clean-up squad (outside),
or horrible vermin (in the house)?
Date: 12 Nov 2021
View: D72_20210929_1218_238 Kestrel female hunting from Apple Tree.jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel in one her favourite Apple trees in our orchard for a little hunting.
View: E60_20210929_1226_034_FB3 Sparrowhawk female on kitchen perch (crop).jpg
Description: While the Kestrel was hunting on the south of the house, this female Sparrowhawk
paused on the bird table on the north side outside the Kitchen.
The hunting pattern of south side flyby then followed by north side flyby has
been the norm for the Sparrowhawk now for a few weeks.
Actually 'flyby' doesn't catch the speed of these passes - several times faster
than any other bird we see.
We estimate at least 25 mph including a wide 180 degree turn.
Date: 11 Nov 2021
View: DF3_20210928_1251_209 Red Kite flying overhead 5 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: Two hours after our last encounter with a Red Kite, the bird returns.
They know we are watching - and couldn't care less!
View: DF3_20210928_1247_052+058+068 Red Kite turning in glide overhead (montage).jpg
Description: Four Red Kites weaving in and out of the area we can see.
View: DF3_20210928_1251_134 Red Kite flying with prey in claws 3 of 5 (crop).jpg
Description: This individual, head twisted sideways, has some sort of prey in their claws
from which the bird is biting pieces from.
View: DF3_20210928_1251_203+209+221 Red Kite flying overhead 4+5+7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Date: 10 Nov 2021
View: D72_20210928_1102_002-012 Red Kite circling in updraft 1-6 of 6 (montage alternate frames @10fps).jpg
Description: This Red Kite provided a couple of minutes delight ...
View: D72_20210928_1102_015-017 Red Kite gliding @10fps (montage impression).jpg
View: D72_20210928_1103_035+053+081 Red Kite gliding overhead (montage).jpg
Date: 09 Nov 2021
View: BU5_20210926_1748_434_SC1 Woodpigeon and Pheasant male visual merge - Frankenpheasant (orig & final).jpg
Description: Frankenpheasant !!!
The original frame of this line-of-site whimsy.
We have to admit what while passing through the 4,000 pics for
this half week we both thought 'Pheasant', kept it for the next pass,
and then had a surprise.
View: D36_20210926_1831_008_FB4 Grey Squirrel finds tree-stump top empty.jpg
Description: "Where's my dinner!"
Date: 08 Nov 2021
View: DF3_20210926_1212_016-020 Buzzard in flight @7fps 1-5 of 5 (accurate bird montage).jpg
Description: Just after midday this Buzzard glided by.
Accurately spaced at 7 fps.
View: DF3_20210926_1214_025 Buzzard perched on 11kV cable.jpg
Description: We think that this must be a different buzzard perched on the 11kV cables over
the Bridleway to the north. Only the lighter juveniles regularly perch on the cables -
the mature birds rarely stay long on the hard small area of the cables and prefer
the more comfortable crossbars.
Date: 07 Nov 2021
View: D72_20210924_1300_249+1301_257 Kestrel female perched in Ash tree (montage).jpg
Description: This female Kestrel allows us within about 10m of her as she perches
in this Ash tree.
View: D73_20210928_1240_025+031 Kestrel male juvenile (q) hovering by 11KV pole then dropping down progressively 04+08-10 of 12 (impression montage).jpg
Description: What we think is a juvenile male Kestrel spent several second hovering aligned
with the insulators behind, before a series of drops and hovers approaching some
morsel on the ground. Unfortunately the prospective prey was on the 'wrong' side
of the hedge for us to see more.
View: D73_20210928_1243_067+072+074 Kestrel flying down to grass to catch Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) and fly off with it 5+7+9 of 9 (stretched montage).jpg
Description: 3 minutes later the Kestrel flew over the grass in front of us and leapt upon
something obscured even in the freshly mown grass. When the bird started to fly
back we could see a Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) grasped in his beak. We lost sight of him as flew
off with it.
We are more used to seeing Kestrels carrying their prey in their claws, and were
surprised to see this 'Owl' style transport. But a web search shows its about
50-50 claws or beak. We couldn't see any pattern to what prey is carried
how.
Date: 06 Nov 2021
View: D72_20210924_1245_129 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in momentary glide.jpg
Description: When the sun appears for more than a few minutes various Dragonflies appear.
Here is a Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in flight.
View: D72_20210924_1246_148-150 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in flight along Lombardy poplar row @8fps 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: This Migrant Hawker Dragonfly was flying along the avenue of Lombardy
Poplar trees. Here shown at 8 frames per second accurately montaged.
View: D72_20210928_1107_110+1108_115 Common Darter Dragonfly male basking on garden seat (montage).jpg
Description: Darter Dragonflies are still about on sunny days.
This one found a garden bench a good place to warm in the sunshine.
Date: 05 Nov 2021
View: D73_20210923_1030_019 Grey Squirrel eating pine cone in tree.jpg
Description: Squirrel Heaven - a seemingly endless supply of fir cones in the row of Lodgepole Pines!
View: E63_20210923_1652_045_FB1 Gray Squirrel carrying avocado pear rind.jpg
Description: A Grey squirrel selects the most exotic fruit skin from the offerings.
Only the upper crust of Squirrels here?
View: E63_20210925_1745_181_FB1 Grey Squirrel female feeding at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: Never too soon to make yet more Grey squirrels - this female looks like she
might be starting to lactate already.
View: D72_20210929_0804_197 Grey Squirrel female basking on branch.jpg
Description: This female Grey Squirrel, out of the wind and in a sunny spot, is
probably pleased for a few minutes peace from a dray of hungry youngsters.
Date: 04 Nov 2021
View: E63_20210920_1805_060_FB1 2 Chaffinch males mid-air conflict (crop)t.jpg
Description: A couple of male Chaffinches, neither willing to give up the contest.
He will swerve First!|
View: E63_20210923_0912_020_FB1 Dunnock.jpg
Description: A more peaceful moment as this Spick-and-span Dunnock perched perkily on the stone.
Date: 03 Nov 2021
View: BU7_20210920_2245_176+178+180 Muntjac Reeves Deer male scratches Antler velvet with front hoof before barks & feeds 1-3 of 3 (impression montage).jpg
Description: This male Reeve's Muntjac Deer wanders past the south access through the hedge.
Right to left:-
Scratching at the 'velvet' still shedding from the bottom of the Antler using his left hoof.
Barking his call.
Nibbling the grass.
Date: 02 Nov 2021
View: BU7_20210920_0347_179+181 Fox near south entrance (montage).jpg
Description: Many foxes visit our patch overnight. Here we believe we see three different individuals.
We see them so often at this patch near the south entrance that they must
be using it to scent mark - we rarely 'bait' this patch.
View: BU9_20210922_0501_190+192_SC2 Fox hunting in orchard (accurate montage).jpg
Description: One of the foxes, probably on his way home to the south, pauses in the Orchard
to investigate some activity off frame to the right.
View: BUA_20210922_1955_252_SC8 Fox rubbing side of face with side of front leg.jpg
Description: Here a third Fox stops at the east entrance to rub his face with the side of his leg.
Date: 01 Nov 2021
View: D72_20210920_1317_029 Burnet Rose in shade in north hedge.jpg
Description: Oops - I should have flowered 4 months ago!
Along the north hedge and facing north this single Burnet Rose is flowering in the hedge.
There was another one about a metre away which had flowered unnoticed and withered.
Sniffing this little flower brought back memories of perfume drenched Spring when there
were banks of hundreds of these flowers.
View: D72_20210922_1027_019 Cornflower solitary flower in large flowerpot (naturally) drenched in morning dew.jpg
Description: This delicate Cornflower lifts it's head above the weeds in the flowerpot
holding our rain gauge. It looks a bit odd at first - the whole flower is
smothered by the morning dew as close spaced droplets.
NO we didn't spray it with water - genuine dew drops.
Image Archive arch 2021 oct.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Oct 2021
View: D72_20210915_1304_027 Migrant (q) Hawker Dragonfly male with extremely worn wings.jpg
Description: There are still a few Hawker Dragonflies out in the middle of the day.
This one flew to land on a dead twig, and we got to see how badly his
wings are worn and torn from weeks of 'Hawking'.
Insects can fly with quite amazingly damaged wings.
View: D72_20210918_1440_226 Common Darter Dragonfly male on cut hedge stem.jpg
Description: Here is an apparently pristine male Common Darter Dragonfly warming
himself in the fitful sunshine.
Date: 30 Oct 2021
View: D72_20210918_1328_220 Comma Butterfly on Blackberry fruit.jpg
Description: We used to see Comma Butterflies only in the Autumn, but this year saw
them in Spring and Summer as well. This Autumn visitor is perched on a Blackberry
fruit with wings closed, giving a good view of the corrugated wing edge and white 'comma'.
View: D72_20210922_1550_030 Comma Butterfly perched on Bindweed leaf.jpg
Description: We catch this immaculate Comma Butterfly seeing just the completely different upper wings.
Date: 29 Oct 2021
View: E60_20210920_1003_004_FB3 Sparrowhawk (male juvenile (q)) landing on kitchen bird table nictitating membrane half closed.jpg
Description: A Sparrowhawk (we think a juvenile male) touches down on the kitchen bird table.
The strange appearance of the eye is because the semi-transparent nictitating membrane (sort of eyelid)
is partially over the eye. Many birds cover their eyes when performing possibly
risky maneuvers - such as landing.
We have been seeing new Sparrowhawk behaviour in the last couple of weeks - a
Sparrowhawk flies (so fast it's impossible to distinguish individuals) east to west
across the conservatory window and past the peanut feeder. Eyes onto CCTV feed
of the kitchen side of the house sees the bird 2 or 3 seconds later speeds west to east
past the Kitchen feeder and bird table. We have seen this at least 4 times over the
last couple of weeks, so must happen much more often.
We assume that this is a new individual doing an economy style circle of the house.
Date: 28 Oct 2021
View: d73_20210918_0900_024 Spiders webs on Thistle plant.jpg
Description: On this morning we found the whole area was smothered in dew spangled
spider webs.
View: d73_20210918_0901_027 Spiders webs on Thistle plant.jpg
Description: On this morning we found the whole area was smothered in dew spangled
spider webs.
View: D72_20210918_0920_147 Farm field to north with hundreds of spiders webs.jpg
Description: A couple of acres of Farm crop north of our patch (the dark top right) contained perhaps
500 visible webs, and all the other fields seems to be similarly bedecked.
The farm occupies about 100 acres, so that 50,000 webs!
View: D72_20210918_0921_150 Spiders web between Bean crop plants.jpg
Description: Here is a close-up of a 'perfect' Orb web built between two withered bean plants.
Date: 27 Oct 2021
View: D72_20210917_1334_112+113 Kestrel female flies by tree (accurate montage @8fps).jpg
Description: An accurate montage of the local female Kestrel flying by the young
Lombardy Poplar trees along the Farm Road.
View: D72_20210917_1334_117 Kestrel female in flight past tree (crop 2).jpg
Description: Another moment from the local female Kestrel's flight
Date: 26 Oct 2021
View: E64_20210916_1744_051_FB2 Grey Squirrel carrying bean pod.jpg
Description: Several instances now of Grey Squirrels bringing Farmers crop bean pods back
into our patch. When we search our grass paths we find an average of a bean pod
every square metre or so. That's a LOT of food.
View: D72_20210917_1604_125 Farm Bean and Brassica crop north side (+ east & south) with wildlife eaten pods.jpg
Description: The edge of the Farm's desolate crop, including dozens of opened and eaten pods
lying on the crop margin.
View: E64_20210922_1359_140_FB2 Grey Squirrel carrying 3 joined bean pods.jpg
Description: Inside our patch this Squirrel has found 3 pods joined together to
transport as one mouthful.
Date: 25 Oct 2021
View: E60_20210915_1354_032_FB3 Sparrowhawk female flies over kitchen perch (crop).jpg
Description: The local female Sparrowhawk makes a 'failed' swoop over the kitchen bird
table and feeder. Our impression is that she just swoops in on the two sites
where we see her without any idea of whether there will be anything to catch.
'Surprise' is one of her weapons!
On Saturday (18th Sep) we saw the female Sparrowhawk flash by the conservatory
window (with nothing to catch at the feeder outside) and on CCTV saw the bird
continue round to the other side of the house where she swooped by the also
unoccupied feeder by the kitchen window. Her speed is awesome.
View: DF3_20210912_0754_020 Buzzard visits to corner of straw stack to west over 3 hours 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: Out for an early morning walk we found this Buzzard perched on the corner of a
stack of Straw bales perhaps 70m away. The bird appeared and disappeared a few
times over 3 hours.
Not seen there since, and now the straw stack was soon collected.
Date: 24 Oct 2021
View: DF4_20210911_1821_006-1824_031 Kestrel female eating prey perched on Raptor Post 2+3+5+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: As dusk descends we spot the local female Kestrel just finishing off her supper on
what we call the 'Raptor Post' - now mostly used by pigeons as a site for romantic liaisons.
Over a few minutes we watched her finish her prey and then clean herself up.
View: DF3_20210912_1002_028 Kestrel on Conifer at SE corner.jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel back on one of an assortment of 'favourite' branches,
this time a large conifer at the SE corner of our patch, hunting the close cut grass
outside our patch.
View: DF3_20210912_1212_064 Kestrel female on 11kV cable over bridleway.jpg
Description: Two hours later we find her on an 11kV cable over the bridleway to the North.
Date: 23 Oct 2021
View: PK1_20210910_1639_481 Grey Squirrel getting nuts from caged feeder by lifting top 1 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: You can see from the steel peg that we try to anchor the lid of this peanut
feeder to the rest, but this Grey Squirrel spent hours working on getting past
the partially lifted lid to pull out peanuts. The Squirrel eventually got the
lid right off and ate about 5cm of the column over the rest of the day before
the feeder was replaced.
View: E64_20210912_1524_224_FB2 Grey Squirrel carrying bean pod from crop 30m away.jpg
Description: No, this is NOT a Squirrel with a Stogie!
The farm crop around us seems to be some sort of mix of some sort of bean and a
brassica, both now mostly dead. The plants that have produced bean pods have now
all blackened like this with more black than not beans inside. Outside our North
boundary is the detritus of Squirrels and probably other wildlife making the
most of this bonanza. This pod has been carried at least 30 metres to the inside
of our patch
We have found empty pods all over our patch.
View: E63_20210912_1226_250_FB1 Grey Squirrel with pronounced orange markings (crop).jpg
Description: Who has been painting the sides of our Grey squirrels orange?
Most of the Squirrels have soft edge brown patches on their flanks, just one is
unusually orange all over (NOT a 'Red' squirrel), but this one has an atypically
sharp line along the body and down the rear leg with quite intense colour.
Date: 22 Oct 2021
View: BU5_20210910_0425_133-135_SC1 Badger climbing out of Round Pond after drink 1-3 of 3 (impression montage).jpg
Description: The night shift (a Badger) leaving the pond after a drink.
View: BU5_20210910_1152_178+180+181_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer climbing out of Round Pond after drink 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The day shift (One of the female Reeve's Muntjac Deer) leaving the pond after a drink.
View: BU5_20210915_0031_152+0032_155+156_SC1 Fox visits Round Pond over midnight (impression montage).jpg
Description: Another Night shift - a midnight Fox comes for a drink at Round pond
View: BU5_20210915_1118_170-172_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female visits Round Pond for a drink (impression montage).jpg
Description: And another Day shift - a female Reeve's Muntjac Deer steps in to the pond to reach the low water.
Date: 21 Oct 2021
View: BU7_20210906_2338_032 Badger sniffing air just after entering site at south.jpg
Description: This Badger has just arrived on the site through the South hedge.
The nose rises to find out 'who' else is here, and maybe what's to eat!
View: BU9_20210909_0246_283+284+0252_286_SC2 Fox stops to investigate bushes before continuing 1+2+4 of 4 (impression montage).jpg
Description: In the dead of night the fox suddenly stops, swerves and stares intently upwards.
Six minutes later the Fox leaves - we have no idea what happened in the interim.
View: E63_20210905_2237_191+2325_192+20210906_0041_194_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse)+Leopard slug+2 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The hedge bottom site has shown quite a lot of Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) activity, but the camera
is only triggered by creatures on the stone so they mostly appear near the
same place.
Note here the Leopard Slug serendipitously caught on the side of the
stone. It looks very matt and dry - not how we expect to see them.
Date: 20 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210908_0729_012-016 Black Backed gull in flight @7fps (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: A Black Backed Gull flies past, here shown at about 140mS intervals but more
closely spaced than reality.
View: DF3_20210908_0729_020 Black-backed Gull in flight.jpg
Description: A Black Backed Gull flying past.
View: D72_20210908_1050_073 300 Gulls following tractor harrowing in field far to south (crop).jpg
Description: Harvest done to the accompaniment of Red Kites, Buzzards and Kestrels.
Baling done to the accompaniment of Rooks and other Corvids.
Now it's harrowing time to the accompaniment of at least 300 assorted Gulls.
Date: 19 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210905_1331_172-174+176 Common Darter female flying to land on top of stem 1-3+5 of 5 (spread montage @7fps).jpg
Description: After a slow start we have been seeing quite a lot of Hawker and (here) Darter Dragonflies.
Hawker Dragonflies generally fly about catching prey as they go, but Darter Dragonflies
choose a well placed stick end where they wait for some suitable midge to fly by, dart out
to catch it, and then (the useful bit for a photographer) often return to exactly the same perch
a few seconds later. Here this one returns - over the 300mS of the left 3 pics the legs move
from full folded for flight to fully extended for landing.
Undercarriage Down!
View: D72_20210906_1527_065 Migrant Hawker dragonfly female perched on Ash tree.jpg
Description: A Migrant Hawker Dragonfly basking in the afternoon sun on an Ash tree twig
at least 50m from the nearest open water.
Date: 18 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210905_1059_092+1100_097-099 Kestrel female flies from boundary mains power pole 1+3-5 of 7 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel doesn't normally hunt from this particular pole top at our south hedge,
and she quickly moved on.
View: DF3_20210903_1541_023-025 Kestrel female diving down from 11kV cable (spread montage).jpg
Description: For once the camera catches the dive of 'our' female Kestrel from an 11kV
wire.
Holding a 3.5Kg camera still for several minutes is rough on the arms,
but putting up a tripod to do the holding seems to see off everything!
Date: 17 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210903_1233_021 2 Small White Butterflies sharing single Blackberry flower.jpg
Description: The number of white butterflies about this year far exceeds any previous experience.
Here are two Small White Butterflies feeding from the same flower.
View: DF3_20210905_1049_072 20 Butterflies feeding on Yellow Buddleia flowers (crop 3).jpg
Description: A wide view of the yellow Buddleia bush shows about 20 Small and Large White
butterflies feeding on the flowers and fluttering above the bush.
This pic really doesn't capture the delightful feeling seeing this
provides.
View: DF3_20210905_1103_114 5 White (Small and Large) (of 7) Butterflies clustered on single Blackberry stem.jpg
Description: This pic of 5 white butterflies crowded on to a single stem of still flowering Blackberry
perhaps captures the delicacy a bit better.
Date: 16 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210903_1219_006+009 Fly (probably Eriothrix rufomaculata) on Mint flower & Leaf (montage).jpg
Description: A couple of handsome flies enjoying the mint flowers and leaves
View: DF3_20210905_1047_067 Red Admiral Butterfly feeding from yellow Buddleia flower.jpg
Description: The Yellow Buddleia we inherited has produced a mass of flowers this year.
Here a Red Admiral Butterfly.
View: DF3_20210905_1048_068 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly feeding from yellow Buddleia flower.jpg
Description: Here on the Yellow Buddleia is a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly.
Date: 15 Oct 2021
View: D01_20210820_0753_111_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile brief visit to meadow post (montage).jpg
Description: A juvenile male Green Woodpecker lands on the meadow post.
View: D01_20210902_1618_045+046+1803_047+048_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile brief visits 2 hours apart (montage).jpg
Description: This juvenile male Green Woodpecker continues his visits.
We think Green Woodpeckers always looks grumpy, but that's anthropomorphising them.
View: D01_20210904_1747_143_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile landing on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: This more advanced juvenile male Green Woodpecker lands on the Meadow post.
View: D01_20210908_1835_062+1834_060_FB6 Green Woodpecker juvenile brief visit to Meadow Post 1+2(mirror) of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: A fine montage of (probably) a female juvenile Green Woodpecker landing on
the Meadow Post for a short visit. We have 'flipped' one image for a compact rendition.
Date: 14 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210901_1334_030-048 Kestrel female flying to land on 11kV crossbar 01-07+10+12+15+19 of 20 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: A lovely moment as this female Kestrel flies up to land on an 11kV power pole crossbar.
At the time the bird seemed to be about to fly straight through but aerobraked over
the pole to 'parachute' down for an elegant landing.
View: DF2_20210901_1602_013 Kestrel female preening on dead branch of Pear tree across track.jpg
Description: Later the same day, from an upper floor window, we see the same Kestrel having a Preen
on a dead branch of a (nearly dead) Pear tree across the access track.
Date: 13 Oct 2021
View: D73_20210830_1241_078-080 Buzzard launched from crossbar flies between 11kV cables 1-3 of 3 (montage slight spread @10fps).jpg
Description: This pic really scared us - the leftmost pic quite clearly shows the bird being BETWEEN
the 11kV cables - and getting away with it.
A now retired farmer (now moved away) years ago recounted an experience where he saw
a bird vanish in a flash when it flew between the two cables of an earlier installation of
the high voltage supply.
View: D73_20210831_1238_214+215+217+219 Buzzard flying from 11kV cable (impression montage).jpg
Description: More nerve-racking flying around the 11kV cables, but never between the cables here.
Date: 12 Oct 2021
View: D01_20210829_1114_394-117_398_FB6 Green Woodpecker male makes bad landing on meadow post for 4 min visit 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: An adult male Green Woodpecker graces the meadow Post for a few minutes.
Read this right to left - a heavy landing, a scramble for secure footing, and then
a few minutes watching the world go by.
View: D01_20210830_1043_021+1044_023_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile arrival & departure at Meadow Post 1+3 of 3 (acc montage).jpg
Description: Back to the juvenile Green Woodpeckers - here probing the crack in the
top of the post before being caught departing ...
View: D01_20210830_1057_026-1102_032_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile 6 minute visits to meadow post 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: ... before another visit a few minutes later.
Date: 11 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210828_1635_255-264 Buzzard hovering before diving to ground 03+04+08+12 of 17 (impression montage).jpg
Description: Buzzards can hover facing into a wind.
This one over the crop spends a few seconds stationary in the air (so separated here)
before diving down on whatever it has spotted.
View: BU1_20210829_1430_417_SC3 Buzzard flying over east hedge (crop).jpg
Description: One of the Buzzards flies over our East hedge ...
View: D01_20210829_1432_413_FB6 Buzzard 4 minute visit to meadow post 1 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: ... and we think circles round to land on the Meadow Post 2 minutes later.
View: D01_20210829_1432_414-1435_418_FB6 Buzzard 4 minute visit to meadow post 2+4+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: The Buzzard spends 4 minutes on the post. The rightmost image is about 400mS after
the landing of the bird shown above.
Date: 10 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210828_1635_217-221 Red Kite flying over fields to south 16-20 of 34 (accurate flight montage).jpg
Description: Another Red Kite pass over the harvest.
The incidental bird in the tree is a Buzzard on the same quest.
View: DF3_20210828_1635_227 Red Kite flying over fields to south 26 of 34 (crop).jpg
View: DF3_20210828_1635_227-232 Red Kite flying over fields to south 26-31 of 34 (accurate montage).jpg
Date: 09 Oct 2021
View: D73_20210828_1541_031-036 Red Kite flying over field to south being harvested 1-6 of 6 (accurate montage @ 10fps).jpg
Description: The Harvest of the 'fallen' crop is underway.
The Kestrels, Buzzards and Red Kites (seen here) arrive from all directions
to make the most of the disturbed Rodents and Rabbits.
View: DF3_20210828_1634_150-155 Red Kite gliding over 11kV cables 1+2+4+6 of 6 (Approx montage).jpg
Description: Red Kites prefer to glide over the site and dive on whatever they spot.
View: DF3_20210828_1634_173 Red Kite hovering over field during harvest near working machinery 3 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: Bottom left near the tractor wheels this Red Kite is not disturbed by the noisy
behemoth only a few metres away.
Date: 08 Oct 2021
View: D01_20210826_0812_032+0814_036_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile just landed & moved round pole (montage).jpg
Description: Juvenile Green Woodpeckers have been regularly appearing at the Meadow Post.
We have at least 3 individuals - 2 males and a female.
This is a juvenile male.
View: D01_20210826_1020_093-1033_112_FB6 Green woodpecker male juvenile (moulting to adult) 14m visit to meadow post (montage).jpg
Description: A juvenile male Green Woodpecker spends a quarter of an hour on the Meadow Post.
Date: 07 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210824_1737_080 Small White Butterfly feeding on Oxford Ragwort flower (crop 2).jpg
Description: This sprig of Oxford Ragwort seems to have escaped the attention of Cinnabar
caterpillars, and this Small White butterfly is enjoying the flower's nectar.
Although the plant itself is poisonous, the flowers offer genuine poison-free offerings
to get their pollen distributed.
View: D73_20210826_1115_006-1116_021 Small White butterflies courting and mating (montage).jpg
Description: A pair of Small White Butterflies mating in the morning sunshine.
Date: 06 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210824_1246_045 Brimstone Butterfly male feeding on Purple Loosestrife.jpg
Description: A male Brimstone Butterfly, one of over a dozen seen over the main pond,
feasts on the rampant Purple Loosestrife flowers.
View: DF3_20210824_1100_022 Green-veined white Butterfly feeding on Purple Loosestrife.jpg
Description: A Green-veined White Butterfly enjoying their share of the Loosestrife bounty.
Date: 05 Oct 2021
View: D73_20210823_1240_017 Migrant Hawker male hanging from twig.jpg
Description: There are perhaps a dozen Migrant Hawker Dragonflies around the house and Meadow.
This one stopped on this twig just long enough to get this pic.
View: d73_20210823_1453_037 Common Darter Dragonfly female perched on broken plant stem.jpg
Description: A female Common Darter Dragonfly perched on the tip of broken off plant stem
in the afternoon sunshine.
View: DF3_20210824_1608_071 Common Darter Dragonfly female perched on fallen plant stem.jpg
Description: This female Common Darter Dragonfly warms herself on a plant stem
Date: 04 Oct 2021
View: E6A_20210822_1653_416-1808_430_FB5 Green Woodpecker male juvenile visits Meadow post & site over 140m 01-04 of 16 (mirror montage).jpg
Description: The juvenile male Green Woodpecker makes another visit, this one lasting almost
two and a half hours. We would like to think that these formed a little sequence,
but they are spaced over in excess of an hour, except the two on the ground about
1 minute apart.
View: D01_20210822_1900_448+1901_449_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile using tongue to pick item out of post top crack 09+10 of 16 (montage).jpg
Description: The Meadow post has been drying out over the years, and was developed some wide
cracks down the length that are hardly visible in this view. The crack down the centre
you see here is a minor affair compared to the large crack that is about 10mm wide at the top.
Anyway, the Green Woodpecker has been systematically pecking inside the crack
(left) and (right) a minute later has pulled something out and you can see the tip of
his long tongue still sticking out of the tip of the beak.
In typical fashion, the light would go really dim for this interesting frame.
Date: 03 Oct 2021
View: D01_20210822_1906_458-1915_472_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile visits post & site over 140m 12-16+16 of 16 (montage).jpg
Description: An assortment of some of the fun moments of the juvenile male Woodpecker's visits.
View: D01_20210825_1642_244+20210823_1825_073_FB6 Male (left) and female Green Woodpecker juveniles (montage).jpg
Description: To complement our juvenile male Green Woodpecker, we unexpectedly see (on the right here)
a juvenile female 2 days after the photo of the male.
Date: 02 Oct 2021
View: DF3_20210819_1114_011 Mint Beetle on mint leaf.jpg
Description: Each year the Mint plants around the house attract these starting glowing
Mint Beetles.
View: D73_20210822_1213_044 Moth Pyrausta aurata (typically 8mm long) feeding on Mint flower.jpg
Description: This tiny Moth catches the eye despite it's small size.
Here it is feeding on a mint flower - very appropriate for a 'Mint Moth'
View: D73_20210818_1615_235 Scorpion fly female.jpg
Description: This years appearance of Scorpion Flies has started.
This is a female - who doesn't have the 'Scorpion like' tail that gives the species it's name.
Date: 01 Oct 2021
View: D01_20210821_2132_335-2134_339+20210822_0428_341_FB6 2 Tawny Owls at Meadow post each end of rainy night 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: A single night with Tawny Owl visiting the Meadow post, and
it seems to be two different Tawny Owls. Left to right the 3 photos
are of the same bird, but the visit on the right 6 hours later (with
the post much darker from rain) has a completely different set of
facial features. The second visitor did not stay - perhaps not liking
the photo-flash from about 20m away - if there is good hunting
they will soon ignore like they do car headlights and similar.
Image Archive arch 2021 sep.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Sep 2021
View: E63_20210820_1452_177_FB1 Chaffinch juvenile flying in to land.jpg
Description: A juvenile chaffinch doing his aerobraking to land, here caught in amazingly sharp focus.
Date: 29 Sep 2021
View: D01_20210819_1844_068-1850_080_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile 7 minute visit to meadow post 1-5+7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: This week has been a bonanza for sightings of what for now appears to be a
'resident' juvenile male Green Woodpecker. Here he spent about 7 minutes on
the top of the Meadow Post.
View: DF3_20210820_1536_051 Green Woodpecker juvenile on 11kV pole supplying Farm.jpg
Description: When the Victorians built things they tried to provide a little elegance in design
or decorative finish. Now it seems to be mostly:-
Build it strange: the Shard, The Cellphone building
Build it tallest: Burj Khalifa
Build it Functional: Office blocks, Electricity distribution.
But it has to be said that the animals really don't care, as we see here with a Green
woodpecker searching the 11kV power pole for insects next to the circuit breakers
and underground cables to the neighbouring business centre.
View: D01_20210821_1625_257_FB6 Green Woodpecker male juvenile landing on meadow post 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: The juvenile male Green Woodpecker makes a flamboyant landing.
We has obviously been probing the ground and bought some of it back with him.
Date: 28 Sep 2021
View: BUA_20210812_2057_075+20210813_0247_149+150_SC8 Badgers at east entrance over 5hrs (impression montage).jpg
Description: Badgers make several visits to the plot, the best views at this camera near the
east 'hole-in-the-hedge. The left image pre-dates the other two by about 5
hours, and is most likely a different Badger. On the right the visitor seems to
have spotted the dark red glow of the IR light.
View: BU7_20210816_0041_121+0305_128+131 Badger at south entrance over 3 hours (montage).jpg
Description: 3 Days later what looks like the same badger ambles into the site through the south entrance.
View: BUA_20210817_2231_302_SC8 Badger pauses near east entrance to sit and groom.jpg
Description: Another 2 days on this Badger stops for a groom near the East entrance.
Date: 27 Sep 2021
View: D73_20210816_1553_028+030+033+035 Kestrel female on gutter of living room window flies to 1st floor gutter 1(insert)+2+4+6 of 7 (approx montage).jpg
Description: We came across the local female Kestrel perched on the gutter of the living room.
She wasn't pleased at our unexpected arrival and promptly flew off and
we didn't expect to see her again.
View: D73_20210816_1553_051+1556_061-064 Kestrel female on 1st floor gutter flies away 2-6 of 6 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: But no - her flight simply took her momentarily out of sight and then back over a
roof ridge to land in the 1st floor gutter a few metres up and along from her previous perch.
She spent several minutes staring at the ground from this vantage point before
leaving to try another of her favourite perches.
View: D73_20210816_1559_081+084+086-088 Kestrel female flies from mains power pole cable stay 1+3+5-7 of 7 (acc montage).jpg
Description: Once gone we continued the walk and came across the Kestrel perched on a support
stay of our mains power pole, the first time we have seen her there. After a couple of minutes
she flew from there onto one of her favourite hunting perches about 10m along the
hedge - one of many footrests on a disused telephone pole ...
View: D73_20210816_1559_098 Kestrel female perches on disused telephone pole footrest.jpg
Description: ... where she is a bit lower down than before, and on a more comfortable perch.
This time she ignored us walking by 15m away and we didn't see her again for several days.
Date: 26 Sep 2021
View: D01_20210815_1741_264-1756_317_FB6 Kestrel female 16m visit to Meadow Post group 2 01+10+13+15 of 16 (whole visit montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel made a 16 minute visit that we became aware of at the time.
So here is a mix of hand-held and locked focus camera pics.
This set of 4 pics covers the whole event, a beautifully controlled landing, and
defecating just before departure.
View: DF4_20210815_1745_009-1749_022 Kestrel female 16 minute visit to Meadow Post group 1 1-5 of 5 (hand-held montage).jpg
Description: The hand-held camera caught some of the more quirky moments of the Kestrel's visit
View: D01_20210815_1751_281-1753_295_FB6 Kestrel female 16 minute visit to Meadow Post group 2 05-08 of 16 (preening montage).jpg
Description: The automatic camera caught moments in the several minute preen.
View: D01_20210815_1756_315_FB6 Kestrel female 16 minute visit to Meadow Post group 2 14 of 16 (crop).jpg
Description: A final portrait before she flew off.
Date: 25 Sep 2021
View: D73_20210814_1521_114 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male.jpg
Description: The afternoon sunshine brought out a few Hawker Dragonflies.
This is a male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly perched on a blackberry stem,
photographed from the side.
View: DF3_20210815_1006_003 Southern Hawker Dragonfly male with right wings scraped.jpg
Description: Next morning this male Southern Hawker Dragonfly is hanging from a
dead twig in the hedge, warming in the sunshine to start the days hunting.
View: D73_20210818_1610_214 Southern Hawker Dragonfly male perched in hedge.jpg
Description: Glistening in the afternoon sunshine, this male Southern Hawker Dragonfly
warms himself in the fitful sunshine
Date: 24 Sep 2021
View: D01_20210814_0751_188+0752_190+0754_192_FB6 Kestrel female 5 minute visit to meadow post 1+3+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel has made visits around and inside the site this week.
Here she landed on the meadow post - stared intently at the ground around
her for about 5 minutes before diving down out of sight.
View: D73_20210816_1109_018 Kestrel female hunting from 11kV cable.jpg
Description: Another of her favourite hunting perches is the nearby 11kV power cables.
Date: 23 Sep 2021
View: E6A_20210812_1004_006_FB5 Green Woodpecker male juvenile probing ground.jpg
Description: A juvenile male Green Woodpecker probes the ground.
Although their favourite food is Ants, any small invertebrate will do!
View: D01_20210817_0921_109+0944_114+1000_121_FB6 Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker juveniles visit meadow post over 40m (montage).jpg
Description: Over 40 minutes the automatic camera at the meadow post recorded visits
first from a juvenile Green Woodpecker, then a Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker,
and finally probably the same Green Woodpecker, this time his beak not encrusted
with mud. Even allowing for the GSW hanging from the edge, it is clear how much
bigger the Green Woodpecker is than the 'Great Spotted'.
Date: 22 Sep 2021
View: D01_20210811_2242_158-2246_164_FB6 Tawny Owl visits to meadow post over 5 minutes 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: We think that this beautiful Tawny Owl made two visits to the post in five minutes.
View: D01_20210811_2244_160_FB6 Tawny Owl visits to meadow post over 5 minutes 2 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: The reason for 2 visits seems to have been a failed attack - this moment
appears to be an imminent launch but the Owl quickly returned with nothing.
View: AP1_20210811_2306_233_AP1 Tawny Owl perched on ground floor gutter (crop).jpg
Description: 20 minutes later we spot one frame with this glowing eye among a series
of unexplained camera triggers at the front of the house overnight.
Its the Tawny Owl standing in the gutter over one of the front bay windows.
Date: 21 Sep 2021
View: D73_20210811_1051_022 Oxford Ragwort flowers with Gatekeeper Butterfly.jpg
Description: Some of the Oxford Ragwort has timed it's growth to make a decent flowerhead
before the Cinnabar Caterpillars ravage the plant!
The Gatekeeper butterfly you see, not badly disguised here, is the dominant
brown butterfly at the moment.
View: D73_20210811_1053_035 Peacock butterfly feeding on Teasel with pollen specks on proboscis.jpg
Description: A Peacock butterfly has his Elevenses on a teasel head.
You can just see specks of pollen adhering to his double pipe proboscis.
Date: 20 Sep 2021
View: E64_20210807_2349_204_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male with tusk visible.jpg
Description: Two portraits of what we think are different male Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
In the first pic one of the male's little 'tusks' is clearly visible.
View: E64_20210808_0213_206_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male.jpg
Description: This visitor 2 hours later gives us a good view of his Antlers in Velvet,
and his particularly dark facial mask.
Date: 19 Sep 2021
View: D73_20210807_1502_010 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female perched on Purple Loosestrife flower.jpg
Description: Several Dragonflies patrol various areas on warm days, but mostly too
high to get decent photo. This female Migrant Hawker Dragonfly stopped
on a head-height Purple Loosestrife flower long enough to get a photo.
Dragonflies have no interest in flowers beyond somewhere to perch.
View: D73_20210810_1750_037-040 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly in flight with prey in legs 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Migrant Hawker Dragonflies seem to fly at lower temperatures than other Hawker
species we see here. This female has caught something held in her folded legs,
and is eating it 'on the wing' as they do. The insert is the insect on the right.
View: D73_20210811_1032_010 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female perched in hedge.jpg
Description: A female Migrant Hawker Dragonfly sunning herself.
Air temperature has been marginal for Odonata this week, and they
all rest in the sunshine periodically to warm up.
Date: 18 Sep 2021
View: D01_20210806_0635_004-0646_064_FB6 Green Woodpecker juvenile male visits to meadow post over 15m 1-6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: This juvenile Green Woodpecker spent 15 minutes visiting the Meadow Post.
This juvenile is just starting to show adult markings for a male.
From about 30 images we choose these moments to show you.
View: PK1_20210808_0927_350 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile feeding at kitchen peanut feeder.jpg
Description: We see several juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers visiting the peanut feeders
for a quick high protein feed. These cages do block the Grey Squirrels, but this
bird's long beak and slender head means that the cage is no barrier, and that's
fine with us.
View: D01_20210810_1023_055-1153_059+E6A_1157_044_FB5 Green Woodpecker visiting post and Meadow site over 90m 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: What seems to be a regular individual juvenile Green Woodpecker visited the Meadow Post.
A few minutes after his last visit to the post we see him on the ground some 10m away
triggering the 'meadow camera'.
Date: 17 Sep 2021
View: DF3_20210807_0815_012+013 Kestrel female flying from conifer outside east hedge 1+2 of 4 (approx montage @7fps).jpg
Description: We come across the female Kestrel hunting from a conifer at our east hedge.
She finally got bored with us watching her and flew down the hedge and away.
Date: 16 Sep 2021
View: D01_20210804_1628_177_FB6 Green Woodpecker juvenile on top edge of meadow post.jpg
Description: Green Woodpecker always look a bit grumpy (to us anthropomorphic humans).
This juvenile spent a couple of minutes hanging from the edge of the meadow post.
View: D01_20210730_1439_119_FB6 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile at meadow post.jpg
Description: A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker also visits the meadow post, but prefers ...
View: D5C_20210805_1012_011+1024_026 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile on peanut feeder (montage).jpg
Description: ... this peanut feeder, where it currently appears every day.
Here caught in two of the many positions used to gain access to those
inconveniently imprisoned peanuts.
Date: 15 Sep 2021
View: DF3_20210804_1247_066 Southern Hawker Dragonfly female perched on un-ripe blackberry fruits.jpg
Description: A Southern Hawker Dragonfly buzzing around us stops for a few second
on a clump of unripe blackberry fruits. The insects couldn't care less
whether the fruit is ripe or not - it is a hunter and this is just 'any' perch.
View: DF3_20210804_1304_127-129 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female in flight @7fps 1-3 of 4 (accurate montage @7fps + insert).jpg
Description: Migrant Hawker Dragonflies are smaller than most of the other Hawker species in the UK,
but can fly at good speed, and perform the most amazing changes of speed and direction.
The magnified insert is of the right hand image.
View: D73_20210731_1252_177 Common Blue Damselfly female blue form on dead weed in crop margin.jpg
Description: At the edge of the farmer's undoubtedly insecticide drenched bean crop, we find
just this one female Common Blue Damselfly. This insect is a hunter of midges
and the like, and lays eggs in the ponds, so is probably less effected by the
chemicals than Bees, Butterflies and moths.
Date: 14 Sep 2021
View: DF3_20210804_1011_039 Brimstone Butterfly male (1st of 2nd emergence) feeding on thistle flower (crop 1).jpg
Description: The fresh emergence of Brimstone Butterflies is upon us. This one has chosen a
thistle flower for a tank-up.
View: DF3_20210804_1539_306+307 Brimstone Butterfly male takes off from Purple Loosestrife @7fps 1+2 of 2 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: As the camera fires on this male Brimstone Butterfly he lifts off from the
spike of Purple Loosestrife in the pond edge for this accurate montage.
View: DF3_20210804_1539_311 Brimstone Butterfly male feeding on Purple Loosestrife.jpg
Description: The male Brimstone Butterfly flies to a closer plant where we can
see his proboscis deep in the flower.
Date: 13 Sep 2021
View: DF3_20210804_1518_170 Holly Blue Butterfly (1st of 2nd emergence).jpg
Description: This Holly Blue Butterfly makes it's second generation for the year, before laying
eggs and making Pupae which hibernate through the winter to emerge as next
years first generation.
Even quite similar Butterfly species use a wide range of 1, 2 or 3 generations per
year, going through the winter as any of Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis or Adults.
The diversity is amazing - your couldn't plan it!
If you are interested in such stuff we recommend to you a 1991 book
'The Butterflies of Britain & Ireland' by Jeremy Thomas & Richard Lewington
ISBN 0-86318-591-6. It includes multi-sided illustrations of both sexes
different generations and variations, and timelines for each stage of development.
Looking this up on Amazon, EBay & Google (in 2021) shows used original hardback
copies for about UKP 7 inc. delivery, and that there is a revised edition
(2019) for about UKP 20 which we haven't seen so can't comment.
View: D73_20210812_1044_010 Holly Blue Butterfly male (shows both sides of wing).jpg
Description: A sighting of a male Holly Blue butterfly which has the top of
the wings a blue rather than darker and black edged female.
Date: 12 Sep 2021
View: DF3_20210803_1233_009-012 Rook threatening Kestrel female in flight 1-4 of 4 (impression montage @7fps).jpg
Description: Exit from the house startled the female Kestrel, and it was soon threatening a Rook.
But by the time the camera had found the action the tables had turned on the Kestrel,
now being 'seen off' by the Rook.
View: DF3_20210804_1523_176 Kestrel female silhouetted in Ash tree.jpg
Description: Next day the female Kestrel wasn't pleased to see us appear outside the south hedge,
and made for the cover of an Ash tree growing in the hedge, where she made
this nice silhouette.
View: DF3_20210804_1739_412 Kestrel female perched on disused Telephone pole footrest.jpg
Description: After the heavy rain, the softer ground has attracted the female Kestrel
back to one of her regular hunting perches. She can dive down onto an
area of 'maintained' grass to catch insects and worms.
After we pass she flew out of sight ...
View: DF3_20210804_1750_423 Kestrel male perched on disused Telephone pole top viewed from north.jpg
Description: ... and 10 minutes later from the other side of the pole we were surprised to
see this MALE kestrel on the top of the same pole. By normal Kestrel standards he
looks a little 'washed out' so we suspect that this is a new generation bird -
possibly her son.
Date: 11 Sep 2021
View: E63_20210802_1331_023_FB1 Blackbird male.jpg
Description: Blackbirds are normally immaculate creatures, but has to be excused a little
dishevelment during a moult.
Seeing the light coloured feathers made us wonder whether this was a long
lived bird going grey. Average life is reported as 3.5 years but they have been
know to live to 20 years. But various sources all agree that birds do NOT 'go
grey' like humans do, but worn feathers can assume this greyish
appearance.
Date: 10 Sep 2021
View: PK1_20210801_1643_325 Grey Squirrel on top of sawn off overgrown hedge.jpg
Description: Outside the kitchen we last year cut down a 5 metre hedge that was beginning to
thrash against the top of the house. This Grey Squirrel pauses for a moment on a
piece of the cut wood.
View: E60_20210731_1827_090_FB3 2 Grey squirrels face-to-face on kitchen perch.jpg
Description: A face to face encounter between 2 Grey Squirrels.
No animosity showing here.
View: DF3_20210804_1308_149+150 Cloud in shape of running Squirrel (montage for width - no other processing).jpg
Description: An Aerial Grey Squirrel leaping across the sky to the right?
Date: 09 Sep 2021
View: E64_20210731_1834_115_FB2 Pheasant male having lost some tail feathers.jpg
Description: Our lovely male Pheasant seems suddenly to have a shorter and thinner tail.
Eyes open for the 'discarded' feathers!
View: E64_20210802_0740_005_FB2 Pheasant male with no tail feathers.jpg
Description: 2 days later we see the inevitable - a most definitely 'tail challenged' male pheasant.
Date: 08 Sep 2021
View: E63_20210728_1907_103+1928_108_FB1 Grey Squirrel leaping to and from stone 1+2 of 2 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The 2020 Olympics (in 2021) were in progress when we obtained these two images,
so here we could not resist concocting this accurately positioned montage of a
Grey Squirrel doing a 'vault' over the stone.
The only snag is that the two pics are 20 minutes apart with other images (with
no squirrel in them) in between!
View: D5C_20210729_1732_004 Grey Squirrel resting in Conifer near house.jpg
Description: While testing some camera lens configurations over a quarter of an hour in and
out of the door 10m from this tree, this Grey squirrel simply lazed unconcerned
through the whole affair. How to relax!
Date: 07 Sep 2021
View: D73_20210727_1428_022 Brown Hawker dragonfly perched on high twig.jpg
Description: A Brown Hawker Dragonfly perches on a piece of dead wood high above a hedge.
View: DF3_20210729_1023_073 Gatekeeper Butterfly feeding on Blackberry flower.jpg
Description: Another sighting of a Gatekeeper Butterfly enjoying one of the thousands of
Blackberry flowers now offering their nectar and at the same time pollinating
the flowers for us to harvest the fruit in the autumn.
Date: 06 Sep 2021
View: D73_20210726_1437_011-014 Hawker Dragonfly catching insect in flight @10fps 1-4 of 8 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A Hawker Dragonfly (we are not confident of the species) flies by us ...
View: D73_20210726_1437_015-018 Hawker Dragonfly catching insect in flight @10fps 5-8 of 8 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: ... and suddenly swerves upward to catch an insect in the 'net' made with the legs
before flying back the other way.
An unbroken sequence at 10 frames per second - Dragonflies can manoeuvre incredibly
quickly.
View: D73_20210726_1438_026-298 Hawker Dragonfly misses catching passing insect @10fps 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage with arrows).jpg
Description: Here we see the Hawker Dragonfly missing a catch in this accurate montage
with both Dragonfly and insect moving downwards at 10 fps.
This first version arrows the intended prey ...
View: D73_20210726_1438_026-298 Hawker Dragonfly misses catching passing insect @10fps 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage centre detail).jpg
Description: ... while this tighter crop shows more detail including the Dragonflies
legs extending into a 'catch-net' and then closing after failure, both
events lasting no more than 100mS (tenth of a second)
Date: 05 Sep 2021
View: BU7_20210726_0132_169 Fox entering at SW corner.jpg
Description: This Fox makes a stealthy entrance through the south hedge in the small hours.
View: BU7_20210728_0549_091-093 Fox walking towards camera with eye detail 1-3 of 3 (IR montage).jpg
Description: 2 days later, shortly after sunrise, possibly the same fox meanders past the camera.
The way the mix of IR and daylight catches the eyes produces some interesting effects
Date: 04 Sep 2021
View: D01_20210725_1335_331-E60_1450_166_FB6 Kestrel female (abnormal tail feathers) hunts round house for 1Hr 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel chose our patch for an hour's hunting.
First 'seen' flying over the meadow post, then spotted by the humans in the
orchard, flies 100m to conifers overlooking the meadow - she seemingly likes this type
of conifer, and is finally caught landing on the kitchen bird table, possibly with prey hidden
from us in her claws.
The image on the right shows that some feathers types in her tail are not
normal tail feathers. 2 years ago the same bird had one abnormally coloured
tail feather so we named her 'Lady Grey Feather'.
None of these tail abnormalities seem to bother her in the slightest.
View: BU2_20210727_1651_157+159_SC7 Kestrel female lands at base of Round Mound 1+3 of 3 (impression montage).jpg
Description: We have no record of seeing any Raptors at this sight before this moment of the
female Kestrel landing - possibly to catch a rodent on the ground. We never got
to see her claws or what was on the mound before she arrived - the montage looks
nice as we have spread it out here, but in fact the bird landed directly over
the wing-spread image so there may be a rodent hidden underneath.
You can again see the abnormal tail feathers.
Date: 03 Sep 2021
View: D5C_20210725_1702_012-014 Great Tit juvenile (of 3) being fed by adult 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Juvenile Great Tits cluster on the perch outside the kitchen to wait for a
feed. Here Mum or Dad arrives with another beakful.
View: D5C_20210726_1304_002 4 Great Tit juveniles waiting for a feed.jpg
Description: Four juvenile Great Tits serendipitously evenly spaced along the Kitchen perch.
View: E63_20210724_0929_222_FB1 Great Tit juvenile holding small ball of mud encrusted seeds.jpg
Description: This more mature juvenile Great Tit, now feeding itself, seems have picked up a
ball of mud and now has to extract the seeds stuck in it.
Date: 02 Sep 2021
View: PK1_20210724_0739_193 Snails mating.jpg
Description: Down in the undergrowth, slimy passion in the morning from this pair of snails.
View: E6A_20210722_1824_041_FB5 2 Wood Pigeons feeding together.jpg
Description: On the grass in the meadow, togetherness, Wood Pigeon Style.
View: DF3_20210729_1016_007-012 Red Kite in flight 4-9 of 9 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: Up in the sky this Red Kite is flying some 50m away.
This represents less than one second of flight.
Date: 01 Sep 2021
View: D73_20210722_1235_028 4 Small White Butterflies spiralling upward in courtship flight.jpg
Description: This year seems to have been exceptional for Small White Butterflies with dozens at
a time fluttering over the meadow.
Perhaps they like the farmers bean crop!
Here 4 of them spiralling upwards in the sunshine in a fluttering courtship ritual.
View: D73_20210722_1235_038+039 Small White Butterfly pair courtship flight - male shadowing female 1+2 of 2 (montage @ 10fps).jpg
Description: The four Small White Butterflies quickly split into 2 pairs - this is a montage of
one of the pairs now fluttering downwards in close formation, the male (above)
casting his shadow on the female.
Image Archive arch 2021 aug.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Aug 2021
View: PK1_20210723_1317_150 Southern Hawker Dragonfly female (1st of 2021) (crop).jpg
Description: Finally the hot weather has brought out the first dragons - well Hawker Dragonflies at
least!
This female Southern Hawker Dragonfly is perched on a twig basking in the hot sunshine.
View: PK1_20210723_1321_155 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly female (1st of 2021) (crop).jpg
Description: This female Migrant Hawker Dragonfly hangs in the shade inside a hedge.
Date: 30 Aug 2021
View: DF3_20210718_0831_034 Crocosmia flower spikes.jpg
Description: A favourite summer flower is the Crocosmia - intense colour and a beautiful
flowering sequence along the always (horizontal) spike.
View: DF3_20210718_1213_039 Day Lily Flower (last of 2021).jpg
Description: 30 years ago the site barely planted, and to add 'variety' we planted a patch
of Day Lily bulbs at the edge of the just dug main pond.
They have demonstrated their robust nature by still flowering well into
this next century.
View: D73_20210720_1114_040 Lime Tree blossom.jpg
Description: We have just one Lime tree, as opposed to about 20 now very tall Large-leaf Limes.
This one is just flowering - as you walk by the air fills with a subtle citrus perfume.
Date: 29 Aug 2021
View: DF3_20210718_0815_010 Magpie beak Open (not calling) in heatwave 1 of 4.jpg
Description: Even at 8 a.m. the air temperature is already warm, and the sun feels hot.
This Magpie was standing on the mains electricity pole with beak continuously
open but not calling. We read this as panting to keep cool.
View: DF3_20210718_0817_016 Magpie beak Open (not calling) in heatwave 4 of 4.jpg
Description: The Magpie moves about 15m away from us to land on the disused Telephone pole,
sees that we were not going to stop our walk along the nearby track, and decides
to leave.
View: D01_20210719_0650_001_FB6 Magpie landing on meadow Post in cloud of midges with sunlight through feathers.jpg
Description: A Magpie makes an early morning landing lit by the sun behind.
We think that the brown feathers are backlit, while the white primaries
are catching the sun directly.
View: D73_20210721_0727_051 Magpie juvenile on conifer branch.jpg
Description: A young Magpie sits high in this conifer watching the world go by.
This is about 7.30 a.m. - it will soon become unpleasantly hot to sit out in the direct sunlight.
Date: 28 Aug 2021
View: DF3_20210717_0947_003 Gatekeeper Butterfly (1st of 2021).jpg
Description: Out first sighting this year of a 'Gatekeeper' Butterfly.
The 2 white specks in the black circle are a quick ID assist.
View: D73_20210721_1104_114 Ruddy Darter Dragonfly female on partly eaten Iris frond.jpg
Description: Our first Darter Dragonfly ID of the year (21 July 2021).
This is a female Ruddy Darter managing to partly obscure herself
on the other side of a very chewed up Iris frond in the middle of
the main pond.
View: D73_20210721_1109_128 Emerald Damselfly female (crop).jpg
Description: We last saw an Emerald Damselfly in 2010 - 11 years ago.
This female landed a few metres up a tree and this is the best pic we could get.
In the 2010 session we took images of both sexes in our 'flight tunnel' - you can see them at
26 Sep 2010 and
2 Oct 2010.
Date: 27 Aug 2021
View: E64_20210717_2055_174_FB2 Pheasant male at sunset.jpg
Description: The male Pheasant is still making regular visits. Here he graces us with
a photo complete with the setting sun.
View: E6A_20210720_1848_084_FB5 Pheasant male at meadow site (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: The male Pheasant is beginning to become a little less pristine,
but he still looks magnificent.
Date: 26 Aug 2021
View: BU5_20210716_0116_141_SC1 2 Badger walking along edge of Round Pond.jpg
Description: A pair of Badgers saunter along the edge of Round Pond an hour after midnight.
View: BU7_20210716_2213_088 Badger entering site with another following behind.jpg
Description: The night after seeing a pair of Badgers at the Round Pond, here are
a pair entering our patch at the south west corner - one in foreground and the
other just coming through the hedge behind.
View: BU5_20210716_2353_240_SC1 Badger grooming.jpg
Description: Half and hour later this badger is resting at the Round pond edge, busy
grooming the fur.
Date: 25 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210716_1507_055 Grass Snake under corrugated iron (ID only).jpg
Description: 'Our' grass snake now hears us coming and we rarely take him/her by surprise.
This stealthy approach catches the snake almost fully stretched out - estimated
length is just under 1 metre.
View: D73_20210715_1603_005 Roesels Bush Cricket of Garden Bench (orig).jpg
Description: A Roesel's Bush Cricket we found on a garden bench Note the very long antennae
sported by Crickets - Grasshoppers sport much shorter antennae.
Date: 24 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210701_1554_015 Oxford Ragwort deformed flower heads & small Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar.jpg
Description: The Oxford Ragwort plants have just started flowering.
Just right of lower middle you can see the first Cinnabar Moth
Caterpillar that we have spotted this year.
The top flowerhead is massively deformed. There are several other
examples, and some years we see similar on Oxeye daisies.
We think it probably an insect converting the flower for breeding
purposes, but have been unsuccessful in finding out what species.
This plant is poisonous to most creatures, but the Cinnabar Moth
absorbs the poison to make itself poisonous, and has the warning
colouration to tell the bird not to 'try it for dinner'.
We also sometimes see Cinnabar Moths feeding on Groundsel where
they don't pick up the poison defence. They don't do as well on this
plant, and we haven't seen any on Groundsel so far this year.
View: D73_20210707_1437_529 Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars (various sizes) on Ragwort flower buds.jpg
Description: The Ragwort has burst into life at several location, and the Cinnabar Moths have
been busy laying the eggs to make a good 'crop' of their caterpillars.
View: D73_20210708_1550_048 Cinnabar Moths Caterpillars on Oxford Ragwort.jpg
Description: The Cinnabar moth Caterpillars are taking over the Oxford Ragwort!
Wikipedia tell us that:-
Cinnabar moth from Europe was released as a biological control agent
against common ragwort in the USA (1991), Australia (2000) and New Zealand (1990)
but apparently with limited success.
Artificial introductions vary from utter failure to complete disasters (like the
Australian Cane Toad introduced in 1935 and now a 'plague').
View: DF3_20210714_1016_011 Ragwort plant decimated by Cinnabar Caterpillars.jpg
Description: A week later the Cinnabar Caterpillars have just about stripped this and most
other Ragwort plants in our patch, but the plants recover every year.
Date: 23 Aug 2021
View: BU5_20210714_2128_379-2129_393_SC1 2 Muntjac Reeves Deer males (dad & son (q)) gentle spar at Round Pond 1-6 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: As darkness falls we see an encounter between 2 male Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
The difference in size and obviously affection between the two (left middle) suggests to us a
Father - Growing up Fawn relationship. We think that Dad is helping his youngster learn a
little of the tactics of competing males, but neither of the two want to hurt the other.
Date: 22 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210713_1735_134-139 Red Kite flying overhead (impression montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Seeing a Red Kite in the far distance circling in a Thermal up-draft is normally
followed by the bird disappearing into the haze. This time though the bird made
a leisurely drift toward us, and eventually went almost overhead. Here is about
half a second of powered flight, spread out vertically a little to see the outlines.
View: D73_20210713_1735_187 Red Kite in Flight.jpg
Description: 5 seconds later (the camera runs at 10 fps so just count the frame numbers!)
we enjoyed this oblique view of the Red Kite.
Date: 21 Aug 2021
View: E63_20210713_0935_072_FB1 Moorhen at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: One Moorhen (of the pair we know we still have) makes a few visits each
week to the south hedge bottom site and the woodland site.
This view at the hedge bottom seems particular appealing.
Date: 20 Aug 2021
View: BU7_20210712_2221_021+BU9_2223_031-033 Polecat pair courting near SW entrance 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Our first sighting of a PAIR of Polecats.
First seen 'canoodling' near the South entrance (left pic),
2 minutes later they are running along in close contact through the
orchard.
Close contact MAY mean the male has her by the neck - we can imagine that
Polecat courtship may be a bit of a rough-house!
View: BU7_20210713_0152_032 Polecat.jpg
Description: In the small hours of the same night possibly one of the same Polecats
stops by the south entrance before undoubtedly speeding away.
Date: 19 Aug 2021
View: E60_20210712_1655_013_FB3 Sparrowhawk female (crop).jpg
Description: Following fleeting overflights, the female Sparrowhawk returns to one of
her old haunts.
Date: 18 Aug 2021
View: DF3_20210705_0959_031 Small white Butterfly female first brood on Privet flowers.jpg
Description: A Small White Butterfly enjoying a feed from the Privet flowers.
Make the most of them - they only flower for a few days!
View: D73_20210709_1509_105 Tortoiseshell Butterfly feeding on Blackberry flower.jpg
Description: The Blackberry flowers are now abundant, and this Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly
isn't going to skip the opportunity.
View: D73_20210713_1739_290 Comma Butterfly (new generation).jpg
Description: Following an initial flurry of Comma Butterflies in Spring, they do their
thing, lay eggs and die. The new brood appear as adults in July, and here
is a pristine sample. This generation again lay eggs, and the next 'batch'
appear in September. It is this generation that overwinter as adults to
venture out the following year to start the cycle going again.
View: DF3_20210714_1344_109 Green-veined White Butterfly on Blackberry flower (first of 2021).jpg
Description: This is the second emergence this year of Green-veined White Butterflies.
This species overwinters as Chrysalises (or chrysalides) to emerge in Spring,
twice laying eggs for 2 summertime generations, before dying in the Autumn
and leaving the Chrysalises to emerge to continue the species next year.
Date: 17 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210709_1114_089 Marmalade Hover-fly feeding on Buttercup flower.jpg
Description: The Marmalade Hover-fly stops on this buttercup, only a bit bigger than the insect.
View: DF3_20210711_1213_025 Marmalade Hover-fly hovering over Rose of Sharon flower.jpg
Description: Another Marmalade Hover-fly, this time hovering over
the much larger Rose of Sharon flower.
As well as drinking nectar they eat honeydew and pollen,
so this one is above a feast!
Date: 16 Aug 2021
View: DF3_20210711_0904_001 Blue Tit juvenile on edge of bird table.jpg
Description: The winning entry for this weeks 'most twee Blue Tit' competition.
View: E60_20210711_0611_127_FB3 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile on tip of perch.jpg
Description: This juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker looks small - perhaps a youngster
from a later brood.
Date: 15 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210708_1547_037 White Plume Moth (Pterophorus pentadactyla) landing on grass stem with wings still spread.jpg
Description: A White Plume Moth still flutters the wings to gain balance after landing on
this grass blade. The name Pentadactyla refers to the 5 separate wing segments
that align in the perched insect so it looks like a bit of stick.
View: D73_20210709_0830_075 Yellow Shell Moth.jpg
Description: A Yellow Shell moth rests on a thistle leaf in the dark of the hedge.
Date: 14 Aug 2021
View: E63_20210708_0821_018_FB1 2 Chaffinch juveniles with adult male holding beakful of seeds.jpg
Description: Dad Chaffinch with two of almost certainly his this years youngsters.
View: E63_20210708_0904_030_FB1 2 Chaffinch juveniles perched together.jpg
Description: An hour later the camera catches this sweetie moment of the two young Chaffinches
together on the stone - undoubtedly waiting impatiently for their next feed.
View: E63_20210708_1846_050_FB1 Chaffinch male flying off with seeds in beak.jpg
Description: A male Chaffinch flies upwards with a beakful of seeds.
View: E63_20210712_1911_033_FB1 Chaffinch male about to land on stone.jpg
Description: 4 days later this male Chaffinch, still in full breeding colours, makes a well
controlled approach to landing on the stone.
Date: 13 Aug 2021
View: E63_20210701_2140_078_FB1 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: A recently rare sighting at any of the hi-resolution photo sites of a Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
In this case we think the growing fawn stops by for this one photo.
View: E64_20210706_2026_146_FB2 Muntjac Reeves deer fawn gamboling through woodland site.jpg
Description: A little delight - 'our' Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn gambolling across the
woodland site, caught here with all four hooves off the ground but in too random
positions and insufficient movement blur to be a high speed run.
Date: 12 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210706_1747_370-372 Lark ascending & singing over crop to east @10fps 4-6 of 6 (montage at one-fifth of real spacing).jpg
Description: This Skylark made an unexpected appearance ascending from the farmers field,
singing his silvery song before diving back to the ground.
Date: 11 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210706_1601_094-097 Swift banking in flight keeps head level @10fps (impression montage).jpg
Description: It seems that on this afternoon the conditions for Swifts to hunt this area were
just right. About 10 birds spent a couple of hours hunting over the farm field around
us, and sometimes over our patch.
In this first montage (probably spaced closer than reality) it interesting to
see that the wings turned vertical while the head stay horizontal.
View: D73_20210706_1740_237 Swift in flight @10fps 02 of 23 (crop).jpg
Description: A Swift flying by.
View: D73_20210706_1740_245-249 Swift in flight @10fps 10-14 of 23 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: An accurately positioned montage of a Swift in flight at 10 frames per second.
View: D73_20210706_1741_342-345 Swift in flight banking toward camera @10fps 1-4 of 4 (impression montage).jpg
Description: The bland sky prevents any attempt at 'accurately positioned', so here more closely
spaced than natural for a better look at the bird.
Date: 10 Aug 2021
View: DF3_20210705_0948_004 Grass Snake coiled under corrugated iron escapes down hole 01 of 22 (crop).jpg
Description: Checking under the corrugated iron sheet we discover the Grass Snake
coiled about as neatly can be. Here is a moment while his forked tongue is visible.
View: DF3_20210705_0948_007-025 Grass Snake coiled under corrugated iron escapes down hole 02+06+07+10+17+20 of 22 (montage).jpg
Description: A few seconds later the Grass Snake makes a rather leisurely exit down the
hole.
Once we have disturbed the snake on a particular day we leave the
corrugated iron untouched for the rest of the day.
View: D73_20210707_1434_489 Grass snake coiled under corrugated orin.jpg
Description: Two days later the Grass Snake almost looks as if tied in a knot, but
then slithered away so fast we was the only decent pic we got.
Date: 09 Aug 2021
View: BU2_20210704_0543_459+0614_463+465_SC7 2 Muntjac Reeves Deer males in velvet sparring on Round Mound 2+3+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: Wildlife documentaries seem to us to be obsessed with Deer Ruts and fighting
stags, but Reeve's Muntjac Deer seem quieter creatures and we had never before seen
them being aggressive. But here over 30 minutes two Reeve's Muntjac stags, both
with antlers in velvet, sparred on the Mound with their unfinished antlers.
Date: 08 Aug 2021
View: E60_20210701_0617_086_FB3 Wren juvenile on tip of kitchen perch.jpg
Description: Wrens are said to be very common, but secretive.
Here a juvenile Wren momentarily stops on the tip of the kitchen perch.
View: E63_20210703_1956_231_FB1 Wren on hedge bottom stone.jpg
Description: Another Wren makes a momentary stop at the hedge bottom stone,
but is already crouched for further action.
Date: 07 Aug 2021
View: D01_20210702_0930_101+0936_113+0939_117_FB6 Kestrel female lands on post with prey for 10+ minutes 1+2+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel makes another visit to the Meadow Post, landing with back
to camera. After 6 minutes she finally turns and we see her half-eaten Rodent.
The camera stop after 10 minutes of continuous exposures and we don't know
how long it was before she left.
Date: 06 Aug 2021
View: DF3_20210702_0724_005+014+0729_037 2 Grey Squirrel juveniles playing on bird table with 1 falling 1+4+5 of 5 (mixed scale montage).jpg
Description: Two juvenile Squirrels spent 5 minutes 'playing' on the bird table outside
the Kitchen Window. It would appear that this 'play' has a substantial
sexual element, but they were definitely not actually mating.
In the last frame the one on top is here falling off and landing 1.5 metres
below without apparent injury.
Date: 05 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210630_1551_089 Meadow Brown Butterflies mating on Oxeye Daisy flower.jpg
Description: A pair of Mating Meadow Brown Butterflies enjoying themselves on an Oxeye Daisy flower.
View: D73_20210630_1528_049 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly feeding on Elderberry flower.jpg
Description: The Privet hedge along some of the access track has several butterflies
enjoying the nectar. Here a Small Tortoiseshell.
View: D73_20210630_1529_054 Red Admiral Butterfly feeding on Elderberry flower.jpg
Description: One of several Red Admiral Butterflies.
View: D73_20210702_1747_055 Speckled Wood Butterfly.jpg
Description: The second crop of Speckled Wood Butterflies seems to be emerging.
They may be just every brown imaginable, but we find them beautiful.
Date: 04 Aug 2021
View: E63_20210629_1910_131_FB1 Chaffinch male flying off with insect in beak (crop).jpg
Description: This male Chaffinch flies over the stone, beak carrying a seed.
View: E63_20210630_0730_164_FB1 Dunnock flying from stone (crop).jpg
Description: This Dunnock flies over the stone.
View: E63_20210705_1705_035_FB1 Robin juvenile on stone threatening (q) Chaffinch male.jpg
Description: The juvenile Robin on the stone seems to be practising his aggressive call on the
male Chaffinch. The Chaffinch doesn't look the least impressed!
Date: 03 Aug 2021
View: D73_20210630_1541_066 Grass snake with tongue extended exposed under corrugated iron sheet 1 of 5 (crop).jpg
Description: On lifting the corrugated iron sheet we are delighted to get another sighting of
our well grown Grass Snake. In this pic you can see the Snake's forked tongue
flicking in the air.
Why do snakes do this? The Snakes olfactory organ is back inside the head -
the tongue picks up the molecules to transfer them to it. So to 'sniff out' the
world you have to keep flicking your tongue.
View: D73_20210630_1541_066-074 Grass snake with tongue extended exposed under corrugated iron sheet 1-5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: We may be enchanted by the snake, but the snake is not at all enchanted by being rudely uncovered,
and promptly slithers down the adjacent (mouse?) hole to completely disappear.
Here you see the 'uncoiling' process in action over a few seconds
Date: 02 Aug 2021
View: D01_20210620_1450_060_FB6 Wood Pigeon struggling to balance on landing.jpg
Description: 'Rond de Jambe' Wood Pigeon Style?
The nearest ballet reference we non-ballet followers could find.
A word taken from the ballet mistress in 'Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall'
View: E60_20210629_1829_059_FB3 2 Wood Pigeons on kitchen bird table.jpg
Description: Probably a 'pair' of Wood Pigeons sharing the bird table.
Date: 01 Aug 2021
View: D01_20210627_1337_004_FB6 Kestrel female landing on meadow post with Brown Hawker Dragonfly female in beak 2 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: The females Kestrel arrived on the meadow post with a Hawker Dragonfly in her
beak - a unique event in our records. The Dragonfly species is clearly
identifiable from the pic - a female Brown Hawker Dragonfly.
One could object to the Kestrel killing this beautiful creature, but the Dragonfly itself
feeds purely by hunting, and so on down the food chain.
Although Owls carry prey items in their beaks, we had assumed that Kestrels always
carried prey in their talons. Maybe the Kestrel found the Dragonfly sunbathing on the post
and snatched it with the beak. But is so light (less than 1 gram) and she could also easily fly with it.
We tabulated weights of some insects over a decade ago - see
Weights of Insects
View: D72_20210628_1048_008+D01_20210628_1055_008-1104_026_FB6 Kestrel female hunt from cable catches Rodent eaten on Meadow Post 2-4+6+9 of 9 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel is here hunting from a power line, accompanied by a Wood pigeon on
the other cable. The Kestrel obviously caught something about 7 minutes after the top photo,
and took it to the meadow post to devour it where the automatic camera caught the action.
View: D73_20210630_1625_108+1624_103 Kestrel female hunting from mains cable (montage).jpg
Description: After closely spaced return visits to old haunts around our patch, the female
kestrel has settled to her more normal hunting pattern where we see her on just
2 or 3 days a week.
Image Archive arch 2021 jul.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Jul 2021
View: D01_20210625_2012_156-2019_170_FB6 Kestrel female arrives at Meadow Post with Rodent and eats it 1+3+4+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: After many weeks of absence the female Kestrel is back, seemingly
re-visiting her old haunts to see whether they remain good hunting.
Here she spends about 7 minutes on the top of the Meadow post where the
automatic camera watches her arrive with some sort of Rodent in her claws, where
she dissects and consumes the entire Rodent.
View: D01_20210626_1057_211_FB6 Kestrel female landing on meadow post with Rodent in claws 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: Mid morning next day she similarly arrives with a smaller Rodent, but for whatever
reason leaves without obviously eating it 'on the spot'.
View: D72_20210627_1217_030 Kestrel female hunting from branch of apple tree in orchard.jpg
Description: Lunchtime another day on we spot her hunting from the dead branches of a really old
Apple tree in the 'Orchard'. For some reason she is much more tolerant of humans
in the garden below than elsewhere.
Date: 30 Jul 2021
View: BUA_20210625_0440_061+064+068_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer mother grooming fawn then fawn grooming mother 1+3+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: A lovely moment at around dawn as Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn is affectionately groomed
by Mum, and then a surprise as we see the behaviour reciprocated with the fawn
grooming Mum.
The fawn has to learn this social nicety, but it's lovely to see.
View: D5C_20210625_1502_014 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn in front garden.jpg
Description: At the front of the house the Reeve's Muntjac Deer fawn licks over her fur
between nibbling bits of the 'garden'.
Her growing size and formation of the facial mask make it difficult to
tell the fawn from the adults at first glance.
Date: 29 Jul 2021
View: DF3_20210622_0902_001+006+008 Great Spotted woodpecker female feeding juvenile peanut grit 1-3 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Great Spotted Woodpecker continues to supplement the youngster's
rations with peanut fragments
View: DF3_20210622_0903_027+030+033 Great Spotted woodpecker female feeding juvenile peanut grit 4-6 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Great Spotted Woodpecker continues to supplement the youngster's
rations with peanut fragments
View: E60_20210625_1819_046_FB3 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker juveniles one under perch & other landing.jpg
Description: Here are two juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers - what is going on we can only guess.
We often see juvenile Woodpeckers mistakenly begging from each other!
Date: 28 Jul 2021
View: E6A_20210616_1814_037_FB5 Rabbit youngster in clover.jpg
Description: "Baby Bunny in Clover"
View: E6A_20210621_1649_106_FB5 Pheasant male guarding female + grasses + clover + buttercups + oxeye daisies.jpg
Description: The ever attentive male pheasant guards one of has (at least) 3 wives. The
ripening grass and some heavy rain causes the grass stalks to fall into any
empty space as you see here, along with the Clover flowers and Buttercups at
this suddenly cluttered site.
Date: 27 Jul 2021
View: DF3_20210623_1557_132 Sycamore seed developing.jpg
Description: A cluster of developing Sycamore seeds showing a subtle pink colour.
View: DF3_20210623_1041_086 Oak tree leaf tips some turning yellow.jpg
Description: In one of the oak trees on the sunny side of the meadow has several
patches of leaves at the end of branches going brown and yellow.
It too high to see if it is infestation or damage of some kind.
Date: 26 Jul 2021
View: DF3_20210623_1742_156 Banded Demoiselle Damselfly male.jpg
Description: One of very few male Banded Demoiselle Damselflies - a flickering delight to
see in flight.
The females are so similar to the female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies
that we find it hard to tell them apart.
View: DF3_20210623_1602_138 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly female.jpg
Description: A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - the brown colour of the wings is
clear in this photo, so it is NOT a Banded Demoiselle
Date: 25 Jul 2021
View: E60_20210621_1156_042-20210623_0524_084_FB3 Great Spotted Woodpecker adults + 2 juves over 4 days 5+3+6 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: This has been the 'Week of the Woodpeckers' visiting peanut feeders on both
sides of the house. Here this montage shows the whole family as far as we are
aware. On the left the 2 Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers actually seen
like this), and on the right first Mum and then Dad.
View: D5C_20210620_0942_008-0943_028 Great Spotted Woodpecker female feeding juvenile with peanut fragments 1-5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: Mum Great Spotted Woodpecker likes to feed her youngster some peanut grits.
Date: 24 Jul 2021
View: BU7_20210620_1326_013+1327_021 Muntjac Reeves Deer mother visits fawn who exits through hedge to south (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Mum and Fawn again met at this site, spend a few minutes mostly at the
edge of the frame, before the youngster makes their way out into the
wider world of the farmers field (top middle).
View: BU7_20210621_0328_050+051 Muntjac Reeves Deer male rubs forehead and antlers-in-velvet on ground (montage).jpg
Description: Itchy 'velvet' over the growing antlers of this male Reeve's Muntjac Deer
seems the most likely need for rubbing on the ground
View: BUA_20210623_1440_238_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn in dappled sunlight.jpg
Description: The Trail cam at the east hedge catches the lovely little Reeve's Muntjac fawn probably
just re-entered our patch and walks quietly through a sunbeam.
View: DF3_20210623_1553_127 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn resting at edge of grass path (crop).jpg
Description: The Reeve's Muntjac Deer fawn spends a lot of time on the plot, mostly now
avoiding the flash camera sites. But about once a day on random walks around our
patch we get a sighting. The little creature seems to know we are not an
immediate danger, but always walks quietly into the nearest cover and we don't
see them again.
Date: 23 Jul 2021
View: E64_20210617_1548_076_FB2 2 Grey Squirrel threatening each other.jpg
Description: Grey Squirrels seem to be showing the worst of their behaviour this week.
At the woodland site these two seem to be having a snarling contest
over a few fragments of food.
View: E63_20210617_1703_113_FB1 2 Grey Squirrel fighting (crop).jpg
Description: An hour or so later some 70m away we get this largely impenetrable melee of fighting
Grey Squirrels. We think it is just 2 creatures!
Reminds us of the excellent stop-motion movie 'Isle of Dogs (2018)' where fight
scenes are represented by similar 'balls of fur with bits sticking out'.
View: E63_20210617_1705_114_FB1 Grey Squirrel leaping from stone.jpg
Description: 2 minutes later the issue seems resolved - only this Squirrel remains.
Date: 22 Jul 2021
View: E63_20210613_0251_259_FB1 Badger feeding at hedge bottom.jpg
Description: This Pristine Badger visits the hedge bottom.
View: E63_20210616_2254_056_FB1 Badger (head at edge of frame).jpg
Description: After dark this Badger get a rude surprise as the camera flash fires.
But this one keeps coming back so can't be too disturbed.
Date: 21 Jul 2021
View: E63_20210603_1657_040_FB1 Pheasant male twisted backwards.jpg
Description: Birds in general seem to be able to move their tails through a huge
range of angles. There is no stiff foliage here that could be bending the tail.
View: E63_20210611_1648_137_FB1 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: Very rare sightings of any female Pheasants, and none at all of chicks.
But his Majesty looks magnificent even without his tail ...
View: E63_20210611_1826_168_FB1 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: ... but the 'girls' probably find him more impressive WITH his tail.
View: E6A_20210618_1256_124_FB5 Pheasant male at meadow site drenched with rain.jpg
Description: After a day of continuous rain it looks like this male Pheasant found shelter
overnight, but needing to eat has left him looking a bit like a 'drowned Rat'.
Date: 20 Jul 2021
View: D73_20210614_1012_059 Broad-bodied Chaser female in hedge W side of access track (crop).jpg
Description: A female Broad Bodied Chaser high in the hedge along the access track.
View: D73_20210615_1254_150 Broad Bodied Chaser female perched on broken off teasel stem.jpg
Description: This year we have seen several of these different individual female Broad Bodied Chasers.
Surely a male, with the lovely powder blue pruinescence, will turn up to make
the next generation.
View: DF3_20210612_0922_010 Black-tailed Skimmer female on bare soil between crop plants (1st of 2021) (crop).jpg
Description: First sighting for 2021 of a (female) Black Tailed Skimmer, of all places
out on the farmer insecticide drenched crop :-(
Date: 19 Jul 2021
View: DF3_20210614_0920_005-0921_019 Great Spotted Woodpecker juvenile on study window feeder pick of 13 (montage).jpg
Description: At least one juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker has made it to a degree of
independence. This one was exploring the post, flat surface and Peanut feeder
outside the study window. Over a couple of minutes we got all of these moments -
just enjoy the young woodpecker possibly first solo exploration of this construct
where one of the parents has been there to feed the youngster on previous visits.
Date: 18 Jul 2021
View: D73_20210614_0723_093+0720_084 Sawfly Larvae descend from meshes on 4 metre single threads to ground 3+1+2 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: Walking down a dark tree-covered path we found the way 'blocked' by several
single strands of silk hanging down from about 4 metres high down to the ground.
Some of these had caterpillars crawling down them that appear, after a lot of
book thumbing, to be some sort of 'Sawfly' Larvae.
Top: The silk 'mesh' still with Larvae in it.
Left: A close up of the strand with about 8 Larvae on it. The
Larvae shadow on the ground is formed the shadow from the camera flash.
Right: A distant shot of the setup - this strand actually hung from further up
than you can see here.
Our lack of expertise (and minimal guide books) means we
are unable to 'nail' the insect's ID any better, and maybe wrong at that.
View: D73_20210614_1004_033 Sawfly Larvae descending from silk meshes down 4 metre long single threads to ground 5 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: 3 hours later the Larvae have mostly dispersed.
Date: 17 Jul 2021
View: D73_20210612_1640_075 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly male perched on twig showing sharp bend between segments 2 & 3.jpg
Description: Here is a male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - more commonly seen that the
females at the moment. The 'break' in the body may look alarming, but the insect
can bend substantially at join of each of the 10 abdominal segments. This joint
between segments 2 & 3 contains the male's sexual organs.
View: D73_20210613_1509_059 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly male showing wing veins ridges very clearly.jpg
Description: This male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly catches the light showing how the veins of the
wing create corrugations that give this incredibly lightweight structure surprising strength.
A form of natural origami!
View: D73_20210612_1453_055 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly female.jpg
Description: A female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly.
The wingspan is about 7cm - much larger than most Damselflies.
Walking down a path with dozens of these fluttering around you
is quite one of the most magical experiences we know.
View: D73_20210613_1212_002 Banded Demoiselle male fluttering wings while perched.jpg
Description: The Beautiful Demoiselles are supplemented by the only other similar
species (in the UK anyway) of the strikingly marked Banded Demoiselle.
This is a male - the females have no such banding and are so hard to tell
apart from female Beautiful Demoiselles 'in the wild' that we may miss
them among the larger numbers of the Beautiful females.
Each wing has it's own band which is quite dark even when the wings are separated
as you unusually see here.
Date: 16 Jul 2021
View: BU9_20210611_1910_027_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn with desiccated leaf in mouth.jpg
Description: The Fawn seems to be managing fine, here with a dried out leaf in the mouth.
Not so junk-food crisps for a Deer?
View: BU7_20210615_0631_036-0636_063 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn & mother meet at SW corner for groom 1+4+7+9 of 9 (montage 5 mins).jpg
Description: We had started to think of the Reeve's Muntjac Deer as rather independent, but here a
possibly by chance, possibly not, encounter at the SW corner between Fawn and what must
be Mum led to 5 minutes of affectionate grooming of the youngster and eventually exit though
the south hedge. If you look carefully at the top of the bottom right picture, you will see
Mum looking back, past a grass blade, at her Fawn to check that it is following.
Date: 15 Jul 2021
View: D5C_20210611_1118_007+009+010 Great Tit breaking off fragments of peanut to feed juvenile 2-4 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: The Kitchen window bird table and perch are held in place by a pair
of G-clamps. This seems to provide a nice grippy surface for the Adult
Great Tit (left) to feed their youngster. The adult has obtained a piece
of peanut from the feeder and is chipping off a smaller piece to feed
the youngster.
Concerns about feeding peanuts during the breeding season centre around
young birds choking on whole peanuts. Ensure your feeders only release
fragments and it becomes useful supplement for chicks and the parents.
View: E60_20210616_1141_064_FB3 Great Spotted Woodpecker female offers food to juvenile hanging beneath (crop).jpg
Description: At the top, Mum Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Hanging upside down, juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker.
We have seen this juxtaposition many times, and still have no idea
why the juvenile chooses to hang inverted.
Date: 14 Jul 2021
View: D01_20210610_2222_053-20210614_0409_185_FB6 Little Owl visits on 3 of 5 days for ever longer periods 1-6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: 3 visits by what looks like the same Little Owl over 5 days, visiting for 1, 2 and then 3 'frames'.
Frames on this camera are taken at exactly 1 minute intervals when the post is occupied.
Top middle is the back of the head - without optical equipment this looks remarkably
like much bigger bird.
View: D01_20210611_2142_111_FB6 Little Owl visits on 3 of 5 days for ever longer periods 3 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: More detail of the top-right image.
View: D01_20210617_0103_027+0104_129_FB6 Tawny Owl 2 minute visit to meadow post 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: After several weeks we see a Tawny Owl again, spending a couple of minutes at the meadow post.
Tawny Owls seems to prefer (or find easier to catch) Voles over Fieldmice (Wood Mice).
We see very few of either prey at the nearby Meadow site photo kit at the
moment, but there are plenty around, and unfortunately in, the house.
Date: 13 Jul 2021
View: BU8_20210608_0846_077 2 Moorhen adults on grass by pond followed by (at least) 2 chicks.jpg
Description: Mum and Dad introduce 2 of the Moorhen chicks to the world outside the pond.
This was the last of the group of 3 pics triggered by the adults so more chicks
may be following.
View: D73_20210608_1741_105 2 Moorhen chicks.jpg
Description: In the evening of the same day two sibling Moorhen are in the duckweed of
the Duck-shaped pond.
Date: 12 Jul 2021
View: D73_20210608_0917_044 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly male immature.jpg
Description: There are perhaps a dozen male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselflies around
the various places they frequent as the 'sun moves round the heavens'.
View: D73_20210608_1231_072 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly male immature (head detail).jpg
Description: Detail of a male Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly shows
the intricate spines and hairs.
View: D73_20210609_1253_148 Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly female (1st female of 2021) (crop).jpg
Description: At last we see a Female Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly.
Only the females have the white 'pseudo-pterostigma' on both Demoiselle species.
Many other Odonata have these marks in a similar position, but there are usually
black or Brown, hence the 'pseudo' for these white ones.
View: D73_20210610_1038_016 Banded Demoiselle Damselfly male (1st of 2021) (crop).jpg
Description: This is a male Banded Demoiselle Damselfly sunning himself on a nettle leaf.
So far we have not spotted any female Banded Demoiselle Damselflies,
but may have missed some - they are rather similar to the Female
Beautiful.
Date: 11 Jul 2021
View: E63_20210607_1420_054-20210608_1203_139_FB1 Yellowhammer visits to stone at hedge bottom (montage over 22hrs).jpg
Description: Several sighting of the male Yellowhammer (and a poor pic of the female) this week.
Here is a little celebration of some of the male's visits on a somewhat elongated stone.
Date: 10 Jul 2021
View: D01_20210607_0157_187_FB6 Tawny Owl single frame visit.jpg
Description: A Tawny Owl stops by the meadow post 2 hours after midnight.
There don't seem to be many Rodents at the nearby 'Meadow camera'
so the Owl hopefully knows of better places to hunt.
View: D01_20210602_0416_055+057+2100_103+105_FB6 2 Little Owls visiting meadow post morning & evening of the same day (montage).jpg
Description: Visits in the early morning and early night of the same day by Little Owls.
A careful inspection suggests that this is two individuals.
Have we got a pair nesting on our patch? We DO have a little owl
nesting box inaccessible to us past stinging nettles.
More if we discover anything new - without interfering with the nest box
until well after they could have finished with it.
Date: 09 Jul 2021
View: D73_20210606_0834_030 Silver-ground Carpet Moth on leaf with rear wings partly exposed.jpg
Description: A Silver-ground Carpet Moth shows off the intricate wing pattern.
The rather elongated look is because the wings are not fully
covering one another as you normally see when the insect is resting.
Date: 08 Jul 2021
View: DF3_20210605_1257_135 Grass Snake basking on partly hidden mound of desiccated Iris leaves (crop).jpg
Description: We haven't sighted a grass snake for 4 years (28 Jun 2018) under a corrugated
iron sheet we still look under most days. So catching a sight of this Grass
Snake sunbathing in the middle of the main pond, coiled over a tuft of
desiccated Iris fronds from last year, was a surprise. We couldn't see it very
well for the glare of the plants around it. and took several pics at various
angles through intervening fresh growth. Eventually it slithered off we know not
where - Grass Snakes are completely happy in water. In this pic you can see the
3 parts of the snake, bottom towards the tail, top toward the head, and just
above middle the snake's head itself facing to the right.
View: D73_20210614_1002_002+016 Grass Snake under corrugated iron sheet exits under edge of lifted sheet 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: Almost 2 weeks after the first Grass Snake sighting, we lift the corrugated iron
sheet and in the first time for years find this Grass snake warming itself under
the sun warmed corrugated iron. The snake wasn't too happy with this
interruption of it's sauna, found a break in the up-ended iron, and made a swift exit.
View: D73_20210615_1239_093-105 Grass snake found under corrugated iron sheet escapes into mouse hole 1-5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: The next day we see probably the same Grass Snake at the same place. This time
the corrugated iron was thrown right back, not providing a surface route to
escape, so the snake makes for the nearest Mouse hole and the whole snake
(probably almost 1 metre long) pours into the hole and vanishes!
Date: 07 Jul 2021
View: DF3_20210605_0814_003-0822_076 hover-flies (merodon equestris) mating on blackberry leaf 1-6 of 6 (montage over 8 mins).jpg
Description: This pair of Hover-flies were making so much noise about it that we had to
investigate the frantic buzzing and found these two on a bramble growing out of
a miniature conifer. These taken over 8 minutes. At frame 5 he fell off - but
she let him regain his classic position. We left them to it and they were gone
half and hour later.
Date: 06 Jul 2021
View: D73_20210529_1341_012 Green Alkanet in flower along east of access track.jpg
Description: Every year for the last 30 years (i.e. since we moved here) a 10m stretch along
the east edge of the access track becomes a sea of the blue flowers of Green Alkanet.
Patches are starting to appear on the west side of the track and in the orchard
without any help from us.
View: D73_20210601_0946_092 Hawthorn tree in blossom with incidental Burnet Rose flowers.jpg
Description: Some of the Hawthorn trees growing from the inner hedge are have become really
impressive with a huge overhang, turning parts of the outer path into a 'tunnel'.
Date: 05 Jul 2021
View: BU8_20210529_0208_180 Badger adult with 3 youngsters near Duck-shaped Pond.jpg
Description: Mum or Dad Badger with 3 youngsters dutifully following.
An adult and 2 youngsters seen again later the same night.
View: BU2_20210605_0206_176_SC7 Badger adult with 3 cubs.jpg
Description: A week after the first visit by an Badger adult + 3 youngsters we see
what is probably the same group from 50 metres away from the previous
siting at the bottom and lower slope of the mound.
Date: 04 Jul 2021
View: DF1_20210603_1233_007+010+1234_053 Blue Tit nestbox feeds (grubs & Peanut grit) + Fecal Sac removal 1-3 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: A Blue Tit was flying past the window about once a minute -
moving between a peanut feeder and this nest box. Investigating
showed that the visitors to the nest box were grabbing peanut
grit from the feeder and 'grubs' from the Yellow Buddleia in a
mix to feed the youngsters in the nest. Whole peanuts can be a
choking danger to chick, but it seems that having to peck out
tiny fragments makes peanuts a useful supplement. In this first
montage we see Mum or Dad delivering a green grub.
This nestbox is in total shade all day and these are the best pics we can get.
View: DF1_20210603_1235_158-160 Blue Tit nestbox feeds (grubs and Peanut grit) + Fecal Sac removal 4-6 of 6 (acc montage @7fps).jpg
Description: Here one of the parents flies out to dispose of a Fecal Sac.
This nestbox is in total shade all day and these are the best pics we can get.
Yes - the box is mounted on a sloping branch - the birds don't care!
Date: 03 Jul 2021
View: DA1_20210601_1357_285+1355_276_FT1 White Ermine Moth on box showing orange body only when flapping wings (montage).jpg
Description: The White Ermine Moth is an extremely attractive sight glowing in
the dark of the Moth Trap. Reluctant to leave the 'pill' box at
the start of the session, you see here the resting insect (right)
with no hint of the glorious orange body (left) while warming up the
wing muscles ready for flight.
View: DA1_20210601_1356_279+1358_293_FT1 White Ermine Moth in 5 flights (montage).jpg
Description: A montages celebration of this beautiful White Ermine moth.
View: DA1_20210601_1358_293+1523_409_FT1 White Ermine Moth in flight with tip of grass blade (montage).jpg
Description: A close up of this White Ermine moth with the tip of a grass blade for scale.
Date: 02 Jul 2021
View: DA1_20210601_1342_250+1418_366_FT1 2 Poplar Hawk-moths in flight (montage).jpg
Description: Hawk-moths are, by Moth standards, really big. This Poplar Hawk-moth was a wingspan
of about 40mm (inch and a half) though it seems bigger when you are handling them.
The orange patch doesn't show at all on the resting insect, and doesn't get any
mention in ID books or normal photos.
View: DA1_20210601_1342_250+1526_426_FT1 Poplar Hawk-moth with small Head of Cow Parsley (montage).jpg
Description: Here montaged at the same scale with a small head of Cow Parsley you
get a better idea of scale.
Date: 01 Jul 2021
View: D73_20210601_1320_130 Brimstone Butterfly female perched on Blackberry leaf.jpg
Description: This female Brimstone Butterfly perched nicely for a photo before being
rudely netted to strut her stuff for a few minutes at the insect flight kit.
View: DA1_20210601_1320_186+1315_162+1317_171_FT1 Brimstone Butterfly female in 3 flights (montage).jpg
Description: 3 separate flights here of the female Brimstone butterfly,
since montaged to make some sort of fun layout, before we took her back
to her bramble patch.
Image Archive arch 2021 jun.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Jun 2021
View: DA1_20210601_1301_106+108+1307_143_FT1 Cinnabar Moth in 2 flights with buttercup (montage).jpg
Description: Photographing Cinnabar Moths has always been really difficult, but this one
after an initial period of playing dead, kindly obliged with several quite decent
flights past the camera.
View: DA1_20210601_1301_109+1303_123 Cinnabar Moth 2 flight (montage)_FT1.jpg
Description: Another two moments from Cinnabar Moth flights.
Date: 29 Jun 2021
View: P10_20210601_0706_412 Green Carpet Moth (Colostygia pectinataria) faded to grey on moth-trap wall.jpg
Description: Green Carpet Moths fade from green quite quickly - this one grey.
It is photographed against the black plastic of the moth trap it was caught in.
View: DA1_20210601_1349_263-264+1524_417_FT1 Green Carpet Moth in flight with Green Alkanet flower (montage).jpg
Description: A younger 'greener' individual provided these moments a Green Carpet moth in flight.
Date: 28 Jun 2021
View: P10_20210601_0658_410 Cockchafer Beetle aka Maybug (Melolontha melolontha) resting on cardboard.jpg
Description: This Cockchafer Beetle was caught in the overnight moth trap, and
is here perched on the 'egg boxes' used to fill the trap with
insect-friendly perches. The lack of the 'brush' Antennae tells
is that this is a female.
View: DA1_20210601_1420_383+1425_404_FT1 Cockchafer Beetle aka Maybug (Melolontha melolontha) in 2 flights (montage).jpg
Description: This is a male Cockchafer Beetle in a couple of flights down what we call
out 'Flight Tunnel'.
If you are interested in how we get these pics there is lots of detail (probably
too much!) to be found at
Flight Tunnel.
Date: 27 Jun 2021
View: bu7_20210601_0833_052 Muntjac Reeves Deer male (1 antler) in early morning sunlight.jpg
Description: This male Reeve's Muntjac Deer has lost one of his Antlers.
Don't worry - you will lose the other and then grow a lovely new pair to impress the girls!
View: BU7_20210601_0833_054 Muntjac Reeves Deer male (1 antler) in early morning sunlight + orange tip butterfly on flank.jpg
Description: A few second later the missing antler isn't so clear, but we can just identify
on his flank a hitch-hiking small Orange-tip Butterfly!
Date: 26 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210602_1555_204 2 Moorhen Chicks on Duck-shaped Pond (first of 2021) (crop).jpg
Description: For the first time in years the Moorhen web site has Moorhen once
again breeding on the ponds. Two very young Moorhen who don't
know that they should be hiding!
View: D73_20210603_1226_033 2 Moorhen Chicks on Duck-shaped Pond (crop).jpg
Description: Next day, forewarned into making a quiet approach, we see 2 again
View: D73_20210603_1438_046 Moorhen Chick portrait on Duck-shaped pond.jpg
Description: A little portrait of this scruffy and simultaneously beautiful ball of feathers
View: D73_20210603_1439_053 4 (of maybe 5) Moorhen chicks on Duck-shaped pond (ID only).jpg
Description: Here we momentarily see 4 of these tiny chicks at once.
There is probably another hidden top right, but we are not sure.
By now the presumably new pair of adults have learned to guard their
youngsters better, and we can't get near without a warning call and
the whole lot vanishing into the foliage.
Date: 25 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210530_1555_068 Orange-tip Butterfly male feeding on Red Campion.jpg
Description: The Orange-tip butterflies seem to have been around FAR longer than usual.
Normally for 2 or 3 weeks. Our first record is 17 April 2021, so we have been seeing
them for 6 weeks. They don't even look 'tatty'.
View: DA1_20210601_1129_045_FT1 Orange-tip Butterfly male in flight (crop).jpg
Description: A male Orange-tip butterfly flies by giving us a good view of the
top of the wings. Only the males show the orange tips.
View: DA1_20210601_1131_060+1232_085_FT1 Orange Tip Butterfly male in flight with Garlic Mustard flowers (montage).jpg
Description: Another flyby by this male Orange-tip butterfly shows you the underside
of the insect including the intricate green lacework that provides
disguise (on both sexes) when the wings are closed.
Date: 24 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210530_1220_035 Burnet Rose (1st of 2021).jpg
Description: The Burnet Rose always beats the better known Dog Rose to flowering here.
The perfume of the Burnet hits you downwind from even a small patch.
We both think this is the best scent in nature - wonderful without being sickly.
View: D73_20210601_1516_134 Dog Rose (first of 2021).jpg
Description: 2 days later we spot the first Dog Rose.
A much lighter but still pleasing perfume.
Date: 23 Jun 2021
View: E63_20210527_1749_052_FB1 Grey Squirrel attacking another.jpg
Description: Ouch! That claw sinking into the back of the fleeing Squirrel
looks like it means business :-(
View: BU5_20210528_1718_194+1720_205-207_SC1 Grey Squirrel run up to edge of Round Pond and jumps in (accurate montage).jpg
Description: We have never before seen a Squirrel leap into a pond.
There must have been something really tasty to grab from the water!
View: E64_20210528_1732_112_FB2 Grey Squirrel with prominent gonads attacking another.jpg
Description: Definitely a MALE Grey Squirrel - his 'personal equipment' raring to go.
We understand that many similar species' gonads vary in size annually.
View: E63_20210530_1759_259_FB1 Pheasant male startled by Grey Squirrel streaking by.jpg
Description: Something MUCH more important than confronting the somewhat startled Pheasant
seem to be occupying the attention of the Grey Squirrel tearing past.
Date: 22 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210526_1236_080 Columbine (Aqualigia vulgaris) flowers.jpg
Description: We have always thought of this plant as being called Aqualigia and was a
cultivar, but it turns out to be a Columbine, and a native plant at that.
Each beautiful flower lasts only a day or two, coming along in sequence.
View: DF3_20210523_0717_007 Hawthorn tree over easy hedge covered in blossom.jpg
Description: Our East hedge is lit up by a couple of Hawthorn trees in full bloom.
There are 8 similar trees along the 100m East stretch, and a similar number
along the 100m North stretch.
Date: 21 Jun 2021
View: DF3_20210525_1045_040+1044_016 Great Spotted Woodpecker male pecking peanut from feeder (montage).jpg
Description: We haven't seen much of Great Spotted Woodpeckers so far this year.
This male sometimes visits this peanut feeder outside the study for a top-up.
This bird is very skittish - one hint of movement through the window and he's away!
Date: 20 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210519_1009_089 Chaffinch male singing from Ash tree.jpg
Description: In this leafing Ash tree a male Chaffinch declares ownership.
At another tree 50m away we hear a similar song but have never
managed to spot the singer!
View: D36_20210522_1438_044_FB4 Chaffinch male on tree-stump.jpg
Description: A magnificent male Chaffinch arrives at the tree-stump.
He is still in full breeding colours with intact blue coating on his beak.
View: E63_20210525_1800_142_FB1 Dunnock.jpg
Description: Dunnocks here are like Sparrows when we were children back in the
early 1960s- look out of the window and you may well see one.
Very appropriate that they used to be called a 'Hedge Sparrows'
though its not actually any kind of Sparrow.
Date: 19 Jun 2021
View: E64_20210520_1947_072-20210523_1709_321_FB2 Moorhen 7 of 10 visits to Woodland site over 4 days 4+1-3+5-7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: Over 4 days (we collect the camera cards on a 4 and 3 day weekly cycle) we spotted
a Moorhen several times on the Trail-cam at Round pond, and exactly 10
times here at the woodland site. This is the 7 best montaged as a bit of fun.
We have always loved our Moorhen!
View: E64_20210524_1204_037_FB2 Moorhen walking across site showing foot detail.jpg
Description: This close-up of the more adventurous of the pair of Moorhen provides a good view
of the lobed toes so good at getting around ponds, dense weeds and solid ground
without the obvious compromises you see in Ducks, Swans etc.
View: BU5_20210524_1552_077_SC1 Moorhen chasing away grey Squirrel.jpg
Description: Probably the same Moorhen is very diligent at defending the nesting
territory from potential interloper or egg predators. We have caught
repeated moments of their method of attack - launch beak-first at what has upset them!
Date: 18 Jun 2021
View: BU9_20210518_1319_073-075_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn walking through orchard (spread montage).jpg
Description: In the afternoon hazy sun, the Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn patters quietly
across the grass at the end of the orchard.
View: BU7_20210519_1003_046 Muntjac Reeves Deer female crossing near south access.jpg
Description: One of 'our' female Reeve's Muntjac Deer steps quietly through the long grass
and Cow Parsley with the well-used south entrance upper left.
View: DF4_20210525_1817_089 Muntjac Reeves Deer female reaching on hind legs to reach self-set sycamore leaves (crop).jpg
Description: A pair of female Reeve's Muntjac Deer appear a couple of times a week for an evening
forage at the back of the house. One of them is our 'resident' and tolerates us, but
this one flees at the sight of us, but does this trick, that the 'resident' does not, of
rearing up to reach foliage otherwise out of reach.
So through an upstairs window we sneak some photos of her grabbing a mouthful
of self-set Sycamore leaves.
Date: 17 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210520_0732_133 Apple Blossom full and partly open after rain.jpg
Description: All the blossom is getting a bit of the beating from the seemingly endless heavy rain showers.
But it somehow feels fresh anyway.
View: D73_20210518_0949_123 Hawthorn Blossom.jpg
Description: The Hawthorn Blossom has been rather disappointing this year on the flailed
farm hedges, but where we maintain the hedges more gently there are some
lovely splashes of white flowers in a sea of 'bobbles'
Date: 16 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210519_0947_003 Cranefly unident on blackberry leaf.jpg
Description: There are said to be 300 different species of Crane-fly in the UK,
most of them very small and few very large.
This one is of intermediate size.
View: D73_20210519_1241_116 Craneflies unident mating on hawthorn leaf.jpg
Description: Judging from the wing pattern and larger size, this pair of Crane-flies seen
mating is a different species we again have not identified.
View: D01_20210517_1345_025_FB6 Great Tit carrying probable Cranefly in beak.jpg
Description: On the Meadow Post (aka the Owl Post when they oblige) we have to assume that
the Great Tit's beak holds what is (or was) another of the many Crane-flies we
are seeing.
Date: 15 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210517_0941_021-0943_048 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at outside of south hedge 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: A typical couple of minutes as one of the female Reeve's Muntjac Deer ambles along
alternately grooming and feeding.
In the bottom left image you can just see a speck of blood below the eye where she
has obviously scraped herself - again.
View: D73_20210517_1245_069+075+080 Muntjac Reeves Deer female on hind legs to reach foliage to eat 1+3+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: Several hours later this moment was NOT what we typically see - the Deer
reaching up on hind legs to reach a presumable particularly good looking patch
of leaves.
View: D73_20210517_1245_071 Muntjac Reeves Deer female on hind legs to reach foliage to eat 2 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: More detail from a frame not included in the montage -
"Got It"
Date: 14 Jun 2021
View: E63_20210517_1530_057_FB1 Yellowhammer and Dunnock.jpg
Description: This male Yellowhammer glows in the bottom of the hedge as the smaller Dunnock
(lower right) complains - a bit.
View: D73_20210518_0942_118 Yellowhammer in hedge south of Farm Entrance.jpg
Description: When you see a yellowhammer on some plain surface it stands
out like a light bulb. But see it in a natural habitat and it is really quite
hard to see even when you know it is there.
View: D73_20210519_1006_078 Pied Wagtail hunting around sprouting crop.jpg
Description: On the sprouting crop this Pied Wagtail is hunting for insects in the mud.
His patterning provides surprising good camouflage against this messy ground.
Date: 13 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210515_1726_069 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn chewing.jpg
Description: The Fawn is not as habituated to humans as the 'resident' female Reeve's Muntjac Deer,
but is getting used to us. Here is the Fawn chewing primrose leaves.
View: DF4_20210517_2032_013-2037_067 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn suckling from mum before getting groomed (montage).jpg
Description: So many interesting things happen when the light is well below what makes a good photo!
Here mother Reeve's Muntjac Deer visits her Fawn at the main pond a few metres north of the house.
First she delivered supper in liquid form, with youngster getting quite animated to get the
last drop from the teats. Ouch!
Then Mum gives an affectionate wash and brush up (including the anal licking to stimulate the fawns
evacuation) and finally almost a snuggle, Deer style, before they part ways.
View: DF4_20210517_2039_071-2047_101 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn walks to island and settles for night 1-4+6-7 of 7 (approx montage).jpg
Description: Mum having departed the Fawn spent 8 minutes quietly walking over the mat of Iris roots
to get to the island to settle on one of her thoroughly flattened regular resting places.
Date: 12 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210515_1616_049 Orange-tip Butterfly male perched on Cow Parsley bud (crop 1).jpg
Description: The Orange-tip Butterflies have been on-the-wing for an atypically long time
this year. This one is perched on yet-to-flower Cow Parsley bud.
View: D73_20210515_1616_049 Orange-tip Butterfly male perched on Cow Parsley bud (crop 2 - coiled proboscis detail).jpg
Description: A closer look shows the coiled up proboscis just below and right of the compound eye.
Date: 11 Jun 2021
View: BU9_20210511_0722_045+0724_046+047_SC2 Pheasant male displaying 1-3 of 3 (spread montage).jpg
Description: The trail-cam in the Orchard caught this moment of the male Pheasant stopping
to make one of his characteristic display-and-call.
View: E64_20210514_1630_092_FB2 Grey Squirrel and Pheasant male confrontation.jpg
Description: Grey Squirrel vs. male Pheasant.
Although it looks like the Squirrel has 'won' its is possible that the
Pheasant is about to land ON the squirrel and give the Squirrel a
spike from those sharp spurs.
Date: 10 Jun 2021
View: BU7_20210519_0056_039+0549_043 Badger and Muntjac Reeves Deer male visits night & early morning (montage).jpg
Description: The trail-cam looking towards the south entrance catches these 2 visitors
a bit after midnight and during dawn. Identical framing and scale.
View: BU5_20210511_0108_068+0109_070_071_SC1 Fox & Badger face-off 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A little Fox vs Badger moment.
The Fox goes for drink in the pond, and as the fox pulls away from the water
there is a Badger approaching directly at the Fox, causing him to crouch
down and lay ears flat. It seems that is the Fox makes a speedy exit rather than
the Badger. We had never thought before about a 'pecking order' between
these two visitors.
View: BU7_20210511_0131_017 Fox reclining on long grass grooming fur with rear leg.jpg
Description: This fox stops off on the way out through the south hedge, sort of lounging in
the long grass for a bit of a scratch. This pic was captured 23 minutes after
the confrontation at the pond, so most likely the same Fox
Date: 09 Jun 2021
View: DF4_20210510_0923_051-0951_080 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn on Main pond island visited by mother 02+06+07+09 of 19 (montage).jpg
Description: The lack of a Moorhen nest of the main pond island means that it is peaceful
enough for the Reeve's Muntjac Deer fawn to use it as a daytime haunt.
Lately the fawn has spent most of the daylight hours resting in this patch,
almost hidden at ground level with just the ear tips showing above the Irises.
Here we view the island from an upstairs window.
Unusually, on this day, we saw Mum paying him a visit ...
View: DF4_20210510_0952_124-146 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn on Main pond island visited by mother 11+12+14+15 of 19 (montage).jpg
Description: ... to have a little feed herself (but not offering anything to the fawn) but giving a fawn a
'wash-and-brushup' which the fawn very obviously enjoyed.
The Fawn never even tried to suckle, so is presumably now completely weaned.
View: DF4_20210510_0952_130 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn on Main pond island visited by mother 13 of 19 (crop).jpg
View: BU3_20210512_2035_268+269_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer mother leading Fawn to hole in hedge (montage).jpg
Description: 2 days later as night falls the Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn is accompanied by Mum.
Mum reaches up to snatch a few leaves from the hedge before guiding the youngster
through the gap in the hedge.
Date: 08 Jun 2021
View: DF3_20210507_1014_091 Orange-tip Butterfly male feeding on Ladys Smock (Cuckoo Flower) flower.jpg
Description: The Orange-tip butterflies are still enjoying the Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower).
Garlic Mustard is starting to flower - the females will need this for laying their eggs.
View: D73_20210509_1605_019 Hawthorn Blossom.jpg
Description: Hawthorn Blossom highlighting the way the Anthers change.
Date: 07 Jun 2021
View: E64_20210512_1819_183+1822_185_FB2 Grey Squirrel sits on piece of apple in Magpies beak 3 minutes later (montage).jpg
Description: Should we tell the Magpie that the Grey Squirrel was sitting on his food 3 minutes earlier?
The Magpie's eye is fine - he has closed his nictitating membrane (inner eyelid) for a moment.
View: E6A_20210506_1638_040_FB5 Grey Squirrel eating Banana skin piece held delicately in single paw.jpg
Description: The delicacy with which this Grey Squirrel is holding this piece of banana
suggests the era of 'tinkling teacups'.
View: E64_20210504_0850_083_FB2 Grey Squirrel galloping through site with rear legs in front of front legs.jpg
Description: There is no evidence in the original frame of why this Grey Squirrel was
in such a hurry. This is reminiscent of slow-motion film of a Cheetah chasing
after some unfortunate Gazelle, back arching both ways to increase the effective stride length.
Date: 06 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210505_1550_048+092 Goldfinch eating seeds from Dandelion Clock 1+3 of 3 (montage 2 for focus & arrangement).jpg
Description: Its the time of the Dandelion, and the Goldfinches make the most of the
mass of 'food balls' that Dandelion Clocks provide.
View: DF3_20210507_0741_043-045 Blue Tit exploring Ash tree for grubs (montage).jpg
Description: A rather scruffy Blue Tit clambers around the branches of the Ash trees
looking for grubs to take 'home' to the nest.
View: D73_20210509_1742_048-051 Wren flying from top of Buddleia 1-4 of 4 (montage @10fps).jpg
Description: A Wren perches for a few seconds on the tip of a trimmed Buddleia branch
before flying off.
View: D73_20210512_0954_097-099 Wren singing from tip of cut Buddleia 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Outside the study window a Wren declares his territory.
Date: 05 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210503_0710_127-133 Hare running across sprouting crop NE of Farm Road 02-08 of 30 (approx montage @10fps).jpg
Description: A Hare making a long run over the sprouting crop in the Farm's field. There are
4 times more images than shown here as the Hare disappeared into the distance.
The Hare is remarkably well concealed brown on brown despite us pushing the
contrast as high as reasonable.
Date: 04 Jun 2021
View: D73_20210426_1615_066+068 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn near house startled & leaps by cameraman 1+3 of 3 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The Reeve's Muntjac Deer fawn seems to be getting used to seeing
us 'harmlessly' nearby. Something spooked the little fawn from
behind, who leapt away straight by the cameraman and away.
View: BU3_20210425_1106_142-144_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn crossing access track (impression montage).jpg
Description: The Reeve's Muntjac fawn takes a well trodden route into the farm field
adjacent to our patch, pausing to look down the track (at the traffic?) as he goes.
View: DF4_20210501_1816_006 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn feeding near main pond.jpg
Description: As the day ends the Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn, on her own, is sampling the
various weed and flowers.
View: DF4_20210501_1816_010 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn feeding near main pond.jpg
Description: Its seems that the pattern of dots on the Fawns two sides are similar but
far from identical. Quite unlike an insect's perfect mirror imaging.
Date: 03 Jun 2021
View: E63_20210428_0830_208_FB1 Moorhen at hedge bottom as pheasant female leaves.jpg
Description: One of a pair of Moorhen arrives at the hedge bottom site as this female Pheasant departs.
View: BU5_20210501_1758_454-456_SC1 Moorhen pair chivvying their partner along bank of Round pond (montage).jpg
Description: Two Moorhen at the edge of Round Pond.
We caught this behaviour 3 times in 4 days - this is the clearest.
When we watched moorhen from inside the house on the main pond this behaviour
was usually indicative of a change-over of incubation duties - "Go and get on the nest!".
View: E64_20210503_0616_306_FB2 Moorhen walking through woodland site.jpg
Description: One the the Moorhen pair shortly after sunrise, exploring the woodland
site for some breakfast.
Date: 02 Jun 2021
View: D5C_20210429_0830_006 Blackcap female on overgrown hedge cuttings.jpg
Description: We don't see much of the Blackcaps, and this year so far only a female
sporting her Brown cap has made an appearance. This one was close to the north
of the house seen through the kitchen window.
View: E6A_20210429_0702_332_FB5 Blackbird female lit by first sunshine.jpg
Description: As the first beams of sunlight reach the meadow, the female Blackbird is already
out and about starting the day.
Date: 01 Jun 2021
View: E64_20210426_1951_100_FB2 2 Wood Pigeons at Sunset.jpg
Description: A pair of Wood Pigeons, probably getting amorous at sunset.
Well - they get amorous at every other time of day!
View: D73_20210430_1736_048+065+070+076 Wood Pigeons mating on gate rail 1+4+5+8 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: A few days later we see this pair of Wood Pigeons indulge in a little afternoon nookie.
Image Archive arch 2021 may.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 May 2021
View: D73_20210429_0728_178 Crab Apple blossom (crop).jpg
Description: In early morning sunlight, a 'wall' of Crab-apple blossom make a visual treat.
View: D73_20210429_0718_164 Crab Apple blossom in un-flailed section of hedge near entrance in south hedge.jpg
Description: This is some Crab Apple Blossom at the top of a bit of overgrown hedge at the
entrance end of our access track.
Date: 30 May 2021
View: D36_20210414_0541_048_FB4 Sparrowhawk on tree-stump (crop).jpg
Description: A very early morning visit to the woodland tree-stump by the local Sparrowhawk.
View: D01_20210504_0453_091-0456_097_FB6 Little Owl makes 4 minute visit to meadow post 1+4+2+3 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: And finally, a Little Owl spent a few minutes on the Meadow Post.
Little Owls also hunt in full daylight, so we will be looking for this visitor in the daytime as well
Date: 29 May 2021
View: D73_20210413_1557_147+1541_101 Bee-fly perched on leaf with in-flight insert (montage).jpg
Description: For us the real start of the insect season is the first sightings of Bee-flies.
View: D73_20210427_1248_111+1249_114 Small White Butterfly feeding on Ladys Smock (Cuckoo Flower) flowers (montage).jpg
Description: A small white butterfly feeds on the Lady's smock (Cuckoo flower) that the deer have not eaten.
Date: 28 May 2021
View: D73_20210501_1635_090 Muntjac Reeves Deer female looking back down east inner path.jpg
Description: As we turn the corner to walk down this path, this Reeve's Muntjac Deer has
already heard our footfalls and looks back to discover the cause.
Once she knew it was 'only them' she went back to the more important
business of eating the hedge.
View: BUA_20210427_0808_093_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer female reaching up to browse on hedge near East entrance (crop).jpg
Description: One of the female Reeve's Muntjac Deer working on tidying up the new 'browse line'.
Date: 27 May 2021
View: D73_20210415_1059_012 Pear Blossom.jpg
Description: Pear blossom is more interestingly patterned inside the flowers than we realised.
View: D73_20210424_1050_032 Crab Apple blossom.jpg
Description: In one of the farm hedges, some Crab-apple blossom shines out.
Date: 26 May 2021
View: D5C_20210425_0935_031 Moorhen stepping through long grass showing lobed feet.jpg
Description: Stepping quietly over the long grass by the pond we get this portrait which shows
the feet we describe as 'lobed' - a compromise for walking on pond weeds, swimming,
and walking on land - less awkward on land than the webbed feet on ducks but
still good in the pond.
View: BU5_20210424_1925_555_SC1 2 Moorhens on Round Pond with Muntjac Reeves Deer female on bank.jpg
Description: Following a few more sightings of original bird, here (not a montage) we catch
(what we assume is) a 'pair' of Moorhen swimming towards each other on the Round
Pond. The camera was kindly triggered by the resident female Reeves Muntjac Deer
in the foreground.
View: DF4_20210427_0956_043+0954_022 Moorhen Pair feeding separately on main pond (montage).jpg
Description: 3 days later from the house we catch these two images of two moorhen feeding
simultaneously but separately on the main pond.
The easiest way to tell Moorhen apart is by the variable line between the red
bulk and yellow tip of the beak. Using this we can see the bird on the right
is our original arrival, while the more cautious bird hiding in the Iris fronds is
the new arrival.
Date: 25 May 2021
View: D73_20210427_1259_147 Forget-me-not Flowerhead in multiple colours.jpg
Description: Often seeing a couple of different colours of Forget-me-not flowers on a single plant,
this little group on a single stem sports 5 different tints.
We wondered if this was unusual, and found no on-line pics with this many
colours on one plant. But also discovered that there are about 70 recorded
species of Forget-me-nots with a wild variety of single colours, and about 500
species altogether, mostly not classified.
Date: 24 May 2021
View: BU8_20210409_0610_084 Reeves Muntjac Deer Fawn and Mother.jpg
Description: The Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn follows Mum.
View: BUA_20210424_1314_172_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn.jpg
Description: Ahh! - the Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn is caught in
just this moment at the east hedge gap. This image is
2 weeks after the one with mother above, and the Fawn is now
often seen without Mum.
Date: 23 May 2021
View: D73_20210424_0818_016+0923+0955+1026_028 Dandelions opening in sunshine by back door 2+4-6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: Here a patch of Dandelions just outside the back door shows Dandelion
opening and closing in sympathy with the sunlight, with gaps of about 1
hour then two half-hours as the sun starts to shine past the side of a conifer.
Many flowers It seems like quite an 'expensive' strategy to have
evolved to have the ability to close your flowers, but if it
didn't pay-off they wouldn't have evolved it.
Date: 22 May 2021
View: DF3_20210423_1239_003 Brimstone Butterfly female feeding on Bluebell (orig).jpg
Description: 'Bluebells' are starting to flower in the less shaded spots, and this female
Brimstone Butterfly is enjoying a nectar from this one.
This is not a genuine 'English' Bluebell - decades ago when we
bought the bulbs it was not well known that many commercial
'Bluebells' are actually more robust foreign species. The insects
don't care, so we are not purists enough to disturb what we have.
View: D73_20210426_1230_010 Speckled Wood Butterfly (1st of 2021).jpg
Description: Our first sighting 2021 of a Speckled Wood Butterfly - once they arrive we tend
to see them for months, mostly at the woodland edges.
View: D73_20210427_1252_135 Speckled Wood Butterfly.jpg
Description: 24 hours later this Speckled Wood butterfly provide a clear view of
the underside of the wings.
Date: 21 May 2021
View: DF3_20210421_1744_029+037 Grey Squirrel feeding on Oak buds near branch tips (montage).jpg
Description: This Oak tree is just starting to bud, and the squirrels are swinging all over the branches
to fill their little bellies with as many buds as they can stuff in.
In this montage the Squirrel left worked the way right, nearly lost his grip, and
swung underneath to climb back up.
View: DF3_20210421_1744_038 Grey Squirrel feeding on Oak buds near branch tips.jpg
Description: One frame later, confidence regained, just one paw at each end is considered sufficient.
Date: 20 May 2021
View: E6A_20210420_1856_180+1858_181+1902_182_FB5 Pheasant pair encounter with Grey Squirrel (montage over 8 minutes).jpg
Description: A disagreeable Grey Squirrel attacks first the male Pheasant, 2 minutes
later the female, but 4 minutes later the calmer pair have taken 'ownership'
of the feeding site.
Date: 19 May 2021
View: DF5_20210416_0948_007 Muntjac Reeves Deer female on Main Pond island.jpg
Description: The female Reeves Muntjac Deer gets onto this pond's island by delicately
walking on the Iris roots.
View: D5C_20210415_1724_025 Muntjac Reeves Deer female chewing Iris frond.jpg
Description: The 'resident' Reeve's Muntjac Deer seems to like Iris fronds.
Eat as many as you want!
Keeping Iris plants under control on just this pond is a major problem.
Date: 18 May 2021
View: BU3_20210416_2253_110_SC6 Roe Deer male with bare antlers on access track.jpg
Description: This male Roe Deer made this night-time visit to our access track.
This male's antlers have already shed their 'velvet'.
View: BU8_20210421_0852_298+199+BU5_0853_341 Roe Deer male with antlers in velvet 1+2+4(mirrored) of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: 5 days later this lovely male Roe Deer (Antlers still 'in Velvet') made a speedy
pass through our plot. So we have at least TWO visiting male Roe Deer in
different stages of Antler development.
The deer's body is covered in similar scrape marks like the healed one we see on
our resident 'Muntjac'.
View: DF3_20210422_1735_012 Chinese Water Deer in crop far to south.jpg
Description: A few weeks after our first sighting of a Chinese Water Deer here we see
(judging from the missing nape fur) the same individual, out in the evening
quietly exploring the edge of the crop to the fields to the South (perhaps
almost a quarter of a mile away).
View: BU8_20210421_2038_370+371+373 Muntjac Reeves Deer female drinks at Duck Pond 1+2+4 of 4 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: This female Reeve's Muntjac Deer knows where to get a drink, and makes
directly for the Duck-shaped pond shortly after dark.
Date: 17 May 2021
View: BU5_20210419_1703_076-078_SC1 Pheasants mating at pond bank 1-3 of 3 (mirrored montage).jpg
Description: In 30 years here we have never before seen Pheasants mating.
The Mallard Drake swimming slowly by doesn't seem the slightest bit impressed.
View: E64_20210417_1955_220_FB2 Pheasants at Sunset.jpg
Description: Sunset with Pheasants OR Pheasants at sunset.
View: E64_20210421_1844_197_FB2 Pheasant male guarding feeding female.jpg
Description: "En-Guard!"
Date: 16 May 2021
View: DF3_20210418_0925_156 Robin singing from 11kV cable.jpg
Description: Around the blocked gate we often find a singing Robin, here perched on
a nearby 11kV cable, but also in various trees and hedges.
View: D73_20210420_1612_090 Robin singing from tree-top with midges.jpg
Description: From the tip of a conifer by the garage this Robin delivers his ownership
decree, surrounded by a cloud of Midges.
Date: 15 May 2021
View: E63_20210419_0947_015_FB1 Blackbird female with beak crammed with dried grass (orig).jpg
Description: The female Blackbird at this site gathers nest lining.
We are surprised she can see where she is going with load on board.
View: D01_20210415_1859_021_FB6 Magpie carrying multi-coloured twigs in beak (crop).jpg
Description: The Magpie nest is built, now some pretty coloured twigs for the interior - not.
Date: 14 May 2021
View: E63_20210411_1621_077_FB1 2 Grey Squirrels leaping in squabble (crop).jpg
Description: NOT a montage - one lucky frame catching this moment Grey Squirrel of exuberance.
View: E6A_20210412_1723_173_FB5 Grey Squirrel and Pheasant male confrontation.jpg
Description: A battle of wills - Grey Squirrel vs. Pheasant, Claws vs. Spurs.
We don't know what happened :-(
Date: 13 May 2021
View: DF3_20210417_1005_034 Rooks courtship feeding at nest in Black Poplar (crop 2).jpg
Description: A pair of rooks 'Courtship feeding' at their nest.
The males basically feed the females who do most of the incubation,
but the males do their stints on the eggs as well.
Date: 12 May 2021
View: DF3_20210417_1341_084 Orange-tip Butterfly male feeding on Ladys Smock (Cuckoo Flower) flower.jpg
Description: A male Orange-tip Butterfly feeding on Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower).
The pattern at the tops of the orange patch seem to be atypically dark.
View: DF3_20210417_1606_092 Orange Tip Butterfly female (1st of 2021).jpg
Description: Normally we see female Orange-tip Butterflies a week or two after the first see the males,
but this year we saw first emergence at the same time. The females don't have the
orange tip, but still have the delicate green tracery under the wing that you can
JUST see showing through as a green haze on the rear wings. The Green tracery
is present on the males as well but the picture of the male above wasn't
optimised to show it.
View: D73_20210421_1510_155 Orange-tip Butterfly female on Ladys Smock (Cuckoo Flower) flower head (crop).jpg
Description: A few days later this female Orange-tip Butterfly was resting on a Lady's Smock (Cuckoo Flower)
flower-head, wings fully folded so we get a great view of the wonderful green tracery.
Date: 11 May 2021
View: DF3_20210330_1002_005+010 Yellowhammer in Lombardy Poplar flies down to concrete to pick up corn (montage).jpg
Description: At the bend of the farm road a Yellowhammer appears every time we
walk toward the concrete block where we leave some corn.
He waits for us on the block, flees to one of the nearby trees as we approach
with a few metres to go, and then promptly returns to the block top, or in
this case the concrete track below where the wind immediately blew the corn.
View: DF3_20210418_0913_096 Yellowhammer standing on top of Blackthorn hedge.jpg
Description: A Yellowhammer perched on the top of a Blackthorn hedge.
Date: 10 May 2021
View: E64_20210413_1951_217_FB2 Pheasant male and female feeding together.jpg
Description: Ahh - togetherness Pheasant style.
Even if he does have at least two more girls in his harem.
View: BU2_20210411_1757_150_SC7 3 Pheasant females with male at far left edge (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: The male Pheasant proudly watches THREE of his ladies
Maybe Gentlemen prefer Blondes (2:1 here) but we are quite sure
he would welcome ANY colour.
Date: 09 May 2021
View: E64_20210331_0405_194_FB2 2 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) embracing on hind legs.jpg
Description: Less than a handful of picture of Fieldmice (Wood Mice) this week, so we consider it
fortunate that one of them is this little pair of Squeaks up to who knows
what in the hours before dawn.
View: E63_20210411_2208_111_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) (only sighting in 1 week).jpg
Description: The number of mice seen in Spring has been unusually low this year -
This is the ONLY mouse seen this week.
Date: 08 May 2021
View: E63_20210330_1927_237_FB1 Pheasant male & Grey Squirrel confrontation.jpg
Description: No more fights spotted recently between the Squirrel and Pheasant, but plenty
of 'dirty looks!
View: E63_20210405_1723_060_FB1 Pheasant male fleeing Grey Squirrel attack (crop).jpg
Description: The male Pheasant makes a quick exit - upwards.
So much for the truce we mentioned above.
Date: 07 May 2021
View: E6A_20210410_1818_378_FB5 Mallard Duck pair arriving fresh from pond with Duckweed.jpg
Description: A pair of Mallard Ducks visit the meadow site still scattered with food.
View: BU5_20210411_0221_673_SC1 Badger on bank watching Mallard Duck pair on Round Pond water.jpg
Description: Eight hours later the Ducks are on the water of Round Pond.
The Badger spent several minutes watching them.
View: BU5_20210405_2149_185_SC1 Fox on far bank watching Mallard pair swimming on Round Pond.jpg
Description: Across the pond we catch a Fox, complete with reflection in the rippling water,
looking longingly at the two Mallard Ducks, tantalisingly out of reach.
View: BU5_20210411_1528_136_SC1 Mallard Duck female swims to male leaving trail through duckweed.jpg
Description: The female Mallard Duck swims up to the male on the bank, leaving
a tell-tale trail through the Duckweed.
In our more 'natural' surroundings the females actively seek the protection of
individual males who will face up to threats for his 'girl'.
At public parks groups of males desperate to mate will often gang up on any female
they see, and sometimes drown them in the frenzy - a sad outcome of the
unnatural compression of wildlife into unsuitably small spaces.
Date: 06 May 2021
View: E63_20210401_1728_078+20210405_0817_003_FB1 Blackbird male stepping onto and off stone 4 days apart (montage).jpg
Description: A bit of fun with pics taken 4 days apart.
First the local male Blackbird stepping up onto the stone,
and 4 days later the same individual stepping down.
View: E63_20210408_1633_143_FB1 Blackbird female.jpg
Description: The female Blackbird owning this site is presumably taking a few minutes
off the eggs to feed and preen.
View: E63_20210409_0756_177_FB1 Blackbird male threatening (q) something out of frame to left.jpg
Description: Next morning the male Blackbird is very animated.
Date: 05 May 2021
View: BU7_20210407_1526_139-1528_147 2 Grey Squirrels chasing around trunk of tree by SW hedge gap (montage)jpg.jpg
Description: What are trees for if not to run round & round while chasing your
friend / rival / lover.
View: D73_20210331_1414_399 Grey Squirrel basking along top of gate.jpg
Description: "This is the life!"
View: D73_20210330_1742_217+232 Grey Squirrel high on Black Poplar twig feeding on catkins (montage).jpg
Description: All of the Black Poplars inside our site were grown from fallen wood 30 years ago,
and are now all at least 10 metres tall. The tiny speck just below the bottom left
corner of the insert is a Grey Squirrel enlarged in the box, busy eating Catkins
from the tree. If the Squirrel falls from this height he will have to grab a branch
to avoid serious injury.
Reminds us of the 'Avatar' Jake's falling down the tree sequence.
Date: 04 May 2021
View: D73_20210410_1554_071 Muntjac Reeves Deer female foraging in replanted fruit trees.jpg
Description: The 'resident' female Reeve's Muntjac Deer seems to find plenty to eat in the Woodland.
View: BU7_20210330_2030_134 Muntjac Reeves Deer male rubbing forehead on ground.jpg
Description: We often seem to catch a moment where male Reeve's Muntjac Deer rub their
foreheads on the ground as you see here. We suspect that the emerged
antlers are uncomfortable at the base where the velvet was attached to the
blood supply.
Date: 03 May 2021
View: D73_20210404_1208_081 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly (first sighting in 2021) feeding on Blackthorn Blossom.jpg
Description: Our first sighting of a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly this year - a species that hibernates
through the winter. This one is remarkably pristine for 6 months old.
View: D73_20210404_1543_118 Peacock Butterfly feeding on Blackthorn blossom.jpg
Description: This Peacock Butterfly awake after overwintering is in quite good condition
for a 6 month hibernation. Nevertheless she has some bird peck damage to the left wing.
Date: 02 May 2021
View: BU5_20210404_1123_350+359_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female drinking joined by male & another female 1+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: A female Reeve's Muntjac Deer (left of bar) has a drink from the Round Pond, and
is shortly replaced (right of bar) by the male as another female walks in to make
a triplet.
View: BU9_20210403_0019_121+123_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female & Fawn in orchard (montage for clarity).jpg
Description: A delightful sighting of a Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn and mother quietly
walking through the orchard.
View: BU8_20210405_1238_009-1245_019 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn near Duck Pond without mother (montage).jpg
Description: Two days later the Fawn is out in the daytime.
With no sign on Mum anywhere, the Fawn spends a few minutes in
the sunshine near Duck Pond.
View: E6A_20210406_0455_082_FB5 Reeves Muntjac Deer fawn (crop).jpg
Description: In the early hours of next morning the youngster visits the Meadow site apparently
on their own and takes this glorious selfie. Mum is probably somewhere quite
close.
Cooing is permitted!
Date: 01 May 2021
View: E60_20210406_1657_070_FB3 Heavy Snow show at kitchen perch (orig & final).jpg
Description: A heavy but short snow shower laid 1 to 1.5cm of snow,
melting to 1.3mm in the rain gauge.
10:1 seems to be about the ratio of snow depth to equivalent water
depth.
View: E6A_20210406_1700_163_FB5 Grey Squirrel in snowfall using tail as umbrella.jpg
Description: Grey Squirrels have dense enough tails that they can use them as an umbrella.
We see this behaviour in snow, rain and strong winds.
View: E6A_20210406_1840_171_FB5 2 Magpies foraging on snow covered ground (orig & final).jpg
Description: As darkness falls a couple of Magpies forage over the feeding site.
View: D73_20210407_0728_018 Viburnum flowers after snowfall.jpg
Description: The still flowering Viburnum at the back of the pond looks rather nice with these white highlights.
Image Archive arch 2021 apr.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Apr 2021
View: D73_20210403_1735_068 Birch weeping silver in back garden with Catkins (orig & final).jpg
Description: The Weeping silver birch in the back garden is now smothered in Catkins.
View: D73_20210403_1242_020 Silver Birch Catkins in vertical streaks.jpg
View: D73_20210407_0723_003 Birch weeping silver in back garden lightly snow covered (orig & final).jpg
Description: A brief snow shower laid and stayed overnight, tempting us out to try to capture some feel
for the changed landscape.
Here is the weeping birch by the garage is delicately sprinkled with white.
Date: 29 Apr 2021
View: D36_20210402_0902_029_FB4 Rook lands on Tree-stump with long twig.jpg
Description: Another stick for the nest.
This looks like a freshly broken-off addition.
View: BU5_20210402_1849_168_SC1 Rook pulling stick out of Round Pond.jpg
Description: This Rook is picking one of many broken twigs now fallen into the Round
Pond.
Maybe being saturated makes it more pliable?
Date: 28 Apr 2021
View: DF3_20210330_1013_030 7 Spot Ladybird.jpg
Description: We have been seeing 7-spot Ladybirds intermittently for some weeks now,
But on this sunny day they were out in numbers.
This one is on some unidentified thorny bush of the trackside hedge.
Date: 27 Apr 2021
View: E63_20210328_1706_089_FB1 Chaffinch male with black patch above beak.jpg
Description: A male Chaffinch with beak most definitely in full breeding blue.
View: E6A_20210401_1812_073_FB5 Chaffinch male taking off.jpg
Description: A male Chaffinch exiting this site as a not obviously aggressive
Blackbird approaches out of this crop.
We have seen the green back of this species many times but it still
amazes us that there is no hint of it on the perched bird.
Date: 26 Apr 2021
View: bu2_20210331_0705_428_sc7 chinese water deer (1st observation here) with injury at back of neck.jpg
Description: Here we see our first sighting here of a Chinese Water Deer,
here walking quietly past a mound of spoil from digging a pond.
View: bua_20210331_0707_489_sc8 chinese water deer (1st observation here) with injury at back of neck (crop 2).jpg
Description: 25 metres away near the edge of our patch we see The Chinese Water Deer again.
Although visible in the first image we can now clearly see that she has lost a
lot of fur from the back of her neck, and also how thick the fur is - a
characteristic of this species.
Date: 25 Apr 2021
View: D73_20210325_1203_009 Cherry Blossom (orig & final).jpg
Description: The Japanese are apparently having an early flowering of their famous Cherry Blossom,
but early or not we find ours a delight.
View: D73_20210331_1741_407 Blackthorn blossom tumbling over top of hedge like snow.jpg
Description: Blackthorn blossom tumbles over the top of the freshly leafing Hawthorn
hedge.
With a bit of luck we may get a 'mirror image' when the Hawthorn
flowers.
Date: 24 Apr 2021
View: df5_20210326_0925_006-011 sparrowhawk perched on willow branch launches in chase to left 2-7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: A sighting of this grey shape in the Pollarded Willow tuned out to be a Sparrowhawk.
Grabbing the camera just in time to witness a high speed launch towards a passing
and quickly really frightened Wood Pigeon.
The Pigeon was never 'in frame' and the chase disappeared into the trees.
A search a few minutes later didn't show any signs of a kill, but the chase
may have continue for hundreds of metres.
View: df5_20210326_0925_006-007 sparrowhawk perched on willow branch launches in chase to left 2+3 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: A bit more detail of the start of the action.
The body and crown colour of this bird suggest a male, but the eye-stripe
and tail colour suggest a female.
But it is definitely a Sparrowhawk one way or t'other.
A friend obtained an opinion on the sex of this bird and one on his own site
that had taken a Pigeon - males are not 'supposed' to be large enough to
tackle Pigeons. The outcome was that both were probably females based on details
not mentioned in bird ID books.
Date: 23 Apr 2021
View: E60_20210329_0947_029_FB3 Rook landing on Kitchen perch with desiccated Iris leaves in beak (crop).jpg
Description: A Rook with an assortment of straggly nesting lands on the Kitchen
Perch.
At small size 'thumbnail' we momentarily see this image as a flying
skeleton!
View: BU7_20210328_0650_183 Rook collecting beakful of leaves.jpg
Description: A Rook collects a beakful of dried leaves to make the nest that
bit more comfortable for 2 to 3 weeks of boring incubation.
View: DF3_20210327_0551_020-022 Rook flying with nesting material in beak (close spaced montage @ 7fps).jpg
Description: A Rook winging his way home to one of the nests in the Black Poplars
along our access track.
View: E60_20210330_0934_066_FB3 Rook arrives at Kitchen bird table with long twig.jpg
Description: A Rook brings along quite a substantial twig.
Date: 22 Apr 2021
View: E6A_20210324_1131_126_FB5 Magpie with huge cut main stem in beak.jpg
Description: Optimist!
Not a chance of this huge and out of balance stem making it into the air.
View: D01_20210324_1147_082_FB6 Magpie with long thin twig in beak carried to post top.jpg
Description: That's better - this one has so far made it onto the top of the post.
View: D01_20210326_0912_064+0611_060+1551_082_FB6 Magpie collecting muddy nesting materials over 10 hours (montage).jpg
Description: Over one day what MIGHT be the same Magpie collects beakfuls of muddy vegetation.
On the right after a day of such effort the bird beak and breast are absolutely filthy.
Date: 21 Apr 2021
View: BUA_20210323_1952_182_SC8 Roe Deer male near East entrance 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: We have several sightings of this male Roe Deer with antlers in their glory.
Note that the antlers are NOT in velvet.
View: BU5_20210328_0454_340_SC1 Roe Deer male with antlers in velvet.jpg
Description: This male Roe Deer passes along the edge of the pond
Note that this male Roe has his substantial Antlers still 'in Velvet' - so
we have at least two male Roe Deer visiting.
Both of these male Roe Deer have appeared with a female over a couple of days -
we await interesting events
View: BUA_20210328_0553_354_SC8 Roe Deer male with antlers in velvet and female at East entrance 10 of 11 (crop).jpg
Description: An hour later this male Roe Deer is still in the area as the day lightens ...
View: BU8_20210328_0610_083 Roe Deer male with antlers in velvet.jpg
Description: ... and we finally get an image in colour before he departs.
Date: 20 Apr 2021
View: E64_20210323_1748_120_FB2 Mallard Duck pair at woodland site at sunset.jpg
Description: Feeding female Mallard Duck along with her guardian male.
When you see Mallard ducks in public ponds the males mainly seem
to be bullies trying to mate with any female that appears, and sometimes
females are accidentally drowned by heaps of competing males.
But in the more natural surroundings, here the males are very supportive
to their chosen 'girl'.
View: E64_20210327_1643_153_FB2 Mallard duck pair - female feeding guarded by male (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: Mallard duck feeding and the Drake waits on guard duty.
Date: 19 Apr 2021
View: E63_20210330_1744_204_FB1 Mallard pair at hedge bottom (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: A Pair of Mallard Ducks at the hedge bottom - the female (left) quacking at her mate.
The males call is much softer than the females.
View: BU5_20210328_0051_329_SC1 Fox walking past Mallard Duck pair on water.jpg
Description: In the hour after midnight this Mallard duck pair float safely on the water as the Fox
passes by on the nightly rounds. We are sure he know that the ducks are
there, and that he stands no chance of catching one at the moment.
View: BU8_20210329_1744_046 Mallard Duck pair flying from Duck Pond.jpg
Description: A pair of Mallard ducks flying off together from the Duck-shaped pond.
Date: 18 Apr 2021
View: BU7_20210323_1653_084 Muntjac Reeves Deer male with clear view of tusks (crop1).jpg
Description: This seem to be a newly arrived male Reeve's Muntjac Deer, distinguished by his
rather short antlers, providing a very clear view of his little Tusks seen from
this unusual angle (detail as next image).
View: BU7_20210323_1653_084 Muntjac Reeves Deer male with clear view of tusks (crop2).jpg
Date: 17 Apr 2021
View: E64_20210323_0157_071_FB2 Badger.jpg
Description: 5 Hours later what could be the same Badger snuffles his way over the
Woodland feeding site.
View: BU2_20210321_2035_586-2036_591_SC7 2 Badgers romping on Round Mound 1-6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: All in less than a minute, and we can only guess what is going on.
Date: 16 Apr 2021
View: D73_20210321_0819_037 Cherry Blossom in front garden.jpg
Description: The decades old Cherry tree at the front of the house.
We have had to cut back branches threatening the house and overhead
phone line, and we are rewarded with even more blossom than usual.
View: D73_20210321_0820_048 Cherry blossom (crop 2).jpg
Description: A much closer view.
View: D73_20210321_1035_081 Cherry Blossom buds (crop 2).jpg
Description: We have lots of cherry trees of various varieties.
Date: 15 Apr 2021
View: BU7_20210318_1408_019+1413_032+1418_038 2 Muntjac Reeves Deer females (one pregnant (q)) near SW entrance (montage).jpg
Description: Two female Reeve's Muntjac Deer at the SW corner.
Top we have our 'resident' with 'scar' along her left flank.
Middle we have a visitor we sometimes see with the male, that
has a slightly extended tummy suggesting that she is pregnant.
Bottom the resident is facing the camera, and the
visitor shows developing teats at her rear end.
Date: 14 Apr 2021
View: E6A_20210313_1419_127_FB5 Rook stretching upwards with Wings parked.jpg
Description: Aren't I magnificent!
View: BU5_20210311_1155_028-030_SC1 Rook jumping into Round Pond for quick bathe 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Rooks often seem to come for a brief bathe at this pond, but we usually
only catch the rook with the ripples. Here in the middle image we see
with bird jumping in for at most a few seconds.
View: D5C_20210322_0750_003+001+010 Rook delivery of nest lining 2+1+3 of (montage).jpg
Description: Another bundle of dead leaves get delivered to partner already at the nest.
Rooks don't seem to use anything but tangle and gravity to hold their nests together.
Date: 13 Apr 2021
View: BU9_20210317_1042_242+1053_247_SC2 2 Foxes cross orchard 12 minutes apart (montage at identical scales).jpg
Description: Two very different foxes passing this spot inside 12 minutes.
View: BU8_20210317_2014_139+140+2015_141 2 Foxes interacting at Duck Pond 1-3 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: A couple of foxes encounter in the night.
Read this left to right. Fighting, greeting, courtship?
View: BU8_20210318_2201_033 Fox youngster.jpg
Description: The size and proportions suggest that this is a fox CUB near Duck Pond.
No sign of an adult in the original much wider pic.
Date: 12 Apr 2021
View: D01_20210317_1330_101+102_FB6 Magpie landing on Meadow Post with twig in beak (montage over 400ms).jpg
Description: Magpies are building several nests around the site
View: D01_20210311_0816_003_FB6 Magpie landing ion Meadow Post with beakful of mud.jpg
Description: Magpies glue their nests together with mud - another beakful in transit.
View: BU5_20210317_1552_220_SC1 Rook collecting twig at Round Pond (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: The Rooks have mostly finished their nests, but still like to 'reinforce' them.
Date: 11 Apr 2021
View: E63_20210316_1606_115_FB1 Blackbird male pulling worm from ground (crop).jpg
Description: This Blackbird has found a good-sized worm.
Now starts the struggle to pull it out of the ground!
View: E63_20210316_1617_119_FB1 Yellowhammer male.jpg
Description: A male Yellowhammer visits the hedge bottom.
Date: 10 Apr 2021
View: D73_20210315_1339_033-006 Chaffinch male repeatedly flies to feed at water surface 1+2+4+3 of 5 (montage impression).jpg
Description: Chaffinches are surprisingly agile fliers, and can pluck food from a
water's surface while only getting their feet wet.
Bottom left in this montage the bird seems to have found a 'take away'.
Date: 09 Apr 2021
View: DF3_20210313_1401_029 Muntjac Reeves Deer male among sprouting Daffodils at east end of Butterfly Alley.jpg
Description: This male Reeve's Muntjac Deer is far from tolerant of humans.
This brief sighting was followed by an unhurried departure, but not spotted again.
View: SG5_20210315_1418_214+1453_217_SC5 2 Muntjac Reeves Deer females crossing access track 35mins apart 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: 2 photos from a camera on the access track catches these two female Reeve's
Muntjac Deer leaving our patch to move into the farm field opposite. This is two
different individuals, the lower one possibly early in pregnancy. The lower deer
actually does show a slight mark where the upper deer has the major scrape -
possibly one of the entrances is just a bit 'tight' for a grown Muntjac.
Date: 08 Apr 2021
View: DF3_20210313_1452_064 Kestrel female hunts outside conservatory & catches Rodent in grass 32 of 82 (crop).jpg
Description: This Kestrel suddenly appears a few metres from one of the windows hunting in
a hover over what passes for our 'Lawn'.
View: DF3_20210313_1452_084 Kestrel female hunts outside conservatory & catches Rodent in grass 45 of 82 (crop).jpg
View: DF3_20210313_1452_100 Kestrel female hunts outside conservatory & catches Rodent in grass 57 of 82 (crop).jpg
View: DF3_20210313_1457_137+142+1458_151 Kestrel female hunts back garden & catches Rodent in grass 70+74+80 of 82 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel hovering in flight doesn't lead to a successful hunt, so she
perches in a grass-side overgrown hedging plant and spent a few minutes intently
watching the grass. She suddenly launches down out of sight from the window, but
creeping out finds a viewpoint of her ripping to bits what looks like a Rodent.
Date: 07 Apr 2021
View: E60_20210312_1551_030_FB3 Sparrowhawk female attacking over Kitchen Perch & peanut feeder (crop 2).jpg
Description: The regular local Sparrowhawk makes another failed hunting pass over the
kitchen perch. But she obviously succeeds enough times to keep her going.
A 'Rule-of-Thumb' seems to be that these sort of hunts fail 9 out of 10 times.
View: E60_20210316_1051_034_FB3 Sparrowhawk male.jpg
Description: Another failed hunt by the Sparrowhawk.
Date: 06 Apr 2021
View: D5C_20210313_0904_123-0906_237 Grey Squirrel eating Willow Catkins & breaking twigs to get them 1+2+4+6-8 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: At this time or year the Grey Squirrels make the most of the mass of 'tasty and nutritious'
willow catkins. They can't reach most of them along the whippy branches, so
bite through the end they can get at (what teeth!) and hold the cut twig to eat.
View: D5C_20210313_0905_172 Grey Squirrel eating Willow Catkins and breaking off twigs to get them 5 of 8 (crop).jpg
View: D73_20210317_1626_086 Willow twigs broken off by foraging Grey Squirrels.jpg
Description: Under another Willow that suffers the same fate is this pile of bitten
off twigs complete with some uneaten buds and catkins.
Untidy little blighters!
Date: 05 Apr 2021
View: D73_20210310_1604_046+1610_049 Kestrel female hunting during gale from sheltered places on house (montage).jpg
Description: We hadn't seen the local female Kestrel for over a week, when tramping home in a
gale as it begins to rain, we find her on the sheltered north side of the house
hunting the grass in front of the main pond (left pic).
6 minutes later there she is, now on the other sheltered wall facing East, on
one of her favourite 'electrifying' perches from which she watched us go
inside. We don't know how long she stayed.
Date: 04 Apr 2021
View: DF3_20210309_0921_026-028 Rook flying to nest with twig in beak 11-13 of 58 (approx montage).jpg
Description: Now the good easy-to-collect sticks on the concrete track have all gone into the
early nests, the later builders have to fly off to collect sticks, and we
enjoying watching them flying in with their prizes. These pics are taken from an
unbroken sequence of 58 pics at about 7 fps so the sequence is over about 8
seconds.
The bird arrived at huge speed helped by the tailwind ...
View: DF3_20210309_0921_031-044 Rook flying to nest with twig in beak 16+21+25+29 of 58 (impression montage).jpg
Description: ... over the top of the tree housing the nest and looping round ...
View: DF3_20210309_0921_054-063 Rook flying to nest with twig in beak 39+41+44+48 of 58 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: ... now into the wind (so much slower and skipping frames) to aerobrake down
onto the nest ...
View: DF3_20210309_0921_073 Rook flying to nest with twig in beak 58 of 58 (crop).jpg
Description: ... where 'he' lands to weave in his new wood, supervised by 'the wife'.
Date: 03 Apr 2021
View: BU7_20210308_1727_066 Muntjac Reeves Deer male showing tusk (orig).jpg
Description: The little 'tusks' sported by adult male Reeve's Muntjac Deer are
characteristic, but we haven't seen one in a pic for over a year.
So this 'overgrown top jaw tooth' being visible in this image (and another not
shown here) was a nice surprise.
Vampire Deer?
View: D73_20210303_1054_143 Muntjac Reeves Deer female nibbling at clump of long grass.jpg
Description: A clump of grass gets delicately nibbled a metre or so away from the photographer.
We notice that this little 'dear' never eats the whole of anything but
'pick-and-mixes' her way over the site.
View: D73_20210307_1217_082 Badger paw print in soft mud at base of young Lombardy poplar.jpg
Description: The whole area shows sign in the soft mud of multiple visits by
Reeve's Muntjac Deer and the occasional Roe Deer.
Each of the Farm's Lombardy Poplars is surrounded by a sea of mud,
and here a Badger shows how soft the ground is by leaving
this immaculate Paw and Claw print.
Date: 02 Apr 2021
View: D73_20210308_1408_018 1500 Starlings (approx) in flight 2 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: Following sighting of only a few starlings, we were really surprised to see this
elegant moving cloud to the south, rising up and landing for a cause we couldn't
see. We estimate 1500 birds in this section you can see.
Date: 01 Apr 2021
View: D73_20210307_0818_047-054 Rook flying with twig in beak 2+1+3+4 (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: After moaning about the lack of Rooks in flight with twigs to build
nests, several new nests have several birds carrying in twigs.
The frame rate of the camera (10fps) and the birds wingbeats didn't match
very well, so we have selected a sequence to provide
Top + middle + end of the power stroke & finally + the upstroke with wings partly folded.
Image Archive arch 2021 mar.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Mar 2021
View: E6A_20210305_1638_117_FB5 Grey Squirrel nibbling cooked potato.jpg
Description: Grey Squirrel Heaven?
View: D73_20210307_1428_088 Grey Squirrel watching from bottom of south hedge.jpg
Description: Facing the sunshine, this Squirrel squats at the base of the outer hedge
enjoying a bit of unaccustomed warm sunshine.
View: BU7_20210308_0959_010-012 2 Grey Squirrels chasing around tree-trunk 2-4 of 4 (impression montage).jpg
Description: We sometimes see Grey Squirrels chasing round and round in circles around large
tree trunks, but rarely catch it 'on film'.
This automatic camera was luckier and caught this pair at their antics.
View: E64_20210309_1713_125_FB2 Grey Squirrel eating Banana skin like stick of rock.jpg
Description: This Squirrel chews a Banana skin like a stick of celery.
Date: 30 Mar 2021
View: E63_20210219_1424_173_FB1 Pheasant male leaping as Grey Squirrel attacks.jpg
Description: In the Left corner: 'Teeth and Claws' Squirrel.
In the Right Corner: 'Beak and Spurs' Pheasant.
View: E63_20210220_1638_236_FB1 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: This years glorious Pheasant male.
We are STILL waiting to see a female on camera or with eyes :-(
View: BU9_20210228_1116_270-1117_272_SC2 Pheasant male at end of orchard 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: This magnificent male Pheasant stomps his way across the orchard.
View: BU9_20210228_1116_270_SC2 Pheasant male at end of orchard 1 of 3 - staring at camera (crop).jpg
Description: The left image catches him apparently staring at the automatic camera,
but more probably something on the same tree.
Date: 29 Mar 2021
View: E64_20210227_0203_162_FB2 Badger.jpg
Description: A Badger visits at 2 a.m.
How do they keep the muzzle so pristine white in our seas of mud?
View: E63_20210302_0640_068_FB1 Badger with mud-spattered head.jpg
Description: A couple of days later we see this badger out in the soggy dawn looking
very much far from pristine.
Date: 28 Mar 2021
View: E64_20210213_0912_218_FB2 Wood Pigeon leaning sideways about 45 degrees.jpg
Description: What this Wood Pigeon is up to we can't even imagine.
View: E63_20210226_1628_116_FB1 Wood Pigeon wary of approaching Pheasant male.jpg
Description: Wood Pigeons and Pheasants usually co-exist without problems.
The Pigeon is probably needlessly alarmed by the arrival of the bigger bird.
Date: 27 Mar 2021
View: DF3_20210226_0949_039 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn left in fallow field runs off 01 of 17 (crop).jpg
Description: Its the time of year to look across the empty fields in the hope of spotting
Hares. This brown creature, recumbent in a patch of weeds, didn't look like
a Hare (ears too short) not a Rabbit (wrong body shape).
View: DF3_20210226_0950_042-050 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn left in fallow field runs off 02-10 of 17 (approx montage).jpg
Description: It suddenly took fright and fled, moving rapidly over the uneven surface in
leaps and bounds, revealing itself to be Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn. At about 7
fps (so a bit over 1 second here) this is an accurate montage of the
foreshortened view.
View: DF3_20210226_0950_054+057 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn left in fallow field runs off 14+17 of 17 (accurate montage for gait consistency).jpg
Description: While selecting which images to montage we noticed that these frames 14 and 17 were
almost identical, although the background indicate definitely different images.
The timing is pure chance, but we find it uncanny.
Date: 26 Mar 2021
View: BU7_20210225_1626_080 Rook with thick twig in beak.jpg
Description: Several hours trying and failing to catch Rooks flying in with stick or other nesting material
our trusty 'trail cam' at the end of the orchard does the the 'ground-selection' phase for us.
View: BU3_20210226_0937_118-20210227_0740_289_SC6 Rooks collecting twigs from access track (montage).jpg
Description: Our failure to get decent pics of bird carrying twigs to the nest is at least partially
explained by the access track being so liberally scattered with fallen twigs that
the Rooks just have to jump down to get them.
All these images taken by one trail cam.
View: D73_20210303_1228_166-190 Rook stealing twigs from adjacent nest 1-3+5-7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: It's even easier to collect twigs if your neighbour leaves his nest unguarded.
The thief collected two thin twigs on this visit you can see crossing near the beak.
View: BU5_20210302_1435_186_SC1 Rook carrying nest lining at edge of Round Pond.jpg
Description: Most of the nests are already mostly built, so its time to collect moss and leaves to
line the cups.
Date: 25 Mar 2021
View: BU5_20210225_1557_055-057_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female walking up to Round Pond edge 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Our female Reeve's Muntjac Deer rubs the top of her head on the ground before walking
up to the edge of the pond for a drink. In the Rightmost frame you can see her enormous
tongue possibly using the water to groom her muzzle.
View: D73_20210225_0735_083 Muntjac Reeves Deer female scenting photographer.jpg
Description: Our endearing Deer - hoping some corn will appear?
Date: 24 Mar 2021
View: D73_20210222_0713_213 Shieldbug Hawthorn adult on slate covering FB4 2 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: This little Shieldbug nearly got flattened as we replaced this protective slate
that shields the window of the camera box looking at the tree-stump.
Date: 23 Mar 2021
View: D73_20210221_1219_154 Round pond still surface reflecting surrounding trees (3 worlds).jpg
Description: Reminiscent of the Escher's picture 'Three Worlds'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Worlds_(Escher)
without the fish but with leaves both floating and submerged.
Date: 22 Mar 2021
View: D73_20210221_1231_202 Muntjac Reeves Deer female gazing up at photographer.jpg
Description: The female Muntjac Deer regularly walks right up to us where we
can normally throw some corn on the ground for her.
View: D73_20210221_1231_202 Muntjac Reeves Deer female reflection in eye detail.jpg
Description: From the above pic her enormous brown eyes show a reflection of
our house, the photographer visually to the left.
The image is rotated and lightened to make it clearer.
Date: 21 Mar 2021
View: D73_20210220_1243_066 Snowdrops in flower.jpg
Description: This year has been a major event for Snowdrops, clumps appearing
where we have never noticed them before. We assume that something
about this Spring has produced lots of 'first flowerings' for clumps not
previously noticed without the flowers
View: D73_20210222_1548_030 Snowdrop clumps at bottom of old apple tree in orchard.jpg
View: D73_20210222_1551_048 Snowdrop flowers at bottom of old apple tree in orchard.jpg
View: BU8_20210224_1705_096 Muntjac Reeves Deer female examining Snowdrops.jpg
Description: Do I like Snowdrops?
Thank goodness not, or we wouldn't have to enjoy ourselves!
Date: 20 Mar 2021
View: D01_20210209_1431_063+1437_064+065_FB6 Green Woodpecker male making 2 visits to Meadow Post 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: The local Green Woodpecker is very nervous of humans, so we hardly ever see him
for ourselves. But he seems to find the Meadow Post an acceptable place to perch.
View: D01_20210218_1539_056_FB6 Green Woodpecker landing on Meadow Post.jpg
Description: A Green Woodpecker stops for a moment on the meadow post.
Date: 19 Mar 2021
View: D01_20210217_1624_033+034_FB6 Kestrel female lands on Meadow Post with Rodent in claws 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: The local female kestrel brings her latest catch (looks like a Vole - her favourite!) to
the meadow post to 'prepare and consume'.
View: D01_20210221_0958_125+126+0959_128_FB6 Kestrel female 2 min visit to Meadow Post 1+2+4 of 4 (montage intervals 400mS+60Sec).jpg
Description: This time 'empty clawed', the local female Kestrel spends a
couple of minutes eyeing over the rough grass from the meadow post.
Date: 18 Mar 2021
View: E6A_20210215_1621_119_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding watched by human at rear (adjusted crop with insert).jpg
Description: As you will see, the resident female Reeve's Muntjac Deer has become absurdly 'tame'.
This photo taken by an automatic camera and showing yours truly on the other side.
The light was poor and the automatic camera (with flash) took this much better photo.
The insert shows that she seems ONLY interested in the mixed corn - but grass and mixed
corn if you throw some corn into the grass.
View: BU7_20210218_1052_032 Muntjac Reeves Deer female twisting to groom with left rear hoof.jpg
Description: We notice that there is one patch on her body she can't quite groom properly
at the very rear of her back. She probably scratches it against tree bark, but
it never looks quite pristine.
View: D73_20210221_1227_171 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at edge of vegetable bed.jpg
Description: Near the nose you see patches of ruffled fur that she never manages
to smooth down ...
View: D73_20210221_1228_184 Muntjac Reeves Deer female spending several second grooming tail.jpg
Description: ... but she can comb her tail out with her teeth!
Date: 17 Mar 2021
View: E64_20210213_0115_189_FB2 Badger.jpg
Description: A Badger stops by for a portrait - but more importantly to hoover up some scraps.
View: BUA_20210213_0349_091+093_SC8 Badger foraging near east entrance 1+2 of 2 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A couple of hours later a Badger makes their way toward the east hedge
gap, still foraging along the way.
Date: 16 Mar 2021
View: D73_20210212_0715_012 Sunrise (crop).jpg
Description: A lurid and rather threatening Sunrise to the South East ...
View: D73_20210212_0715_021 Sunrise (crop).jpg
Description: ... while a few wispy clouds to the South West picked up the same colour.
View: D73_20210214_0715_001 Sunrise (crop).jpg
Description: 2 days after one lurid sunrise we get another even more vivid,
but doesn't seem as threatening
View: D73_20210214_0716_019 2 Mute Swans flying through sunrise (crop 1).jpg
Description: 2 Mute Swans were flying in the distance against these glorious sunrise colours.
Date: 15 Mar 2021
View: DF3_20210211_0933_005+0934_013+0936_096 Kestrel female flies to Black Poplar with Rodent and eats it over 5 minutes 1+2+4 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: Returning from a walk we approached this tree from the well-lit south and with a
woosh the local female Kestrel arrived to perch turning as she landed from the
other side. At the time we didn't notice the Rodent clutched in her claws. She
jumped down out of sight into the ivy which clothes this tree. By walking down
the concrete track a few metres to the north side of the tree we found her in
the dark busy ripping up and eating her meal. We left her to feed as we went
back home to get back out of the freezing gale.
View: DF3_20210213_1247_006-011 Kestrel female in flight into gale by conifer 1-6 of 6 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: A Gale blowing from the left allows our local female Kestrel to rise from her perch
with barely a flap of the wings. Accurately montaged over 1 second.
Date: 14 Mar 2021
View: DF3_20210210_1259_050 Muntjac Reeves Deer female grooming front leg.jpg
Description: In a spell of sunshine 'our' female Reeves Muntjac Deer stops in the dappled
shade of a weeping Silver birch to tend to an itch on her leg.
View: E64_20210210_1348_005_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female.jpg
Description: We expected that Reeve's Muntjac Deer would eat a variety of food from the
baited sites, but so far all we see is her licking up corn.
View: E6A_20210213_1741_274+1734_273_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding for at least 7 minutes (montage).jpg
Description: The resident female Reeve's Muntjac Deer spent at least 7 minutes feeding at this site.
moving round to conveniently get at different parts and providing us with a view from both sides.
Date: 13 Mar 2021
View: E64_20210208_1630_118_FB2 Grey Squirrel eating Banana peel in melting snow.jpg
Description: Chomp - Chomp - Chomp
The Grey Squirrel tucks into this strip of Banana peel.
View: E64_20210209_1501_176_FB2 Grey Squirrel leaping away from another with tail vertically down to ground.jpg
Description: Is this an 'Indian Rope Tail trick'?
View: BU5_20210210_1340_028-030_SC1 Grey Squirrel runs onto Round Pond Ice 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Several Grey squirrels venture out onto the ice over several days.
What they find there we guess could be fallen catkins and such.
View: D36_20210212_1624_049_FB4 Grey Squirrel on Tree-stump in Teapot pose.jpg
Description: Its no good - this Grey Squirrel looks like an imaginative design for a Teapot,
handle on the left, lid bulging upwards, and spout on the right.
Date: 12 Mar 2021
View: BU2_20210202_0046_196-198_SC7 Polecat running up Round Mound (montage).jpg
Description: Just after midnight the Polecat approaches one of the Rabbit Warren access holes.
Quote: They are slender enough to chase rabbits into their warrens to catch them,
so are specialised to underground predation.
View: BU7_20210210_0255_122+0256_126+BU9_0258_349-351 Polecat visits flooded ditch (rolling) + S of orchard 1-5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: We normally see the Polecat in the South of our patch, but here they are
at the far South East corner by the flooded ditch. The middle image seems to show
the Polecat rolling herself on the bank of the flooded ditch.
Date: 11 Mar 2021
View: BUA_20210207_1100_001-003_SC8 Fox entering through east hedge gap 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A Fox enters the site in Mid-morning, and has a quick look around before setting
off on the hunt.
View: BUA_20210210_0944_038_SC8 Fox looks back before leaving snowy site 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: This Fox glances back into our patch as she leaves through the East hedge.
View: BU7_20210211_1945_081 Fox walking along frozen ditch water 3 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: We catch this unexpected sight of a Fox quietly padding along the frozen
surface of the southern ditch.
View: BU2_20210213_0240_243_SC7 Fox sitting with legs crossed on Round Mound.jpg
Description: A laid-back fox sits with legs crossed.
Date: 10 Mar 2021
View: D5C_20210209_1117_085-1119_160 Redpoll feeding on Great Willowherb seeds 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: A Redpoll feeds for several minutes on the seeds from last years
Great Willowherb flowers outside the Living Room window.
A search of our archives shows that we see one or more Redpolls every few
years. We have always ID's the bird as a Redpoll, but our more recent
bird ID books (i.e. published in the 21st century!) show an additional species - the
Lesser Redpoll - which we think that this, and our earlier photos, probably is.
Date: 09 Mar 2021
View: D01_20210207_1619_019+023_FB6 Sparrowhawk male 4 minute visit to meadow post 3+7 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: Surprise! The MALE Sparrowhawk visits the meadow post for a few minutes. He did
similar once last year. Male Sparrowhawks are smaller than the females and the
pair don't compete too much for prey.
From the RSPB site: The female takes prey up to wood pigeon size, but the
smaller male does not catch anything bigger than the mistle
thrush.
Date: 08 Mar 2021
View: E6A_20210205_1302_150_FB5-DF3_1304_026 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding at FB5 (auto & hand-held cameras) 01+03+05+07 of 10 (orig).jpg
Description: We came across our 'resident' female Reeve's Muntjac Deer feeding at the meadow
site and watched her technique for licking up corn grains which we could just
hear her crunching with her teeth. So here we have views from both sides - top
left and bottom right from the automatic camera, and top right and bottom left
from a hand-held camera. The bottom right image show the cameraman's legs as he
took the pics. The camera resolutions are different, and it worked out to be
more naturally not to align the pics.
View: DF3_20210205_1307_035 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding at FB5 (auto & hand-held cameras) 08 of 10 (crop 1).jpg
Description: 5 minutes later she had wandered into some rank grass where she was finding something
to her taste.
View: DF3_20210205_1307_035 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding at FB5 (auto & hand-held cameras) 08 of 10 (crop 2).jpg
Description: Now that's what we call 'Licking your Chops'!
View: E6A_20210206_1322_220-1331_222_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer female clearing corn from small patch over 9mins 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Plant your feet and eat your fill.
Date: 07 Mar 2021
View: E6A_20210204_1439_115_FB5 Wood Pigeon stepping onto stone in drizzle.jpg
Description: It's drizzling again, but this Wood Pigeon still looks magnificent.
View: D01_20210206_1521_154_FB6 Wood Pigeon arrival displaced another from Meadow Post.jpg
Description: Wood Pigeons changing over on the Meadow Post.
NOT a montage.
Date: 06 Mar 2021
View: BU2_20210204_0345_082-084_SC7 2 Badgers encounter at base of Round Mound 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A couple of badgers romping - one way or another - in the still of the night.
View: E64_20210204_0355_013_FB2 Badger (crop).jpg
Description: 10 minutes later a Badger wanders through the woodland photo site about
40 metres away.
Date: 05 Mar 2021
View: D5C_20210131_1334_053+054 Grey Squirrel raiding peanut feeder with top forced off 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: The cable-tie style Peanut feeder lid lock got the Squirrel style 'keep working on it'
treatment and this one finally gets the top off and could gorge themselves!
View: E60_20210201_1056_020+1123_022+1124_023_FB3 2 Grey Squirrels squabbling at kitchen bird tale (montage).jpg
Description: Over half an hour these two Grey squirrel endlessly contest access to the
currently open-topped peanut feeder.
The position of the fleeing Squirrel is uncannily consistent - such are automatic triggers.
View: D5C_20210201_1126_131 Grey Squirrel raiding opened peanut feeder (crop).jpg
Description: By next morning only 1cm of nuts is left.
To get at them requires this quite extreme & claustrophobic gymnastics.
View: D5C_20210202_1124_155 Grey Squirrel frustrated by replaced (closed) peanut feeder.jpg
Description: Next day - the alternate feeder (black lid - where the original fastening still works)
is really frustrating the Squirrels - for now.
Date: 04 Mar 2021
View: D73_20210207_0917_140 Snowdrops along NW bank of main pond (crop 2).jpg
Description: This delightful strip of Snowdrops along the NW edge of the main pond is
here photographed across the water. From about 20 bulbs planted decades
ago they have spread several metres either way, of which this just the
centre section to retain some flower detail.
The deer and Rabbit obviously don't like the taste!
Date: 03 Mar 2021
View: D01_20210203_1418_057_FB6 Buzzard short visit to Meadow Post 1 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: A Buzzard hasn't been apparent in the sky, so we were surprised
to find this visit recorded on the Meadow post in the afternoon.
View: D01_20210203_1418_058+1419_060_FB6 Buzzard short visit to Meadow Post 2+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: The image on the left is about 400mS after the approach above.
Date: 02 Mar 2021
View: D73_20210127_1056_007 Muntjac Reeves Deer female.jpg
Description: A 'resident' female Reeve's Muntjac Deer has found a shrub in our 'garden'
that is literally 'to her taste'.
View: D73_20210127_1057_024-1058_071 Muntjac Reeves Deer female eating leaves from shrub in garden 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Reeve's Muntjac Deer closes her mouth over a leaf and
then yanks the whole bush about until it comes away.
Parks with deer show a browse line on trees and bushes that
corresponds to how high the resident Deer can reach. We are now
seeing development of a similar, though lower, line on our own
patch, from the attentions of the Muntjac Deer.
Date: 01 Mar 2021
View: DF3_20210117_1059_090 Contrail with shadow on hazy cloud below (crop).jpg
Description: An event we ave only recorded once before (in 2005) is a 'dark contrail'.
In both cases the effect was obviously a real contrail casting a shadow
on hazy cloud below.
View: D73_20210131_0901_003 Cloudscape.jpg
Description: A rather attractive morning cloudscape looking east.
Image Archive arch 2021 feb.htm (view it Here)
Date: 28 Feb 2021
View: DF3_20210128_1009_014+017 Kestrel female preening on telephone pole footrest 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel on one of her favourite perches.
We think she must have just had a feed - feather maintenance
was the order of the day.
View: DF3_20210128_1010_021+022+024 Kestrel female perched on telephone pole footrest 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A glance at the Pesky Human - Oh its THEM - nothing to worry about ...
View: DF3_20210128_1011_026-1012_037 Kestrel female preening on telephone pole footrest 1+2+4+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: ... so back to the preening.
Date: 27 Feb 2021
View: DF3_20210128_1018_068-099 Red Kite circling overhead 34-34 of 65 (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: A bit of sunshine and blue sky brought along this Red Kite who flew almost over
as they flew in from the SW and turned to go off to the SE.
A pick from 65 pics at 10fps close spaced for effect.
View: DF3_20210128_1018_084+086 Red Kite circling overhead 19+21 of 65 (montage).jpg
Description: Two more moments from the Red-Kite flyover
View: D73_20210131_1105_017-019 Little Egret flying over Leamington Farmhouse 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Another irregular sighting of a Little Egret.
Here most of the feet are again black with mud, but this time the claw tips are clearly
the yellow we expect for this species.
Date: 26 Feb 2021
View: D73_20210203_0939_062-083 Muntjac Reeves Deer female eating shrub leaves avoiding blackberry thorns 1+4+9+9 of 9 (montage).jpg
Description: Our resident browse-line maker seems to like this shrub, and carefully avoids the
annoying spiky Blackberry stems growing up through the bush.
View: E64_20210203_1318_148_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female visits to photo sites over 2 days 4 of 4 (orig & final).jpg
Description: 4 hours later the local female Reeve's Muntjac Deer wanders through
the woodland camera site.
View: E63_20210202_1642_092-D73_20210204_1248_004_FB1 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at 3 sites in 40mins + House 1-3 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: In just 40 minutes the 'resident' female Reeve's Muntjac Deer visits all 3 high resolution
photo sites. A couple of days later she eats her way across the front garden oblivious
to the cameraman.
Date: 25 Feb 2021
View: E6A_20210202_0710_101_FB5 Fox hunting before dawn (crop 1).jpg
Description: Just before dawn the homeward bound fox has a last pass through the meadow.
View: BU8_20210121_1957_034-036 2 Foxes walk to edge of Duck pond and squabble1-3 of 3 (montage of a few seconds).jpg
Description: These 3 images of 2 foxes are all taken within a few seconds of one-another.
We GUESS that's a male on the left making premature overtures to a female,
but we could be entirely wrong.
View: BU7_20210201_0950_004 Fox leaping over flooded ditch.jpg
Description: Typically 5mm (1/4 inch) of rain is falling every day.
The blocked ditch is overflowing into the farm land and this fox
decides to jump over rather than paddle though half a metre of muddy water.
Date: 24 Feb 2021
View: D5C_20210124_1229_040 Grey Squirrel digging through snow to find food.jpg
Description: Having exhausted the easy-to-reach corn on the bird table above,
The Grey Squirrel started 'burrowing' through the snow to reach the ground
below where the Squirrel was finding things to eat hidden from view.
View: BU8_20210125_0736_007+008+011+012 Fox walking on snow near Duck Pond 1-4 of 4 (approx montage).jpg
Description: A Fox passes by the Duck-shaped Pond (on the right) checking
the snow for something to eat.
View: E6A_20210125_1237_039_FB5 Magpie feeding on snow.jpg
Description: Magpies look quite weird in snow.
View: E6A_20210125_1602_049_FB5 Rook pair feeding together in snow (crop).jpg
Description: A pair of Rooks quietly sharing some mixed corn unearthed from the
snow.
Undoubtedly a 'pair'.
Date: 23 Feb 2021
View: BU3_20210124_1002_048_SC6 Fox hunting on access track during start of snowfall.jpg
Description: For a few hours there was a moderate fall of snow. While only a light
dusting this Fox stops on our concrete access track
View: D01_20210124_1027_336_FB6 Jackdaw on Meadow Post in falling snow.jpg
Description: A Jackdaw braves the falling snow for a viewpoint to find something to eat.
View: BU5_20210124_1028_236_SC1 Grey Squirrel on snowy bank of frozen pond.jpg
Description: Inside the tree-sheltered woodland this small young Grey Squirrel has probably
never seen ice or snow before.
"What the *&%^$ is this?"
View: E60_20210124_1051_021_FB3 Grey Squirrel finding corn under snow on bird table in falling snow (crop).jpg
Description: On the exposed kitchen bird table this Grey Squirrel burrows beneath
the falling snow to reach the corn placed there earlier.
Date: 22 Feb 2021
View: E60_20210124_1413_034_FB3 Sparrowhawk landing on Kitchen perch in snow (crop 2).jpg
Description: It is cold, and the Sparrowhawk is hungry.
Date: 21 Feb 2021
View: E60_20210122_0901_001_FB3 Wood Pigeon on kitchen bird table against sunlit Dogwood.jpg
Description: A currently rare moment of sunshine illuminates the Dogwood at the rear of
the main pond as this Wood Pigeon makes an elegant touchdown.
View: D5C_20210122_1127_018 Grey Squirrel scraping from pollarded willow 1 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: At the moment any sunny morning will find one or more Grey Squirrels
enjoying this sheltered tree-stump. These creatures seem to find the bark
of this Pollarded Willow a desirable snack - like this moment here they will
scape away at the top edge of the bark - the pale wood along the top
edge shows where they have already been.
View: BU7_20210126_0220_104 Fox at edge of flooded ditch.jpg
Description: The ditch hasn't frozen because the run-off from seemingly endless rain
keeps the water moving. Several creatures stop by to drink - this Fox turns
to check out something back on the bank of the ditch.
Date: 20 Feb 2021
View: BU8_20210123_0817_076 Fox carrying large prey in mouth.jpg
Description: The distance + poor light make it hard to identify what this Fox
has caught to take home for Breakfast. Wrong colour for a Rabbit or Pigeon,
too big for a rodent, so we guess a corvid of some sort.
View: DF5_20210123_0916_018 Muntjac Reeves Deer and fox face each other across main pond 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: This Fox spent a few minutes investigating the main pond, but
he was being watched from the island by a female Deer, and decided to depart.
View: DF5_20210123_0918_035+0919_044 Muntjac Reeves Deer cleaning rear hoof then scratching neck with it 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: Once the Fox had gone the Deer relaxed and stayed by the tree on the island
for at least a couple of hours.
Muntjac Grooming Manual: Clean your hoof before using it to scratch your neck
View: D73_20210123_0934_012 Muntjac Reeves Deer female on Main pond island.jpg
Description: We caught this en-deer-ing (sorry) moment before she settled down on the ground
taking occasional mouthfuls of the 'weeds' around her.
Date: 19 Feb 2021
View: E63_20210122_0748_146_FB1 Blackbird female looking upwards.jpg
Description: Female Blackbird demonstrates her 'The Exorcist' style twisting head movement.
View: E6A_20210126_0721_056_FB5 Blackbird male feeding on snow.jpg
Description: A male Blackbird probes the snow where he knows that there might be some corn.
Date: 18 Feb 2021
View: D01_20210125_1403_047-048_FB6 Kestrel female lands on Meadow Post with Vole in claws as snow melts 1+2 of 2 (montage 400ms).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel flies in to the Meadow Post carrying what looks like a
Short-tailed Field Vole in her left claw. She didn't stay here to eat it.
View: D01_20210119_1238_017+20210121_1428_069_FB6 Kestrel female brief moments at Meadow Post 1+3 of 3 (impression montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel makes an almost 'bounce' visit to the meadow post.
View: D73_20210123_1254_032 Kestrel female on footrest of disused telephone pole.jpg
Description: The female Kestrel spends hours on some days hunting over the grass margin
outside our south hedge. Here she is watching us, but soon returns her gaze to
the more important grass margin for her fill of worms and insect larvae.
Date: 17 Feb 2021
View: DF5_20210121_1441_011+013+1442_017 Kestrel female hunting from perch in Ash tree on Main pond island 1+2+3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Sitting in the living room we saw 'our' female Kestrel Whizz by the Window to loop
round and perch on the Ash tree on the main pond island for a couple of minutes.
View: E60_20210121_1444_008+1438_007_FB3 Kestrel female on Kitchen perch and flyby (montage).jpg
Description: Next morning we discovered that the female Kestrel had a few minutes earlier
flown over the Kitchen Window Perch (left image below) and a few minutes later
landed on the perch (right image below) presumably to hunt over the rough grass
below.
So this montage isn't what it looks like!
Date: 16 Feb 2021
View: E63_20210119_1044_063_FB1 Great Tit and Blue Tit feeding.jpg
Description: A Great Tit (left) and Blue Tit quietly feeding together
View: D73_20210117_1215_047 18 Goldfinches arrayed in top of tree.jpg
Description: 18 Goldfinches visited this tree near the edge of the meadow.
View: D73_20210117_1217_060 Goldfinch (ID only).jpg
Description: 17 of the goldfinches flew off together, but this one stayed on for a while.
View: E6A_20210116_0801_125_FB5 Chaffinch male in first smattering of sleet.jpg
Description: A Handsome male Chaffinch ignoring the tomato in favour of more nutritious fare.
An overnight sleet shower has melted over most of the site, but for some reason
stayed at the centre of the Meadow Camera target area.
Date: 15 Feb 2021
View: DF3_20210116_1354_076 Muntjac Reeves Deer female in thicket near south hedge 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: This beautiful quiet creature seems pretty much inured to our presence.
Here she was browsing in a thicket, mainly eating leaves from the still active
Blackberry plants.
View: DF3_20210116_1354_078 Muntjac Reeves Deer female in thicket near south hedge 3 of 3 (crop 2).jpg
Description: After a few mouthfuls she moved over to having a little groom.
View: E6A_20210116_1403_186_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at meadow site 1 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: A few minutes later the female Reeve's Muntjac Deer grazes quietly on the
limited grass at this site in the middle of the afternoon.
View: BU7_20210118_2147_038 Muntjac Reeves Deer male crossing flooded ditch.jpg
Description: A male Reeve's Muntjac Deer stepping out of the flooded ditch.
His little Antlers look particularly sharp and don't match the male's
that we have been seeing up to now at the eastern camera.
Date: 14 Feb 2021
View: DF3_20210116_1340_010+011+013+015 Rook launching from Wooden Power pole 1+2+4+6 of 6 (acc montage @7fps skipping frames).jpg
Description: Rook activity is on the 'up'.
This one flew from the top of 'our' wooden electricity pole ...
View: DF3_20210116_1345_023 Rook calling then launching from bent over twig 01 of 15 (crop).jpg
Description: ... to land on a vertical twig that immediately bent over by 90 degrees.
You can see here that the bird has 2 twigs in the claws. One twig clearly
could not have supported the birds weight, but catching 2 vertical stems
simultaneously and bending them in synchrony really requires some
wonderful flying skills. After a few calls the bird departed, leaving the twigs
flailing about
View: DF3_20210116_1345_047-050 Rook calling then launching from bent over twig 12-15 of 15 accurate montage @7fps.jpg
Description: The end of the birds flight that we saw accurately montaged at 7 fps.
Date: 13 Feb 2021
View: E60_20210115_1428_011_FB3 Sparrowhawk flying over kitchen bird table (crop).jpg
Description: This Sparrowhawk makes a disappointed pass of the Kitchen bird-feeder complex.
Date: 12 Feb 2021
View: BU2_20210115_0458_140+142+143_SC7 Badgers mating on Round Mound 2+4+5 of 6 (spread montage).jpg
Description: Here we see a pair of Badgers mating at the bottom of the mound at 5 a.m.
while as completely dark as it gets here.
A description of where Badgers mate suggest that it is 'close to the Sett',
but the only Sett we know of is several hundred metres away.
Maybe there is something that we haven't found yet!
Date: 11 Feb 2021
View: DF2_20210114_1019_014 Muntjac Reeves Deer female crossing flooded front drive.jpg
Description: Here you can see that the Deer's fur is drenched in what turned out to be
a day of non-stop rain. The pools of water are in what constitutes our front driveway
with the Deer's little hooves sinking into the saturated soil.
View: BU7_20210117_0530_143 Fox drinking from flooded ditch (crop).jpg
Description: This fox paddles through the flooded ditch - several images at
different times capture the Fox having a drink of the paddling water.
Date: 10 Feb 2021
View: D73_20210111_1409_011-013 Rook harassing Buzzard over field to north 1-3 of 3 (montage @10fps double spaced).jpg
Description: A walk down to the north bridleway found a Buzzard perched on one of the 11kV
crossbars, But while still 100m away the Buzzard departed. A local Rook took
exception to the Buzzard and gave chase. The Rooks are not nest building yet,
but Buzzards are a risk to Rook eggs and nestlings so it is never too early to
start shooing them away.
View: D73_20210115_1512_026 Buzzard on 11kV crossbar.jpg
Description: Several sightings of a Buzzard on the 11kV crossbars along the north
Bridleway. About 100m is about as close as we are allowed to get!
View: D01_20210118_1442_029+030_FB6 Buzzard lands on Meadow Post 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400ms).jpg
Description: This Buzzard visited our 'Meadow Post, for a short visit.
It doesn't look like the Buzzard seen on the crossbars, but it's difficult to be sure.
Date: 09 Feb 2021
View: E6A_20210108_1450_167-20210110_0902_274_FB5 Molehills forming over 2 days 01+04+06+08 of 10 (montage).jpg
Description: Over 2 days the automatic camera at this sight recorded the appearance of first
1 substantial Molehill, and then next night another perhaps half a metre away,
burying the new placed stone in the process. The hills were just behind the IR
trigger beam, so we see an assortment of the locals visiting the site.
Unfortunately we never caught a pic of the little 'Gentleman in Velvet'
who made the mounds.
Bottom left is our female Kestrel ...
View: D01_20210109_1524_154+155_FB6+E6A_1524_259_FB5 Kestrel female lands on Meadow Post & attacks at FB5 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: ... who had landed on the Meadow post a minute or two before or after the flight
over the Molehill. All these pics have the same time stamps from different
cameras, so we can't tell to the minute even which came first.
Date: 08 Feb 2021
View: E6A_20210108_0839_108+0953_115_FB5 Weasel carrying Bird (q) then Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) in mouth 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: Two sightings of a Weasel about an hour apart, each time with a kill in the
mouth. On the left, with the night frost still evident, we think she has taken
some sort of 'Little Brown Bird', and on the right undoubtedly an unfortunate
Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse).
A versatile little predator!
Date: 07 Feb 2021
View: E6A_20210107_1145_028_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer female eating corn on frosty ground 1 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: Our Apparently resident female Reeve's Muntjac Deer has made several appearances
in the last few days, both for automatic cameras and right in front of yours truly.
Here she triggers the Meadow camera.
View: D71_20210108_1224_014 Muntjac Reeves Deer female by hedge outside livingroom window 3 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: Here we see her through the living room window on the other side of a really poor
bit of hedging that is in shade almost all year.
View: D71_20210108_1224_015 Muntjac Reeves Deer female by hedge outside livingroom window 4 of 4 (crop).jpg
View: E64_20210108_1632_108_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female.jpg
Description: Here she is at the Woodland camera site, licking up corn grain
(amongst other stuff we prefer not to think about).
Date: 06 Feb 2021
View: D73_20210107_0935_010 Sun viewed through Fog.jpg
Description: A day of never ending fog started with this brief appearance of the sun looking
more like a bland moon.
At times of 'Solar Maximum' we would expect to see a few sunspots, but we are
leaving a time of 'Solar Minimum' with very few spots to see, and we confirmed
that there weren't any on this side of the sun when we took this
photo.
View: D73_20210111_0717_163 Moon in thin crescent rising through lurid dawn (crop).jpg
Description: While out exchanging the camera cards on our twice weekly round, we noticed this
thin crescent moon peeping through this lurid sunrise.
In line with 'Red Sky in Morning, Shepherd's warning' the following day was truly grim!
Date: 05 Feb 2021
View: D01_20210106_1522_165+166_FB6 Buzzard (q) landing on meadow post 1+2 of 2 (montage over 400mS).jpg
Description: As the sun lowers in the sky (not that it ever gets to any great
height at the moment) this Buzzard makes a landing on the Meadow
post, but doesn't stay. These two moments are less than half a
second apart.
View: D01_20210105_1200_070_FB6 Wood Pigeon about to land by or on another at meadow post.jpg
Description: "Behind you!"
This is the same pole that the Buzzard landed on, providing a size comparison
Date: 04 Feb 2021
View: D73_20210106_1249_059 Muntjac Reeves Deer female walking to camera.jpg
Description: Stopping for a moment to watch the Kestrel on a distant post,
this little creature quietly ambles towards us until a few
metres away. She sees us, jumps for a moment, but then quietly
turns, feeds a bit more, and wanders away.
Date: 03 Feb 2021
View: E60_20210105_0317_005_FB3 Tawny Owl landing on kitchen perch.jpg
Description: This Tawny Owl lands at the kitchen window nicely in focus.
Date: 02 Feb 2021
View: E6A_20201231_2126_084_FB5 Polecat.jpg
Description: The local Polecat passes through the camera trap in the meadow.
Taken about 2 hours before the end of year 2020
View: BU2_20210107_0635_409-411_SC7 Polecat foraging along base of Round Mound 1-3 of 3 (approx montage).jpg
Description: A week later we see what is probably the same Polecat over a few
seconds as she scampers left to right along the bottom of the mound.
A Polecat may be the nearest creature we have to the American 'Groundhog',
whose day is celebrated each 2 February,
Date: 01 Feb 2021
View: D73_20210103_1001_084 Kestrel female hunting from top of drenched wooden mains power pole.jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel on the top of our mains electricity pole.
View: D73_20210105_1100_017 Kestrel female perched in dappled shadow on tree at end of orchard.jpg
Description: Two days later we find the local female kestrel perched in one of the trees along
our south hedge.
View: D73_20210106_1305_107 Kestrel female resting and preening on wooden electricity pole top.jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel has a rest and occasional preen on the top
of our wooden power pole. Through the tangle of branches from inside
our 'orchard' we think she never saw us, and we left her in peace.
Image Archive arch 2021 jan.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Jan 2021
View: E63_20201229_1503_031_FB1 Dunnock and Blackbird.jpg
Description: A little teatime conversation?
Well at least these two birds are prepared to tolerate each other collecting food to see them through the night.
View: E60_20201230_1549_022_FB3 Sparrowhawk over Kitchen Bird Table & peanut feeder.jpg
Description: As the daylight fades, the female Sparrowhawk makes a final
failed pass over the kitchen window feeder.
"I'll have to wait for the morning breakfast queue"
Date: 30 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201229_1011_018 Teasel head inverted and rammed in to top of small tree stump.jpg
Description: This teasel is in the hole of a long dead 'Himalayan Birch'. It was
quite firmly rammed into the hole, and must have put there by
some sort of bird to hold it while seeds were extracted. A
Squirrel would just hold and rip it apart!
View: E6A_20201228_1311_062+1605_088+20201229_1108_126_FB5 Tomato with Pigeon + Dunnock + Squirrel (montage).jpg
Description: The 'Tale of the Tomato'.
This squishy tomato survived with no more than a few pecks for almost 24 hours
before the Grey Squirrel took it away.
Date: 29 Jan 2021
View: BU8_20201227_1640_006-BU3_1729_096 Roe Deer female 50 minute visit over site 1-5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: A sighting of a female Roe Deer who seems to have spent just under an
hour wandering around our patch. We don't know where she entered, but left to
right we see moments by the Duck-shape pond, the end of the orchard, the East hedge,
and finally exiting through the western access to the track, accumulating at least a
quarter of a mile.
View: BU3_20201228_0200_111_SC6 3 Muntjac Reeves deer on access track (male following 2 females).jpg
Description: Next early morning sees a typical Reeve's Muntjac Deer family group on
the concrete access track. The female on the right is about to duck
through the hole in the pig-net, probably the rest to follow.
As usual the male is at the rear.
Date: 28 Jan 2021
View: BU3_20201224_2223_023_SC6 Fox wistful gaze upwards from access track (crop).jpg
Description: In the dark of the night this Fox is caught gazing wistfully upwards.
He could be looking at many things, but this is one of the Rook's
favourite roosts.
View: BU7_20201230_1134_136-138 Fox crossing flooded ditch 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Unusually spotted (by the automatic camera) in the late morning, this
Fox slinks their way across the sodden ditch and out onto the farm land.
Date: 27 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201227_0929_067+070+071 Kestrel female flying from perch in conifer 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A short spell of sunshine afforded this moment of the female Kestrel
hunting the grass margin to our south. Here she is determinedly flying down
to whatever she has spotted in the grass.
Date: 26 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201224_1050_151-153 Kestrel female lands on grass to pick up insect to eat 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Down-the-hatch with this latest catch.
View: D73_20201224_1050_186 Kestrel female gliding and turning in front of young Lombardy Poplar tree.jpg
Description: The female Kestrel moves by at what seems lightening speed (until you
see a Sparrowhawk).
View: D73_20201224_1053_317+1054_334 Kestrel female dives from pole top to grass to eat insect 1+3 of 4 (montage as insert).jpg
Description: Here the female Kestrel has Chosen to hunt from the top of post that converts
the underground mains cable (coming up from the ground left) to an overhead
pair of bare wires, one of which is supported by that bolt.
Anyway, she sees something in the grass and dives down to eat it.
It looks like another large larvae.
View: D73_20201224_1056_385 Kestrel female lands to catch insect 2 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: Our last selection of this lovely bird - swooping to the ground
to grab some poor morsel that we didn't get to see.
Date: 25 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201224_1045_004 Kestrel female on telephone pole footrest.jpg
Description: This is the 'adjustable height' hunting pole.
Why sit only on the top of a pole when this one has about 10 different heights.
Actually she often DOES sit on the top of this one as well, and chooses various
heights of footrest without any obvious preferences.
View: D73_20201224_1048_043+045+046+1029_075 Kestrel female bad landing in Conifer & flies away 01-04 of 11 (montage leftward).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel decides to make a landing on a conifer twig, but for whatever
reason has difficulty getting balance after touchdown.
View: D73_20201224_1049_076-080 Kestrel female bad landing in Conifer & flies away 05-09 of 11 (accurate montage @ 10fps).jpg
Description: She stays only a few seconds before flying back the way that she arrived.
Date: 24 Jan 2021
View: E64_20201219_1413_178+1424_179_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female 11 min feed as Grey Squirrel moves under her (mirror montage).jpg
Description: This female Reeve's Muntjac Deer spent 10 minutes feeding at the woodland site.
An amusing sideline is the Grey Squirrel creeping ever closer.
She can be seen just behind the thigh of the front legs at the left,
and 10 minutes the Squirrel seems to be right under the Deer.
View: E64_20201220_0213_216_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female trotting through site (whole frame).jpg
Description: 12 hours later, now in the middle of the night, the little Deer trots by the same camera.
Date: 23 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201219_1323_009-011 Kestrel female on mains power line 3-5 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: Following the abundance of female Kestrel pics last week, she has
since made a few appearances.
View: D73_20201219_1324_014-018 Kestrel female takeoff from mains power line 1-5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: She flew straight from the cables towards the house ...
View: D73_20201219_1325_030 Kestrel female perched on gutter at SW corner of house.jpg
Description: ... ending on the gutter on a front corner of the house, but she
soon flew to the top of 'our' telephone pole by the main road.
Date: 22 Jan 2021
View: BU5_20201217_1326_039_SC1 Pheasant male and Grey Squirrel on bank of Round Pond.jpg
Description: A lunch-time encounter shortly after an early in the day round with the bait bag.
The Grey Squirrel hasn't already attacked the pheasant,
so is probably one of the tolerant individuals.
View: E63_20201217_1335_052_FB1 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: 10 minutes later, and glowing in the afternoon sunshine, this year's male pheasant
arrives at the hedge bottom still scattered with scraps.
View: E63_20201219_1441_169_FB1 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: 2 days later the male Pheasant makes another appearance.
No sightings of a female yet.
Date: 21 Jan 2021
View: DF3_20201217_1024_013 Green Woodpecker female perched on young silver Birch branch.jpg
Description: After months of departing 'Yaffle' calls and the occasional pic on the automatic
camera on the meadow post, the female Green Woodpecker finally gives
us a decent chance of a portrait.
View: D01_20201214_2012_027+2014+031_FB6 Barn Owl 10+ minute visit 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: A Barn Owl made one of their occasional visits, staying for at least 10 minutes.
Date: 20 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201214_1244_441+444 Kestrel female perched on springy Lombardy poplar twig 07+10 of 10 (aligned montage).jpg
Description: Here the female Kestrel has perched on the tip of one of the Farm's young
Lombardy Poplars. She was bounding up and down on this thin piece of wood,
but managing to compensate for the motion to keep her head still.
View: D73_20201214_1246_504 Kestrel female failing to grip twig to land.jpg
Description: Her next landing on a nearby twig was quite tricky ...
View: D73_20201214_1246_516 Kestrel female landing on Lombardy Poplar twig in strong wind 10 of 16 (crop).jpg
Description: ... but she made it after a second or two.
View: D73_20201214_1249_573 Kestrel female with feathers evenly spread in flight.jpg
Description: A good view of the feathers on our female Kestrel.
Date: 19 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201214_0943_284 Kestrel female on Telephone pole footrest.jpg
Description: A disused telephone pole provides about a dozen footrests from which
the local female kestrel likes to hunt over the grass margin.
View: D73_20201214_0956_368-384 Kestrel female takes prey from grass then takes off to hover 1+6+8+11+16 of 22 (acc montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel takes off after a feed - climbing straight up into the sky for a hover facing
into the wind.
View: D73_20201214_0956_385-390 Kestrel female takes prey from grass then takes off to hover 15-20 of 22 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel continues here ascent.
Top bird above is immediately below the bottom bird below.
View: D73_20201214_0956_408-410+413 Kestrel female landing in tree 1-4 of 4 ((right to left montage).jpg
Description: Once at sufficient height she flew to another tree branch for the next hunt.
Date: 18 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201214_0938_119-121 Kestrel female diving into prey in grass 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage @10 fps).jpg
Description: From a hover the female Kestrel dives down onto the prey she has spotted in the
saturated grass.
View: D73_20201214_0938_165-169 Kestrel female taking off from grass 01-05 of 13 (montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Whatever The female Kestrel caught could be swallowed without us seeing it.
Here she is taking off to continue her hunt.
View: D73_20201214_0939_225 Kestrel female in flight 4 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: What a beautiful creature
View: D73_20201214_0939_242-246+253 Kestrel female flying to land in tree 06-11 of 12 (acc montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Trees seemed to be a favourite hunting perch on this day.
Here she is making her way to one of them.
Date: 17 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201214_0935_034-040 Kestrel female in flight 3 of 7 (accurate montage right to left).jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel spent most of the day hunting over 1000 square metres
of farm margin saturated grass. Read this flight from right to left - the
leftmost bird is folding her wings making her look suddenly smaller.
View: D73_20201214_0935_041-052 Kestrel female diving to ground to eat leatherjacket(q) larva 1+2+4+6+9+12 of 12 (spread montage + insert).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel perched in surrounding trees, and sometimes hovered, diving to the ground to
collect whatever she had spotted in the grass. In this case it is some sort of larva
(not a worm this time) that you can just see in the 4th 5th images from the left (detail of 5th image above).
View: D73_20201214_0935_066-073 Kestrel female hovering in gusty wind maintaining head position 04+06+07+11 of 12 (montage).jpg
Description: Here hovering in a blustery wind you can see that the female Kestrel's beak tip
is motionless against the distant tree despite the movements of her wings and body.
View: D73_20201214_0935_072 Kestrel female hovering in gusty wind 10 of 12 (crop).jpg
Description: A bit more detail of the hovering Kestrel.
Date: 16 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201213_1251_082 Muntjac Reeves Deer female in thicket SE of Duck Pond 4 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: Our apparently resident female Reeves Muntjac Deer feeds on
the fallen leaves in a thicket south east of the duck-shaped pond.
View: D73_20201217_0717_030 Muntjac Reeves Deer female foraging in thicket ignoring photographer & camera flash 3 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: Out in the morning dark to collect the camera cards, our powerful head-torches
caught sight of movement in the brambles. It was this female Muntjac, amazingly
not the least bothered by having our lights shone on her nor bothered by the
camera flash. Standing still to watch her she eventually munched her way towards
the camera until barely a metre away - the camera is pointing down on to the
back of her head. She wandered back in the brambles so we left her in
peace.
A wonderful experience.
Date: 15 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201211_1340_024 Muntjac Reeves Deer feeding in salad bed 1 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: If ever the weather dries up we will be able to clear out this vegetable bed.
Meanwhile this female Reeves Muntjac Deer helps clear the weeds for us.
View: D73_20201211_1342_035 Muntjac Reeves Deer feeding in salad bed 3 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: This female Reeves Muntjac Deer helps clear the weeds for us.
View: D73_20201213_1250_062 Muntjac Reeves Deer female in thicket SE of Duck Pond 1 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: What seems to be a resident female Reeves Muntjac Deer feeds on
the fallen leaves in a thicket south east of the duck-shaped pond.
Date: 14 Jan 2021
View: D01_20201211_1115_025_FB6 Kestrel female lands on meadow post with Short-tailed Field Vole in Talons 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel uses the local 'take-away' (the Meadow) for her lunchtime vole.
She flew away with it to we know not where.
Date: 13 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201210_1039_008 Kestrel female in tree at end of orchard (viewed from outside).jpg
Description: After a week of absence we come across the local female Kestrel perched in a tree
at the end of our 'orchard', here photographed from outside our patch.
View: DF5_20201210_1203_001+002 Sparrowhawk female perched in Ash tree 2+1 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: 80 minutes later the Sparrowhawk catches our eye perched in one of
the Ash trees visible from the house.
View: E60_20201209_1434_023_FB3 Sparrowhawk attacking bird inside caged Peanut feeder (crop).jpg
Description: This mess of a photo is a Sparrowhawk attacking a bird inside the peanut feeder.
A look at the CCTV recording shows that the Sparrowhawk flew into attack from the left, spent
a few seconds trying to grab some sort of small bird from the feeder but failing, and the
small bird flew off. The Hawk circled and landed on the perch above, obviously sans prey,
and 30 seconds later flew away.
Date: 12 Jan 2021
View: BUA_20201209_0248_108_SC8 Fox scent marking tree.jpg
Description: A Fox scent-marks the tree near the East hedge animal access.
View: BU5_20201209_2322_234_SC1 Fox looking across Round Pond.jpg
Description: A little before midnight the next night, a Fox gazes across the water of the now
overflowing Round Pond. The Fox could be hearing or scenting something
interesting on the island out of crop to the right, and wondering whether it is
worth the swim.
Date: 11 Jan 2021
View: E63_20201205_2245_329_FB1+BU2_20201205_2133_501_SC7 Badger visiting mound + Hedge + mound over 2Hrs 1+2 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: This Badger (ID'ed from markings) first visited the mound, 45 minutes later
was on the other side of our patch at the bottom of the south hedge, and then
an hour later seen again back at the mound (not shown - by then the Fog had
descended to stay for the next 3 days)
View: BU6_20201209_1837_076_SC2 2 Badgers walking up orchard path.jpg
Description: A couple of Badgers making procession through the orchard.
Date: 10 Jan 2021
View: D01_20201205_1527_132_FB6 Wood Pigeon lit by sunset.jpg
Description: At this time of year we get less than 8 hours of sunlight.
The orange light of the setting sun illuminates this sleek Wood Pigeon.
View: D73_20201205_1548_137 Sunset.jpg
Description: 15 minutes later the orange glow through the window encourages a
brief excursion to catch the moment.
Date: 09 Jan 2021
View: E6A_20201209_1017_200_FB5 Green Woodpecker female.jpg
Description: Following our fog hazed Green Woodpecker earlier, here she is in all her glory.
View: D73_20201205_1244_098-105 Rook in flight with changing lighting at 10fps 1-8 of 8 (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: A rook flies 'out of the glare of the sun' and past us, creating this unusual
progression of appearance all in less than a second.
Date: 08 Jan 2021
View: E6A_20201205_1226_218_FB5 Grey Squirrel leaping with Teasel head in mouth.jpg
Description: While walking past a bench Marie spotted the debris of a Teasel
head that has been dismantled on the flat arm of a Bench.
A day or so later after collecting the camera card at this site we find this
moment as a Grey Squirrel with Teasel head in mouth speeds in the
appropriate direction. We have to assume a connection.
View: BU2_20201209_1303_261_SC7 1 Grey Squirrel + 5 Rooks + 4 Jackdaws feeding on Round Mound.jpg
Description: A single Grey Squirrel surrounded at just over 'swipe' distance by an arc of 5 Rooks.
Behind the Rooks is a line of 4 Jackdaws.
Date: 07 Jan 2021
View: D73_20201205_0911_018 Blackbird female with dark beak perched on silver birch branch.jpg
Description: One of the dark billed Blackbirds we see at this time of year - this is a female.
View: DF2_20201208_1127_005+008+1128_026 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding on meadow path 2+3+7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: From an upstairs window we could watch this Reeve's Muntjac Deer
browsing either side of the path through the meadow.
Date: 06 Jan 2021
View: D01_20201203_1116_067_FB6 Wood Pigeon on meadow post in rain.jpg
Description: This Wood Pigeon out in the cold and rain plumps up the feathers
to keep out the cold. No sleek breast here - maximise the insulating air-space.
View: E60_20201207_1156_004_FB3 Wood Pigeon folding wings after landing.jpg
Description: A Wood Pigeon folds the wings after landing. Those hundreds of feathers
now form a perfectly smooth breast.
Date: 05 Jan 2021
View: D01_20201130_0449_045_FB6 Barn Owl landing (crop).jpg
Description: Just before 5 a.m. this Barn Owl makes this lovely landing, but doesn't stay.
View: E63_20201201_1637_186_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse).jpg
Description: Maybe the Barn Owl was hoping to find a final Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) before the end
of the night, but this portrait was from the hedge-bottom site rarely
visited by Owls.
Date: 04 Jan 2021
View: DF3_20201201_0913_003-006 Rook in flight 1-4 of 4 (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: A rare spell of sunshine breaks the interminable gloom allowing
some attractive images of this Rook flying by.
View: D01_20201126_1451_017+018_FB6 Jackdaw landing on Meadow Post (montage about 300mS apart).jpg
Description: In recent years Jackdaws have mostly disappeared in the summer months, returning for the Winter.
Date: 03 Jan 2021
View: D36_20201127_0106_024_FB4 Tawny Owl visit to tree-stump (crop).jpg
Description: Tawny Owls only occasionally visit this woodland tree-stump.
3 Woodpiles around this stump provide home for Fieldmice (Wood Mice) and Voles,
and we suspect that the Owl's gaze is focussed on an unfortunate resident.
View: E60_20201130_0304_006_FB3 Tawny Owl landing on Kitchen perch (crop).jpg
Description: Probably the same Tawny Owl makes a landing on the perch outside the kitchen.
Date: 02 Jan 2021
View: E63_20201126_1441_061_FB1 Grey Squirrel eating piece of apple.jpg
Description: Would butter melt in the mouth of this endearing creature?
View: DF3_20201201_1307_032 Grey Squirrel grooming in sunlit patch.jpg
Description: In a sheltered sunny patch this Grey Squirrel spends several minutes
warming itself and having an extensive groom.
View: E6A_20201201_1355_081_FB5 Grey Squirrel nibbling banana peel.jpg
Description: A piece of Banana peel that escaped the kitchen scissors is now nevertheless
picked up and eaten by this Squirrel.
Banana peel used always be left untouched until it rotted. We started cutting
it into squares and the animals were willing to try it. Having learned that it is
'good stuff' some will tackle it cut up or not.
Date: 01 Jan 2021
View: E60_20201201_1556_020_FB3 Sparrowhawk female (crop).jpg
Description: A fresh new year sees this female Sparrowhawk near the end of
daylight on the Kitchen Window perch. A careful inspection
shows fresh blood on her lower breast feathers and over one of
her talons. She is probably digesting her latest kill.
Image Archive arch 2020 dec.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Dec 2020
View: DF3_20201201_1307_026 Magpie on Silver Birch branch with feathers lifted by wind from rear.jpg
Description: As this misery of a year comes to an end, a little hope of better things
as this Magpie high in a Silver Birch tree is surrounded by the emerging
catkins ready to start the new season.
View: BU5_20201126_1409_144_SC1 Grey squirrel gazing over Round pond lit by streaks of sunlight.jpg
Description: A Grey Squirrel apparently gazing over the expanse of water lit
by shafts of sunlight finding straight lines through the tree trunks.
Date: 30 Dec 2020
View: BU2_20201126_1208_016--1209_024_SC7 Muntjac Reeves Deer visit to Mound for 2 minutes (montage).jpg
Description: This Reeve's Muntjac Deer spends just a couple of minutes foraging on the mound,
but nevertheless manages 7 pics of which these 6 are all in different places as
shown montaged here. Judging by some of the strange positions of the top four
moments, it looks like her little hooves don't grip the slope (perhaps 30
degrees) very well.
Date: 29 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201126_1235_003-1236_014 Muntjac Reeves Deer female browsing in leaf litter west of FB4 stump 1+2+4+5 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: While repairing camera electronics at the tree stump this Reeve's Muntjac Deer
came wandering up the path towards us, quietly rummaging through the leaves. The
Deer never seemed to spot us, or has us classified as 'harmless', and after a
couple of minutes saw more productive foraging off to the side of the path and
disappeared into the undergrowth.
View: BU7_20201124_0532_022-0534_035 Muntjac Reeves Deer female feeding near south hedge 1+2+3+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: We don't leave food at this patch, but the rough grass held this Reeve's Muntjac
Deer's interest for several minutes.
Date: 28 Dec 2020
View: E63_20201123_1609_092_FB1 Pheasant male (portrait crop).jpg
Description: The new male Pheasant stops by to check out the 'bait'.
View: E64_20201125_1523_174_FB2 Pheasant male.jpg
Description: The new male Pheasant at the woodland site.
Date: 27 Dec 2020
View: E64_20201123_1925_081_FB2 Badger.jpg
Description: Night has fallen and this Badger visits the woodland site.
View: BU7_20201118_1843_013-015 Badger crossing south ditch & leaving 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: This Badger triggers the camera as they walk across the ditch and
then through the hole in the hedge into the farm beyond.
These over perhaps 3 seconds.
View: BU7_20201123_1853_010-012 Badger leaving through south hedge 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A Badger exiting the site over a few seconds - we have several instances of a
similar exit - probably the same badger following a (literally) well trodden route.
Date: 26 Dec 2020
View: E63_20201121_1625_198_FB1 Song Thrush inspecting soil (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: An unusually poised moment for this Song Thrush, looking for something
to eat hidden in the bare soil.
View: E63_20201125_1308_208_FB1 Great Tit.jpg
Description: Great Tit numbers have this year not exploded like the Blue Tits, but we are
starting to see them again.
View: E63_20201123_1234_027_FB1 Robin.jpg
Description: We don't seem to have shown you a Robin portrait recently, and this one has posed rather elegantly.
View: E63_20201122_0724_207_FB1 Robin and Dunnock squabble.jpg
Description: A Robin (on the ground) and Dunnock (in flight with open beak directed at the Robin)
having a little squabble.
Date: 25 Dec 2020
View: D01_20201120_1404_066--1416_086_FB6 Kestrel female takes Rodent to Meadow post to eat 01+04+06+08+09+11 of 12 (montage).jpg
Description: The Kestrel's Christmas Dinner
After a days absence the local female Kestrel arrives at the meadow post
with a Rodent (we THINK a vole) which she devours over about 10 minutes.
After flying off she returns 3 minutes later, but didn't stay (last frame).
Date: 24 Dec 2020
View: E64_20201121_1404_128_FB2 Grey Squirrel eating carrot top in leaf litter.jpg
Description: Raw Carrot seems to have become a little less unpopular with the Grey Squirrels.
We suspect that one or two (of the all-together too many) of them quite like it.
Animals are not identical automata - decades of observation have
shown us that they have individual preferences and idiosyncrasies just like
humans.
Date: 23 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201119_1306_045+049+053+055 Kestrel female preening perched on Ash tree on main pond island 2+4-6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel appears again having an extensive preen on a branch of the
Ash tree. Recently there have been an unusual number of sightings of this
Kestrel preening - we guess the new feathers need a lot of 'settling in'.
View: D73_20201119_1249_020 Kestrel female on top of concrete mains power pole (crop 3).jpg
Description: Before her visit to the Ash tree we see her on the top of the concrete mains
power pole, photographed while giving us a quick 'check' before going back to
hunting the ground on the far side of the pole.
Date: 22 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201115_1052_105 Kestrel female preening on power cable connector on house wall 1 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: After finding the female Kestrel on the end of a section of farm hedge
we finished the walk to find a female Kestrel perched on the top mains cable connector
on the house, in the sunshine but out of the chilling wind.
A stampede to the east boundary found that the 'bird in the hedge' had gone,
so this is likely the same bird each time.
This perch is one of her favourite preening perches.
View: D73_20201115_1056_146+149+150 Kestrel female preening on power cable connector on house wall 3-5 of 7 (montage).jpg
View: D73_20201115_1100_179 Kestrel female preening on power cable connector on house wall 7 of 7 (crop).jpg
Description: The view from the conservatory door as we left the female Kestrel continuing her preen.
View: DF5_20201116_1150_017+1147_015 Kestrel female preening on Ash tree on main pond island 6+5 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: An hour later through the living room window we see her arrive in the Ash tree
on the island of the main pond, where she spent several minutes continuing
preening. Here you get a good view of the freshly grown tail, now clearly sans
last years 'Grey Feather'.
Date: 21 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201115_1021_045 Kestrel female hunting from overhead mains cables.jpg
Description: Every week or two the local female kestrel spends a day or two hunting around our patch.
We don't see any regular pattern to where she hunts and preens though she has her
favourite haunts.
This time she is first spotted on the mains cables supplying the house.
View: D73_20201115_1028_061+1027_055+059 Kestrel female hunting from overhead mains cables (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel hasn't moved from the above pic, but the cameraman moved to the
other side of the wire for a less back-lit image.
View: D73_20201115_1040_080 Kestrel female preening on tip of hedge tractor gap 2 of 4 (crop 1).jpg
Description: We leave her in peace and go for a walk around the outside of our patch,
and were surprised to find her preening on a corner of the farm hedge
where it has ben removed to allow tractors through.
More tomorrow
Date: 20 Dec 2020
View: D5C_20201105_1109_009-1110_038 Grey Squirrel Grooming (Montage).jpg
Description: This male Grey Squirrel settled down for a couple of minutes groom.
Top right and middle left show a pass over his tail.
They may be flea infested little vermin, but they do try to keep clean.
View: E64_20201113_1526_107_FB2 Grey Squirrel eating Banana end encrusted with peanut butter and corn.jpg
Description: Banana skin with Peanut butter stuck to the bottom'.
Delicious (no really - if it was clean it would be perfectly edible!).
View: D73_20201119_1253_030 Grey Squirrel eating items scratched up from grass.jpg
Description: A vigorous scrabble in the long grass produces something that this
Grey Squirrel finds worthy of consumption.
Date: 19 Dec 2020
View: E6A_20201109_1602_072_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer sharing site with 2 Magpies 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: This unusual pic shows a Reeve's Muntjac Deer passing by a couple of Magpies
at most 1 metre away. Magpies are obviously aware of the difference between this
gentle Deer and similar sized Dog, Fox or Badger.
View: E6A_20201109_1602_073_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer sharing site with 2 Magpies 2 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: About 1 minute later we see that the Deer has nearly walked out of frame, while
the Magpies have hardly moved.
View: E63_20201112_0719_008_FB1 Muntjac Reeves Deer and Magpie.jpg
Description: A few days later we see similar behaviour at the hedge bottom site.
We don't remember seeing behaviour before and suspect that this is one of
this years new Deer extending their nights browsing into the daylight at
each end of the day. This is the early morning ...
View: E6A_20201112_1539_052_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer and Magpie (orig & final).jpg
Description: ... while this is back in the meadow in late afternoon.
Date: 18 Dec 2020
View: DF3_20201107_1243_047+049+050 Kestrel female preening on 11kV cable 2-4 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: The 11kV cable over the north bridleway is becoming a favourite spot
for this female Kestrel who is enjoying a thorough preen.
View: DF3_20201107_1243_066+051 Kestrel female preening on 11kV cable 6+5 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: A creep nearer along the Bridleway didn't disturb her ablutions.
Date: 17 Dec 2020
View: DF3_20201107_0943_001 Muntjac Reeves Deer female choosing yellowed leaves to eat (crop).jpg
Description: Through a scraggy hedge we see this female Reeve's Muntjac Deer daintily searching
for yellow leaves to eat.
View: DF3_20201107_0943_004 Muntjac Reeves Deer female chewing leaves.jpg
Description: Here she is chewing a few leaves in a rather endearing moment.
View: DF3_20201107_0943_005 Muntjac Reeves Deer female choosing yellowed leaves to eat.jpg
View: DF3_20201107_0947_026 Muntjac Reeves Deer female grooming.jpg
Description: A few minutes later the sunshine has departed and she has a groom in the gloom (sorry).
Date: 16 Dec 2020
View: E60_20201106_1625_019_FB3 Sparrowhawk female flying over Kitchen perch (crop 2).jpg
Description: A female Sparrowhawk flies over the Kitchen bird table.
Considering the speed that they fly, this pic is unusually sharp.
Date: 15 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201106_1026_103 Muntjac Reeves Deer female choosing yellowed leaves to eat.jpg
Description: This female Reeve's Muntjac Deer seems quite tolerant of us Humans,
feeding quietly here on what was once a neat shingled area.
View: D73_20201106_1028_122 Muntjac Reeves Deer female licking up corn from track (crop).jpg
Description: Here she was licking up corn scattered on the track, initially intended for birds,
but she is hungry as well.
View: D73_20201106_1029_144 Muntjac Reeves Deer female grooming foot (crop).jpg
Description: The Deer is relaxed enough for a little groom.
Date: 14 Dec 2020
View: BU3_20201105_2316_041+2317_045_SC6 Roe Deer female followed by male on access track 1+3 of 3 montage).jpg
Description: After several months we again see Roe Deer, and in this first montage, a pair at that,
walking up the concrete access track. The two original images are:-
1 of 3: The distant pair of eyes of the male and the female at the centre of the image.
3 of 3: The male at the left (Antlers visible) and the female starting to go through
the gap in the hedge on the west side.
View: BUA_20201105_2321_070+072_SC8 Roe Deer female near east entrance (montage).jpg
Description: 5 minutes later the female Roe Deer appears 100m away inside the east side, presumably on the way
to the hole in the hedge a few metres right. The male didn't show on any camera inside the plot -
it's possible that his antlers catch the steel netting and he couldn't get in by that route!
View: BUA_20201105_2321_071+20201108_1921_327_SC8 Roe Deer female + Muntjac Reeves Deer male size comparison (montage).jpg
Description: Roe Deer (left) are much bigger than our normal Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
This is a same scale montage for size comparison.
Date: 13 Dec 2020
View: BU7_20201105_1940_023 Badger entering through south hedge.jpg
Description: A Handsome Badger out for a forage, here at our south hedge.
View: BUA_20201110_2131_139-2132_147_SC8 Badger visit to East hedge 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: Brock walks towards this entrance at the east hedge, but decides to stay inside.
View: BUA_20201112_0203_293_SC8 Fox at east hedge staring at camera.jpg
Description: Night animals staring directly at IR illuminating 'trail cameras' show
the same bright eyes you see with a torch or car headlights.
These creatures have a reflective layer behind the retina to
increase the chance of any photon hitting a sensitive 'rod'.
Date: 12 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201112_0638_029 Crescent Moon + Venus + Mercury (top to bottom) alignment (crop with annotation) 1 of 2.jpg
Description: The morning of 12 November 2020 saw this minor astronomical alignment. This
photo at 06:38 shows the Crescent moon and Venus, both clear to see with Venus
in the upper middle of this pic. Mercury we just couldn't see with the naked eye
or camera, but appears faintly below middle on the left in all the pics taken
when viewed at camera resolution.
The planets in the boxes are scaled up 3 times, then reduced a similar amount
when making this 1024 pixel height reduction, so look not dissimilar to the camera originals
Date: 11 Dec 2020
View: DF3_20201104_1255_064 Brimstone Butterfly perches on rose leaf (crop 1).jpg
Description: A mid-day patch of early November sunshine sees this pristine male Brimstone
butterfly warming himself on the south facing Rose bush by the front door.
These insects overwinter in sheltered spots (they love sheds) to appear in
the Spring to mate, relying on spring flowers for fuel.
View: DF3_20201104_1238_042 Goldfinch on Teasel.jpg
Description: Goldfinches adore Teasel - they pick the seeds out of the spiky head for months.
View: E63_20201103_0652_065_FB1 Dunnock on stone reacting to arriving Chaffinch male.jpg
Description: A male Chaffinch flying in from the right is alarming this Dunnock, but
that seed in the beak is unlikely to be dropped as the bird flees.
Date: 10 Dec 2020
View: BUA_20201102_0725_017_SC8 2 Muntjac Reeves Deer feeding together.jpg
Description: Formation Browsing in the leaf litter.
View: BUA_20201101_0702_308_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer female appearing to smile.jpg
Description: Can Reeve's Muntjac Deer smile?
View: BUA_20201104_1139_417_SC8 Muntjac Reeves Deer female in dappled sunlight.jpg
Description: This is a female Reeve's Muntjac Deer in the middle of the day lit by dappled sunlight.
View: BUA_20201103_2006_346+347_SC8 3 Muntjac Reeves Deer family near East entrance 1+2 of 3 (montage for clarity).jpg
Description: A Reeve's Muntjac 'family portrait' - female at the left, male facing the
camera, and youngster turning round next to Dad.
Date: 09 Dec 2020
View: E60_20201031_1349_015+1409_016_FB3 Kestrel female visiting kitchen window 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel made two visits to the Kitchen Window perch 20 minutes apart.
It's unusual to see a Kestrel landing on the top of the peanut feeder - their
normal prey is Rodents caught on the ground.
View: D01_20201103_0847_005-0858_027_FB6 Kestrel female takes Vole to meadow post (12 min visit) 01+05+08+10+12 of 12 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel spent over 10 minutes landing with a Vole in her Talons and ripping it to
bits to eat it. We love the smug 'satisfied' look in the final frame, even if we
are probably imagining the emotion.
View: D01_20201103_0848_007_FB6 Kestrel female takes Vole to top of meadow post to eat (12 minute visit) 02 of 12 (crop).jpg
Description: This more detailed pic fits between left and second from left in the above montage.
Date: 08 Dec 2020
View: E63_20201030_1759_112+20201031_1722_175+1810+178_FB1 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) over 2 nights - left pair+top pair+bottom single (montage).jpg
Description: A couple of nights brought a flurry of Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) sightings.
Here from 3 frames are the pair on the left, the pair on the top,
and the singleton jumping down at the bottom accompanied by his shadow.
View: E63_20201103_1751_138-20201104_2336_238_FB1 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) at hedge bottom (montage from 7 of 13 images).jpg
Description: A couple of nights a few night later we have amalgamated 7 of 13 pics of Fieldmice (Wood Mice),
accurately positioned. The variation of fur colours is particularly marked - the
single flash lighting is the same for all.
Date: 07 Dec 2020
View: D01_20201101_1412_045+1423_047+1415_049_FB6 Green Woodpecker male on Meadow Post 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: This male Green Woodpecker spends a few minutes on the meadow post.
Nothing for you up here mate!
Date: 06 Dec 2020
View: DF3_20201101_1001_006 Red Kite in flight.jpg
Description: This Red Kite flew overhead for just a minute or so.
View: DF3_20201101_1001_015-018 Red Kite in flight by Ash tree @ about 10 fps 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage).jpg
View: DF3_20201101_1001_032 Red Kite in flight.jpg
Date: 05 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201028_1048_026+032 Red Kite gliding with sunlight glancing on underside 2+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: This Red Kite wheels around over our heads for less than a minute, and we
catch some moments as the still relatively low sun catches details on the bird's underside.
View: D73_20201028_1048_053 Red Kite gliding 4 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: A momentary sight of the top of the Red Kite's tail.
View: D73_20201028_1048_069+075+077 Red Kite gliding 7 of 3+6+7 (montage).jpg
Description: Three moments as the Red Kite turned in the air catching the low sunlight
in different ways.
Date: 04 Dec 2020
View: E63_20201025_1536_033-1538_035_FB1 Grey Squirrel eating slice of banana over 3 minutes 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A slice of Banana makes a meal for this Grey squirrel who spent at least the
3 minutes you see here eating it.
View: E63_20201026_1359_072-1402_075_FB1 Great Tit over 3 minutes 2+3+1 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: The immaculate Great Tit spends a few minutes at the hedge bottom.
This year has been a major breeding success for Blue and Great Tits.
View: E63_20201028_1700_227_FB1 Song Thrush.jpg
Description: A one-off visit by this Song Thrush.
We have not previously noted the light specks along the back.
Date: 03 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201025_0957_109 Sparrowhawk gliding.jpg
Description: This Sparrowhawk glided by at an impressive speed - Sparrowhawks
seem to do everything at lightning speed.
View: D73_20201025_0957_120+135--137 Sparrowhawk female in flight (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: As she flew away she started powered flight, providing an opportunity to show
the wings in action. This is very close-spaced - we couldn't determine the
accurate positions.
Date: 02 Dec 2020
View: D73_20201024_1039_057 Kestrel female in north hedge Hawthorn dives on prey in bare field & returns to Cherry 1 of 3.jpg
Description: We found our 'local' female Kestrel hunting from trees on the outside of our
North hedge. From about 50m away she completely ignored our presence, and we saw
3 possibly successful hunts, the bird diving down from about 5 metres up the
trees to the recently harrowed 'soil', spending perhaps 30 seconds on the
ground, before returning to different trees in the hedge. Here is one of the
hunts - we don't know what, if anything, she caught, but anything she grabbed
she ate on the ground.
View: D73_20201024_1041_068 Kestrel female in north hedge Hawthorn dives on prey in bare field & returns to Cherry 2 of 3.jpg
View: D73_20201024_1042_102 Kestrel female in north hedge Hawthorn dives on prey in bare field & returns to Cherry 3 of 3.jpg
Description: After a few minutes watching, the cold wind was biting at our toes, and as we
left she was poised ready for her next catch.
View: D73_20201027_1051_003-007 Kestrel female launching from apple tree branch @10fps1-5 of 5 (horizontally stretched montage).jpg
Description: 3 days later the same female Kestrel was perched in an old apple tree hunting
the rough grass in the orchard. Here she drops down and away on another hunt we can't see.
Date: 01 Dec 2020
View: E64_20201022_2153_051_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer.jpg
Description: Front right hoof delicately moving forward, this Reeve's Muntjac Deer
quietly forages through the night.
View: BU3_20201022_2236_056_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer female turns towards edge of track as male follows.jpg
Description: Back to normal for the Reeve's Muntjac Deer - the male follows the female wherever she goes!
Image Archive arch 2020 nov.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Nov 2020
View: E64_20201020_0244_025_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female walking across site.jpg
Description: A young Reeve's Muntjac Deer walks quietly across the site hoping to find
some food in the dark of the night.
Date: 29 Nov 2020
View: E63_20201015_1635_053+1642_054_FB1 Blue Tit taking away corn grain (montage).jpg
Description: Visits by the same or different Blue Tits at the hedge bottom, here 'stealing' a corn grain.
View: E63_20201016_1350_149_FB1 Great Tit with glossy head feathers.jpg
Description: Great Tits are only a little larger than Blue Tits.
We normally think of both species as having matt feathers, but
this Great Tit shows a lovely glossy head - could it just be soaked?
View: E63_20201019_1605_057_FB1 Great Tit.jpg
Description: A more typical view of a Great Tit, poised nicely on the stone.
Date: 28 Nov 2020
View: E6A_20201020_1939_279-20201021_0214_374_FB5 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) visits over 1 night (montage).jpg
Description: A Squeakquence (sorry) of Fieldmice (Wood Mice) at the meadow over a single night
as the Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) count soars.
View: E63_20201017_1926_255+20201015_1855_079_FB1 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) pairs visiting 2 days apart (montage).jpg
Description: At the hedge bottom the Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) are less exuberant but the different camera
setup allows better photos of small creatures.
View: E63_20201013_0123_077_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) with corn grain filling mouth.jpg
Description: To a Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) a corn grain must be a really substantial feed.
Date: 27 Nov 2020
View: E6A_20201010_1724_311_FB5 Wood Pigeon adult showing spread body feathers.jpg
Description: It is easy to forget that the beautiful smooth breast plumage of a Pigeon is
actually hundreds of individual feathers carefully groomed to perfection.
View: E60_20201016_1652_006_FB3 Wood Pigeon juvenile shaking out feathers.jpg
Description: A good shake out to settle the feathers helps turn this juvenile Wood Pigeon's
chaotic feather duster appearance back to a small sheen.
View: E60_20201018_0845_015_FB3 2 Wood Pigeons sharing bird table.jpg
Description: A couple of juvenile Wood Pigeons share the bird table, plumages back to
it's smooth profile.
Date: 26 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20201011_1116_095 Red Admiral Butterfly on yellow Buddleia with view of coiled proboscis.jpg
Description: There seem to be several Red Admiral Butterflies feeding around the site.
This one is on Yellow Buddleia that goes on flowering until the first hard
frost. You can see the Butterfly's Proboscis tightly wound.
View: DF3_20201013_1300_026 2 Red Admiral Butterflies feeding on rotten fruit and greenbottle flies in.jpg
Description: Well away from the universally loved yellow Buddleia, these Red Admiral Butterflies,
along with wasps and Greenbottles, drinks the juice of a fermenting fruit.
Apparently Butterflies can get drunk from fermenting fruit, and get so woozy
that you can pick them up.
The butterfly on the left has had a couple of bird pecks on the
wing.
Red Admirals used always to migrate south for the winter or succumb to the cold,
But recent mild winters allow them to overwinter, even been seen flying in
December and January, so our recent unexpected sightings are a trend.
Greenbottles were forever disturbing the butterflies - you can see
another one flying in upper lefti
Date: 25 Nov 2020
View: D73_20201012_1213_008+009+015 Kestrel female on swaying black Poplar branch 1-3 of 4 (aligned montage).jpg
Description: The tolerant female Kestrel flies in to land on this tree branch over the access track
about 100 metres from us. A quiet approach between our 2 north hedges doesn't seem
to bother her at all. She spends another couple of minutes hunting, also showing
how she keeps her head still on this swaying branch, before flying off towards the
house. We didn't see her again this day.
View: D73_20201012_1213_020 Kestrel female on Black Poplar branch.jpg
Description: The female Kestrel perched on a Black Poplar branch.
View: D73_20201012_1214_024 Kestrel female on Black Poplar branch.jpg
Description: The female Kestrel perched on a Black Poplar branch.
View: D73_20201012_1214_031-033 Kestrel female flying from tip of Black Poplar branch 2-4 of 4 (vert acc montage @ 10fps).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel flies from her perch on a Black Poplar branch.
Date: 24 Nov 2020
View: E63_20201011_2253_311+20201012_0321_324+0124_319_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) with piebald fur 6+5+4 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: Fieldmice (Wood Mice) are quite variable in appearance, but we don't remember seeing a Piebald mouse before.
Here is a montage of 3 of the visits - we assume just the one mouse has this appearance.
Piebald is apparently a recessive Gene - both parents have to provide
it before it manifests itself in the offspring.
View: E63_20201011_2338_314_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) + yellow Slug + Hawthorn berry.jpg
Description: At the same site we see here a 'normal' Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) accompanied by a 'Yellow
Slug'.
Only our second sighting ever of a Yellow slug, the first one a few weeks ago.
Date: 23 Nov 2020
View: D01_20201011_2118_067_FB6 Barn Owl short visit to Meadow Post 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: The increase in rodent numbers makes it worthwhile again for Owls to
hunt over the patch.
Here this Barn Owl, not seen for months, makes a short stay on the meadow post.
View: D01_20201011_2347_073-2353_085_FB6 Tawny Owl 7 minute visit to Meadow Post 1+2+4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: The increase in rodent numbers makes it worthwhile again for Owls to
hunt over the patch.
Two and a half hours after the Barn Owl stops by, the Tawny Owl stops by for 7 minutes.
Date: 22 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20201011_1103_058-1107_085 Kestrel female on pole footrest from progressive viewpoints 1+3+4+5+8 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: Hours after seeing the Female Kestrel on power cables to the north, we find the
bird on one of her favourite perches -a Footrest of a disused Telephone pole.
For once she let us pass on the path some 10 or 15 metres away, allowing this
sequence of the bird seen from both sides of the post. We haven't rescaled -
apparent bird size reflects our distance from her.
View: DF3_20201011_1106_074 Kestrel female on pole footrest from progressive viewpoints 6 of 8 (crop).jpg
Description: A better look at the female Kestrel on the telephone pole.
Date: 21 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20201011_0749_037-043 Kestrel female landing on 11kV cable 1-7 of 7 (spread montage @ 7fps).jpg
Description: Read this sequence right to left as the camera caught the landing
of the female Kestrel on the 11kV cable. You see here about 1 second of action.
View: DF3_20201011_0750_046 Kestrel female on 11kV cable watching cameraman.jpg
Description: The photographer feels 'spotted', but the female Kestrel concludes he is 'mostly harmless'
and continues her hunt.
Date: 20 Nov 2020
View: E63_20201010_0203_149_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse).jpg
Description: This Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) displays whiskers of impressive length.
View: E6A_20201008_1937_106_FB5 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) leaping towards (q) another (crop).jpg
Description: Squabbling? Showing Off?
View: E6A_20201012_2358_048_FB5 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) leaping above another.jpg
Description: A Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) leaps high over another just before midnight.
We normally put this behaviour down to males showing off to prospective mates.
View: E6A_20201011_2048_432+2049_433_FB5 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) flees as Fox approaches site 1+2 of 2 (montage over 1 minute).jpg
Description: In the meadow this Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) streaks away from unseen danger.
A minute later the Fox renders the danger visible.
Date: 19 Nov 2020
View: D01_20201007_1231_033-1233_037_FB6 Buzzard making 3 minute visit to meadow post 4+3+1 of 4 (montage 2).jpg
Description: Buzzards are starting to appear around the site again.
This one lands on the Meadow Post and stays for about 3 minutes.
View: D01_20201007_1231_034_FB6 Buzzard making 3 minute visit to meadow post 2 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: This Buzzard is regaining balance just after landing - about 300mS
after the landing in the montage.
Date: 18 Nov 2020
View: E64_20201003_1713_116_FB2 Rabbit juvenile.jpg
Description: A young Rabbit.
Love the whiskers!
View: E6A_20201004_0117_107_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile in rain (crop).jpg
Description: A young Reeve's Muntjac Deer picking up the days left-overs.
Date: 17 Nov 2020
View: E64_20201002_1339_060_FB2 Grey Squirrel feeding.jpg
Description: This Grey Squirrel is feeding up ready for the Winter when they
will only emerge from their Dreys on warm days.
View: D36_20201003_1436_033_FB4 Grey Squirrel collecting fruit from Tree-stump.jpg
Description: This Grey Squirrel is feeding up ready for the Winter when they
will only emerge from their Dreys on warm days.
Date: 16 Nov 2020
View: BU6_20201001_1435_019_SC2 Fox hunting in orchard for 20 minutes 1 of 5 (crop).jpg
Description: A Fox making a mid-afternoon visit to hunt in the orchard.
View: BU6_20201001_1435_020_SC2+BU7_20201001_1456_007+009 Fox hunting in orchard for 20 minutes 2+3+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: The Fox stays for about 20 minutes before exiting through a now well trodden
path through the south hedge.
Date: 15 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20201006_0938_012 Red Admiral Butterfly warming on sun-facing wall 1 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: The three pristine Red Admiral Butterflies seem to have stayed near the house.
In the morning sunshine they alternate between warming themselves on this
sun-facing wall (along with a Bee and lots of flies) ...
View: DF3_20201006_0940_022 Red Admiral Butterfly feeding on Yellow Buddleia.jpg
Description: ... before moving to the Yellow Buddleia to refuel.
Apart from Ivy, this generous Buddleia seems to be the only local source of nectar.
Date: 14 Nov 2020
View: E63_20200928_1959_071_FB1 2 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) at stone.jpg
Description: A Couple of Fieldmice (Wood Mice) come out just after dark in search of any food left
by the evening visitors.
View: E6A_20200929_1958_106_FB5 Fieldmice (Wood Mice) courting 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: As daylight fades these two little sweeties 'played' on the grass in front
of the meadow camera.
Date: 13 Nov 2020
View: E60_20200926_2111_027_FB3 Tawny Owl visits Kitchen perch then meadow post over 7 minutes 1 of 8 (crop).jpg
Description: As night arrives, so does this Tawny Owl caught in touchdown at the kitchen window.
View: E60_20200926_2114_029_FB3 Tawny Owl visits Kitchen perch then meadow post over 7 minutes 3 of 8 (crop).jpg
Description: The camera at the kitchen window doesn't multi-trigger, so yours-truly fired off
the camera manually from the dark kitchen to capture some portraits. Here we
suspect that the bird was aware of movement at the window but stayed
anyway.
The photographer can't see any detail outside the window until a picture appears
on the back of the camera, so what we photograph this way is pot-luck.
View: E60_20200926_2111_027_FB3-D01_2117_043_FB6 Tawny Owl visits Kitchen perch then meadow post in 7 mins 1+5+6+8 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: The Tawny Owl stayed for a few minutes on the perch before flying directly to
the meadow post (about 50m away) for another few minutes hunt.
Date: 12 Nov 2020
View: D73_20200928_1052_044 Red Admiral Butterfly - 1 of 3 pristine feeding on Yellow Buddleia.jpg
Description: A surprise was to find 3 pristine Red Admiral Butterflies feeding from the
flowers on the top of a 3m high Yellow Buddleia that came with the house
30 years ago.
This Buddleia is so vigorous that we take it down to 'knee' height
when the flowers have finally been stopped by the first frost. It is a 'magnet'
for butterflies and moths at the end of each flowering season.
View: DF3_20200926_1249_018 Small Copper Butterfly showing underside of rear wing.jpg
Description: The weather is turning generally colder, but a bit of sunshine and desperation
to make the most of their last days means butterflies and Dragonflies make
appearances near the middle of the day.
This is a Small Copper Butterfly - you normally see the orange upper wing
but here we see the subtle appearance of just the underside of the rear wing
with touches of the orange showing through.
Date: 11 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20200925_1614_160-1615_174 Kestrel female hunting from Ash tree branch 2+3+5+6 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel lands to hunt from a branch in one of the Ash trees along the
South hedge.
View: DF3_20200925_1615_176 Kestrel female catching cranefly then running over grass for another catch 01 of 19 (detail crop).jpg
Description: The female Kestrel sees something in the recently cut grass margin, and dives
onto it. You sort of expect a rodent to be the target, but no, this Cranefly is
worthy of the effort.
View: DF3_20200925_1615_182-204 Kestrel female catching cranefly then running over grass for another catch 03+08+11+14+17+19 of 19 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: Then a first for us - this female Kestrel runs over the
grass to grab another prey item. The bird is, not unexpectedly, not particularly
good at running, and we show here about every third image of those taken at 7
fps - so just under half a second between each image accurately montaged except
for the last which would overlap the previous, hence the white bar. We never saw
what she caught, but the grass is alive with Craneflies.
View: DF3_20200925_1616_212-214 Kestrel female flying away after running over grass 1--3 of 3 (near accurate montage @ 7fps).jpg
Description: Finally the female Kestrel flies off, we hope replete.
Date: 10 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20200925_0853_045+050 Kestrel female maintaining eye position on lightly bouncing branch 1+2 of 2 (aligned montage).jpg
Description: She lands on a conifer branch at the inside SE corner of our patch, here
photographed from outside. She is mostly sheltered from the brisk wind, but the
branch is gently bouncing. In this aligned montage you can see how the hunting
bird keeps her eyes stationary by flexing her body and neck.
View: DF3_20200925_0856_086 Kestrel female in top of conifer.jpg
Description: She moves to the top of the same tree more exposed to the wind, and the branch
she is on exceeds her ability to compensate for the movement.
Rather than a partial compensation, she stops compensating altogether and her
whole body moves as one.
View: D01_20200925_0933_079-0948_108_FB6 Kestrel female 16 minute visit to meadow post 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: Half an hour later the female Kestrel spends 16 minutes hunting from the post
in the meadow.
Date: 09 Nov 2020
View: D73_20200924_1702_023 Kestrel female hunting from dead branch dives onto prey behind pond 1 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: The behaviour of this female Kestrel suggests that this is the bird we
Christened 'Grey Feather', even though the result of her moult seems to have
produced a normal set of tail feathers. Here she is on one of her favourite
perches on a protruding dead branch of an old apple tree.
View: DF3_20200925_0852_016-024 Kestrel female flies from disused telephone pole 1+2+4 of 4 (impression montage).jpg
Description: Next day the female Kestrel moves to a footrest on the disused Telephone pole.
View: DF3_20200925_0852_030 Kestrel female in flight.jpg
Description: The female Kestrel flies from the footrest on the disused Telephone pole
low over the ground and out of sight.
Date: 08 Nov 2020
View: D73_20200920_1329_043 Small Copper Butterfly female feeding on Yarrow flower.jpg
Description: In previous years Small Copper Butterflies have been very much an occasional sighting - this
year there are several at various places in the meadow and along the access track.
This is a female ...
View: D73_20200920_1617_087 Small Copper Butterfly male.jpg
Description: ... and this a male Small Copper Butterfly.
The tip of one wing has been bird pecked or damaged on a thorn or similar.
View: D73_20200921_1251_008 Brown Argus Butterfly male.jpg
Description: A male Brown Argus Butterfly basks in the sunshine.
Date: 07 Nov 2020
View: E60_20200919_1337_058_FB3 Sparrowhawk perched on bird table (crop).jpg
Description: The female Sparrowhawk makes a rare stop on the Kitchen bird table.
View: DF3_20200919_1632_055+057-063 Kestrel taking off from harrowed field 2-9 of 9 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: This Kestrel dives down from an 11kV wire above onto the harrowed field.
After a minute or two mostly 'lost' in the ground debris, the bird leaps into the air
and flies off. This is an accurate montage at about 7 fps except for the bird on the
ground (lower left) to the first moment of the flight.
The tail suggests 'male', the head suggests 'female', so probably a juvenile.
Date: 06 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20200919_1308_022 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male.jpg
Description: A male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly stops for a moment on a cut Blackberry stem.
View: D73_20200920_1208_039 Common Darter female over mature.jpg
Description: A lovely old lady - a Common Darter Dragonfly, seeing out her days.
Date: 05 Nov 2020
View: E6A_20200918_1343_125_FB5 Grey Squirrel Photobombs Chaffinch male and Dunnock (crop).jpg
Description: PHOTOBOMBED by SQUIRRELZILLA?
We think the Squirrel has an acorn in their mouth, and another in the paws.
Date: 04 Nov 2020
View: E6A_20200920_1132_251_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer leaping across site (crop).jpg
Description: "What's a Kangaroo doing here"
.
It is a leaping Reeve's Muntjac Deer of course, once the initial disorientation is over!
View: D73_20200918_1241_013 Muntjac Reeves Deer at side of main pond before walking in 2 of 2.jpg
Description: This Reeve's Muntjac Deer appeared about 7m away across the pond, and quietly
walked onto the mat of Iris roots over the water, disappearing behind the metre
high fronds.
View: E64_20200922_0100_065_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer.jpg
Description: An hour after midnight this female Reeve's Muntjac Deer has probably
been attracted by the smell of fruit.
Date: 03 Nov 2020
View: E63_20200917_2313_063_FB1 Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) nibbling cherry pip.jpg
Description: How Twee can you get?
In the hour before midnight this Fieldmouse (Wood Mouse) delicately nibbles a cherry
pip it has selected from jam-making fruit waste.
Date: 02 Nov 2020
View: DF3_20200906_0925_014 Ash keys (seeds) on main pond island.jpg
Description: On the Ash tree on the main pond island the unripe Keys (Ash seeds)
make a striking sight in the sunshine.
View: DF3_20200919_1024_005 Ash keys (seeds) on main pond island.jpg
Description: Two weeks later the same Ash tree Keys (seeds) have now ripened.
A few are already starting to 'wing' their way to the ground.
View: DF3_20201010_0924_007 Ash keys (seeds) on main pond island.jpg
Description: The Ash keys are hanging on to the tree on the main pond island,
even though all the leaves have fallen.
View: DF3_20201010_0929_010 Ash keys (seeds) on tree in east hedge (orig & final).jpg
Description: The timing of the different Ash trees around our site is quite variable. Ash
trees are propagated using seed (rather than genetically identical cuttings) so
the trees show quite a lot of variation. While the tree on the island has lost
all of it's leaves, this vigorous Ash tree at the eastern hedge still retains
most of the yellowing leaves and about 100 'bunches' of keys.
Date: 01 Nov 2020
View: E63_20200916_0657_121_FB1 Chaffinch male in winter colours.jpg
Description: A healthy male Chaffinch stops off at the stone. All trace of the
blue beak and intense feathers colours discarded for the winter.
View: E63_20200917_0641_237_FB1 Dunnock confronting Chaffinch male (out of crop).jpg
Description: This Dunnock seems to have plucked up the courage to confront a male
Chaffinch at the left edge of the original frame.
This Chaffinch is NOT the individual above - it wasn't in great shape
with a large Tick and early stage Bumblefoot.
View: E63_20200916_1745_173_FB1 Great Tit inspecting rotten apples.jpg
Description: A few windfall apples moved from the orchard are the focus of attention
for this pristine Great Tit.
View: D73_20200912_1018_111 Feather moulted covered in raindrops magnifying barbs.jpg
Description: The whole site is dotted with white-ish feathers discarded by moulting birds.
Here you see the water repellent nature of the feather material possibly
aided by preen oil or powder. Naturally wet from a heavy dew.
Image Archive arch 2020 oct.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200914_1508_003 Brimstone Butterfly on Mint flower.jpg
Description: Spot the Butterfly on these mint flowers!
View: D73_20200914_1520_013 Brimstone Butterfly on Mint flower.jpg
Description: Here you can clearly see the Brimstone Butterfly's proboscis busy sucking up the life-giving
nectar.
Date: 30 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200914_0646_092 Sunrise through mist and distant tree foliage 05 of 12 (crop).jpg
Description: A sunrise walk catches a distinctly mysterious set of images of the sun
rising through layers of smoky mist.
Smoke from the awful fires in the Western USA (Sep 2020) made it across the USA and the Atlantic
to appear in the skies over Europe where the intensity and colour of these pics
is showing the effects.
View: D73_20200914_0648_117 Sunrise through mist and distant tree foliage 09 of 12 (crop).jpg
Description: A sunrise walk catches a distinctly mysterious set of images of the sun
rising through layers of smoky mist.
Smoke from the awful fires in the Western USA (Sep 2020) made it across the USA and the Atlantic
to appear in the skies over Europe where the intensity and colour of these pics
is showing the effects.
View: D73_20200914_0651_148 Sunrise through mist and distant tree foliage 11 of 12 (crop).jpg
Description: A sunrise walk catches a distinctly mysterious set of images of the sun
rising through layers of smoky mist.
Smoke from the awful fires in the Western USA (Sep 2020) made it across the USA and the Atlantic
to appear in the skies over Europe where the intensity and colour of these pics
is showing the effects.
Date: 29 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200913_1231_262 Comma Butterfly shows both sides of wings on ivy flowers.jpg
Description: A newly emerged Comma Butterfly, here showing both the dark bottom of the wings
with the white 'comma', and the vivid orange top of the wings.
View: D73_20200913_1606_302 Small Copper pair courting inc one Blue spotted aberrant form 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: A pair of Small Copper butterflies courting in the rank grass.
The bottom individual has a few blue spots said to be an unusual 'aberrant' form.
View: D73_20200915_1612_045 Red Admiral Butterfly.jpg
Description: A pristine Red Admiral Butterfly.
Next stop the south coast for a mass-migration to Europe.
Date: 28 Oct 2020
View: DF3_20200911_1229_013 Garden Carpet Moth on Blackberry leaf.jpg
Description: More used to finding Garden Carpet Moths in the moth trap, here is one
on a Blackberry leaf at midday, albeit in the shade.
View: D73_20200914_0642_060 Plume Moth Common (Emmelina monodactyla) on conservatory door.jpg
Description: Plume Moths when perched all have something like the same appearance of a capital 'T'.
But the 'top' of the 'T' is actually a set of several hairy wings normally only seen properly in flight'.
Date: 27 Oct 2020
View: E6A_20200911_0201_094_FB5 Badger.jpg
Description: A beautifully kempt Badger snuffles the way over the meadow site.
View: E6A_20200915_1817_142_FB5 Rabbit youngster.jpg
Description: At the same site this Baby Rabbit pays an early evening visit.
Date: 26 Oct 2020
View: BU2_20200914_0055_247-0139_288_SC7 Polecat visits over an hour (montage).jpg
Description: Over about an hour there are repeated visits by this Polecat to the Mound.
View: BU2_20200914_0120_271_SC7 Polecat watching Fox leaving mound.jpg
Description: About half-way through the above sequence the fox passed through, watched
suspiciously by the stationary Polecat.
View: E6A_20200910_0259_187_FB5 Fox (crop).jpg
Description: A Fox takes a close look at the camera baiting site, possibly more
interested in worms and insects than what is left of our offering.
Date: 25 Oct 2020
View: BU4_20200904_0348_063-0350_070 Muntjac Reeves Deer (females (q)) feeding and mutually grooming 2+4+6+7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: 2 Reeve's Muntjac Deer spend a few minutes quietly feeding together,
and performing a little mutual grooming.
A sort of 'I'll Scratch your back if you scratch mine'
View: E63_20200915_1506_087_FB1 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile (q).jpg
Description: A Reeve's Muntjac Deer (female or juvenile) quietly walks through this site.
Date: 24 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200910_0707_124-126 4 Mallard Ducks in flight with wings in unison 1-3 of 4 (approx montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Mallard ducks moult by losing all their flight feathers and staying safe on the water.
As they end the moult they start 'exercising' in groups for flights lasting several minutes.
Here a group of 4 (plus a 'tail-end-Charlie' we have left out) flew round the brook several
times, a lot of the time with their wings beating in accurate synchrony as here.
Date: 23 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200909_1549_018+1550_025 Blue Tit on west facing Gable wall chasing insects 1+2 of 2 (montage impression).jpg
Description: Several Blue Tits were feeding from the west facing wall of our house,
perching on the rough wall coating and chasing after insects flying from the
adjacent foliage.
The 2 birds are montaged for effect, but the top bird & insect are positioned as
in the camera original.
View: E6A_20200909_0833_145_FB5 Grey Squirrel carrying away Horse Chestnut conker.jpg
Description: Small piles of chewed up Horse Chestnut husks are all over the site.
Here a Grey Squirrel carries off the prize conkers as a take-away or for a buried
cache.
Date: 22 Oct 2020
View: BU4_20200908_1318_066 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile in dappled light.jpg
Description: In the dappled sunlight of the afternoon this young Reeves Muntjac Deer
looks through the hedge as foliage up and right makes shadows across the body.
View: E64_20200908_2200_075_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer.jpg
Description: A gorgeous gentle and delicate Reeve's Muntjac Deer steps her way quietly through the night.
Date: 21 Oct 2020
View: DF3_20200906_0841_004 Peregrine Falcon (q) on distant 11kV crossbar over Bridleway.jpg
Description: Small Raptors (birds of prey) provide occasional sightings.
This Peregrine Falcon in the area on a local 11kV crossbar. So far
sightings of Peregrines are at most one a year.
View: D73_20200909_1551_031 Hobby in flight 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: High overhead a Hobby wheels round in search of Dragonflies.
We see this bird a few times each year when Dragonflies are about.
View: E60_20200908_1834_013_FB3 Sparrowhawk (crop).jpg
Description: Flashing by as Sparrowhawks always seem to do, this female catches
herself on camera. We usually 'see' a Sparrowhawk perhaps a score
of times a year
View: D73_20200904_1039_227 Kestrel female in conifer inside SE corner.jpg
Description: This female Kestrel, at the moment a regular visitor, is hunting from the shelter of a conifer
Date: 20 Oct 2020
View: DF3_20200906_1620_023 Common Darter Dragonfly perched in weak sunshine on corrugated iron sheet.jpg
Description: Sunning itself on a piece of Corrugated Iron, this Common Darter Dragonfly
shows the wing structure well against the weathered metal.
View: D73_20200909_1738_105 Common Darter Dragonfly male landing on corrugated iron with shadow 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: A magical moment at the time, and still is in this photo,
as this Common Darter Dragonfly gently lands next to his shadow.
View: D73_20200909_1615_074 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male perched on blackberry stem.jpg
Description: The dominant Dragonfly here in this cold weather is the Migrant Hawker.
This one is warming itself in the sunshine hanging from an old Blackberry stem.
View: D73_20200908_1742_050 Southern Hawker Dragonfly male.jpg
Description: The Southern Hawker is the second-most populous Hawker Dragonfly here.
Date: 19 Oct 2020
View: D01_20200905_1837_123_FB6 Buzzard lands on Meadow post and stays 10+ minute 1of 5 (close crop).jpg
Description: A few distant sightings of a Buzzard over the site over
the last few days is supplemented by this visit to the Meadow Post for an at-least 10 minute
stay.
Here is a dramatic moment in the landing
View: D01_20200905_1837_123+124_FB6 Buzzard lands on Meadow post and stays 10+ minute 1+2 of 5 (montage about 300mS apart).jpg
Description: These two moments of the Buzzard landing at about a third of a second apart.
View: D01_20200905_1838_126-1844_138_FB6 Buzzard lands on Meadow post and stays 10+ minute 4+3+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: The Buzzard in hunting mode - stand and watch for some unfortunate ground dwelling creature.
Date: 18 Oct 2020
View: E63_20200905_0329_179_FB1 Yellow slug (Limax flavus) sliding over top of stone.jpg
Description: Something new in the Slug world for us - a 'Yellow Slug' (actual common name).
About the same size as a Leopard slug and equally striking in it's own way.
View: D73_20200905_0920_001 Harlequin Ladybird (14 spots).jpg
Description: Worryingly few Ladybirds of any sort at the moment.
This seems to be one of the huge number of variants of Harlequin Ladybirds.
Date: 17 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200904_1037_066-070 Red Kite flying past top of young Lombardy Poplar 2-6 of 6 (accurate montage @10fps).jpg
Description: This Red Kite flew in a huge arc, providing the opportunity for some pics.
View: D73_20200904_1037_133-136 Red Kite turning in flight 1-4 of 4 (impression montage @ 10fps).jpg
Description: This Red Kite flew in a huge arc, providing the opportunity for some pics.
View: D73_20200904_1037_184 Red Kite in flight.jpg
Description: This Red Kite flew in a huge arc, providing the opportunity for some pics.
Date: 16 Oct 2020
View: E64_20200903_2225_025_FB2 Fox (crop 1).jpg
Description: A Fox prowls through the Woodland site
View: E64_20200903_2225_025_FB2 Fox (crop 2).jpg
Description: A Fox prowls through the Woodland site - a 'head and shoulders. portrait.
Date: 15 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200831_1155_032 Mint Beetles mating on Mint leaf.jpg
Description: 2 Mint Beetles doing their thing on a mint plant.
View: D73_20200831_1156_035 Mint Beetle on Mint leaf (crop).jpg
Description: An individual Mint Beetle gives us a good view of the carapace's Gorgeous iridescence.
Date: 14 Oct 2020
View: E64_20200829_1534_038_FB2 Grey Squirrel carrying away Leyland cypress frond and cones.jpg
Description: The camera that takes pictures at this woodland site lives under the cover of a now huge
Leyland Cypress tree. Almost certainly this Grey Squirrel has bitten off this twig
complete with developing cones, and is taking it somewhere 'quiet' to eat the goodies.
View: E62_20200830_1805_189_FB5 Rabbit youngster with pronounced ears.jpg
Description: An Uber-twee Rabbit standing on the food as it eats it 'teenage' style.
The ears look out of proportion, but that may be quite a normal part of development.
We don't normally see Rabbits this young at the high resolution photo sites.
View: E62_20200901_0701_059_FB5 Rabbit youngster leaping over grass (crop).jpg
Description: We can't even begin to imagine why this juvenile Rabbit is leaping so high
over the grass.
Date: 13 Oct 2020
View: D01_20200829_0834_055+20200830_1401_107+20200827_0839_058_FB6 Green Woodpecker juv + Great Spotted Woodpecker juv + Kestrel female (montage).jpg
Description: Over two days we show all these three birds at the same scale -
Left: A belligerent looking Juvenile Green Woodpecker.
Middle: The smaller juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker
Right: The female Kestrel is a bit of a mess from her moult.
Why is the Great Spotted Woodpecker - the smallest bird here - called 'Great'?
The 'Great' just relative to the substantially smaller 'Lesser Spotted Woodpecker'
(which we have never seen) while Southern Europe also sports a 'Middle' Spotted Woodpecker.
Date: 12 Oct 2020
View: BU7_20200829_0607_050 Fox juvenile stepping out of ditch.jpg
Description: As the day starts to break, one of the local Foxes enters through the gap
in the hedge you can see behind, and is here climbing out of the ditch.
View: BU2_20200830_1852_172_SC7 Fox walking down mound showing dark facial marking.jpg
Description: As evening draws in, this fox wanders down the Mound.
The fallen branch is typical of what we are seeing all over the site -
dead branches littering the ground after the recent gales.
Date: 11 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200824_1212_111 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn licks fly from face 2 of 2 (detail crop).jpg
Description: This young Reeve's Muntjac Deer is using her enormous tongue to flick away
a fly that landed on her face.
View: D73_20200824_1212_110+111 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn licks fly from face 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: To put the above image into some context:-
Approaching the blocked gate we startled away a female Reeve's Muntjac Deer who
ran off down the crop edge and through the hedge. We thought we heard one or
two 'barks' from the Deer as she went.
As we moved through the gate this young Deer stood looking at us.
This moment catches a fly landing below her left eye, and her tongue whipping out
to flip it away. The fly you see at the top of the tongue is
actually in-flight, with the insect's shadow roughly where the
fly originally was.
View: BU4_20200831_2056_013-2058_024 Muntjac Reeves Deer Mother and weaned Fawn 1+2+4+5 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: A sweet few minutes a week later recorded by the automatic camera at the east
boundary shows us Mum and juvenile Reeve's Muntjac Deer quietly foraging
together. We don't routinely bait this site, so they must be finding fallen
Hawthorn berries and the like.
Date: 10 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200824_1056_025 Ivy Flower starting to open attracting Fly and Wasp.jpg
Description: Neither of us are keen on green flowers, but our aesthetic judgement is not shared
by the insects. This head contains both unopened and open Ivy flowers.
View: D73_20200831_1624_068 Wasps on rotting apple peel.jpg
Description: Neither of us are keen on wasps, but we don't interfere with them unless they
become a problem, but we have to admit that this is a wonderful show of
yellow and black.
Date: 09 Oct 2020
View: D5C_20200827_0802_007+013 Grey Squirrel scrabbling in mown grass finding acorn 1+2 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Grass cut the previous day, This Grey Squirrel was vigorously scraping at the
ground, and it seems found an acorn.
View: D73_20200827_1023_007 Grey Squirrel on gate about to bite into acorn.jpg
Description: 2 hours later a Grey Squirrel is biting into an acorn on top of our
dilapidated gate.
Date: 08 Oct 2020
View: E64_20200827_0037_041_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile browsing.jpg
Description: A juvenile Reeve's Muntjac Deer checks over a photo site for some tasty
additions to his diet.
View: D73_20200827_1045_032 Muntjac Deer juvenile browses through orchard 4 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: As we walk up an orchard path towards the house, this young Reeve's Muntjac Deer
is walking the other way. We both stop and look at each other before the
Deer makes a slightly nervous jink to the left and then quietly walks off in that direction.
Date: 07 Oct 2020
View: BU5_20200823_2131_129_SC1 Fox on edge of Round pond gazing upwards.jpg
Description: On the edge of Round pond, this Fox gazes up at the overhanging trees.
No idea what is attracting the attention.
View: BU4_20200823_2132_218 Fox scent marking tree in east hedge.jpg
Description: A couple of minutes later the Fox reaches the East boundary and is here
scent marking one of the hedging trees.
View: BU6_20200823_0037_085_SC2 Badger lying down to crunch apples.jpg
Description: Lying down on the job - this badger spent a few minutes crunching up
windfall apples while sprawling luxuriously like a Roman Emperor.
Date: 06 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200822_1555_355 Migrant Hawker Dragonfly male hanging from Blackthorn thorn.jpg
Description: This male Migrant Hawker Dragonfly landed to hang from one of the giant
thorns of a Blackthorn plant in a hedge.
View: D73_20200824_0948_019-021 2 Speckled Wood butterflies courtship flight 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage right to left @ 10fps).jpg
Description: A pair of Speckled Wood Butterflies in a courtship flight.
Read right to left in pairs, accurately positioned at 10 fps.
View: D73_20200827_1018_006 Cinnabar Caterpillars on leaf-stripped Ragwort.jpg
Description: A couple of Cinnabar Caterpillars on a Ragwort plant they have completely stripped
of foliage.
Date: 05 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200822_1548_317 Kestrel female preening under eye with claw.jpg
Description: The female kestrel shows us how to scratch your eye with a stiletto!
View: D73_20200822_1654_392 Kestrel female on apple tree dead branch.jpg
View: D73_20200822_1656_405 Kestrel female on apple tree dead branch 7m away (crop 2).jpg
Description: Near the end of the day the Kestrel about 4 metres up in the Apple tree lets the
photographer reach about 7 metres from her. Not wanting to discourage her visits,
a tactical withdrawal followed and she was still there when back indoors.
Half an hours later she had 'gone'.
Our next brief sighting was 7 days later.
Date: 04 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200822_1459_243 Kestrel female hovering 2 metres high over back garden grass 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: An hour later the female Kestrel surprised us by momentarily hovering about 2m
above the back 'garden lawn'. The photographer just pointed the camera and
'fired', and was surprised to find even 2 frames with reasonable pics of the
kestrel on it. Long-live Auto-focus!
View: D73_20200822_1459_254 Kestrel female on Silver Birch twig in gusty wind (crop).jpg
Description: Immediately after the hover the female Kestrel landed in the back-garden weeping Silver Birch ...
View: D73_20200822_1503_280+289+290 Kestrel female in birch tree blown off by wind gust 04+08+09 of 10 (approx montage @10fps).jpg
Description: ... but a strong gust of wind made her lose balance, and she ended up with her back
to the gale. Not a comfortable angle for any bird ...
View: D73_20200822_1548_309 Kestrel female perched showing moulting tail regrowing.jpg
Description: ... and she quickly flew back to the more stable perch in the apple tree.
Date: 03 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200822_1340_169 Kestrel female on power insulator.jpg
Description: The second day of female Kestrel sightings was of her perched on the bracket
supporting our electricity supply.
Fortunately the top conductor is the Neutral polarity so she would survive touching the
wire.
View: D73_20200822_1345_207 Kestrel female on disused gate-post from North.jpg
Description: 4 minutes later we find the female kestrel has moved on to the disused Gatepost.
The heavy (and vertical!) post left of middle is an 11kV power-line support. She
quietly preens but not quite ignoring us. Her tail feathers are becoming quite a
mess as she moults.
View: D73_20200822_1347_222+1348_225+1351_231 Kestrel female on disused Gate Post from north (montage).jpg
Description: Here she stood quietly for at least 4 minutes, presumably hoping something
tasty would appear on the concrete track or verge.
She doesn't bother looking at the hedge - she isn't suited to pouncing
in dense foliage, unlike a Sparrowhawk who will fly straight through a
dense hedge in pursuit of prey
Date: 02 Oct 2020
View: E62_20200821_1722_120_FB5+D01_20200821_1802_196_FB6 Magpies feeding on dead rabbit chase away Kestrel female who grabbed a piece 1+3+2 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: Earlier on this day we found a juvenile Rabbit lying dead on a path. Apart from
a few bird pecks it didn't show any obvious sign of attack by a predator. We
moved it to the meadow camera site in hope of seeing a Fox or Badger take it
away, but instead what seems a endless sequence of Magpie visits reduced the
bulk of the Rabbit to almost nothing. The Kestrel seems to have decided a bit of
carrion would be good, grabbed a bit and arrived at the meadow post with it. But
the Magpies were not having this interloper take 'their' food, and quickly chase
the Kestrel away.
A little licence taken with the timing - the Magpie chasing
away the Kestrel took place too quickly for the camera to catch
it.
View: D01_20200821_1802_197_FB6 Magpies feeding on dead rabbit chase away Kestrel female who grabbed a piece 4 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: This pic of the landing female kestrel is 300mS after the one in the montage
above, and you can see that the content of the left claw is not the usual vole
or mouse.
Date: 01 Oct 2020
View: D73_20200821_1017_051+053+055 Kestrel female flies from disused gate-post from SE 09+11+13 of 14 (acc montage @ 10fps).jpg
Description: For 2 days we had multiple sightings of the local female Kestrel
First we see her on the post of the disused gate viewed from the farm's side.
We slightly surprised her arriving here, and she eventually decided to depart.
Here she crouches before launch, and then 2 moments about 0.2 second apart.
View: D73_20200821_1017_052+054 Kestrel female flies from disused gate-post viewed from SE 10+12 of 14 (accurate montage @ 10fps).jpg
Description: The actual camera rate is 10 fps, so here we fill-in the missing two pics.
of her launch.
View: D73_20200821_1610_064 Kestrel female on dead branch of apple tree.jpg
Description: A few hours later the female kestrel is hunting from a Branch in an apple tree
at the end of our 'orchard'. She seems more tolerant of humans here.
View: D73_20200821_1611_072 Kestrel female on dead branch of apple tree.jpg
Description: A few hours later the female kestrel is hunting from a Branch in an apple tree
at the end of our 'orchard'. She seems more tolerant of humans here.
Image Archive arch 2020 sep.htm (view it Here)
Date: 30 Sep 2020
View: BU5_20200821_0148_035_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer male sniffing rear of female.jpg
Description: About 50% of pictures of the male and female Reeve's Muntjac Deer show the male
sniffing around the rear of the female. He must not miss his chance - what else
are males for?
View: BU5_20200821_0149_037+039_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer male at rear of female 1+3 of 3 (montage over a few seconds).jpg
Description: One minute later the male Reeve's Muntjac Deer looks a bit disgruntled,
and actually looks at something else.
Date: 29 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200820_1036_037-043 Red Kite flying behind trees 1-7 of 7 (accurate montage @10 fps).jpg
Description: This Red kite made a long fly-by before finally disappearing behind trees.
Accurately spaced at about 10 fps.
View: D73_20200820_1042_064 Red Kite in flight.jpg
Description: 6 minutes later a Red Kite made a return pass with the head better lit.
Date: 28 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200817_1211_042 Southern Hawker Dragonfly female hanging from stinging nettle flowers (crop).jpg
Description: Our first (and so far only) sighting this year of a Southern Hawker Dragonfly.
This is a female hanging on stinging nettle flowers.
View: D73_20200817_1556_135 Sloe Bug (Dolycoris baccarum) on teasel head 1 of 2 (crop).jpg
Description: In the top of a spiky teasel, this Sloe Bug quietly explores.
Date: 27 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200817_1553_129 Common Darter Dragonfly female perched on clothes line bracket (crop).jpg
Description: This female Common Darter Dragonfly seems to like the top of our
dilapidated rotary clothes drier.
A beautiful creature on real Tat!
View: D73_20200820_1309_136 Common Darter Dragonfly female perched on dead twig on woodpile.jpg
Description: This female Common Darter Dragonfly seems to have taken a liking to twigs at the
top of the Woodpile outside the kitchen.
View: D73_20200820_1311_155+156+158 Common Darter Dragonfly female landing on woodpile twig 2+3+5 of 5 (impression montage).jpg
Description: One of the fun things about Darter Dragonflies is that they often return to the perch
from which they have just flown, given a chance to photograph a landing as here.
NOT an accurate montage but a decent 'impression'.
View: D73_20200820_1312_227 Common Darter Dragonfly female perched on dead twig on woodpile.jpg
Description: This female Common Darter Dragonfly seems to have taken a liking to twigs at the
top of the Woodpile outside the kitchen.
Date: 26 Sep 2020
View: BU4_20200814_2115_044 Muntjac Reeves Deer female + male + Juvenile.jpg
Description: Our little Reeve's Muntjac Deer family entering the site from the just harvested
and harrowed farm land near the North East corner.
View: BU6_20200815_2311_112_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male sniffing female as Fawn suckles 5 of 5 (crop).jpg
Description: Next night we catch our little family at the South West corner. The Fawn is
enjoying a feed from the Milk-bar, while Dad eagerly sniffs Mum to see if she is
up for a little action.
Apparently female Muntjacs can sometimes mate just a week or two after giving
birth.
Date: 25 Sep 2020
View: E63_20200814_1748_094_FB1 2 Chaffinch males in aerial squabble above fleeing Dunnock.jpg
Description: A teatime aerial squabble between 2 male Chaffinches.
The Dunnock at the bottom seems to have decided to escape before one
of the Chaffinches turns on them.
Date: 24 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200814_1624_239 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile just east of hedge by vegetable bed 3 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: Behind a bench is an odd little patch of undergrowth with a patch cleared to
allow cutting to prevent it growing too tall. This deer has wandered into
the cleared patch behind where we were sitting, and here was quite definitely
eating stinging nettles despite there being plenty of non-stinging leafage available.
View: BU6_20200819_0146_070_SC2 Muntjac Reeves Deer male chewing apple under apple tree.jpg
Description: A male Reeve's Muntjac Deer busily Chewing an apple he has found
in the brambles and stinging nettles under our most productive (cooking)
apple tree.
Date: 23 Sep 2020
View: D01_20200813_1833_074_FB6 Wood Pigeon preening tail feather.jpg
Description: Some feather maintenance in progress, starting to preen the way along
the row of tail feathers.
The feathers may be getting uncomfortable as the moult begins.
View: D73_20200817_0955_029 Wood Pigeon feathers spiralling downwards after bird takes off from tree (adjusted crop).jpg
Description: A few days later, walking down the Farm Road, this event bordered on a surreal
experience. A Pigeon took off from one of the young roadside Lombardy poplars,
nothing in itself to grab the camera, but as it flew away an appearance like
miniature parachutes 'littered' the sky, spinning as they descended. It seems
they are feathers from the Pigeon's tail, for some reason many being shed at
once. The insert is an enlargement of the middle-right feather.
View: E62_20200816_1047_005_FB5 Wood Pigeon missing all long tail feathers.jpg
Description: Have we found the Pigeon with the missing tail feathers? Sadly NO.
This pic was taken the day before of a similarly tail-deprived Pigeon, which may
mean this is not an uncommon occurrence, but you have to be very lucky to see it.
Date: 22 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200813_1454_041-1512_124 Kestrel female eating prey (young Starling (q)) in old apple tree 1-4 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: This female Kestrel streaked past the window and landed on a substantial
horizontal branch of the oldest Apple tree. In shade on an already gloomy day we
couldn't see what she was up to, but looking into dark areas the camera sees her
dismembering what looks to us like a juvenile Starling - one of the dozens to be
seen on the electricity cables. She spent almost 20 minutes eating this really
substantial catch.
Date: 21 Sep 2020
View: D36_20200812_2100_041-20200813_0248_077_FB4 Red Underwing moth multiple visits in 6 hrs 01+02+04+05+10 of 10 (acc montage).jpg
Description: An unusual amount of wet 'bait' overnight at this site attracted what is most
likely several different Red Underwing Moths over a period of 6 hours.
Here is an accurate montage of 5 of the 10 camera triggers that made useful images.
View: D36_20200813_2314_013_FB4 Red Underwing Moth on tree stump as another flies in.jpg
Description: Next night the camera caught these two Red Underwing moths at this site together.
View: D36_20200814_2345_044_FB4 2 Red Underwing Moths with Leopard slug.jpg
Description: And another night on finds two Red Underwing Moths joining a leopard slug for the feast.
It's not very clear, but it is possible that the moth on the right is sucking up fluid that wets the slug.
We have definitely seen fieldmice (wood mice) licking slugs, but this sighting is less certain.
Date: 20 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200810_1211_054-101 Red Kite circling (close spaced selected montage).jpg
Description: This Red Kite wheeled around our heads, which we here try to represent at
smaller than an A1 piece of paper!
View: D73_20200810_1212_172-176 Red Kite gliding behind trees while looking sideways @10 fps12-16 of 16 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: One minute later the departing Red Kite seems more interested in whatever can be
seen the to right than where they are going!
View: D73_20200811_1232_353+381+386 Red Kite circling (montage frame rate 10fps).jpg
Description: Next day this Red Kite made a couple of circles, but too awkwardly positioned
for a long sequence. Finally she vanished into the distance.
Date: 19 Sep 2020
View: D01_20200811_1924_140_FB6 Wood Pigeon landing on post lit by evening sunshine.jpg
Description: A Wood pigeon with an attractive natural symmetry as it lands.
Date: 18 Sep 2020
View: E63_20200809_0804_150_FB1 Chaffinch male preparing to land on stone.jpg
Description: This male Chaffinch undercarriage down ready for landing.
View: E63_20200812_1848_102_FB1 Robin flying in to stone (crop 2).jpg
Description: This juvenile Robin has not been visiting the site to show his developing
red breast. but here looks full of 'joy' and anticipation as the bird flies into the
site.
But no, ...
View: E63_20200812_1848_102_FB1 Robin flying in threatening Chaffinch male on stone (crop 1).jpg
Description: ... its an attack on the male Chaffinch standing innocently on the stone.
Date: 17 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200808_1519_199+213+1521_247+1522_268 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile at main pond 1+4+5+8 of 8 (montage).jpg
Description: 2 days running we have had face-to-face encounters with a young Reeve's Muntjac Deer.
This one we watched from outside the kitchen window, browsing on the grass and weeds by
the main pond, and then stepping down the bank to the low water to get a drink.
A quite magical experience.
View: D73_20200809_1212_030-1214_049 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile in trees at Duck pond reaching 2m away 2+3+5+6 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: Next day the young Deer got within about 2 metres of the stationary but
undisguised cameraman. The apparent 'looking down' angle of the top right image
is absolutely genuine.
View: D73_20200809_1214_049 Muntjac Reeves Deer juvenile in undergrowth near Duck pond 6 of 7 (crop for tongue).jpg
Description: These lovely little creatures can lick their eye!
Date: 16 Sep 2020
View: E63_20200807_1917_065_FB1 Blackbird male.jpg
Description: A somewhat tatty but busy male Blackbird at the hedge bottom.
We have a few pics of him with food items in his beak, but none
worth showing you. We have no idea where the nest is.
View: E62_20200808_0519_088_FB5 Blackbird female with grub in beak (orig).jpg
Description: On the other hand the female Blackbird has been spotted several times with various
grubs and adult insects in her beak.
The 'kitchen hygiene' in us makes us desperate to give this food a wash!
View: E62_20200810_0513_206_FB5 Blackbird female with grub in beak.jpg
Description: 2 days later she has found a cleaner looking morsel for the screaming youngsters.
View: E62_20200812_0518_073_FB5 Blackbird female with small slug (q) in beak.jpg
Description: The female Blackbird has found yet another juicy slug to take back to the ever open beaks.
Date: 15 Sep 2020
View: DF3_20200806_1446_069+071+078 Red Kite turning head while gliding 1-3 of 3 (close spaced montage @7fps).jpg
Description: 3 well separated Red Kites made the most of good conditions for thermal up-drafts.
This one spent a minute or so just 10 or 20m from us.
Against a predominant clear sky, we can't work out 'accurate spacing', so
we have tried to suggest the motion in close spaced montages.
View: DF3_20200806_1447_105+108+117+119+124 Red Kite wheeling in flight overhead 01-05 of 13 (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: The Red Kite wheels overhead.
View: DF3_20200806_1447_147+152+156+170 Red Kite wheeling in flight overhead 06-09 of 13 (close spaced montage 1).jpg
Description: The Red Kite wheels overhead.
View: DF3_20200806_1447_184+192+205 Red Kite wheeling in flight overhead 10+11+13 of 13 (close spaced montage).jpg
Description: Bye-bye Red Kite - lovely to see you so well.
Date: 14 Sep 2020
View: E62_20200804_1039_080_FB5 Blackbird female with slug + other items in beak.jpg
Description: A female Blackbird collecting a small slug, plus several other 'things' in
her beak. We think she is feeding another batch of chicks in one of
our old sheds.
Date: 13 Sep 2020
View: DF3_20200804_0944_036-042 Heron perched on dead branches flies along brook edge 01+02+04-07 of 17 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: This branch fell from a tree at the brook in the Spring storms, but this is the
first time we have seen a Heron using it as a perch.
Although some 70m away the bird wasn't pleased to see us, and after a
couple of minutes decided to fly to the other side of the brook.
View: DF3_20200804_0944_044-048 Heron perched on dead branches flies along brook edge 09-13 of 17 (accurate montage @7fps).jpg
Description: The Heron continued the flight against shaded foliage, gradually picking
up airspeed. This image is exactly the same from rate and width before
re-scaling as the take-off above, so comparison is meaningful.
View: DF3_20200804_0944_050 Heron perched on dead branches flies along brook edge 15 of 17 (crop).jpg
Description: The last frame before they disappeared into the shade of the trees.
Date: 12 Sep 2020
View: E63_20200802_2010_132_FB1 Fox (crop).jpg
Description: A Fox on the Prowl passes through the hedge-bottom photo site.
View: E63_20200803_1814_051_FB1 Fox (crop 1).jpg
Description: A profile image of a fox is quite unusual at this site.
Facial features suggest that this is the same fox seen the day before,
so presumably the flash and thump from the camera box is not enough
to put off this individual.
View: E63_20200803_1814_051_FB1 Fox (crop 2).jpg
Description: A sort of Head-and-shoulders of the Fox.
Date: 11 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200802_1021_056+049 Clouded Yellow Butterfly male at south hedge (1st sighting) 5+4 of 5 (montage + wing top insert).jpg
Description: Our first ever sighting of a Clouded Yellow butterfly, along the sun facing
side of the south hedge. This is the male.
This insect has a vivid orange appearance in flight, but closes the wings
immediately on landing so you don't get to see the upper surface.
The insert is a slightly blurred moment in flight where we can momentarily
see the top of the wings with the even richer yellow.
Date: 10 Sep 2020
View: DF3_20200804_0950_066 Common Darter Dragonfly.jpg
Description: A middle sized Dragonfly, the Common Darter
View: DF3_20200806_1758_305-307 Brown Hawker Dragonfly in flight @7fps 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: The Brown Hawker Dragonfly is well named - even their wings are tinged brown.
Here is one flying by taken at about 7 fps.
View: DF3_20200806_1758_306 Brown Hawker Dragonfly in flight 2 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: The middle image in more detail.
The damaged wing is very typical of the insect after a few days
in the sunshine. Damage can get much worse than this before it has
any impact on ability to fly well.
Date: 09 Sep 2020
View: BU8_20200731_1532_083+084 Muntjac Reeves Deer male checking females scent 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: The male Reeve's Muntjac Deer checking out 'his' female for readiness
to mate. A second or two later you can see his tongue is still hanging out.
View: BU4_20200801_0133_063 Badger with head up towards camera.jpg
Description: This image of a badger at the east hedge struck us as unusual -
you can see the Badger snout looking rather like the classic farm pig's.
Badgers spend most of their time 'nose to the ground' so we don't normally see
the snout.
View: BU6_20200803_0040_210+213+215_SC2 Badger biting pieces from windfall apple 1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: The season of Windfall apples is enjoyed by many creatures.
Here a badger arrives at what looks like a pristine apple, holds it
in place with their paw for a bite or two from it, before wandering on.
Date: 08 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200729_1614_128 Banded Demoiselle Damselfly male.jpg
Description: We thought we had seen the last of the two "Demoiselle Damselfly" species for the
year, so are pleased to see this male Banded Demoiselle well away from
their normal haunts.
View: D73_20200730_1458_256 Field Grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus) on path through meadow.jpg
Description: A Field Grasshopper landed unexpectedly at our feet, and the
camera caught the little creature before he 'hopped' onwards.
Date: 07 Sep 2020
View: E60_20200730_1438_027_FB3 Sparrowhawk flying towards camera over kitchen window perch (crop).jpg
Description: A Sparrowhawk barrels over the kitchen window perch.
Several occurences of sightings here over several days.
View: BU8_20200803_0353_233 Bats flying near Duck Pond over browsing Reeves Muntjac Deer 1 of 3 (crop + details insert).jpg
Description: The camera by this pond caught 3 successive frames showing what must be at least
4 Bats hunting. This is the first of the 3 frames. Top right is an enlarged
image of the two on the left, with spacing closed up a bit.
Insects close enough to the camera mimic bats and birds in flight are quite
common, but close enough to the camera to give this impression are both bright
white from the IR illuminator, and badly blurred.
Thanks to the foraging deer for triggering the camera at a suitable moment. We
used to actively photograph bats, but that's another story.
Date: 06 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200730_1303_157 Holly Blue Butterflies mating on Hawthorn leaf (crop).jpg
Description: A pair of Holly Blue butterflies mating on a Hawthorn leaf.
View: D73_20200802_1118_110 Brown Argus Butterfly male feeding on Thistle.jpg
Description: This is a male Brown Argus butterfly.
The Brown Argus is classified as 'Blue' butterfly, and its underwing (not shown here)
is quite similar to Common Blue. We initially mis-identified this individual
as a female Common Blue but a friend corrected our ID.
We are starting to see more blues here than in past years.
Date: 05 Sep 2020
View: D73_20200730_1300_129+131+134 Buzzard gliding by (close spaced montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Some bright weather with patches of cloud brings out the large raptors -
here a buzzard glides by looking for a thermal up-draft.
View: D73_20200730_1301_150 Buzzard gliding overhead.jpg
Description: Some bright weather with patches of cloud brings out the large raptors -
here a buzzard glides by looking for a thermal up-draft.
Date: 04 Sep 2020
View: E60_20200728_1753_031_FB3 Kestrel female with Short-tailed Field Vole in 1 claw (crop 1).jpg
Description: Right outside the Kitchen window this female Kestrel arrives with a Short-tailed Field Vole
caught on the ground outside the kitchen window.
On the CCTV record we first see the bird swoop from the Ash tree down to the
ground (then out of frame). 30 seconds later the bird with prey in Talons flies up to the
perch, flying behind the perch to land facing the camera, as you see here.
The bird momentarily leaves the prey laying on the perch and it shows no signs of life.
30 second later it grabs the prey in the talons again and flies off to the left.
Date: 03 Sep 2020
View: DF3_20200723_1103_057 Red Kite flying by.jpg
Description: This Red Kite flies by - the liquid clear eye giving us a suspicious stare.
View: D73_20200727_1754_038-042 Red Kite threatens harassing Rook 1-5 of 5 (Horizontally shifted montage @10fps).jpg
Description: Several Rooks were trying to make life uncomfortable for this Red Kite.
But one glance upwards by the Kite seems enough to deter this pass.
View: D73_20200728_0950_121-151 Red Kite adult & juvenile practicing in-flight combat 01+05+07+09 of 12 (montage 2).jpg
Description: These two Red Kites obviously practicing aerial combat. It never
got really 'nasty' so we rather enjoyed the aerobatics. Parents
often spar with their youngsters to teach them 'the ropes'.
Date: 02 Sep 2020
View: D01_20200726_2008_009-20200727_0625_001_FB6 Buzzard makes 3 short visits to meadow post sunset to rise 1-5 of 6 (montage).jpg
Description: What looks like the same Buzzard made 3 visits to the meadow Post in the course
of one evening and the next morning. Each visit lasted 2 to 3 minutes.
View: D01_20200727_0625_001_FB6 Buzzard making 3 (2-3 min) visits to meadow post sunset to sunrise 5 of 6 (crop).jpg
Description: More detail of the Buzzard's morning visit.
Date: 01 Sep 2020
View: DF4_20200726_1814_003-1827_135 Kestrel female hunt - Willow+Ash+ground+Ash+table 01+04+(05+06)+08+09+13 of 14 (montage).jpg
Description: At around 6 p.m. this female Kestrel gave a quarter of an hour's
hunting demonstration watched through an upstairs window.
She flew in unexpectedly to a Willow tree on the far side of the pond about 22m away.
After a few minutes she flew onto a dead branch of the Ash tree occupying the
pond's island perhaps 17m away and started an intensive hunt. She flew from this
branch down to the bottom of the bird-table post, stayed a minute or two, and flew
back to a different branch on the Ash tree. Finally she flew down the TOP of the
bird table, unfortunately missing that cameras trigger beam.
View: DF4_20200726_1822_056 Kestrel female hunting - Willow + Ash + ground + Ash + table 06 of 14 (crop).jpg
Description: More detailed picture from the hunt - the launch.
View: DF4_20200726_1822_092 Kestrel female hunting - Willow + Ash + ground + Ash + table 09 of 14 (crop).jpg
Description: More detailed picture from the hunt - the return after the failed attack.
Image Archive arch 2020 aug.htm (view it Here)
Date: 31 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200726_1243_117 Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata) wingspan 20mm on Mint flower.jpg
Description: A really beautiful if rather small 2cm (0.7 inch) wingspan Mint Moth feasting on
the flowering mint plants. The inner yellow 'dots' are actually mostly hidden
streaks on the lower wings.
Allowing patches of mint to flower in the last year or two has been unexpectedly rewarding.
View: D73_20200729_1737_155 Bronze Shieldbug (Troilus luridus) Larva (crop).jpg
Description: This stunning insect is a Larval stage of the not-quite so
stunning adult Bronze Shieldbug (Troilus luridus).
The Larva starts eating vegetable matter, but later moves on to Moth larvae and Beetles.
Date: 30 Aug 2020
View: BU7_20200723_2215_015 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn + female + male.jpg
Description: One of 'our' Reeve's Muntjac Deer families at the SW corner entrance.
View: BU2_20200728_0832_176_SC7 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn sniffing infant sycamore growing on mound.jpg
Description: A Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn sniffing the 'trunk' of this infant self-set Sycamore tree.
Possibly other Deer have scent-marked it.
View: BU3_20200729_1951_295-297_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn exits site followed by mother1-3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: A Rather sweet moment as one of the smaller Reeves Muntjac Deer Fawns exits our
patch onto the access road, mother following it through the hole in the netting.
Date: 29 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200722_0946_231 Kestrel female moving along 11KV cables before flying off 03 of 13 (crop).jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel is obviously mid-moult, and here stops on an 11kV cable
for a 'reef-out. This is 'Lady Grey Feather' named for the single grey tail feather,
but it is this feather that has moulted early.
Will the replacement feather be Grey or Brown?
View: D73_20200722_0949_241-246 Kestrel female moving along 11KV cables before flying off 5+6+8-10 of 13 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: She worked her way along the wire before perching on the crossbar,
finally making her departure by the usual 'falling off' technique.
View: D73_20200720_1258_024-027 Kestrel male hovering @10 fps with Pigeon 2-5 of 5 (montage downwards true heights at bottom).jpg
Description: We don't see a lot of the male Kestrel, so are pleased to see him
hovering over the field to our South. A Pigeon flying horizontally
right to left provides some visual timing reference
Read this top to bottom, where the bottom pair of birds are at 'actual height'.
Date: 28 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200719_1224_106-109 Emperor Dragonfly male (old & very tatty) in flight 1-4 of 4 (accurate montage with insert).jpg
Description: We first saw (no photo) a male Emperor Dragonfly some weeks back in this area.
At last getting a photo, we see he has led a busy life in the interim, wings now really
tatty from endless brushing on foliage, but still flying well. These at 10 fps.
View: DF3_20200717_1049_161 Brown Hawker Dragonfly (1st of 2020).jpg
Description: We think we have seen one of these Brown Hawker Dragonflies several times,
but not sure enough to report. So here is our first confirmed sighting this year.
The cropped 'Anal Appendage' is also missing on the original grabbed shot.
Date: 27 Aug 2020
View: BU5_20200721_1508_220_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer fawn + mother on edge of Round Pond.jpg
Description: Fawn and Mum Reeve's Muntjac Deer share a quiet moment at the pond edge.
View: BU3_20200721_1520_290_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer Mother leads Fawn across access track.jpg
Description: 12 minutes later we see them pattering across the access track.
View: BU4_20200721_1307_145 Muntjac Reeves Deer male with antlers in velvet.jpg
Description: What we believe is the Fawn's Dad pauses just after entering the site through the east boundary.
View: BU4_20200722_2036_284 Muntjac Reeves Deer male with antlers in velvet rubbing forehead on ground.jpg
Description: Next night we see him forehead to ground, possibly scent marking, but more likely the 'velvet'
on his antlers is getting irritating and he wants to rub it off.
Date: 26 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200716_1229_016 Brimstone Butterfly on Crocosmia flower.jpg
Description: One or more Brimstone Butterflies are visiting the Crocosmia flowers.
The deep trumpet may make the nectar accessible only to these bigger
Butterflies - we have never seen small butterflies on these flowers.
View: D73_20200719_1204_051 Brimstone Butterfly feeding on Crocosmia flower (crop).jpg
Description: 3 Days later around the same time of day another visit from a Brimstone Butterfly.
View: D73_20200722_1613_314 Peacock Butterfly on Hop Sedge.jpg
Description: A Peacock Butterfly spreads their wings in the soft sunshine.
Date: 25 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200721_1046_094-097 Buzzard Gliding by @ 10fps 2-5 of 5 (accurate montage 2).jpg
Description: A Buzzard glides quietly by ....
View: D73_20200721_1047_140-193 Buzzard circling in Thermal (about 10fps) 03+08+14+19+25+37+43+48+56 of 64 (montage).jpg
Description: The same bird then started serious circling in a Thermal, though obviously not a very strong one.
From 64 continuous frames of one complete circle we offer the montage of 'highlights'
Our paint package just can't handle image big enough to cover the whole event in one go.
If any of you want a lengthy distraction and have a paint package to match, please
let us know and we will 'zip' up the 64 pics and put them on the web site for you to collect.
Date: 24 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200717_1423_252 Gatekeeper Butterfly with Proboscis rolled up.jpg
Description: We have a huge 'crop' of Gatekeeper Butterflies this year.
Here you can see the coiled up Proboscis when at rest.
When you consider what a tangled mess humans can make with a hose,
this piece of 'design' is very effective - and it has to be for this insect to survive.
View: D73_20200719_1212_082 Gatekeeper Butterfly female feeding on Cow Parsley.jpg
Description: An immaculate female Gatekeeper Butterfly - the first female we have managed to
photograph this year. The 'boys' will be pleased :-)
Date: 23 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200717_0721_036-039 Pied Wagtail with large insect in beak unable to swallow it 1-4 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: Normally whatever a Wagtail catches goes down the hatch so fast you don't see it without
the aid of 'technology'. But this Pied Wagtail needed several tries and numerous 'bashes'
on the concrete before the prize would fit the beak.
View: D73_20200720_1623_064 Blue Tit juvenile pecking on rusty electricity pole support cable (crop).jpg
Description: This juvenile Blue Tit seems to be trying to glean nourishment from this piece
of really rusty old cable. Being young is the time to learn!
Date: 22 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200712_1051_028 Cinnabar moth Caterpillar on Ragwort.jpg
Description: While lots of insects use Ragwort nectar as fuel, the Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar normally
specialises in eating the poisonous Ragwort leaves that other insects can't eat.
Apparently they store the poisons in their bodies to protect both the Caterpillar and the
adult moth from predators. So not a Moth - YET.
View: D73_20200717_1741_003 Cinnabar Moth caterpillars (large and tiny) on unopened Ragwort flower.jpg
Description: Little and Large - Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar style.
View: DF3_20200717_1240_177+1244_226 Cinnabar Moth 1+3 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: Here are a couple of views of the Cinnabar Moth which, with a bit of luck,
the caterpillars will become.
Date: 21 Aug 2020
View: E62_20200711_1211_054_FB5 Magpie juvenile calling for food.jpg
Description: FOOD!
What do you mean - you are old enough to feed yourself!
View: E63_20200717_0549_111_FB1 Chaffinch male on stone + tiny snail.jpg
Description: The variation in scale of nature's creatures is wonderful.
Here the, to us, small chaffinch utterly dwarfs the tiny snail on the stone.
Date: 20 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200715_1142_085+087 Kestrel female hunting from old Apple Tree 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: The Local female Kestrel perched in her favourite spots in the garden on
one of the dead branches of an old apple tree.
Face and Profile views a few seconds apart, 'artistically' montaged.
View: D73_20200715_1526_125 Kestrel female hunting from House gutter at SW corner.jpg
Description: A 3 hours later we find her at another regular spot, perched on the end of the gutter
at the south-west corner of the house.
She may look more elegant to us on the branches, but from her point of view it's just
somewhere to watch for unwary rodents below.
Date: 19 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200710_0928_016 Ringlet Butterfly on Conifer.jpg
Description: This is a Ringlet Butterfly sunning itself in the morning sunshine
View: D73_20200712_0851_025 Red Admiral Butterfly on Blackberry flower.jpg
Description: A Red admiral Butterfly feasting on a Blackberry flower.
View: D73_20200712_0911_057 Gatekeeper Butterfly on Ragwort.jpg
Description: A Gatekeeper Butterfly enjoying the nectar from a Ragwort flower.
View: D73_20200712_0912_063 Meadow Brown Butterfly male on Ragwort.jpg
Description: A Meadow Brown enjoying the same source of Nectar.
Date: 18 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200712_0914_071 Red Admiral Butterfly feeding on Teasel.jpg
Description: A Red Admiral butterfly this time choosing a Teasel for it's next feed.
View: D73_20200712_0920_095 Green-veined White Butterflies mating (female on left) 3 of 3 (crop).jpg
Description: A couple of Green-veined White Butterflies fluttering in the grass as they
get 'worked up' prior to mating.
View: D73_20200712_1218_062 Peacock Butterfly on Thistle flower.jpg
Description: A Peacock Butterfly enjoying a Thistle flower
View: D73_20200714_1235_050 Speckled Wood butterfly.jpg
Description: A Speckled Wood butterfly sunning itself around mid-day.
Date: 17 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200712_1054_049 Thick Legged Flower Beetle male (crop 2).jpg
Description: A male Thick-legged Flower Beetle struts his stiff on Ragwort.
Even the leg swelling manage to have a fine coating of 'hairs'.
View: D73_20200711_1624_086 Mint Beetles mating on Mint leaf.jpg
Description: Mint beetles on err - Mint, working hard at making more Mint Beetles.
Date: 16 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200710_0939_076-079 Pied Wagtail finds insect while foraging through buttercups 1 of 4 (montage).jpg
Description: This Pied Wagtail is chasing about over the grass area, stopping suddenly every
few seconds. Here is what the stops are for - grab a tiny caterpillar (3rd image
from the left) and down the hatch with it. These taken at about 7 fps
View: D73_20200716_0720_150-152 Pied Wagtail catching tiny insect 1-3 of 3 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: A couple of Pied Wagtails were catching insects on the freshly mown grass outside
our South boundary. Its all too quick to see without the aid of 'slow motion' - here
the infinitely slow motion of an accurately montaged set of pics taken at 10 fps.
Date: 15 Aug 2020
View: BU3_20200708_1302_001+002_SC6 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn and mother on access track 1+2 of 2 (accurate montage).jpg
Description: Reeve's Muntjac mother and Fawn cross the access track to go through the
hole in the hedge into our patch. 2 moments 2 or 3 seconds apart.
View: E64_20200710_2112_050_FB2 Muntjac Reeves Deer female at sunset.jpg
Description: This female Reeve's Muntjac Deer is checking over the woodland site as the sun sets behind.
View: D01_20200711_0319_302+0217_286_FB6 Barn Owl (right) and Tawny Owl (left) visits 1 hour apart (montage).jpg
Description: In the small hours of the same night this Barn Owl makes an 8 minute visit to
the meadow post, followed just an hour later by a short visit from the Tawny Owl.
This are at identical scales, but the darker Tawny Owl has a different exposure.
Date: 14 Aug 2020
View: D01_20200709_1232_112-1238_125_FB6 Kestrel female takes vole to meadow post & eats it 01+03+05+09 of 12 (montage).jpg
Description: Not having seen her on it for months, we had assumed that the local female
Kestrel no longer much likes the meadow post. But here she has taken a Vole to
the post top and spends a few minutes ripping it to bits to eat it, followed by
a few minutes looking rather satisfied.
Date: 13 Aug 2020
View: D73_20200706_1051_019 Fox & Cubs flowers with 2 Marmalade Hover-flies.jpg
Description: We do enjoy these 'Fox & Cubs' flowers self-set around the house and providing
flashes of brilliant orange. The insects like them too.
View: D73_20200706_1507_108 Ragwort + Oxeye Daisy + Mallow + Teasels in meadow (orig & Final).jpg
Description: In the partial shade of the Oak tree at the edge of the meadow, a glorious
bouquet of self-set wild flowers.
Ragwort (the yellow flowers) is poisonous to many farm animals, but our
adjacent surroundings are now entirely arable so we permit some to grow.
View: DF3_20200705_1059_027+1102_030 Convolvulus flowers mostly in shade and mostly in sunshine 1+2 of 2 (montage).jpg
Description: These Convolvulus flowers in shade of the northern bridleway hedge are the normal pinkish colour.
Round the end of the hedge where the sun shines on the ground all day
exactly the same species are sun-bleached completely white.
Date: 12 Aug 2020
View: BU8_20200705_2206_809+BU5_2207_385+387+2208_388_SC1 Muntjac Reeves Deer pair mating by Round Pond 2+4+6+7 of 7 (montage).jpg
Description: We never expected to see a Reeve's Muntjac Deer mating, but here from two
different cameras linked by timestamps we see this couple's
encounter.
Top Left: Male dutifully follows the female past The Duck-shaped pond into the
woodland about 25 metres from Round Pond.
Top Right: A minute later the male is making overtures to the obliging female.
Bottom Left: Consumation.
Bottom Right: Probably 20 seconds later they quietly leave.
View: E62_20200707_2134_068_FB5 Muntjac Reeves Deer Fawn (crop).jpg
Description: A Reeve's Muntjac Deer Fawn makes another visit to this site,
this time giving us a decent view. What a sweetie.
Date: 11 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200705_1725_139+137+136 Kestrel female perched on old apple tree branch 3-1 of 3 (montage).jpg
Description: For a couple of days the local female Kestrel spent hours a day hunting from the dead
branches of an old apple tree 15m from the house
View: DF3_20200705_1736_160+1737_168+170+171 Kestrel female taking Vole to tree branch and eating it 05+07-09 of 12 (montage).jpg
Description: Here the female Kestrel has caught a Vole on the grass below, and flies to a
conveniently shaped dead branch of the tree to eat it.
View: D73_20200706_1448_086 Kestrel female hunting from apple tree dead branch.jpg
Description: The female Kestrel spends a lot of the second day hunting from dead branches
in our old apple tree. Her hunts were less successful on this day - we imagine
that the patch of grass was 'voled out'
Date: 10 Aug 2020
View: DF3_20200705_0620_046+0621_049 Kestrel female perched on swaying branch with head motionless 1+2 of 5 (montage).jpg
Description: The local female Kestrel flies to a branch (and whole tree) that is swaying in
the strong wind. Just like when hovering, she likes to keep her eyes still, and
here we see her neck accommodates the sway.
View: DF3_20200705_0630_120 Wood Pigeon flock feeding on Wheat crop by hovering into wind 3 of 4 (crop).jpg
Description: Just on the other side of the hedge along the northern Bridleway perhaps 100
Wood Pigeons are in the Wheat crop, using the wind to hover by crop seed heads
and peck bits off. Perhaps 20 birds are doing this while the rest circle or
dive into the depth of the crop probably to pick up spilled seed.
Never seen this behaviour before, and likely never will again.
Date: 09 Aug 2020