** 20% OFF ALL ACRYLIC PRINTS UNTIL MARCH 31ST **

Short Clip of a Badger (Video)

Last night I set my Bushnell Natureview up on a track near to a local Badger Sett. I wasn’t after any footage to create a video, but just to try and monitor their activities.

I hope to hide out for some photos and wondered the time of day these Badgers are active. I only got one short clip and it was at 10pm which is far too late for photography (unless I use flash, which I’m not a fan of), but hope that they do surface around dusk. I will be planning some trips to hide out near the sett.

Its always a risk leaving trail cameras out overnight in case they get stolen, however, this was hidden away from any place people would be walking and it was still there this morning.

Bushnell Natureview
Bushnell Natureview

Badgers are protected by law and any disturbance to a sett is illegal, therefore, I’m carefully around what I do and where I do it. They have a very good sense of smell and in the short clip below you can see that it’s having a good sniff around where I pulled out some nettles to try and hide the camera.

{Remember to watch in HD if possible}

Do Our Local Foxes Have Young?

I’ve not been monitoring the (Rural) Foxes we have in the garden as much as I did this time last year, however, last night I set the Bushnell Natureview up in the garden.

We occasionally leave out some food scraps (no cooked bones!) and sometimes some treats, but not enough for them to rely on us for food.

Foxes will collect and store food that they don’t eat in food caches but the “Cramming” we are seeing is exactly what happened this time last year. As you can see on the footage, the Fox crams as much food in it’s mouth in one go and carries it off. I think it’s because it’s taking it back to the Den to feed the Vixen who is babysitting her newborn. The food could even be for the young if they are already old enough.

A few weeks after this happened last year, and the Vixen made an appearance in the garden with a single cub.

This repeated behaviour is hopefully a sign that the Vixen has given birth again.

{Remember to watch in HD if possible}

I spotted a Red Kite this afternoon in East Staffordshire

I was driving not too far from home today (East Staffordshire) and spotted this Red Kite soaring around near Draycott-in-the-Clay.

I managed to get this shot on my phone which clearly shows it distinctive forked tail.

I did get home,  grab a camera and return but the weather turned and a nasty blizzard came through. I didn’t manage to find it.

I will keep an eye open for it.   It’s great that these once almost extinct birds are starting to appear in more and more parts of the UK.

image
Red Kite in Staffordshire

Buzzards Soaring

It was an amazing clear sky early evening so I thought I’d try my luck at capturing the House Martins, my luck was out!

I did see this group of six Buzzards circling on the thermals though. We have a lot of Buzzards where I live, but I have never seen such a large group together.

This shot was taken into the low sun, so converting to Black and White was the plan from the start to get a nice silhouette effect.

{Click image for a higher resolution, click Flickr Link in caption to view photo on Flickr}
Buzzards Soaring - D810, AF-S 300mm f/2.8 @ 300mm, f/8, ISO320, 1/2000sec - {Flickr Link}

Noodle Take-Away Anyone?

There are a few Male Blackbirds busying themselves in the garden collecting what I can imagine to be food for the Female who will be sitting on Eggs.

This Blackbird has been visiting the garden collecting Worms all day, so I grabbed the camera and took this shot from the bathroom window.

He saw me with the camera and jumped onto this rock almost as if he was posing!

{Click image for a higher resolution, click Flickr Link in caption to view photo on Flickr}
Blackbird with Dinner - D810, AF-S 500mm f/4 @ 500mm, f/8, ISO1250, 1/250sec - {Flickr Link}

The Migrants are returning

This weekend has seen the start of the return of the House Martins. There are only a handful at the moment, but expect them to return in large numbers as they do every Spring.

We have artificial nests on the house for them and they also build their own.

I’ve not seen any Swallows yet, but I’m sure they won’t be far behind.

Here’s a quick shot I got this morning, I look forward to getting some better shots soon.

House Martin
House Martin
0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop