When photos bomb!!! Hen Harrier snapped with completely wrong speed, iso etc Doh!

Spring in the air at last?

We had a great week in Devon over half term.  Lots of lovely otter spraint (ah so fragrant- palm violets I always think- come on L'Oreal make it into a perfume! L'eau de Tarka)   No otters of course but being with spaniel and niece it was never going to happen.  We did get a good fox sighting and a zillion buzzards -which is always great.

So back home and on the final march to Easter hols and beloved Scotland.  We have not been out much but have had some nice sightings in past week or so - a stoat in complete ermine, plenty of roe deer, a super close, though badly photographed, hen harrier and lots of hares. 

"Here hare here" (old one but as a "Withnail and I" fan, a bit of a fave quote there)  and also a kingfisher bringing some colour and joy to a damp grey day.

ROLL ON 28th MARCH AND SCOTLAND!!!!!!

 

Happy New Year starts with Hen Harrier; what could be better?

Happy 2015 (our 4th year blogging wildlife) We are always hopeful come January. It seems that the days are noticeably beginning to drawer out and cold crisp weather makes us feel hopeful of new adventures and wonderful wildlife. We've often found Jan to be a good month to see Barn Owls (though not so far) Decided to visit some old Barny haunts and see what we could before the term began last Thursday and were thrilled to spot a Hen Harrier hunting over the moors. May be a passage bird of course but such a lovely sight. Light wasn't great and views distant but still worth showing the pics perhaps

Stalking Auntumwatch at Leighton Moss, but not really. Mainly the usual haunts and a bearded tit

The title says it all really. Decided that since Autumnwatch happened to be in our usual patch and we had knackered the spaniel out with highland gallops over hill and dale and even more over Sand and Bay, we'd leave her for a few guilt free hours and return to Leighton Moss. Actually found it surprisingly quiet, given its half term and Autumn watch had been camped out there. It was also unfortunately quiet on wildlife front too. At least during our speedy trip. We spotted marsh harrier, a few shovellers, coots, mallards, teal, widgeon and noted a lot of migrant passerines flocking in but there was no murmuration to behold and no sight of the otters. Did see the lovely (or in welsh: lov errrr ly) Mr Iolo Williams and also Richard Taylor Jones of the soft voice and relaxing stress reducing wildlife films (who'd been unable to answer my question about how waders know where to land in water shallow enough for their particular wading legs? Anyone know? We wonder if they have built-in tide tables? Or maybe they select a scout whose job it is to find the right level and then the others arrive!!) Anyway for pics- a bearded tit. IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO WADER QUESTION.... do let me know. I've grown up on Dee Estuary and known waders all my days and so somehow never took much notice of them but watching RTJ's live film n Autumnwatch live breakfast it suddenly occurred to me how the redshanks was wading thigh deep and then the oystercatchers came and landed at the right level Anyway here's the bearded tit.

Hurricane Season hits Applecross

Just had another much needed break in Applecross. Sadly the whole place was a bit of a hurricane graveyard and the weather was appalling most days. Though it meant photography was challenging we still managed to get out and about and enjoy the drenchings and the winds every day. Luckily on the first morning whilst sitting at the breakfast table enjoying a bacon butty and a cuppa I glanced out the window at the surging sea and spotted an otter forging its was through the roaring waves. We all ran out and watched as the poor little chap swam up the face of each new roller and coasted over the other side seemingly heading out further and further with a grim determination. It was hard to keep track of him as some of the chop was deceptively otter shaped. Eventually I caught a glimpse again and this time it looked like the otter was hunting so I thought it may be an idea to walk further down Shore Street towards the Milton and see if he came ashore with a larger catch. This paid off and we got some great views of him eating a fish at a couple of spots on rocks near the pier. Apart from one further, brief sighting near Ard Duhb later that week (where we were well and truly caught out in the open and hence the otter turned tail and did the famous otter disappearing act) this was our only chance to photograph them all week and it was awful lighting (as photos here attest) Apart from that it was great to see dippers, whooper swans, res breasted mergansers, some immense and imperious stags and lots of seals of course. The scenery was spectacular too -WHEN the light broke through and we saw some spectacular rainbows - too perfect and large and bay-straddling to capture with the lens on my camera which is designed for up close personal otter photo-shoots, when they show up. A good time and great crack as ever.

V for Victory a brief but glorious Hen Harrier sighting

Thrilled to spot a young Hen Harrier yesterday. In our own backyard - we haven't seen on for quite a few years. Pictures id'ed it for sure but not going to win wildlife photographer of the year with 'em.