February 2020 One late afternoon ~ Dedicated to Roger

Quite often when you go out with your camera you are satisfied to get a decent view of some particular wild action or maybe being satisfied with capturing a few images.  Yesterday afternoon was quite different.  I first noticed some Roe Deer looking relaxed in the long grass.  Then within a few minutes a Short Eared Owl took to the wing.  Then there were three.  In the next half an hour a barn owl was quartering over the grass and diving down intermittently.  They were all on the wing together.  Then I noticed a Brown Hare making it way through the long grass and popping up into view every now and again if you watched carefully.  It was just so exciting and adrenalin filled.  Which do I go for?: Shortie, Barnie but then again hares are one of my very favourite animals!

Taking a break on a Cotswold stone wall

It was great to get a view of this one on a typical drystone wall of the area.

Hunting

They are one of the most amazing sights to watch these beautiful owls hunting over the grassland they are so special.

Roe Deer

Three Roe Deer stayed in view all afternoon.  Very relaxed, sometimes lying down.

Shortie diving onto prey

You've just got to love Short Eared  Owls if you are into nature in any way.
I must be getting my eye in as I spotted this one down in the grass.

Shortie in the grass

When do you stop and focus on the hare!

Brown Hare

This hare was not always this obvious, quite often just two black tips of ears in the long grass.

What a beautiful afternoon and such a special place.


    ~  Dedicated to Roger the farmer  ~

January 2020 ~ A country walk in the sunshine this morning

There are a lot of businesses promoting de-stressing potions and therapies, all really just trying to enhance their own interests.  I am always sceptical.  I see now that there is a movement these days suggesting that a walk in nature can do the job!  I think this may be very true.  You may not see it every day in your face, as there is little commercial interest and gain to be had.
I really enjoyed this mornings relaxation.

Roe Deer doe steps into a sunshine beam

One of my very favourite animals is the Brown Hare, and I am pleased to see them again these days on my local patch, after being absent for quite a few years.  This one was always distant but it was great to watch it running around.

Welcome back to my local patch

January is the main mating season for the Red Fox and you may hear them barking and find them distracted.  These two were right in open and enjoying the sunshine.  I had heard them barking yesterday and wondered if I would see them today when I had my camera with me.

Love is in the air

And relax!  Feeling better already!  Give it a go!

What an end to the year ~ Short Eared Owls - Have a wild new year to all

These birds are just so exciting and it has seemed an age since they last performed like this.
Many visits in the cold murky weather with just a few and then disappearing.  I promised myself that I would not go and look for them too early as it is possible to waste a whole lot of time.  But it gets difficult to resist when you want something to happen. Finally a brilliant bright afternoon and they were out early and many of them performing over the grassland. Unless you are into these beautiful birds it is difficult to imagine how adrenalin filled this can be.

On the hunt in Golden light

Head On

When two different raptors hunt the same territory at the same time there is always conflict.  Kestrels harass the Short Eared Owls to try and drive them away and also steal prey from them if they can get away with it.

This Shortie has a keen eye on the Kestrel above

Prey spotted then down into the grass

This afternoon was like the F.A. Cup Final of birding and a great way to end 2019 !!

Finally have a happy and wild new year.

December 2019 Roe Deer bucks in Velvet

In November Roe Deer begin growing their new antlers ready for the rut next year.  They are covered in Velvet that helps them to grow and also keeps them warm.  In spring this velvet is removed exposing the antlers ready for the rutting season next summer.  Each year the antlers fall off in October ready for the cycle to begin again.  The local Roe Deer seem in prime condition this year with perfect dense coats.

Looking great in his new Velvet Antlers

The does this year are looking good and strong, and well set up to get through the sparser winter months.  This one is enjoying the early morning winter sunshine sheltered from the wind under this hedgerow.  They always know where to get!

Beautiful Roe Deer Doe

I really enjoyed their company this morning and they are a regular encounter on my local patch in the Cotswold Hills.

Trying out the power of Black & White

Should you process some of your images in black & white?
I thought tonight I would have a look at experimenting with black and white.  I normally love colours and could not imagine using anything else.  I thought I would re-process some images and have a look with an open mind to see if they appealed to me.  After a bit of playing I found that for me some birds in flight the images became more effective and dramatic.

Female Peregrine

I think this image of a  Peregrine Falcon is more effective than its full colour counterpart.
Perhaps some dramatic menacing clouds would have improved things.

On the hunt!

This Short Eared Owl hunting over the Cotswold Grassland seems to stand out distinctly from its background. It's so simple on photoshop with just a few clicks and you can save a different version of your image that gives a new perspective.
Generally I think I would stick to the naturalness of full colour, but perhaps when some dramatic clouds are captured in the image I may have a go again.
Its as simple as :Enhance/Convert to Black & White and then save an alternative copy.
Its great though to do something different!

November 2019 Migrant Blackbirds massing on my berries

It is not always understood that lots of blackbirds migrate to the UK from Scandinavia.  On a rowan tree at the back of my garden there are about five or six males and a female all vying for position.  This is far more than would be resident around our small area.

Selecting a juicy ripe one

I quite like their dark colours contrasting with the bright red berries from a photography point of view.

They get greedy for them

They have evolved to be very flexible in their diet and feed on mainly worms in the summer months.  Come the winter months when "needs must" they readily switch to a berry diet.  I suppose it is this flexibility that contributes to them being such a common bird.

Disappearing fast!

They always seem to take them from the top down.  I guess they must ripen in this order.  I always hope that there will be some left for the visiting Redwings or even a few Waxwings.
Not this year though as they will all be gone in the next few days!

November 2019 Great Grey Shrike in the Forest of Dean

I had a short trip to the Forest of Dean today.  This is definitely one of my favourite places as you never know what may turn up.  I had heard reports of a Great Grey Shrike being sighted so I thought I would check it out.

Great Grey Shrike

These are great birds to see and mainly like to sit high up watching for likely prey targets to show themselves.

On the look out!

A lovely morning and met a lot of interesting people.  Everyone seems to have their own ideas of how the forest should be managed!