Fox News, That isn't false!

Look who came for a drink today! We are used to seeing this little fountain being used as a shower by Blue-tits.but it is the first time I've watched this Vixen there. It look as if she is feeding a litter somewhere.

A family visit

The Duck and Fox

I had a look at the pond,through the window while I was trying to judge the size to answer a question from a frog enthusiast.

I was surprised to see two of our local Mallards, from the Village Pond were paying a visit.

Visits are a regular spring "thing" but I hadn't seem them arrive this morning. I had to go outside and have a quick word with them. 

  Two Mallards in the pond for a morning can wreak havoc with the pond and with the frog spawn. I do enjoy them in the garden, and I guess their pond is such a miserable place, with no vegetation, they probably find it more interesting.

 After a few words they took the hint and left for their own pond. Later in the year she normally brings her ducking up to see us.

We had two visitors this evening. First a Badger came to tuck into a peanut supper. I was a little surprised that he chose these before the bones and bits we'd put out in case our other visitor arrived this evening.

This beautiful fox has visited a few times but he is very jumpy and difficult to photograph. I did manage one using flash through the open window but he wouldn't come close. It did allow me to use ISO 400 but with just the camera flash it was a bit of a push.

 These were taken using the garden lights and ISO 16000 at 1/20th sec. I haven't yet worked out how to train him to stand absolutely still.

Not the greatest picture, but given it was through glass and the settings as above I was pleased with the result.

Boys Toys

At long last |I seem to be cough free and feeling like getting out and about. I just hope the cloud of polution, that's been making the headlines, doesn't settle over St Margaret's. As an incentive I've got a new toy to play with, a Canon 7D Mk2 and a Canon 100-400 Mk2 zoom.

This is not a great photo, but an oppotunistic snap. I put some food out for the Badgers, that I knw are around, but seem to be visiting after I've gone to bed. When I looked up I could see a Fox standing there. I had no lights on inside and just a single light out side. The picture was taken through the window using 16000 ISO and 1/15th at F8

The gardens full of finches at the moment. This is just one of at least 60 Chaffinches that were around the feeders today. The clever ones just stay on the ground and collect the bits the Greenfinches and Goldfinches drop

The Restharrow Scrape at Sandwich is still very full and there are a good nmber of ducks. I've always thought that Gadwall drakes are among the most handsome going, not showy but subtly classy.

I didn't manage to see what it was but some thing spooked all the ducks and they had a quick fly around.

Although the Morhen is a very common bird, it doesn't often appear right in front of the Restharrow Hide. This one chugged by and seemed to be making the most of theconditions,.

There are a lot of Shoveler at the moment, when not feeding this pair spent a lot of time doing their head bobbing display. Spring is definitely in the air.

Good views of a male Peregrine today. He got qiuite agitated at the sight of a fairly distant Raven, and dashed off to let it know hisfeelings.

Just a young Herring Gull, reflex action to press the sutter as it drifted by. There were a lot of Fulmars around, but theyall seemed to be in places inaccessible tothe camera lens.

Foxed again.

I was surprised to see this handsome fox sitting in the middle of our "lawn" (actually a bit of rough grass), this morning. Unlike the well documented Urban Fox, our rural cousins are far shyer. I took these through the window, and then care fully opened the kitchen door. I was going to sneak round the house and try to photograph him from the corner of the house.Not unexpectly he bolted the moment the key turned in the door!

Faces at the window

I still have difficulty in working out how many Badgers are visiting us. For the last few nights two rather good looking youngsters have appeared, often within minutes of each other.

I know one's got a dirty nose and one hasn't, but they are about the same size and often seem to be each others company so I rather think they might be siblings. Even so they are fairly different in their temperaments. Dirty nose was a bit jumpy and not keen on hanging round when I had the door open and offered some more peanuts.

 

On the other hand, his cleaner cut partner was far bolder and even investigated my extra stock of peanuts on the door stop.

z

 After these two finished an old friend arrived, Left ear missing, when supper was finished so I had to replenish the stock and give battered looking badger a treat. I think that this older chap would feed out of my hand if I let it, but having seen the teeth I won't be doing that!

 After the Badgers this handsome Fox showed up. Foxes here are not like urban foxes, they are very, very cautious and shy. I was amazed that I was able to get this picture through a close window. Once the lens tapped against the glass and the Fox dahed off for a few seconds, but the lure of a few scraps had him creeping back.

A close up of the same photo shows just what a good looking animal it is. What a shame that their killer instinct has made them such enemies of anyone with small animals to look after..

Ahhh there!

Since returning from Clitheroe I've hardly been out, being absolutely stuffed up with a very persistent cough and cold. The windows have provided most of my viewing and I have managed to get a moth trap out on a couple of nights.

The Goldfinch flock is still over 50 birds and I have moved more feeders close to the lounge windows. Up to 30 birds have been feeding on the ground, cleaning up the seeds and bits dropped from above.

I did go out on Friday afternoon, to get some supplies, and couldn't resist popping into the Restharrow Scrape and wandering along the Ancient Highway in an unsuccessful look for owls.

This dog Fox had a walk round. I know their are not everyone's favourite, the can devastate colonies of ground nesting birds, but they are certainly very handsome animals.

There were a good number of Snipe along one edge and the Curlew Sandpiper that's been reported for a couple of days was with them.

Looking through my pictures from Martin Mere I found another with a colour ringed WHooper Swan, BER, so I hope to get it's history from the Wildfowl trust.

I have heard back about C7B, and it's appearances are below:

EVENT DATE	DEPARTURE	SITE NAME	AREA
14/11/2006	Ringing date	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
16/11/2006	19/03/2007	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
30/10/2007	12/03/2008	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
28/10/2008	28/10/2008	Cummertrees	Dumfries
29/10/2008	29/10/2008	Cummertrees	Dumfries
16/11/2008	16/11/2008	Angerton, nr Kirkbride	Cumbria
11/12/2008	31/03/2009	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
21/10/2010	18/03/2011	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
29/12/2010	29/12/2010	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
04/03/2011	04/03/2011	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
18/03/2011	18/03/2011	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
19/10/2011	31/10/2011	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire
31/10/2011	31/10/2011	WWT Martin Mere	Lancashire

It wasn't seen in the 2009/2010 winter, I wonder where it took a holiday?