wildlifeblog – Rons life through the lens

Natures Surprise

Treading carefully the small country path team me deeper into the forest. The mist had cleared as I looked into the distance at fields of deep green English grass.

The Oak Beach and Sycamore cover my way like a tunnel guiding me to Bluebell wood. I named it after finding it when it was covered with a blanket of Bluebells.

Eyes peeled ears listening for anything to alert me, stealth mode kicks in from my Army Patrol days but no 8 man patrol just me. I glance down at my camera like my Rifle making sure its ready to shoot, capture the split second one moment most people miss.

As the Sun rises it shines on the Bushes just enough to create a beautiful backdrop for Mr Brown Hare who sits warming his fur and body.

As I approached the bend only to see the Grey Squirrel hanging from the Hawthorn tree stretched out using its sharp claws to hang onto a single branch. The Red berry’s to hard to turn down and the best ones must be at bottom

Making my way along the path keeping my eyes peeled for any movement, stopping to look into the small Brook that runs along side Bluebell Wood.

Small wood chips fell onto the forest floor coming from high on the trunk of the rotten Silver Birch Tree. The Great Spotted Woodpecker drilled away at the hole made so perfect from the birds beak.

The time spent down at my hide March to September every year gave me so many happy memories of many animals and birds. The place was known for Owls and over the years I had made some nice nest boxes for the Tawny Owl.

They took to them every year but maintenance on them was difficult and with my Hip playing up meant I could not climb ladders for a while. But down in the wood there are big Oak trees and one in particular had a very strange hole at the bottom.

I made my way to the tree and without thinking just peered inside. To my total surprise there were eyes looking up at me. I stepped back and made my way quickly back to my van.

I collected my Wildlife Trail camera and quietly positioned it facing the tree.

Next morning I went back to see if I had captured anything. The video speaks for itself.

The Dipper Experience

Juvenile Dipper leaving the nest for the first time

When I lived close to the River Greta than runs through the village of Burton in Lonsdale. I was always walking the banks looking for the King of the river.

Most mornings would start early and my plan was always the same let nature come to you. Sitting listening to the water that comes from the mountains of Ingleborough is so relaxing.

Hearing the call of the Kingfisher wakes me from my trance. Will it land or just fly by was always the question. As I sit i hear tha Dipper calling a bird that has extraordinary skills under water.

I had photographed them before but just by chance I was very close to the nest site. I only found it by chance as the Dipper was bringing in nesting material for the nest.

Not to disturb it i retreated further back into a thick like grass for better cover and to get more comfy as my Hip was really hurting and I couldn’t stay in one position for over 20 mins.

Little did I know it was coming out of the hip joint worn away through wear and tear. Anyway it went into the small rock face area halfway up the banking. Then came back out and landed on the same rock situated in the middle of the river.

I left that day when i had found a good place where to film them and without any disturbance to the family of Dippers. About 4 days late i returned and set up on the river bank and waited for them to make an appearance. Time went by and i started to worry that the nest had been found by a Mink or Stoat. Just then in a tree to the right i saw movement and my worst fears were met when a huge Male Mink came out of the tree stump and made its way towards the Dipper nest.

The Mink is not native to the UK and reaps havoc on the Kingfisher and Dipper destroying family broods and taking fish from the river. Yes i love all animals and would never see any suffer but this looked like the reason the Dipper family was not round.

The Mink moved off down river and i went home. I went down 2 days later to see if the Kingfisher was about when i spotted the Dipper heading towards the spot were i was watching them. Making my way down the river another dipper flew in but instead of nesting material it had some kind of grub in its beak.

I was so happy to see that they survived the presence of the Mink and were raising their brood high up in the rocks. Over the next week i returned every day to keep an eye on the nest and how they were doing. Photography is strange sometimes as it makes you do things that work in your favour and this is whet happened when i returned the day the fledged.

I went on the other side of the river and sat above the nest but hidden from view from the adults. It was just amazing to sit and wait for the adults coming in so close with food. What i didn’t expect was to be there when the first young Dipper left the nest. It was like a Wildlife documentary, i sat there when all of a sudden the Juvenile dipper flew out for the first time and landed on a rock right in front of me.

The knowledge you get from observing wildlife is on another level, books and TV programmes are lovely but you learn so much more from seeing it as it happens. The adults came in one after an other to feed the young as they left the nest and i witnessed all getting fed food from the river. Opening their beaks as wide as the can to take the food from mum and dad.

The family progressed and i left the Dipper family after they fledged. What am amazing experience to have on the river bank.

Silence is Golden

If you are one of the lucky people to come across a Barn Owl flying gracefully across an open field. Many people say they saw the Barn Owl or heard the Barn Owl but in most cases they have heard a Tawny Owl.

If you do get a rare sight of the Barn Owl in flight it could last seconds.

So I am going to share with you the true feeling of the amazing White Angel as she hunts in a field close by to me.

Even when you film a Barn Owl i always hide from her site so she can hunt without being disturb.

The Slow motion video gives you an understanding of how gracefully she moves across the field listening for any movement in the grass.

I really hope this gives people a better understanding of the reason why I fell in love with this Owl from the first time I set eyes on it

Not Just A Duck

We have a certain perception of the Mallard that comes to us fir food, entertaining us with their laughter. They are such a beautiful bird with stunning colours, but overlooked as just a Duck.

The time I have spent filming them has taught me a lot about the life the lead. The life starting out being hunted by other birds, pike, cats and anything else that will take the little chick.

That is why I feel I am a hypocrite at times. You should not love something take pictures of, write about then Eat them.

I gave up eating Duck many years ago and I feel a need to stop eating meat all together.

So the little Duckling has given me lots of please over the years and a few lovely videos I have captured just show how hard life is for them, going from a small baby bird to adulthood.

Great Crested Grebe

Images are from my early days of photography to this March 2020. Enjoy.

A follower has asked me to post some images of the Grebe with her young. I filmed them from mating to young fledging one year do here is a nice collection of images from breeding fishing and the young.