-strict.dtd"> WILD WINDOW: August 2006

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Lessons to learn

I always say if you make mistakes ensure you learn from them, well in my pursuit of some excellant Wildlife encounters I've made several and today was no different.

I got myself settled in the field which is frequently visited by the Roe deer, lying low my first thought was that some of the blades of grass in front of me my cause a problem when the camera came to focus, due to the fact I was lying rather low next to a wall. I decided against moving for fear that the deer may already be close by.

My second mistake was that I had nodded off, I'm not sure for how long but when I awoke with a jolt the doe and her 2 fawns were within 20feet of me just off to my left hand side. I think the fact that I woke with a jolt alerted them to something although they didn't bolt straight away. The crashing of broken bottles (recycling waggon was going round local houses collecting) and my camera going in to search mode in an attempt to focus did the rest.

So mixed fortunes really, but it does prove that the hide worked and given the chance I'll try again tomorrow but with some strong coffee inside me this time.


posted by Andrew Huyton at 4:01 pm 0 comments

HIDE SUCCESS

Following the initial success of the bag hide close to the feeders, I decided to move the hide to avoid the white sky effect which results in too much back light.
The birds didn't seem to mind the move and again used me as a perch on several occassions.

All four members of the Woodpecker family were in the garden yesterday with 3 on the fence whilst one visited the feeders.

Later in the afternoon the garden had another new visitor in the shape of a Brown rat.

An hour of laying low near the gate to one of the local fields resulted in nothing other than a fly over kestrel and swallows doing low level fly by's. Having seen the Buck Roe Deer earlier and with a favourable wind I had hoped for a close encounter. When I got upto leave I noticed that the doe had been feeding out of sight from my position and was heading away from me. I quickly changed position in time to get the shot below. This afternoon I'm to try again with the help of the bag hide, fingers crossed and check tomorrow to see if I finally manage to get the shots I'm after.



posted by Andrew Huyton at 10:13 am 0 comments

Monday, August 14, 2006

Photo's and News from the Garden



This Great Spotted Woodpecker and his family are regular visitors to my fathers garden on Widdop Rd, the family consists of 2 juv's with also the adult female visiting. Hope to get shots of them all in time.

The Garden is now also being visited by a Jay, he/she has visited 3 times at least today and as with the Woodpecker always goes for the peanuts, time to buy some more I think!!

posted by Andrew Huyton at 7:28 pm 0 comments

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Hiking Around

Went on a walk around the local area yesterday here is a list of sightings of interest at various points along the route.

Field below fathers house 1 Roe Deer (doe)

Hardcastle Crags 1 female Sparrowhawk.

On Hebden water near the bowling green 3 Dippers and 3 Grey wagtails at least 2 juvs.

Erringden Moor 1 Skylark.

Swillington (which is where the Pennine Way & Pennine Bridleway cross as you come down from Stoodley Pike) 4 Wheatears.

Blackshaw Royd flock of approx 10 Long tailed tits.

Rabbits were plentiful in all fields along the route as were Meadow pipits and close to Sunderland pasture an unidentified butterfly which appeared to be mainly a dull orange in colour, refused to stay still for detailed identification.
The only other butterfly seen on route was a Peacock.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 10:33 am 0 comments

Friday, August 11, 2006

POINT TO NOTE

If you are interested in getting a better view of any of the photo's posted on this site, then all you need to do is double click on the image. Enjoy.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 2:14 pm 0 comments

It's been a while but here comes the update.

All these Butterflies were seen in my Fathers garden during the last week, generally they favoured the Budleia(not sure thats spelt right) there have also been sightings of Red Admiral and Large Skipper.
Small White - Artogeia rapae

Comma - Polygonum c-album

Peacock - Inachis io

posted by Andrew Huyton at 11:14 am 0 comments

Friday, August 04, 2006

Ringstone Edge Res. this morning from 09:30-11:30

I only stopped off for a quick check as I had my heart set on a visit to Whiteholme.
The weather at 9:30 this morning was rather misty which didn't help the id process and helped even less when I spotted a tern on the north shore. Added to the mist was the wind which prevented me taking any steady shots down my scope. After reffering to the books and the distant photos I shall have to record this as a Commic tern (phrase refers to either a Common or Arctic tern)

Anyway moving on from that on a positive note also present were:-

Black Tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover, 7 LRP, 1 GC grebe, 2 Curlew, 7 Lapwing, 1 Common Gull, 26 BH Gull, 37 Canada Geese NW field, 8 Swallow.
South Shore produced 2 Willow Warbler -see photo-, 2 Robin.
Feeders, c15 Greenfinch, Chaffinch, 2 Dunnock, 4 Blue tit, 1 juv Robin, Blackbird.
Res Wall nr Feeders 1 Mipit.

And to round things off just as I was about to leave 2 juv Peregrines flew in and perched on shore line whilst one of them took a bath the other being harrassed by LRP decided to play some half hearted chase with them.

All this means that today represents my best day at Ringstone so far.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 12:31 pm 0 comments

Birds In the Garden Thursday PM

Male and Female Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)


Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

Blue tit(Parus caeruleus)

Also joined at the feeders by Greenfinch,Goldfinch and House Sparrow.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 12:15 am 0 comments

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

New Brighton this afternoon.

Went to New Brighton today in search of Storm Petrels, unfortunately I missed out on them but whilst checking a mixed flock of gulls I did find my first self identified 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull - see pictures below - whilst not exactly rare and becoming more and more common they are still locally scarce as they do now breed in some parts of the country.

Shot showing differences between 2nd winter Med Gull and Black Headed Gull.

Mediterranean Gull(larus melanocephalus)

posted by Andrew Huyton at 9:14 pm 0 comments

07:30 This morning

I have recently moved back to the family home whilst I renovate another place, this means that for the first time in years I have a garden. The picture below is off a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocopos major), one of 2 Juvenile's which reguarly visit the peanut feeder. You can tell this one is a juvenile by the red cap on it's head, as the bird becomes an adult this cap moves to the back of the head, females loose the cap altogether.

Other birds seen in or from the garden are:-
Chaffinch,Goldfinch,Greenfinch,House Sparrow,Dunnock,Blue tit,Great tit,Willow Warbler,Robin,Wren,Starling,Magpie,Carrion Crow,Rook,Jackdaw,Wood Pigeon,Collard dove,Pheasant,Sparrowhawk,Swallow,Swift,Blackbird.

Other animals seen in or from the garden incl:-
Rabbit,Roe Deer,Toad,Common Frog,Palmate newt (see picture below) these are distinguished from Smooth newt by the lack of spots under the chin.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 7:25 am 0 comments

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Totally Wild Photo's Uk

Fox
Red Squirrel

Common Seal
Water Vole

posted by Andrew Huyton at 7:03 pm 0 comments

Somethings to watch out for.

Over the next few weeks some of the things that have/will start to occur are,

Roe Deer rutting - it's that time of year when Roe deer can be seen and heard as males defend territories and females seek out the males. Last Saturday evening I witnessed for a brief period my first Roe deer rut, this takes the form of a doe(female) leading a buck(male) a merry dance(more like a late evening stroll) as he follows in her every step until she allows him to mate with her. Look out for Roe deer rutting in fields edged by woodland.

Toad in the Road - please keep your eyes open when driving especially at night as I have noticed quite a few of these nationally endangered species on the move just lately. If you do see one, if possible help it across - do not worry they will not give you warts contary to popular belief.

Swallows/House Martins/Sand Martins and Swifts - forming into large busy feeding groups. In places literally thousands of these birds can be seen gathering together to feed and roost. Popular sites locally include Callis Bridge and High Royd, if you know of others please let me know.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 5:33 pm 0 comments

Marshside RSPB 30th July



A few photo's to get you interested. The Redshank and Yellow Wagtail above were feeding in front of the main hide.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 5:18 pm 0 comments

First Post

Welcome to my new blog, as the description says I intend to give you an insight into my encounters with wildlife where ever they maybe. They will include photo's where possible and from time to time I may ask you to assist in identifying some of the subjects but for now please bare with me until I have had chance to get some posts on the site.

posted by Andrew Huyton at 5:03 pm 0 comments