Looking for wildlife

Saturday, 5 April 2014

Rabbit, Rabbit, rabbits.

I'm quite the lighter nights already, I was out last night until about eight and rabbits where to be seen everywhere.

If I can see a lot of rabbits eventually I should see other mamals and birds that prey on rabbits.

I've been reading a book about wildlife photography and the author recommend using the flash on the camera. I was a bit sceptical about this but last night I tried it out and was able to take a photos before the rabbit moved.

I was quite pleased with this photo as I had managed to stalk up quite close the magpie flew away first and the rabbit maved a few steps later.

Thursday, 3 April 2014

Diy Hide project.

For quite a while now I’ve been fancying trying using a hide. Things began to take shape when my son was cleaning his bedroom and he gave me an old igloo tent (one of those with the fibre glass rods joined with elastic. ) I’ve been doing quite a bit research googling hides the tent material is blue and silver and although I have seen a article where someone sprayed the material camo colours I think it would be to cramped for me.I am going to use the fibre rods as up rights, and I sort of visualise the camera tripod leg being part of the frame work. I have ordered a piece of camouflage material 3m by 1.5m. I’ve also ordered a camouflage poncho that I can use in the construction it will also be useful on a day to day basis due to the amount of rain we get.As to where I’m going going to set up I’ve been walking in a wooded area, I’ve heard owls nearby on a morning and what I think is woodpecker. I’ve seen deer tracks in the mud and there seems to be quite a few animal pathways criss crossing the area. I’ve also found a squirrel feeder fixed to a tree half full of nuts and stuff.

My camo net and poncho arrived on Friday so Saturday I was up and out bright and early. I set up my hide which was ready really just a screen that I was standing behind a pheasant came into view squawked and flew straight away other bird were blackbirds and blue and great tit nothing I could not photograph through my dinning room window. Meanwhile in the distance and in the direction of the lake I could hear the honking of geese, “Why am I standing here while all that’s going on over there?”As the area lit up I began to tell myself it was not a very good spot to set up a hide to close to the bushes for photos. So after about three hours I packed up and headed for the lake and got some photos of birds in flight and a pair of Reed Bunting.Next day went out in the afternoon to a different area nearby I had added tent pegs to my hide kit. Today I made a much better hide I just used the tent poles to make a frame and put the net over the frame I tied one opening shut with string leaving a hole for viewing through and to darken it down I hung the poncho around the back squeezed myself in and waited. After a while I could hear but not see pheasant and for some reason all the birds decided to sit singing in the bushes behind me so again not a great success.I think the hide will be a better hide when it has been used a few more times so much emphasis is put on being down wind etc. And I’m sure the net will probably stink of chemical newness.

A grisly encounter.

went out for a late evening walk tonight around my local fields. I heard a pheasant nearby so decided to stalk it but by the time I got to where I thought it would be it had gone. Then I heard squawking and crashing about in the nearby tree line I walked across the field feeling quite exited the last time I followed the sounds of distress I got my first sighting of a fox. This time it was two birds one was a magpie the other was a brown bird of similar size they were having a serious go at each other just as I was raising my camera they broke up the brown bird flew to the left and the magpie flew straight up into the trees. I stood a while looking into the trees to see if anything else would happen. After a while I started walking along the path next to the trees and there in a bush hanging upside down was a magpie, I’m a squeamish sort of person so I didn’t look to close but some of the magpies insides were outside.On a brighter note I’ve seen a stoat on two occasions lately and plenty of rabbits and I’ve seen quite a few yellowhammer in the area or at least a pair moving around a lot.