During the last week we have had hard frost and snow which brought to our garden the 43rd bird species in the last fifty two years – a cock Pheasant. It walked into the garden and walked out most days and from where it emanated is not known. This week’s gallery includes plenty of birds from the garden click here
Most people on their lap-top have one of their favourite photos that are seldom seen by anyone else. I am guilty of this misdemeanour so this week’s blog photo of four young Barn Owls is what has graced my lap-top for the last five years.So why is it so special?
Firstly it was the only photo of all four young staring directly at the camera. Secondly was the date – the 21st September – our Wedding anniversary! It was the night that they were all due to fledge and I returned home just before mid-night with a big smile on my face! Some of the other photos of the young Barn Owls are in the Gallery.Click here
During my nine visits to the High Arctic I have often been asked about the life and death encounter that I had with the Polar Bear. What has never been mentioned is that I had a close encounter with a Musk Ox bull in the North East Greenland National Park – the most stunning Arctic habitat I have ever seen.
In summer north east Greenland is blessed with constant high pressure and the sun never sets. I was lucky enough to join an expedition to Vega Sound for three weeks -moving around by Twin Otter plane, zodiacs and camping in constant sunlight. I was out exploring the tundra nine hours every day and in those days(2005) taking cine-film plus the occasional still photos with a G9 compact camera.
I had discovered a breeding pair of Great Northern Divers on a large lake when, suddenly a large bull Musk Ox appeared and headed straight for me. He was not amused so I retreated up the slope with him in pursuit. In today’s blog photo you can see the lake and how far he followed me before giving up. I found out later that Musk Ox have a terrific turn of speed over fifty yards and can then hyperventilate and die!! Luckily none of this happened and I managed to take a quick photo before returning to the lake to retrieve my cine camera!
This weeks gallery includes the few photos I took of a memorable trip.Click here
It has taken until yesterday before I have seen my first Fieldfare of this winter. It would have been good to have had it feeding on apples in the garden but instead it was feeding on fallen fruit on our local motorway island!!
Not much I could do with it there! However, if you would like to see how impressive Fieldfares really are then have a look at this weeks gallery photos. These were taken three years ago, in perfect winter conditions, from a friends bedroom window of birds feeding at eye level on crab apples. What a treat!! click here
The New Year might have started foggy, frosty, snowy and dull but in the garden the birds rushed in to feed. We had an incredible 23 species feeding including this weeks blog photo off a juvenile male Sparrowhawk. He spent ten minutes waiting and watching but eventually he left empty handed. The other birds that fed included 14 Long Tailed Tits, 16 House Sparrows, 15 Starlings, 20 Goldfinches, 3 Bullfinches and 2 Reed Buntings. All came into a garden no more than seven metres square! click here