Whilst on the Fylde last week what should fly into the photo was this juvenile Purple Heron. Apparently it had been in the area since November and spent all its time catching Voles in the fields. It was the first that I had ever seen and was a weird looking subject. Sadly it never caught anything in the hour that it was in view.The Pink Footed Geese that I went for were very impressive and are also in this weeks gallery.Click here

Wherever you go in the Caledonian forests you will find enormous dead trees that are hundreds of years old but are still standing. The dead wood provides last weeks star bird the Crested Tit with nest-sites. Many other birds and mammals like the Red Squirrel are to be found in the pines and boggy areas are home to the Large Raft Spider – one of the rarest in Britain. This weeks gallery has a variety of photos from the forests together with the Ptarmigan, which had a very poor breeding season last year. click here

There is no doubt that the star bird of the Caledonian forests of speyside is the Crested Tit. Last week we made a January visit especially for them and also a touch of Burns night. We were not disappointed on either count with the Crested Tits active at all the places that we visited. January is probably the best month of the year to see them for after that, especially in mild weather, they commence their breeding cycle and are much more illusive.This weeks gallery includes photos from one morning session. Click here

At long last we had a couple of frosty mornings last week-end and I made a quick visit to one of my Barn Owl farms hoping to see some action. It was sunny and both Barn Owls came out to hunt over the rapidly melting frosts. I had almost forgotten how fantastic it is to watch these magnificent Owls quartering the pasture, totally engrossed in capturing a vole. When successful they would fly into the barn to devour the vole at their leisure. click here

At the end of a winters day Redwings come together to spend the night in a communal roost. Some of these birds will travel many miles to roost together for safety and perhaps to tell one another where there is food. Unlike Starlings they do not murmurate but fly directly into the roost – usually in a pine forest. I visited one such roost in the Ribble valley last month and stood in amazement as thousands of Redwings flew over my head into the pines. Over a period of forty minutes more than twenty thousand Redwings entered the roost and it was impossible to arrive at an accurate figure. As it was almost dark when the last birds arrived taking photos was not easy but some are in this weeks gallery. I understand that BBCs Winterwatch camera men have been to film the spectacle which will be shown in their programme in the next ten days.click here

Whilst out in the local woods last month I noticed something yellow on the ground amongst the leaves.There are not that many fungi out in the depth of winter but these stood out from some distance. Not being an expert on fungi I took some photos and have now identified it as Yellow Brain fungus – an apt name! It is not a rare fungus but it is intriguing that despite walking though this wood for more than fifty years I have never seen it before. Click here
Everyone is still awaiting the arrival 0f the Waxwings and it would appear that the one that I found in the Ribble valley on the 18th November is still the only one seen so far in east Lancashire. Do not worry though as they have now reached the Lake District and Yorkshire so it is only a matter of time!!