Better Than Watching Football

This last week my birdwatching and photography trips have been to a site in the Lancashire Pennines where I have been fortunate to observe and photograph Long Eared Owls. This species of owl is very elusive and easily disturbed so a careful approach was needed and Mike and I made good use of the moorland walls to hide behind to observe the comings and goings of the owls.
Our first trip with Paul Foster was wonderful with fabulous sightings of the birds hunting the moorland and catching voles to feed their chicks which were waiting in a nearby forest. Subsequent visits were poor with only fleeting and distant views of the adult birds and again brief views of the young owls. Our third visit coincided with England's World Cup match against Algeria. We found the area and the moorland roads very quiet and it was a lovely bright sunny but very cool evening. We waited and watched for around three hours but the performance of the owls was on a par with that of the England Team and we only had a brief view of a distant hunting adult bird. The youngsters could be heard in the forest continually calling with their " squeaky gate " call  but neither of the parents returned with food whilst we were there.
After three hours of waiting Mike and I decided to call it a night and return home as it had become decidedly chilly and we needed the ride home to warm up again. We eventually were to learn of England's poor performance in their crucial World Cup game and we both agreed that what we had experienced this last week or so was definitely much better than watching football. As usual I have posted a few more images from the week showing Mike on telescope duty,my optics at the ready trained on the area where the youngsters were waiting, and finally more images from our first visit when the owls were on top form. Let's hope England can also be on top form in their final group game,otherwise they are on the way home !!!

An Evening To Remember

Twelve months ago I had visited a site on the moors above Burnley to observe and photograph Long Eared Owls. This owl is notoriously difficult to photograph as it very much a nocturnal creature and is rarely seen out and about when conditions are favourable for photography. I did have views of the owl last year but it was always distant and usually in poor light. Last week I again visited the location with Mike and Paul. Paul Foster had recently been having excellent views of the LEO's as they hunted the moors in good light and had obtained some lovely images of both the male and female.
We met up around seven on a bright and fresh evening and the layers went on as it was cool up on the moors. The owls had been successful in rearing young in a nearby conifer wood and were being kept busy obtaining food for the hungry youngsters. It wasn't long before we saw the first owl as it came up on the moor to hunt and for the next couple of hours or so we were treated to some wonderful views as the owls went about their hunting duties. I managed to obtain some quite decent images of the action and some of them are shown above.
The Long Eared Owls were not all we saw on this memorable evening and just as we were thinking of leaving a Roebuck appeared and gave us more photographic opportunities. Finally as we returned to the cars we saw a couple of fallow deer at the roadside and we again took advantage of another excellent bit of luck. These fallow deer did look a little out of place up on the moors and we came to the conclusion that they may have escaped from a local collection as they were fairly tame and allowed  a close approach. It was still light as we left for home after what had indeed been a wonderful evening's wildlife watching up in the Lancashire Pennines. I have posted some action shots of the hunting owls and the surprise roe and fallow deer. 

Deer and Ospreys

The Osprey has been nesting in woodlands around Bassenthwaite Lake in The English Lake District since 2001. I had never visited the site until the weekend when Kath and I decided on a visit. The forecast was not good with rain promised. The cloud was well down on local hills as we left but began to lift as we headed north and we were to be lucky as it did indeed remain dry during our visit to the osprey site . The location of the site is in Forestry Commission woodland at Dodd Wood overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake and commands wonderful views of the valley and surrounding mountains.
Not long after arriving at the Upper Viewpoint we saw the male osprey arriving with a fish for the two young chicks. The viewpoint is about five to six hundred yards away from the nest and high powered optics are required for reasonable views of the birds. Excellent telescopes are provided by the Osprey Project Team and all those present enjoyed some good views. The nest was too far away for good images with the camera and the murky conditions didn't help but I did manage some record shots of the male delivering a fish to the waiting female
We stayed at the viewpoint for about ninety minutes or so and then made the return back to the car park and cafe where we enjoyed a very welcome cuppa just as the promised rain arrived. It became heavier and heavier as we made a dash for the car and the long journey back home. I have posted some of images of the ospreys at their Bassenthwaite Eyrie and also some images from last week of red and roe deer I was fortunate to see at Leighton Moss and in the  Forest Of Bowland.  

Action and Reaction

June had arrived and with it some very warm weather. Most birds were lying low either on nesting duties or hiding away in the green canopy that was now covering most of the woodlands and it was generally very quiet on the bird and photography scene. I decided on a visit to Leighton Moss where I hadn't been for some time.
It was another very warm afternoon and my first port of call was to Lilian's Hide to view the small colony of black headed gulls which could be heard as you left the car park. Gulls are not really amongst my favourite birds but I must admit to spending a wonderful hour or so at Lilian's observing and photographing the antics of the nesting colony. There was a healthy number of chicks on view and there was much squabbling amongst the parent birds as they competed for territory amongst the little islands which were covered in beautiful yellow flag iris. The gulls too were resplendent in their breeding finery with blood red bills and feet.
There was constant noise and action from the colony and I managed to obtain some nice action shots of the black headed gulls as they fought and squabbled over territory. The light too was excellent for action shots as the strong afternoon sun lit up the scene. I have posted some images from the session with the gulls and hope my readers enjoy what I have to say is a very beautiful bird when seen in it's breeding finery.

Lek's Do It Again

Sorry about the terrible pun but I felt I had to publish a few more images from the fabulous black grouse lek which I was fortunate to witness earlier this month. I had traveled to the Northern Pennines in County Durham with Paul Foster at the invitation of Jonathan Latimer a local wildlife artist and illustrator . Jonathan's work can be viewed at www.jonathanlatimer.com
It was indeed a fantastic experience to view a lek at close quarters just as dawn was breaking on a very frosty morning. The grouse performed well for the camera and I was able to come away well satisfied with the images I had obtained. It had been well worth the long journey, sub zero temperatures, and four hours in a cramped hide to witness this memorable spectacle.  I have posted a few more images above and hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I did in taking them...... Thanks again chaps.

Black Grouse.....The Lek

This week myself and Paul Foster had the good fortune to be invited to accompany  wildlife artist Jonathan Latimer to an early morning black grouse lek in the wilds of County Durham.  It was an early start and we had driven up to meet Jonathan on site. We met up around three in the morning and were greeted by sub zero temperatures and a wonderful star filled sky. We gathered our equipment and made our way to the area where the birds lek to erect a hide for photography, Jonathan's hide was already in position. We were in position and ready for action just as the sky was showing signs of getting lighter, it was now around four in the morning and was still well below freezing.
It wasn't long before the most amazing sounds surrounded us... the black grouse had arrived and were tuning up for action. The noises they make have been described as bubbling and wheezing like espresso machines and to hear them at very close quarters in the darkness was a wonderful experience. Gradually more daylight lit up the scene and we could now see the shapes that were producing the sounds. It was still too dark for photography and we just sat for an hour or so enthralled by the unfolding drama before us.
By around six we were able to take some images and for the next couple of hours or so we were treated to some amazing sights as the ten male black grouse present that morning at the lek strutted their stuff. It was still below freezing as the sun came up and the grouse departed on a couple of occasions but always returned to their favourite part of the damp and rushy hillside. It was at times a little cramped in the hide but time soon passed and around eight o'clock after the birds had finally departed we decided to come out of hiding and make the trek back to the waiting cars.
What an amazing experience it had been to witness at close quarters one of Natures great spectacles and one I can hopefully experience again sometime in the future. I would like to thank Jonathan for making it possible for us to join him and to Paul for providing the transport and the hide from which we enjoyed those wonderful sights and sounds. It was a memorable trip and one that will long remain in the memory..... Thanks to you both.
I have posted a few images from the trip and hope they convey to my readers some of the magic moments we enjoyed on that very frosty morning in the Northern Pennines. I may post more images at a later date but in the meantime hope you enjoy this account of a memorable day out.

Close Encounter.....Dotterel

I have been fortunate in previous years to see dotterel as they stop off on their long journey to their breeding grounds in Scotland. They certainly get my vote as one of the most beautiful of British birds. If conditions are favourable at the end of April into early May a few dotterel usually stop over on Pendle Hill in Lancashire. This regular location is well watched at this time of the year and many birdwatchers make the climb to the summit of Lancashire's highest hill to see  this very special bird. So it was this week,the week of the General Election,that I went with two colleagues to Pendle Hill to hopefully see the two dotterel that had arrived the day before our visit.
The morning had been damp and drizzly hardly ideal for climbing Pendle Hill but being the eternal optimist I had persuaded Mike and Robin that we should make the effort as the dotterel were still there and the weather might improve. Improve it did and on the way there the clouds were lifting and we could see the summit of Pendle which was very encouraging. As we left Pendleside Farm to head up the hill my good friend Paul Foster was just making his way down and I could see from the broad grin on his face that he had at last managed  to see the dotterel. Paul had made two trips up the hill that morning the first one was wet and not suitable for photography but with the clearing weather he had gone back up to get his well earned images.
We continued upwards in the knowledge that the birds were still there and also that there were some other birdwatchers on the summit. Half an hour or so later we were on the summit and we made our way across to the birders already there. The weather was kind to us during our stay and we all enjoyed stunning views of the two dotterel. One of the birds was a female in her splendid breeding colours and I understand the other bird is also a female but she has not yet got her full breeding plumage but is still a stunning bird to see. I lost track of time as I got some wonderful close up shots of the dotterel as they moved around the stony summit of Pendle in their quest for food. At times both birds came within about twenty yards or so of the camera and did at times  pose nicely for me to record this memorable event.
Eventually we decided to leave the birds in peace as we made our way back down the hill. We arrived back safely at the car having experienced a close encounter with this enigmatic and very special bird of the mountain tops. I understand as I write this two days later the birds are still there and will be waiting for favourable weather conditions before they make the long journey to the breeding grounds. I wish them well on their journey and certainly look forward to another close encounter with what I think is one of Britain's most beautiful birds. Hope my readers enjoy the images I have posted of this memorable visit to the summit of Pendle Hill.