22-29th August 2013, A new friend and a new project

Walks have been restricted to local areas in the last week as the backlog of jobs to catch up at home after a week away took priority.

With the canal and moors so close there are always walks somewhere near though and even half an hour can be sufficient to find some relaxation.

It was one such a short escape that I found a new friend, a young heron which seems to know no fear of being near humans, I sincerely hope this remains the case as it is a fascinating creature to be near.

It was on this walk as I crossed some farmland that I got talking to the landowner, we have chatted a few times over the years regarding farming and wildlife and he knows my camera and binoculars mean I am not likely to be causing mischief or harm on his land. He said he had been hoping to see me for a few months, he has my contact details now! There have been little and tawny owls nesting and rearing young this year and he talked me through roughly where the nest sites have been as the adults and young have been seen regularly, permission has been granted for me to explore the four acre site at length and for me to erect temporary hides if I wish. I returned home with a real spring in my step!

A couple of nights later I returned for a brief look round, any time spent here will be vital in learning the angles for possible photographs, where the sun is at different times, where the shadows spread, where trees block the view and most importantly where the owls are!

I just missed a clean focus on a long tailed tit as a flock twittered and flitted from tree to tree...

A goldfinch was a more willing model...

The light was receding badly at this point and I cut short the visit.

Another walk by the canal and my heron buddy decided to take a walk with me...

A short walk up on the moor at weekend and we enjoyed the sunshine during a very pleasant stroll, the grouse were understandably coy...

The peacock butterflies continue to delight...

And a kestrel came tantalisingly close...

Another exploration of the owl site yielded a view of a little owl as its bobbling flight took it down the far side of the field as I closed a noisy gate, lesson learned and I'll climb the gate in future!

I am beginning the learn the layout and vantage points, maybe the wrong time of year but all knowledge in such things is vital and even if I can only visit at weekends it is very near to my home and anything I see and learn will come in handy next spring.

Cultivating relationships with animals is also vital and great fun as I got another fantastic few minutes with the heron...

Yet more time reccying out the owls and I got a bonus with flight views, if distant, of both little and tawny owls, light was fading and attempts at photographs would have been futile and at this point I am better served sticking to research.

My skill at keeping still and unobserved was demonstrated by a kestrel coming in to perch nearby, the quality of the shot taken at 1/30th of a second at iso3200 demonstrates the gathering darkness, time to go home!

I'll post regular updates on the owl project, I am the only photographer to be granted total access to this land, gaining the trust of the farmer comes close to the feeling of gaining the trust of a wild creature!

Many thanks to all who read, much appreciated

10-17th August, A family week in Norfolk

A summary of a week in Hempstead, near Holt, Norfolk, with our daughter and her partner and our three adorable grand-daughters. We planned with some care, a location with activities to suit us all and a large enough property so that we each had enough room to escape for some peace and quiet when needed, it turned out to be perfect and even the weather was kind!

A tiring drive down on busy roads was dealt with and the holiday began in earnest on Sunday morning, we headed to nearby Cley Next The Sea and a renowned nature reserve. Even at a time of year when sightings can be difficult the day passed quickly and we had plenty to see.

A black tailed godwit...

A beautiful peacock butterfly....

A green sandpiper...

We kept getting glimpses of marsh harriers, unfortunately too far away for photographs most of the time until this one settled in a shrub...

We also had a sighting of a rare red necked phalarope, a gorgeous little wader which stayed well away from the camera.

Lovely warm weather and a couple of showers in the evening did nothing to spoil a great first day.

Monday and Holkham for us, all that is needed for a great day out with beaches, scrubland and woods to walk through. A lovely hall set in splendid grounds also offers lots of other attraction for families of all ages, highly recommended!

We walked along the edge of the woods, plenty of butterflies and other things to entertain us...and to test my sparse knowledge and ID guide later!

A slightly battered gatekeeper...

A speckled wood....

A female ruddy darter...

A comma...

and a painted lady....

Rumours of barn owls near our home for the week meant I had to try at least one early start to see if I could locate them.

Out before 6.00am the next day I maintained a patient vigil from field edges for the next couple of hours, my only reward...a swallow before it began its flights for the day.

Oh and legs that looked as if I had been walking through razor wire, the shorts were not a good choice for bramble lined paths...ouch!

We chose a boat trip to Blakeney Point to see the seals that congregate there.

The longer nosed grey in the water...

And the common seals in moult on the beach...

We were also lucky enough to see sandwich terns hunting and diving like arrows into the tidal waters...

Another short walk at Cley brought us a sighting of a young reed bunting...

With family bbq's and games of cricket on the lawn back at our property the evenings were lively and fun.

On Wednesday we had a family sized boat booked for a few hours of cruising down on the Broads, departing from Wroxham was not too nerve shredding and the sedate pace was soon settled into.

With the girls to entertain and be helped as we all took turns at steering, I didn't get too many opportunities for wildlife photographs. When we moored for lunch however I found a quiet spot and an Egyptian goose near, formerly escapees they are now firmly established in the area..

Great crested grebes are numerous as were my attempts at getting photographs of them, this is one of the few to survive the editing!

A laughing cormorant was on hand to welcome us back from a great day on the waters as we successfully navigated back to Wroxham..

RSPB Titchwell was the chosen destination for Thursday and Friday, noted for water voles which we have never seen.

Prominent early on were black tailed godwits...

Avocets sweeping the shallow water for feed with their upturned bills...

A ruff....

Lapwings had been nearly every day, this was the best photograph I got of one...

Occasionally we saw goldfinch...

Spoonbills were present and seen but only at long distance, little egrets came much nearer though..

Spending time by the pond most noted for water voles we were visited by a splendid southern hawker...

And eventually as a reward for patience and persistence, or maybe just luck, a sweet little water vole appeared...

Apart from the small drama of a power cut back at the house which meant a hasty drive for a takeaway meal, the last day was as good as the others...a superb holiday and a safe drive home for us all. We brought back lots of photographs, these are a small sample and I hope you enjoy them.

Above all we brought back lots of brilliant memories and we will return to Norfolk.

Many thanks to all who read, don't forget if you do feel like adding a comment, they come to me first for approval.

3rd-4th August 2013, Wharfedale, canal and lanes, and Leighton Moss

The weather at the weekend was a bonus, not looking too promising all week yet when it finally arrived it was pleasantly good.

I had planned a very early start over in Wharfedale, not early because I thought I would see more wildlife but because I thought I would see less people! On the road at 6.30am and at my Barden Bridge destination before 7.00 I blessed my preparations, the waterproofs were packed and needed as a brisk shower fell soon after I began my walk. There wasn't much to see and I kept the camera packed away for a while, as the rain ceased I optimistically hoped some sunshine may appear but it was some time before any brightness filtered into the woodland.

Eventually though a few rays found there way through and I began to find some subjects...fungi on a tree..

Down at the river a young dipper...

More youngsters, a chaffinch and a blue tit as I reached the half way point of my walk and crossed the bridge for the return...

Not much reward for my early start but if you don't try you see even less!

Nearly back at the car a treetop goldfinch..

The weather was settled now and after a re-fuel at home I set out again, this time using the canal towpath and some country lanes to explore to the east of my home town of Silsden.

A mallard at least offered a sunlit photograph...

Swallows rested on a field side fence..

The settled weather has seen a profusion of butterflies, here I think is a small heath..

Moorhens are lovely, quirky birds, rarely still and not the easiest to get sharp shots of, here a youngster heads out for some exploration..

I am trying to get better at flight shots, swallows are maybe not the easiest ones to practice on but I got a couple of reasonable results. The blobs in the pix must be insects magnified by my lens as they only appear in some shots and always in different places.

Another beautiful butterfly, the peacock, completed my shots for the day.

Discussions took place over Saturday evening as to the viability of a trip to Leighton Moss over near Carnforth in Lancashire. My assertion that the forecast of reasonable weather until early afternoon would be correct but that the weather would hold for longer eventually won, some preparatory work was undertaken, lens and camera cleaned and battery put on charge, and alarm set for silly o'clock again!!!

The day started slowly again, a blue tit appeared momentarily as we walked to our first hide...

A cormorant perched out in the water...

Some views of distant marsh harriers were entertaining enough but I was eager for more photographic opportunities.

A patient study of movement in nearby shrubs proved profitable as eventually a beautiful little sedge warbler posed for just long enough...

A reliable mallard posed nicely in the sun...

And that was that for the morning session, we retired to the car for a picnic lunch and a rest.

Re-envigoured and always hopeful we ventured out again in the now bright sunshine...we found a swan enjoying a splash and revelling in the cooling results...

A tiny moorhen chick...

A grey heron hunted out in the reeds...

A lovely little snipe shuffled around near the hide...

The juvenile marsh harriers occasionally flew near enough for me to try a shot or two...

The snipe stayed nearby...

My nearest view of the harrier turned out to be a silhouette...

The little egrets are wonderful to see...

A lovely red deer fawn appeared...

Joined later by some adult females with occasional visits from the marsh harrier as well...

Another great and rewarding, if tiring, weekend.

Many thanks to all readers, the numbers are much appreciated and make the small job of compiling and writing the blog very worthwhile.

Don't forget that any comments come to me first for moderation.

The next blogs will be from Norfolk, hopefully the WIFI in the property we are renting will have sufficient bandwith for me to keep things up to date!