Category Archives: rats

Mirror Mirror

April 16, 2015 by Words | 4 Comments

It’s been a good day today, and I have lots of images that I could show but I will probably hold some back for the weekend. The pride of place – and major part of the blog – goes to one of the many herring gulls that nest on the roofs of the University of Brighton campus at Falmer.

A number of the buildings have reflective film along the windows to keep out glare and deflect heat. These act as mirrors as this fine gull discovered today.

Herring gull and mirror window

The gull was fascinated by its reflection

 

Herring gull and mirror window

Between pecking it would pause and try to out-stare its adversary

 

Herring gull and mirror window

… or just glower.

 

I left the gull to it after watching for 10 minutes or so. I presume it eventually gave up. The rest of today’s photos were picked up on my travels during the day, but the first does have an echo of a reflection in it.

duck

Duck sleeping on Falmer Pond

rat

Cute little rat up on its hind legs to get a better view.

dunnock

A pair of dunnocks on picturesque tree

fulmar

Fulmar at Rottingdean

And last, but not least… a badger.

badger

Badger trampling the plants!

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens,except the badger which was photographed with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Also posted in Badger, Birds, water birds Tagged , , , , , |

Leucistic Greylag and more wildlife

April 13, 2015 by Words | Comments Off

The saga of the unusual geese at Falmer continues unabated. Today’s newcomer was genuinely unusual: an almost entirely white greylag goose. The photograph shows the leucistic goose alongside a standard greylag, and as you can see apart from the feather colour, the birds are more or less identical.

leucistic greylag goose

Leucistic greylag goose alongside a standard greylag

Leucism is a genetic condition that affect colour pigmentation in the feathers. As you can see, the eyes are not affected (they would be in an albino).

Leucistic greylag

Last week I posted a couple of photos of the local rats on a decaying carp. The carp is still there, and slowly the rats are making progress. It’s been a handsome feast for them.

rat eating dead carp

rat eating dead carp

The rats are slowly consuming the carp

Last, in what is a drastically unthemed blog, a couple of pictures of a badger from last night.

Badger in garden

Badger in garden

And a treat… a short video clip from the trail camera (now back in movie mode)

Camera note: greylag and rat photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens. The badger was photographed with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM lens.

Also posted in Badger, Foxes, water birds, Wildlife Tagged , , , |

Little Grebe at Woods Mill

April 7, 2015 by Words | 2 Comments

This is really the Easter Monday post. We spent the afternoon at Woods Mill, the headquarters of the Sussex Wildlife Trust. We started by checking out the kestrel, and while an adult was in evidence there are – as yet – no signs of the chicks. It may be a few more weeks before they appear.

There were plenty of small birds around (chiffchaffs, robins, long-tailed tits), but the best moments were down by the lake where a pair of little grebes (aka dabchicks) – in full breeding plumage – were parading up and down the water. It was a still day, and we were there towards the end of the afternoon. Near perfect conditions and light, though I would have been even happier if they had come just a little closer to the bank. Anyway, I posted one shot yesterday. Here are a few more.

Little grebe in breeding plumage

Little grebe in breeding plumage

Little grebe in breeding plumage

Little grebe in breeding plumage

Little grebe in breeding plumage

Little grebe in breeding plumage

We also checked out the hide. Lots of blue tits and great tits, plus dunnocks and even a squirrel.

Blue tit at Woods Mill

Blue tit at Woods Mill

Blue tit at Woods Mill

Blue tit on a feeder

Squirrel at Woods Mill

Squirrel in woodland

Squirrel at Woods Mill

Just two shots from today (I have plenty more, but this is getting long). The first is a trio of dunnocks in their ritual mating dance. Dunnocks are unusual in that their common breeding group comprises three birds (two males and female – she mates with both males).

Trio of dunnocks in mating dance

The last shots are a first for me. Not the fact that it’s a rat, but that it is perched on a dead carp floating at the side of the pond. Oh yes, it’s also sticking its tongue out! 😛

Rat sticking its tongue out while standing on a dead carp

Rat sticking out its tongue

 

rat eating a dead carp

Rat eating a floating dead carp

 

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

Also posted in Birds, water birds Tagged , , , , |