The local herring gull chicks have finally fledged and a young pair were resting on the grass early this morning. The light was terrible, and these two shots were taken at ISO 1000 which still only gave a shutter speed of 1/125s. It's at times like this that I really appreciate the benefits of image stabilization.
Yawning herring gull fledgling
Stretching a wing
The light was no better over by a nearby ornamental garden. I'd gone in search of dragonflies, but what I saw was a real surprise and a photographic challenge. The first two shots were taken in the morning.
If you look closely you can just see it peeping out between the plants. It was scurrying around, avoiding any clear shot. It's a vole (probably a field vole). I usually see them in the tight grasp of a kestrel. I've very occasionally seen one scurry under a hedgerow, but I've never photographed one. They are in fact one of the most numerous species we have, but their size, habitat and general caution makes them a difficult 'spot'.
I went back at lunchtime to see if I could get any more photos. The light was poor and I cranked up to ISO 1600 (something I almost never do except at night). One of the voles (there are at least two) was busy in the undergrowth. I could locate them by listening out for sounds of eating! Eventually one briefly scurried along the edge of the garden area to grab an exposed shoot. 
Field Bank vole
Note the short tail
The late night reference in the title of this entry brings me to the foxes. Cheeky, the young vixen, was out in the garden (I'm gathering some nice portraits of her) when she was disturbed by some fox calling nearby. A few moments later, Bold (her mother) appeared. I'll let the photos take it from here (taken at ISO 100).
Greeting
Camera note: gulls and vole shots taken with the Canon 40D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. The foxes were photographed with the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.
debplatt
14 Jul 2010Very nice! :up: 🙂
Vulpes vulpes
14 Jul 2010Congrats on the vole shots! Love the interactions of Bold and Cheeky. 😀
anonymous
14 Jul 2010One Small Mouse writes:
I love the last shot of the foxes in particular – their affection for one another really comes across!
anonymous
14 Jul 2010Wojtek writes:
"I could locate them by listening out for sounds of eating!"
Now, Sir, you're doing it like a fox! 😛
gdare
14 Jul 2010Originally posted by anonymous:
+1 😆
Mickeyjoe-Irl
14 Jul 2010Three outstanding sequences. :up:
Vulpes vulpes
14 Jul 2010Interesting…have you noticed just how black Cheeky's legs are? Right the way up, sort of like tights! 😉
Words
16 Jul 2010One Small Mouse, thanks! It was lovely to see them interacting like that. The cub was enjoying herself.
Words
16 Jul 2010Darko, ears are really useful for finding wildlife. Hear then see.
Words
16 Jul 2010Thanks Mick!
Words
16 Jul 2010Deb, thanks!
Words
16 Jul 2010Vulpes, I was pleased to get the vole (though the consensus is that it's a 'bank vole', not a field vole). The two foxes were great together. I don't often get to see them like that.
Words
16 Jul 2010Thanks Erwin!
Words
16 Jul 2010Wojtek, LOL! I hadn't thought of it like that, but of course you're right :spock:
Words
16 Jul 2010Vulpes, she does have very black legs doesn't she. I wonder if that will change as she grows.
SittingFox
16 Jul 2010That last photo of the foxes is very special 🙂
But congrats on the vole! Definitely a very hard creature to photograph – and not that easy to see either! Very cute.
Ukwildlife
17 Jul 2010brilliant photos
Words
18 Jul 2010Adele, it was so nice to see Bold behaving like that. She hasn't been around as much lately, but good to know that she still looks after them. Still some uncertainty on what type of vole it is (either field or bank).
Words
18 Jul 2010Thanks Neil!
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012Outstanding Pict