Tag Archives: Buzzard

Down at the Pond and into the Woods

February 18, 2014 by Words | 2 Comments

Well it was dry today. Dull, with little or no sign of the sun until it was setting in the late afternoon. But dry is good; better than many of the days we’ve had in recent months so I won’t complain.

The early morning sequence was taken at Falmer Pond. It’s still very quiet there at the moment, but I did spot one cute little rat making its way carefully around the edge of the pond. The main route is now via the water.

Out to the edge of tree…
Rat at the edge of Falmer Pond

A strong paddle across the open water…
Rat swimming in Falmer Pond

And then clamber up into something a little more solid and secure.
Rat at the edge of Falmer Pond

I gave the pond a miss at lunchtime, and instead donned some wellington boots and headed off into the woodland at the edge of campus. It’s the first time I’ve been in the woods since the storms, and sure enough there were numerous fallen branches. I think this tree probably came down in a previous storm. It looked too well-set and comfortable to be a recent casualty.

Fallen tree in Westlain Plantation

The next shot was also taken in the woods. It’s the only usable one I managed (and it barely even qualifies as that), but having seen a buzzard flying in and around (and over) the trees several times while I was there I need something to record the encounter. Most of the time it was flying just over the trees, but once or twice it swooped along the paths. I’ve spotted buzzards here before so it wasn’t an unexpected sighting, just a rather good one.

buzzard

Back in the garden I’ve switched the trail camera back over to video. There were a couple of decent clips last night of Pretty with two different foxes (separate encounters). I’ll edit some sequences together over the next few days, but close tonight’s blog with a photo of her from a few minutes ago.

Fox

Camera note: rat and buzzard photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens; woodland scene taken with the EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens; and the fox with the EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Foxes, Landscape, rats, Wildlife Also tagged , , , |

Pretty Photos

February 7, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

Just three pretty photos, but possibly not what you were expecting from the title.

The first is this pretty group of ducks down at the pond. The sun was just about making its presence known during the day, and though the wind was sharp it was something of a relief to have some temporary respite from the gloom. It won’t last. More rain – and gales – are on the way.

ducks

The second photo is an unusual one for me. A rural landscapewithout any animals in it. This was taken by the fields along Ridge Road, just outside Falmer.

Fields at Falmer

I was watching for buzzards at the time but could only manage a few long range shots.

buzzard

To close, one of the Pretty who usually features. Here she is enjoying a good old stretch along the garden wall.

Fox stretching

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, apart from the fox which was taken with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Farming, Foxes, Landscape, South Downs National Park Also tagged , , , |

Three Birds, Three Mammals

January 14, 2014 by Words | Comments Off

There were certainly more than three species of birds out there today, but three is the number I’m going to post. There are also three mammal species tonight (two of which are fairly obvious).

I’ll start with the early morning pair… our local Muscovys, enjoying a natter on the stone wall outside St Laurence Church at Falmer.

Muscovy ducks

Next come the lunchtime birds… the Muscovys were still around, but it was a lone black-headed gull, standing quietly on a floating branch, that caught my lens.

Black headed gull perched on floating branch

The first of the mammals was also lurking around the pond. Yes it’s another of the Falmer rats, huddled up in the tangle at the water’s edge.

rat

I’d also been out to the local fields, along Ridge Road. I was in search of buzzards but found a small group of roe deer.

Roe deer

Roe deer

The buzzard did finally show up… but not out by the fields. I spotted this beauty over the car park on my way back to the office.

Common Buzzard

Common Buzzard

So that’s three birds and two mammals.It’s not hard to guess who makes up the final mammal. It’s Pretty and it’s a fox 😉 Her hind leg seems to be improving. She’s been carrying it high for the past week (approximately) but today she seemed to be putting her full weight on it as she moved around the garden… pausing occasionally for a long stretch and yawn.

Fox yawning

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, apart from the fox photo which was taken with the EF 24-105 F4L IS USM lens.

Posted in Bird of Prey, Birds, deer, Foxes, rats, water birds Also tagged , , , , |