After a very quiet Saturday (photo-wise), I took some time this afternoon to go to the local valley to search out kestrels. I was out of luck where they were concerned, but I headed back to the area where last week I saw a fox take a rabbit. He wasn't there (what are the odds of that, really?), but as I headed a little further south I spotted a lone fox trotting across some open ground.
It's impossible to be certain, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same male I saw last week. I lost sight of him as he went over a ridge and by the time I got across to where he'd been he had disappeared into the undergrowth.
Earlier in the week I mentioned the orange-tip butterflies, which seem to be having an extremely good year. I saw more today, and finally got a decent shot of the female showing the patterned underwing.
Female orange-tip butterfly
This evening I was out checking the trail cam when my attention was caught by some very loud snuffling coming from the back of the garden. It turned out to be a pair hedgehogs, busily doing very little at all (presumably looking for grubs) and making a great noise about it. It's the first time I've seen the pair together, though the trail cam did beat me to it a couple of weeks back. The one you can see properly in this photo was making most of the noise.
Finally, I'll close tonight with a short video clip picked up over night. It's another 'bat' moment. I can't believe these trigger the camera, so something must have moved past just before it turned up.
Bat
Camera note: The fox and butterfly were taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens supported by the Manfrotto 685B Neotec monopod and 234RC tilt head. The hedgehogs were photographed with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens and Canon 430EX flash unit (set to manual to avoid the pre-flash).
gdare
11 May 2009Hedgehogs are making party in your garden :yes:
Flying Red Fox Blog
11 May 2009Lovelly photos 😀 It was a quiet weekend for me too, was finally getting all my things back in my bedroom after its redecoration yay!
I will start a photo diary for my blog soon to show what happened. 🙂
Ukwildlife
11 May 2009excellent photos, especially the hedgehog 🙂
Words
11 May 2009Darko, it was lovely to see the pair of them out together like that. They took very little notice of me which is good.
Words
11 May 2009Thanks Erwin!
Words
11 May 2009Mark, thanks! Saturday was quiet, but Sunday made up for it. Look forward to seeing your blog updates. 😀
Words
11 May 2009Neil, thanks. The hedgehogs were a treat but I was delighted to see the fox again.
cakkleberrylane
14 May 2009Is the bat attracted to the food that is in the dish?
Words
14 May 2009Lois, I don't think so. I suspect it's hunting insects and bugs. We've always had bats flying through, but I've never managed to photograph them successfully. Too fast, too dark, and no way to focus!
annoushkiss
16 May 2009The hedgehogs are very nice 🙂 and the fox seems to be so concentrated and busy. Very good pictures! :up:
Words
16 May 2009Thanks Anna!
SittingFox
17 May 2009Lovely shots of the fox out in the fields. And two hedgehogs! I certainly agree about orangetips – they seem to be everywhere this year :right:
Words
17 May 2009Thanks Adele. I seem to be having much more success with the wild foxes (after years of never having even a glimpse). It makes quite a change.
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012Lovelly Pick…. :up: