Birds, foxes and a video clip

I've just realized that I haven't posted anything about the local bird life recently. It's still there of course. The greenfinches have re-established themselves in the garden, along with the wood pigeons crows and magpies. The swallows are still circling overhead before they head back to Africa for the winter, and today I saw four different species of birds of prey. First was a sparrowhawk (seen from the car), and then out walking I saw a buzzard and (eventually) a kestrel. The surprise package was this. It flew over quickly and I only grabbed a few frames, but enough to confirm that it's a hobby.
Hobby

There were numerous smaller birds as well, including this charming whinchat. They were busy flitting back and forth, trying hard to keep out of sight.
Whinchat

It was later, along the edge of the race track, that I saw the kestrel. I'd spotted it flying low across the grass and it took me a few minutes to find it.
Kestrel

She was enjoying the view at the end of the runs used by the local jockeys to exercise the horses. On the runs themselves several wheatears were searching for insects among the wood chippings.

That was today. Last night was about the badger, and the fox. Bold had taken up her usual spot at the front of the garden. She's there now, as I type this, looking very much as she did last night.

But she wasn't the only one about yesterday. All evening we'd heard rustlings and thumps from nearby. There are two other foxes, both impossibly shy. Judging from the trail cam footage I've been getting, there's a male and a younger/smaller fox, possibly a young vixen. They're often together. Plus – if I'm being strictly accurate – a fourth fox. 'Stumpy' still makes a brief appearances on the trail cam, though he is very much the outsider of the four. Anyway, I'm fairly sure this photo is the younger vixen. Curiosity was just enough to tempt it out from cover. The photo isn't up to much I'm afraid.

Finally, here's some video. As it happens, the badger last night positioned itself perfectly between me and the trail cam, so (unusually) I'm in the clips. Plus, as an added extra, there's a few seconds at the end of the two shy foxes. Do take a look 😉


Nature Blog Network
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 400D. Various lenses used. The birds were all taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. Both foxes were photographed with the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.

Tags: , ,

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. gdare

    21 Sep 2009

    You were really close to that badger. I doubt in normal circumstances she would let you be that close :left:
    Activity as usual 😀 Not to mention how cute a sleeping fox looks like 🙂

  2. Words

    21 Sep 2009

    Darko, that's the closest I've been. Badgers do sometimes become comfortable with people, but I'm not sure how comfortable I would be with those teeth and claws if we got too close.

  3. Words

    21 Sep 2009

    Mark, LOL @ Star Wars. I know what you mean though, especially the red light coming from the camera as it tries to focus on her.

  4. Flying Red Fox Blog

    21 Sep 2009

    Wow excellent video 😀 you looked like some robot on star wars with the flashing light too 😆 lovelly pics too.

  5. CedarFox

    21 Sep 2009

    Great shots! I like the wheatear myself. Were you using the flashlight to help autofocus or because it was dark? 🙂

  6. SittingFox

    21 Sep 2009

    LOL, it's interesting to get a badger's-eye-view of photography 😀

    Lovely shot of the wheatear! And the hobby – I haven't seen one at all this year 🙁

    As for the fox: gorgeous!

  7. Ukwildlife

    21 Sep 2009

    Great photos, well done getting a golod photo of a wheatear, something I couldnt manage :p 😀

    I was looking at your photos of a curled up fox on WAB the other day, very nice 🙂

  8. Words

    22 Sep 2009

    Eric, thanks. I was using the flashlight to help focus. The infrared does work but can hunt a bit. The extra light helps! Plus it was dark out there 😉

  9. Words

    22 Sep 2009

    Adele, I was surprised at how she ignored the flash. One step though and she'd rear up and look. I've not seen many hobbies this year, and was surprised by this one. Plenty of small birds about at the moment, but the wheatears are so elegant. Bold is being ridiculously friendly at the moment, but I'm not complaining.

  10. Words

    22 Sep 2009

    Neil, we get plenty of wheatears out on the edge of the race course. Pretty birds. I think I know the shot you mean on WAB. That was a very sunny summer and we had lots of cover at the back of the garden which they really enjoyed.

  11. Words

    25 Sep 2009

    Thanks Erwin!

  12. Wulpen

    19 Oct 2012

    Excellent

Comments are closed.

Close Menu