I guess living with such a wonderful variety of widlife so close to hand, it's easy to get greedy and focus on the moments you miss. Today was a bit like that.
I went in search of the campus vixen this morning. I headed out to an area I thought she might like.
So many rabbits…
She wasn't there, but a kestrel flew overhead, so at least one hunter was out and about.
Kestrel
As I was heading back I came across a squirrel, busy breakfasting. But no fox.
Squirrel
To get to my office I have to pass the bridge where the vixen has her den. I waited around there for a few minutes (at around 8.25), only to be told by a colleague who overlooks that spot that I'd just missed her (she was out at 8.20, and he'd emailed me to get me over there!). Not only that, but she'd been playing with two cubs. Which goes to show that sometimes it's better not to go in search of the shot, but to stake out the prime location. That's a constant dilemma: to wait or to search. Both have their merits (I get plenty of great moments by searching, or more precisely by stumbling upon something interesting); but just as many by sitting still and watching. Like this first sighting of the year of a female broad-bodied chaser (she's the yellow one of this mating pair).
Broad bodied chasers
She didn't stay around for long, so that was the only shot of her I managed. There were plenty of males about though. I counted 6 criss-crossing the pond. It's clearly not long before egg-laying begins in earnest and then my lunchtime walks will be spent crouched by the edge of a muddy clay dewpond taking hundreds of shots of dragonflies in flight, getting cramp, and occasionally managing to get a photo in focus 😉
But I count the dragonflies as a hit. The second miss of the day came this evening, at home. I was out in the garden when a sparrowhawk flew in low and perched on a neighbour's chimney… the wrong side. I couldn't see it at all! That's the second time recently it's been there or thereabouts at around 7pm (the previous time it was hovering just above the chimney, but the camera was indoors), so we're clearly becoming part of its regular route. Judging by the size (smallish) it's a male. With luck – and patience – I'll get a photo.
I've probably managed several more misses tonight. I've got the stills camera set up on a tripod with the remote attached. I'm firing it periodically when the trail cam lights up (I'm staying hidden at the bottom of the garden). I've no idea what I've got (probably cats), or possibly a hedgehog. A fox would be great, and a badger outstanding (it's almost a nightly visitor). I'll see later. And tomorrow, if I'm up early I'll stake out the vixen's den.
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens.
Flying Red Fox Blog
21 May 2009Wow nice photos, its nice you have a colleague helping you. 😀 Probably a good idea to make a *Fox Pager* that alerts him or you when the Vixen is out. 😛
gdare
21 May 2009Nice photo of a squirrel, like it was taking slow morning walk 🙂
SittingFox
21 May 2009I like the idea of a fox pager! 😆
Oh well. Some days are like that. Nice shots even so 🙂 and if it's any consolation, one of the many weird things that happened to me in Scotland last week was a cuckoo randomly landing on a signpost about 15 yards ahead of the car in an empty lane, and of course my camera chose that moment to refuse to focus through the windscreen :insane: 😥 I kept the resulting blurry cuckoo photo. I consider it artistic 😉
Words
21 May 2009Mark, great idea! The attempts to leave phone messages and emails just aren't enough. I did sit it out this morning, but she was a 'no show', which is a shame.
Words
21 May 2009I'd keep a cuckoo, blurred or not, just to record the sighting. I've never knowingly seen one. I had one more 'miss' last night. While I was inside doing the blog, the badger showed up. I reckon it knows… :whistle:
Words
21 May 2009Darko, it so quiet at that time of day. Very peaceful. I think the squirrels prefer it like that.
SittingFox
21 May 2009Of course, it knows! :whistle:
As for the cuckoo…yes, the blurring is bad :eyes: 😮 It's only the second one that I've seen. The other was a very brief glimpse in Norfolk.
Ukwildlife
21 May 2009Great photos. Rabbits and dragonflies is what I was treated to on my way into work today 🙂
Words
21 May 2009Car windows are the bane of the mobile photographer, but great to have seen it.
Words
21 May 2009Neil, it's a nice time of year, for sure.