ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Sunday 1 June 2014

BORN KILLERS. (01/06/14)

It is just starting to spit with rain. I’m having a quiet day. Thank you to all that suggested getting third party batteries for the 1Ds. I ordered one from Amazon this morning. £28.00p delivered so that is sensible. Canon ones are well over a hundred pounds dearer. I should now have enough electricity for over five thousand shots. That is enough for two and a half minutes of video. I would like to shoot the next one over three days and end up with about ten minutes worth of footage. I can then try and edit creatively and not edit to salvage.

I will probably save shooting most of the story line until I get to Durness in late June. I want a clear day and I will shoot six hours of the tide coming in around the rock stacks. I would also like to get the sun sweeping across the northern horizon. If in the meantime I get the chance of some star trails then I’ll shoot them and wriggle them in somehow.

This mornings walk was very quiet, I saw the Dipper and a Grey Heron but they both saw me first. Molly was in frog stalking mode._MG_1904  She would spend hours searching for non existent frogs. She eventually wandered ashore and they set a young rabbit up. This one they caught, I heard it squealing. By the time I caught up it had surrendered and they were both licking it.

_MG_1900   Moll was the first to it, they give up and lie down once the dogs are within grabbing distance. Alf was very impressed. It’s odd that the dogs know by instinct to split apart so that no matter which way it swerves they have a good chance of catching it.

   I called them to heal, why I don’t know as I had to resort to grabbing them and then asking them to sit.

_MG_1901    It was fine if a bit damp and cleaner from their ministrations. I did pick it up by the scruff of it’s neck to give it the once over. Never pick them up any other way their hind claws are like razors and can do serious damage if they kick. It soon hopped off and didn’t seem in any hurry.

It’s not only the rabbit that is coming on in leaps and bounds.

sycamore   It doesn’t seem two minutes since this Sycamore was just a collection of branches and twigs, now it has seeds.

Have a good week, I’m going to watch Spring Watch….I’ll try to concentrate on the flora and fauna but I expect Michaela will steal the show as she usually does.

21 comments:

  1. I must say that it is hard to concentrate on the beavers when Michaela Strachan is presenting.
    Why didn't you let your hounds chow down on that baby rabbit? It would have saved on the dog food bill.

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    1. YP, I have spent hours, days and weeks training them to live and let live. I go to farms to stay, I visit nature reserves and you can get in terrible trouble if they attack hens and fauna. Alf now knows not to bite. Moll catches rabbits half this size and carries them back to the van. They can't understand why it won't get up and play again.
      I buy working dog food VAT free it only costs £3.00p a week to feed the pair of them. Twenty years ago that young rabbit would have been my tea. I've been mixing with too many naturists.
      Michaela is a bit dizzy and I imagine she could be annoying. I just sit and drool....Bugger the badgers and the bloke with the Botox.

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  2. Weird thing my greyhound of late has been in toad hunting mode of late and actually caught a toad and brought it back to me unharmed. Dropped if at my feet where it played dead for a few moments before hopping off....dogs will be dogs hunting is really their way of playing.

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    1. Douglas, they spend ages snuffling about. They haven't found a frog for weeks but they always remember where the last one was. Thanks for reminding me about cheap batteries. I hope I have a bargain as it is a big battery in the 1Ds.

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  3. The new plans sound very interesting. I will be waiting. It's funny how some of our domesticated dogs react to hunting when they get the opportunity.

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    1. Red, They usually just have a half hearted run at them. I was surprised to see them out flank it. Instinct I guess.

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  4. I only ever buy third party batteries and so far they have all been good.
    Killer instinct and racing training are the reasons Penny can't be let off her lead when we are out. Rabbit, squirrel, cat - all the same to her. She practices on her cuddly toys every time I am getting ready to take her out. Her method is to grab by the scruff of the neck and hurl the catch upwards as hard as she can.

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    1. John, I have some of the small ones but never thought the big ones would be made as third party items. It even has the posh control/analysis business that the big Cannon batteries have. The camera will tell me to put it in the charger and press the Calibrate button. In gives the battery two full cycles. It takes all night but does leave them like new.
      My dogs either fling rats high into the air or just shake them like mad. Either way they are dead. I'm glad they didn't kill the rabbit. I'm getting soft.

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  5. These are great images. The first three shots are adorable.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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    1. Mersad, dogs usually make good photographs. They do if I can find them.

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  6. It's just as well the dogs hunting instincts don't carry over to the kill. Funny that they like the rabbit after they have caught it. I really hope you are ready with the camera if they ever find that frog. I love that first shot of Molly, she seems to be moving through the water quite slowly, in fine stalking mode.

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  7. I guess they like, and lick, that rabbit!

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    1. Pauline I think they regard them as domestic animals like hens and ducks. Rats they kill. I really don't have a clue what is going through their minds.

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  8. CJ suggested I watch Springwatch on iPlayer to see something in particular. I have to say I found the presenters intensely irritating.

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    1. Graham they are. I turn the sound off and enjoy the photography and Michaela.

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  9. Good, if it had been a member of the canines, he would have been kicking up the daisies.

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    1. Bob they don't usually bother chasing them. I was surprised it was still alive and unharmed. This morning there were dozens about and they ignored them

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  10. What little rascals they are! Who would have guessed?

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    1. Maria, there is rarely a dull moment with them about.

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  11. Thinking about the phrase ... "The wolf in your living room" ... nah, that doesn't sound right on so many different levels. Amazing shot of the rabbit.

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