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

Thursday 23 April 2015

THE ART OF BIRDING. (22/04/15)

I have moved to a place called The Clink in Glassharts Glen; it lies a mile or so northish of Auchtermuchty. I have been meaning to visit for ages and after leaving Kinross and the supermarket decided that it was as good a time as any. It was a quick run and only cost me about a pounds worth of diesel.

I have a set routine on arrival.

(1). Introduce myself and the dogs to the owners and enquire about a pitch and the cost of it.     

(2). Level up the van and connect it to power.

(3). Mount the weather station up on the roof.

(4). Set up the bird feeders.

(5). Take the dogs out as they have been plaguing my life away whilst I did the above.

_MG_3228           Here we are, feeders are up and to make sure they remain so you will notice they are lashed to a big steel spike. The weather is calm and scorchio at the moment but this being Scotland things could change in minutes. There isn’t much cover for the feeder visitors so I wasn’t expecting many and didn’t rig a perch for the natural look. I’d just settled down with a mug of tea after my labour when the first visitors flew over.

_MG_3226    A Buzzard escorted by a Woodpigeon. Thank heaven I remembered that Buzzards don’t like seeds and peanuts, the damage a thing that size would do to my seed stock doesn’t bare thinking about. I was hoping it would come closer but it flew away. It’s not a bad shot, it is face on.

_MG_3248   This is a Blue Tit. They are usually amongst the first to arrive and in this case the only arrival.

_MG_3233     The little yellow dot is a Yellowhammer sitting in barley shoots. It wouldn’t come any nearer but I wasn’t worried as I was prepared to wait for hours for it to come closer. We went a walk twelve hours later.

_MG_3245         Here it is singing in a tree.

_MG_3246       I cropped this. It flew away before I could get closer. I hope it is a Yellowhammer and not a Siskin. Common as muck are Siskins.

_MG_3241       Something else singing in a Gorse bush. What a day I had birding……Much more productive than usual……..I must be learning the art.

We were almost back to the van when I spotted this buck Roe Deer wandering along……..

_MG_3229      He looked a real picture in the early evening light.

_MG_3232     Then he saw us and at the same time I remembered that the dogs were off the lead. Shit…. Sit….. Stay…. Come Here You Little Sods. I was lucky it hopped a fence and then a wall, the little poppets managed to negotiate the fence somehow but were defeated by the wall so with ten minutes I’d got them back.

_V0G8072    It made for a quiet evening. Alf sleeping off and no doubt dreaming of the deer hunt.

I don’t know when this will get posted as I have no internet here. I will probably end up posting several at once. The next one is all about flowers. I bet you can hardly wait as my knowledge of flora is on a par with that of my expertise on ornithology.

10 comments:

  1. That's the way to do it Adrian...a quick flit to a new abode, get yourself sorted and set up the essentials then relax with a cuppa and watch the world (birds) go by, a spot of exploring before taking a well earned evening siesta...come on, I bet Alf wasn't the only one to have a quick snooze?...[;o)

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    1. Trevor, I deserved a rest after finding a Yellowhammer. It's years since I've seen one.

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  2. The bird in the gorse looks interesting it's either a Chiff-Chaff or Willow Warbler. It looks a great spot especially with Yellowhammers nearby.

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    1. Douglas, I will try and get closer. The best thing to do is to sit and wait, it's also the easiest. I hardly ever see Yellowhammers.

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  3. Always good to see the Yellowhammers.
    I think Doug is right with the bird in the bush. I'll go with Chiffchaff.
    Lovely shot of Alf.

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    1. Keith I was pleased to see the Yellow hammer. I think there are two pairs within striking distance. I'll try for some better shots. I was not expecting an ID on the bird in the bush but will check it out and see if I can find it again.

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  4. Now that's a good post as it shows how patient you were in waiting for the subject to expose himself.

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    1. Red, didn't wait but found it later by chance. They don't move far once they have paired up for nest building and breeding.

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  5. Great that you found a Yellowhammer, not always easy to find. Love th sleeping dog shot.

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    1. Margaret they are very rare in my limited experience. I can't even recall the birders posting a picture. The dogs do a lot of sleeping but they are awake as soon as I pick a camera up.

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