Spring by the River

On a different note. I have been chucking some dog biscuits out in one of the woods for the badgers and whatever else wants to scoff them. Cheap biscuits that are pampered pooch won`t scoff.......:LOL:..........Anyway, I know the badgers like them,but I was surprised to see these chaps eating them.


Jay.jpg


Huge crop as I had the 120-300 + 1.4 TC on the D700,I don`t take the 300-800 into the hide generally,but may well do fron now on.Or scatter the biscuits a bit nearer........:D
 
Makes you wonder how idiots like that ever get the jobs in the first place...thank goodness he's gone and lets hope he never works any where near any ....was going to say wildlife but will change it to 'LIFE' in the future!!

Jays make me laugh...they are such characters :)
 
Yeah, i`m looking forward to sparring with these characters.They are very aware of what is going on around them. I actually sat in the hide today with a camera,I have just been feeding up and watching recently,without taking to many photographs.Oddly, I get as much pleasure from just watching them sometimes.

Anyway,coal tit from today,awful light so I used the D700,the high ISO performance is pretty good,IMO. ISO 1100 at 1/250th.120/300 with 1.4 at 420mm.



coaltit.jpg
 
Same kit at ISO 2000


BlueTit-1.jpg
 
fracster said:
Anyway,coal tit from today,awful light so I used the D700,the high ISO performance is pretty good,IMO. ISO 1100 at 1/250th.120/300 with 1.4 at 420mm.
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:thinking:



:naughty:

Forecast is ok for tomorrow mate,i`ll confirm within the hour.
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Yeah sounds good :) be a good chance to test the 300MM on some wildife with the TC'S
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Forecast isn`t good Andy,cloudy all day.

But if you want ,then we`ll meet as discussed.

Warm,neutral clothes,gloves,hat,scarf,flask and food are necessary............(y)
 
I happened upon the below image today,I have cropped off the skeleton, I know some are a bit squeamish.I phoned the old keeper and he came down for a look.No broken ribs or sign of being hurt by another deer or having been dogged,as these have no natural predator,we reckoned it had been shot and not killed cleanly,probably got as far away as he could and has led down and died.The carcass was next to an old tree trunk on the riverbank.

Probably a four year old,male Sika, would have been fit as they come.

Still cleaning up other peoples stupidity we think.


Bugger.jpg
 
On a happier note.


Hindspanoramic.jpg



I also took some birds pics today, will post them when I have looked through them.

Still pee`d off about the young stag.
 
Bird shots are all a bit Mehhhhhhhh. Cold dull day, just white cloud with no hint of any decent light.


These are becoming more regular visitors.....:)


ltt2.jpg


And I know it is only a chaffinch, but I never used to see these in the woods at all.Seeing thema round the hide now......(y)


MaleChaffie.jpg



A male sparrowhawk flew past the window and nailed something in the rhodedendran bush nearby, I didn`t see or hear a bird for a good half hour after.Needless to say, the hawk was quicker than I was,so no images, but they are being seen a lot more regularly now.Perhaps the plan is working.
 
Almost been going a whole Year Ade Nice one Mate (y)
And being as tactful I can, the images (quality and content) have improved a lot :clap:
 
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Cobra said:
Almost been going a whole Year Ade Nice one Mate (y)
And being as tactful I can, the images (quality and content) have improved a lot :clap:
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All, Chris meant........."Your not quite as crap as you used to be!"..............:LOL:
 
Cobra said:
Far more eloquently put than I Ade :LOL::LOL::LOL:
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Aye, no worries mate......:D

17th of March will be d-day.Shame I didn`t get much shoot stuff in, but that is how it goes.Kinda enjoyed doing this thread to be honest.It has had some good input from other people.

The hares will be getting amorous soon,may be able to get a few shots of them fighting before the end.
 
Ade mate. I cannot believe I have only just found this thread! Bang goes 45 mins and I am not all the way through it yet.

Bloody fantastic work mate - so refreshing to see the countryside in its true colors - including population control, a***h*** poachers, carcass and wrapped up with an engaging commentary from yourself.

Thread Subscribed. Thank You Ade for sharing. You have a lot of talent and engaging access to a beautiful bit of our Countryside.
 
I Have tried to show things as they are in nature,it is not peaceful and quiet all the time. A lot of people only get to go to parks and reserves,nothing at all wrong with that, but they are not a true reflection of real wildlife.I`m probably rambling now, but I hope you get what I mean.
 
I do indeed understand. I grew up in the countryside and Grandfather was and still is (now on a smaller estate) a gamekeeper.

I unfortunately now am a town boy and do not go out nearly as much as I should. I really miss it and feel a great nostalgia and motivation to go visit the farm again after reading the whole thread.

Also been having a look through your gallery and there are some seriously stunning shots out 'in the field'. I had meant to go out on a day this season but work commitments got in the way. Will definitely be saving up some days off for october onwards methinks. The shots of the dogs at work are stunning - have any been published?

Thanks again Ade.
 
No, I had a disagreement with the "Shooting Times" some while back..............:D
 
Aha! Did you forget to roll your trouser leg up or the funny handshake?!

Anyways keep the shots coming. Seriously jealous of you being in the wilderness to get shots like these on a daily basis....


But then I like not getting up at 6am and not freezing my as$ off at times!
 
Getting up early and freezing my arse off is the norm,so is hanging around after dusk.That is how it is,most wildlife is active at those times.

Inconsiderate gits..................:thumbsdown:


:D
 
Another one here who's just found your super thread. Keep it up Ade, it's an amazing journey through these posts.
BTW, if you continue to get chaffinches, do keep your bird table clean and move it around periodically to avoid contaminating the ground as they are prone to a nasty virus that attacks their feet called bumblefoot. I've heard that a fair proportion of them recover but I've seen lost claws from it too.
Mike.
 
Spotted this chap on the bridge over the beck.


HeronBridge.jpg


did a B&W conversion for the latest Birds comp,not sure which is best,but `ill leave it there.See what others think. Working tomorrow,so that is it for this week folks....:D
 
Spent some time in the hide today,after checking on the deer on the way up there.Found a dead hind, it was the one that had been hobbling badly for a while,she had just led down and died.I have spared you the image. I also saw another one that doesn`t look to clever,she was walking very gingerly,I don`t know wether to shoot her or not. The only thing stopping me is this lass, she seems to be doing ok with only 3 legs.I`ll keep an eye on the other one. The old farmer reckons the dead one is the same one that he managed to catch a while back, he sprayed her leg with antiseptic and gave her a small dose of sheep pick me up.You can only do so much,alas.

Injuredhind.jpg


Anyway, the hide seems to be working well now,both of these are straight out of the box,no PP.


coaltit2.jpg



BlueTit2.jpg


I`m beginning to see Goldfinches at last,no pics to show yet, blackbirds and chaffinches are coming in regularly now.The LTTs are an hourly visitor now,the jays daily,occasional robin,treecreepers are knocking about,not feeding off stuff I put out,but see them a lot.The woodies are creating a new nest in a dead old silverbirch and are feeding off the tables and the secreted fat balls in a tree.

The wrens and mice/voles numbers seem to be on the increase, owls are there every night now.The badgers are scoffing the dog biscuits quite happily and I think I have found where some stoats are living,not sure yet.

I think the plan is beginning to work.......(y)
 
fracster said:
Anyway, the hide seems to be working well now,both of these are straight out of the box,no PP.

I`m beginning to see Goldfinches at last,no pics to show yet, blackbirds and chaffinches are coming in regularly now.The LTTs are an hourly visitor now,the jays daily,occasional robin,treecreepers are knocking about,not feeding off stuff I put out,but see them a lot.The woodies are creating a new nest in a dead old silverbirch and are feeding off the tables and the secreted fat balls in a tree.

The wrens and mice/voles numbers seem to be on the increase, owls are there every night now.The badgers are scoffing the dog biscuits quite happily and I think I have found where some stoats are living,not sure yet.

I think the plan is beginning to work.......(y)
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Great shots Ade, glad your hard work is paying off. Lucky you wish i had time to get out and find some Wildlife (y)
 
Oh I don`t know about that Neil,some of your stuff is pretty good and you live in a nice part of the world for it................(y)
 
I'd just like to say a huge thankyou for this thread, its a fantastic record of wildlife through the seasons. I spent 2 hours looking and reading through it with my 3 year old little boy the other day (including all the gorey details, we don't shy away from real life in this house) and he wanted to know the name of every bird. The only critisism he had was 'where are the flowers mummy?' ;) (you can tell what I take photos of). We shall be following progress with interest this year. :clap:
 
Super stuff Ade, this thread has kept me enthralled. Talking of goldfinch we have 4 who appear on our garden feeders but they only seem to come at weekend. Wonder whether they work away in the week and come to ours for the weekend........:LOL::LOL:

Andy
 
Love that heron shot Ade!! More sadness re the hind, fingers crossed that the other one pulls through. I am in awe of the amazing work you are doing....including this thread bringing about our awareness...thank you :)
 
Cheers guys.

The quad bike is mended now.........:D


Periscope.jpg
 
Pair of hares complete with stunning natural background.........:naughty:


Hares1.jpg
 
Met the new gamekeeper today, seems ok on initial meeting.........(y)
 
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