British Wildlife Calendar 2017

Looking at the time of year I thought it was about now that I should bring back the blog. It's been brought back quite a few times and will probably be brought back again in the future as finding time to write is always so hard.

So anyways some new content. Well looking under the bed in the spare room this morning I realized I still had a handful of my 2017 Calendars in stock. When I say a handful I mean under 10 so here is a short write up featuring this years shots.

If anyone has started their Christmas shopping already and needs a small stocking filler, these are great little gifts. And a bargain at £7.00. Local Delivery/Collection is Free. Or I can post for a £1.00

More information or to order you can visit my websites 'Online Shop' here: British Wildlife 2017 Calendar

As always my Calendar features shots of totally wild British birds and mammals photographed throughout the past year. I always try my best to include an even mix or birds and mammals if I can relate them to the month in which the photo was taken. Here is this years selection.

January 2017 - Great spotted Woodpecker - Taken from my pop up hide around my garden feeders.

February 2017 - Brown Hare - Frosty winter mornings were perfect for catching up with the local Brown Hares.

March 2017 - Great crested Grebes - An early spring trip to the Somerset levels brought a morning with a Great crested Grebe pair on a small lake.

April 2017 - Yellowhammer - My local population were looking stunning as they came into breeding plumage.

May 2017 - Eurasian Otter - A close encounter of the Otter kind whilst holidaying on Mull.

June 2017 - Atlantic Puffin - Some Puffin therapy from a couple of hours spent on the Isle of Lunga.

July 2017 - Roe Deer - With Summer underway, the freshly harvested fields became battlefields for the annual Roe Deer rut.

August 2017 - Kingfisher - 4 Years living by a river and finally I manage a Kingfisher shot.

September 2017 - Red Kite - You never know what species will turn up in the garden when the camera is out, this Kite landing in a tree was a little bit of a shock.

October 2017 - Reeves' Muntjac - Alert as ever, my closest encounter to date with the Muntjac.

November 2017 - Wigeon - I have never had the pleasure of photographing these magnificent ducks up close until a chance visit to RSPB Greylake.

December 2017 - Short-eared Owl - No year would be complete without a shot of these awesome Owls, taken around midday on a grey December day.

As mentioned above for more information or to order you can visit my websites 'Online Shop' here: British Wildlife 2017 Calendar

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Geese, Deer, Terns & More

My apologies for the lack of posts in the past week, Just haven't seem to gotten around to writing. So I shall write this and hopefully you wont be bored by the ramblings of a weeks adventures.

So after telling myself I wouldn't visit Rooksbury in the evenings to let the Otters have a little rest from one less spectator, I headed down last Tuesday lunchtime in some nice bright light, and had the pleasure of watching a pair of Common Terns fishing for a rather unexpected 10mins or so, before they disappeared rather as abruptly as they appeared. Not a species I've seen down at Rooksbury or in and around landlocked Andover for that matter. Noisy blighter's mind!

Common Tern

Rooksbury Tern

So still in the quest for Otters but some that might be a little more local and without the disruption of other voyeurs I sat up down on the conflux of the Half Water and the River Test (Once all of the Fishermen had gone home), Dad had been seeing the odd sign and it seemed like a good a spot as any. Perched on my stool facing downstream I could see in both directions, and a quick turn of the head back upstream, so whilst becoming increasingly distracted by the new river Mute Swan arrivals all 7 of them, I heard something behind me and a quick glance around upstream resulted in a Brownish shape swimming across the river nearly at the far bank a good 100 yards away, now I wouldn't like to swear on it being a Water Vole because it could well have been an Otters head, but the rather large splash that occurred a minute or so later confused me even more.

I did however manage to capture another unexpected visitor to the River bank, Just wish I hadn't been quite so exposed so the Muntjac Buck might have come a little closer. A good spot all in all, with Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Swift, Swallow, Kestrel, Tufted Duck, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Tit &  Blue Tit all seen too. As the light started to fade I caught sight of this little Roe Doe in the amongst the trees, who seemed quite happy to pose for me.

Mute Swans & Cygnets

Muntjac Buck

Roe Doe

Monday night in glorious sunshine, I headed up the river in pursuit in some recently spotted Hobby's, no such luck however I did add to my 2012 list with addition of 2 Spotted Flycatchers. Also quite abundant on the River bank along with the obligatory Chiffchaff was Bullfinches, 3 pairs spotted on one stretch alone. With nothing really playing ball for the camera, I thought I'd check up on the Greylags, the goslings are growing up pretty fast and there seem to be more there than before too. A Cock Pheasant was quite obliging on the way home too.

A small proportion of the Greylags

Spring Cock

With a lot dryer weather set for a few days, my evening job as groundsman for St. Mary Bourne Cricket Club is taking slightly more presidence than getting out with the camera, but why not merge the two I hear you say! Well I kinda did, a regular visitor to my square when the mowers going the male Blackbird.

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