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Fauna Findings 2 in Scotland – Wildlife

We spotted a wide range of wildlife during the hot weather in Scotland last month with multiple spotting of deer in the fields and on the beach, a pair of pheasants calling to each other regularly, an adder crossing a hot footpath, many different birds (even more than usual), and a couple of field mice under the hedge came out each evening to share the food put out for the birds.

deer in the distance

As well as the images I have selected below, we also witnessed dramatic but unsuccessful chases by weasels of small rabbits – one of them ended right at my feet! On hearingContinue reading

footpath

My Walk this Week – Keeping To the Footpath, Following the Rules

My walk this week follows the rules and my local marsh footpath down to the old St Teilo’s churchyard. It is a walk I love and have done (and posted about) many times. But there is always something new to see as the the conditions are always different. One of the first things you come upon when leaving the park above the marshes is this metal gate notice telling you to “KEEP TO THE FOOTPATH”.

keep to the footpath

I’m not one for sticking to the rules but I am sure that, like me, most people walking here do keep to the footpath because it takes you were you want to go and follows a very attractive route.Continue reading

dark day at the beach

Sea and Wind – Reviewing the Week

So our holiday in south west Scotland may not have had the best of the Summer weather but the sea and wind soundscape below holds good memories for me.

wavelet

With the wild weather and the wildlife and the wonderful walks, the fact that there was not so much sun does not matter to me. Continue reading

heron

Wildlife Watching

Still reporting back after our holiday in south west Scotland, my photos this week from my walks there focus initially on some of the wildlife to be seen if your lucky enough.

Young Roe Deer

June was a month where the young were getting adventurous and exploring away from their parents. This young roe deer came down to the beach in front of us wandered around in curiosity for a while before obviously hearing the call of its mother and bolting off to find her again.Continue reading

Weasel on the Run

How do you tell the difference between a weasel and a stoat?

A weasel is weasily wecognised but a stoat is stotally different!

Thanks to my brother for that one 😉

This little fellow was a regular visitor during our stay on the Galloway coast in Scotland. He was fast but as he could be relied on to take two or three turns across the grass, I was ready and waiting with the camera – the sports pulse mode was useful.

Running Weasel

Wildlife Habitat

All images from this series of posts are available at StillWalks Photography.

The StillWalks video “Old Railway Track Walk” features many of the things you will find in a habitat like this – one that has been left to its own devices.

Over more than thirty years the trees have grown up, the brambles thickened, the wild flowers spread and I imagine the unseen wildlife is many times more abundant than that which we can see.

The photos below follow from yesterday’s post and are some of those taken for the StillWalks video.

Old Railway Walk-Cow ParsleyOld Railway Walk

Old Railway Walk-Spider

A Countryside Connections Walk

Visit the StillWalks website for videos and more

Swansea Countryside Connections Team, through which StillWalks ran the Sights and Sounds of the Countryside project, put on a number of events throughout the year for those living in eligible rural wards in Swansea. It was one of their dawn chorus walks where I first met Helen Grey and it was she, along with Tim Orrell, who was leading the Nature Detective Walk along the Gower Way from Felindre to Lower Lliw Reservoir last Wednesday evening. See the photos below.

As this was the route taken by the Sights and Sounds project on the production day for the Felindre Families group, I thought it would be good to go along – and indeed it was! I discovered what the funny lumps and bumps are in the first field we crossed. We found a very old ash tree with branches twisting and twining round each other, reflecting its age. We saw Deadly Nightshade amongst other plants and flowers, a badger set, mole holes, young Hazelnuts, whin, thistles, ducks, etc., etc.

“Helen, you will have to remind me of that last little yellow flower I asked you about. I cannot remember it it now!”

Click here (Countryside Connections Events) to see what other Countryside Connections events are coming up.

Summer Walk in Scotland

These images are from the StillWalk “Flora and Fauna Walk” which is another walk from Galloway in South West Scotland. These are obviously three examples of the fauna.

In fact there is more than just birds and butterflies in the video but I wasn’t able to photograph some of the fauna we have seen there such as the deer on the beach or the red squirrel in the woods or the fox cubs playing on the beach in the moonlight at 3 AM . . . or the rabbits or stoats or voles . . . .

Butterfly

Butterfly – Painted Lady

Oystercatcher

Oystercatcher

Blackbird

Blackbird