Skulls, feathers and Poo...

These were found and brought back with me from a trip out with a friend one Sunday a few weeks ago. A selection of feathers/wings and skulls, along with Owl pellets.

Most seem easy to identify but on a couple I'm not 100% sure!

Images...

1. Roe Deer?

This image below might of been the other remains from the skull, but I don't know.

2. Heron wing and ... possibly from a Gull?

3. Owl pellets - not much exciting in them this time!

4. Rabbit skull

5. This next one I'm not so sure about,

unless it's from a Gull...

Thanks for looking!

Eve :)

Silhouetted Rook

Something a bit different from my usual… Silhouetted Rook.

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Thanks for looking :)

Blackbirds nest found today in the garden

I found a Blackbirds nest hidden under a cover, covering a load of logs this morning. Warmth was coming from the eggs... But isn't it a bit late in the year now? (Location: outskirts of Inverness, Highland, Scotland). 

Thanks for looking and any opinions welcome!

Eve :) 

Lossiemouth - dog walk and a wee bit of birding.

Early Sunday morning I took a trip out to Lossiemouth to walk the dog. The heathers looking great at the moment. 

On the way back saw lots of Red-breasted Medgansers about taking lots of fish and being chased by a rather large Heron! 

Other birds:

Curlew Sandpiper, Turnstone, Common Ringed Plover, Redshank, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Tern, Dunlin etc.

Not the best photo's below but some taken from the iPhone through the scope... Not easy!

Eve :)

A rather handsome chap… male Pheasant

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6am start and some nice wildlife sightings

Headed out at 6am this morning for a walk, saw quite a few Roe Deer along the way and then I went to the hide for a bit afterwards.

One of the regular Red Squirrels appeared at the hide nicely for over an hour. There was some good sightings off female Great Spotted Woodpecker on the feeders near the hide, 2 Crested Tit visits, male Greenfinch and other small woodland birds.

Usually, I hear two Cuckoos and saw one quite close to the hide a few weeks ago, but this morning I could hear 3 of them in the area. 

A Buzzard appeared which I had good viewings of for around 10mins, which eventually was getting mobbed by a Crow so the bird disappeared over the other side of the forest.

Again, I had my camera on me as per usual and got a few shots from this morning.  First one being of the Robin that visits the hide very regularly. 

A female Chaffinch flew down to the pool for a drink, obviously I couldn't resist getting a quick shot…

Male Chaffinch too…

And lastly when driving back. So many vibrant fields at the moment...

Thanks for looking!Eve

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Red Squirrels - Red Squirrel photography workshops & hide rentals available

Looking to photograph Red Squirrels? 

Based near the Inverness area, we have a location with regular visits from the squirrels which can give you the opportunity to photograph them in their natural environment. 

There is also a new reflection pool that gives you clean, natural backgrounds and there's a chance to photograph woodland birds. (visit www.facebook.com/WildwatcherEve for updates and images on the recent birds, plus more) 

Available for workshops and hide rental in the morning time or for the full day either guided or none guided.

For further information and enquiries please email hello@everussellphotography.com

Recent squirrel images taken at the hide.

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Black Grouse and a few new bird sightings for me!

Yesterday was a rather early start (3am!) with a trip to North Wales. I spent a full day with Alan & Ruth from the Biggest Twitch and John. We arrived at a particular location around 7am for Black Grouse, as soon as we arrived the birds were out lekking. We spent over half an hour - possibly longer as time fly's when your enjoying yourself, watching these guys was amazing! Certainly a highlight of the day.

Afterwards and throughout the day we stopped off at a few different locations seeing what was around and we had a lot of spectacular sightings & some of them being a few new ones for me!

Sightings...

Dipper 3
Ravens 5+ pairs easily
Black grouse 40-ish males and a few females
Red grouse 1
Kestrel 3
Crossbills 4
Grey shrike 1
GSW 1
Pheasant 9
Grey wagtail 1
Bullfinch 2
Stock doves 4
Buzzard 24
Squirrel 3
Red Kite 6
Lapwing
Fieldfare 2
Rooks 30+
Mistle thrush 1
Greenfinch male 1
Siskin female 1
Shelduck 3
Sparrowhawk 1
Hawfinch 1
Farmland goose 1
Curlew 2
Greylag & Canadian geese 50+
Mute swans 2
Pied wagtail 1
Goldeneye 2
Redshank 2
Snipe 1
Tufted duck 2
Pochard 4
Crested grebe 3
Heron 8
Shag 7
Wigeon 10+
Teal 10+
Red breasted mergansers 4
Shoveler 1
Scaups
Jay 3
Little egret 1
Oystercatcher 4
Little grebe 1

I probably have missed a few more off the list as well.

It was a fantastic day, lots of Buzzard sightings and a few unexpected Red Kites which I didn't expect so see at all! As I usually only see these when I'm up in Highland near The Black Isle.

New sightings for me were the Grey Shrike and Hawfinch (stunning little birds).

You can read more here from The Biggest Twitch diary... www.thebiggesttwitch.com/diary/once-more-to-the-moors

Highlights for me - The Black Grouse, Red Kites and Hawfinch.

Many thanks to Alan & Ruth for a great days birding!

Eve :)

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