Encounters with Wildlife to Remember

At the risk of repeating myself; I said at the risk of repeating myself, I am well aware that I frequently burn the candle at both ends. Often in the middle too, but there is just so much going on in the natural world that want to see and experience that I do push myself. On Tuesday evening once I had finished doing the boring chores that we all have to do, I was going to head out to watch the Badgers again. Am I at the risk of repeating myself yet again? My poor reader is probably sick of theses Badgers, tough as I will never tire of seeing them.

But on Tuesday it was gone nine in the evening and I realised that I needed to get some milk for my tea when returning. As a true son of Albion, I need milk in my tea and I need tea or I suffer withdrawal symptoms. I think that's why the colonists threw that tea party in Boston all those years ago. So I went to get some Milk, as I left the shop I spotted the pale ghost of a bird heading for the green behind the shop. Mad dash to see if I could see it and perched in the tree was the Barn Owl.

I spent three quarters of an hour watching it, I did not have a camera or binoculars, but I did not need them. Eventually it flew off towards some waste land that used to be allotments and is now a haven for wildlife. Having dallied I knew that I risked disturbing the Badgers if I tried to visit the sett so I went to the pub instead. It has been so long since I have been to the pub, and apart from the odd glass of wine, well I have to check that the wine is good enough to cook with, I was in serious danger of having my membership for the Dipsomaniacs society revoked.

I was glad that I did go to the pub as it left me feeling refreshed for Wednesday and ready to explore more today. I headed for one of the public hides at the Sheldon Pond. While none of the birds there are rare, and the hide is the least appealing, it really can be a gem of a place to see the birds. Initially is was just gulls, mainly Black Headed Gulls, but there was one that may have been a Bonaparte's Gull. I did film it and I will have to check the footage carefully, but the bill looked black. It could be that it was just coated with mud, or in disguise, but even if it was a Black Headed it was still a treat to see one as clearly and for a prolonged time.

Then I spotted a Little Grebe with her chicks. My view was partly obscured but I did film them and while one of the chicks could dive for its self it was demanding food from its parent, probably the mother. I think I got the footage of the chick being feed, I need to load it on to the computer to be sure though. Then something really extraordinary started to unfold before me, a coot came in and started to harass the Little Grebe Family. I did try and film what was happening but as they were all diving, I could not see exactly what was going on. It was only when it was all over did I realise that the Coot had taken one of the Little Grebe chicks. I did not get it on film, and while it would have been amazing footage, I personally don't feel that comfortable seeing any life lost, even though I know that it is natural behaviour.

While I was still reeling from having seen that, a Sparrow Hawk suddenly appeared and the Coot was now the Hawks Dinner.

While I stayed for a while longer, I decided that I would head home for a late lunch. Fortified with a mushroom pasta concoction, and the regulation tea, I went out again for a wander into the woods. I chose the path that previously had been impassable because of the ruts the felling equipment had made. The tracks have been reinstated, well sort of, and it is now possible to walk without the risk of braking your (add your own limb of choice)...

I was heading for the wild flower meadow as I wanted to see what insects were about, but when I got there the wind was picking up and the clouds were gathering. Note to self, put wet suite on the wish list. Fortunately this time it did not rain more than the odd splish and splash, and I spent an hour or so examining the life in the education pond. Laying in the grass looking at the life in the pond, is it any wonder that people think that I am an adult sized child.

When I went back I followed the same track, and I spotted fresh Deer prints. They had not been there when I arrived. Keeping the camera ready, I followed them, the Deer was following the track and with the wind in my face, all I needed to do was keep as quiet as I could. At one point on this path a burn (stream) cuts the route, and as I got near the dip where the burn is I spotted the white flash of the Deer's tail. I was much closer than I expected. I slowed my pace and checked for tracks and the Deer still seemed to be following the path. Then I heard the Deer s it crashed into the undergrowth just as a group of youngsters appeared on Bikes. Mister, mister did you see the Deer? The excitedly asked. Well not as well a I would have liked, but those four lads have had an encounter with wildlife they will remember.