Ron McCombe's Wildlife Photography Blog

I have been watching the local brown hare populations here in the Scottish Borders for a number of years. To study these little mammals you need to put the hours in. Over the  last few weeks the crops in the fields I have been watching have been getting a little deep. This means the hares will move on into another fields which have only just been planted but has the succulent shoots that the hares like to feed on,  So the field I refer to and has had little or no activity in it most of the year, now has hare activity as the crops grow, the hares have moved into this field to freed.

The house martins have returned to the Scottish Borders to breed again this year. The story of this little birds is astonishing. The birds breed here in the UK and then fly down to the African continent to Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania for the winter, a journey of over 4000 miles and amazingly they return to the nest site that they were born in.  They tend to nest in barns and out buildings and of course the eves of houses

These little birds’ area very approachable during the collection of mud for nest building but not so much after pair bonding has taken place when they are very difficult to get near to. They have white downy feather on their legs, which is very distinctive. They will stay here until August – September time before gathering into flocks of 200 – 300 and return to Africa. Its an amazing story, particularly for such a small birds, buts it one that continues year in and year out for quite a few of our feathered friends.

I went back to the River Tweed at Melrose to have another go at the dippers that live on the river. They are obviously sitting on a second brood of eggs as the adults would change over the egg sitting periodically. The first brood are still in the area and begging for food from the active adult. There are a couple of herons around the area and the adults get a little agitated when one comes close to the young dippers.

Here are a few images from the session.

I was looking through some more of the red squirrel pictures from March and came across some  ore interesting ones. There is something about these little creatures that just makes you warm to them.

I was down at the Hirsel Country Park yesterday, I was sitting next to the lake and this  female mallard came quite close and started to take a bath and preened itself. It watched for a while and took a few pictures.

I came across this little wren near Coldstream in the Scottish Borders, she was singing her little head off. I watched for a short time as she stayed in the undergrowth, and then she started to show herself and I managed a few pictures. She stayed for some time hopping around and singing before disappearing back into the undergrowth.

These are tricky little birds to get pictures of, they tend to scurry around in the thicker areas of woodland edge and undergrowth hopping around from stem to stem usually half hidden by a small branch or twig. But with a little perseverance and a fast shutter speed it is possible to get some images.

I found this little bird quite close to home, it was doing a lot of singing probably calling for a mate but he was relentless just singing away and hopping around. It took a little time but I did mange a few pictures.

Here are just a few of them. I will post a few more later on.

An exhibition of my wildlife Photography will be held at Paxton House Berwickshire starting on the 12th June through until the 2nd July 2012  in the Hayloft Gallery, entry is free to the exhibition and all are welcome
The address of Paxton House is

Paxton House
Berwick upon Tweed
TD15 1SZ

Short Eared Owl

I have just been informed that my first book “Wildlife through my Viewfinder” has been nominated for Favorite Scottish Nature Photography Book 2012 by Scottish Nature Photography Awards.

The book is about some of  the images I have taken and the stories behind the images

You can view the book at this link http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2181263

I have just completed my second book “Brown Hares a collection of my favourite images”

You can view this book at this link

http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/3172639

I have just finished my second book today, its called

“Brown Hares, a collection of my favourite images.”

You can view the book at this link.

http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/3172639

Invisible