I spotted a Roe Deer in a filed under the shadows of Hume castle in the Scottish Borders. After overnight snow the roe deer must have found it difficult to obtain food, as a result, this roe deer doe was feeding well into the day giving me an opportunity to get some pictures. I also manage to get a reasonable picture of a buzzard which is also attached
Just when I managed to get quite close to the deer, a tractor came along a track at the rear of the field causing the deer to take flight. These are some of the pictures………
Roe Deer taking fight
Roe Deer Doe
Roe Deer
Buzzard
The visitors to my garden today were the long awaited Longtailed Tits. In the past we have had several groups of up to 30 coming into the feeders though out the winter season.
This year up until today we have only had one individual, today we have had 9 performing in the garden.
Some of the pictures here………….
Longtailed Tits
Longtailed Tit
Longtailed Tit
Longtailed Tit
I came across a flock of fieldfares this afternoon, and notices a single redwing in their number. I spent 15 minutes takes a few pictures, the light was good and the birds reasonably close.
Redwing
Redwing
Fieldfare
Fieldfare
Fieldfare
Fieldfare
I have been sitting in a hide most of this week freezing my bits off waiting for the local Kingfisher to put in an appearance, eventually It came along and showed itself. It actually sat on top of my hide for a few minutes before sitting on a perch I installed in front of the hide a few days ago.
I only managed a couple of frames, before i departed, but I think I’ve got it measure now, so watch this space for future pictures.
This is one from today, not the best picture, but its a start…………..
Kingfisher Melrose
I went back to see the dippers again, the light was a bit better, a grey wagtail put in an appearance before the dipper turned up. It was a different bird from yesterday. He sang his little hart out and preened himself for about two hours looking for a mate.
Singing Dipper
Dipper trying to turn a stone
Dipper
Dipper
Dipper
Dipper
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
I was down on the Tweed near Melrose, I had seen dippers on this stretch of the river when I have been fishing. The dippers are pairing up at this time of year, so I took the camera down to the river to get some pictures.
These aren’t easy birds to get good pictures of. The white breast and the dark brown body make exposure a little tricky. This is what i managed to get………..
Dipper
Dipper
Dipper
Dipper
Dippers
There have been a number of hares in the field near my house, I have been watching them for a few weeks now hoping to catch them boxing. This is were the buck chases the doe around the field, he is looking to see if she is ready to mate. If she doesn’t want his advances she turns and starts to beat him back. They tend to get up on their back legs and box rejecting his advances.
Brown Hares
Brown Hares
Brown Hares
Brown Hares
Brown Hares
Brown Hares
I had been seeing glimpses of fox’s around the fields in the area of Stichill in the Scottish Borders. i was looking again this morning and found them mating in the middle of a field. They were coupled for about an hour before they moved off. They were a little distant, but I manged a few shots with the 5oomm lens + the 1.4x tele-converter. F5.6, 1/180 sec ISO 400
Red Fox
Red Fox
Red Fox
Red Fox
Red Fox
Red Fox
I was out today looking around the local lanes and I came across a small flock of birds, most of them were yellowhammers with a few reed buntings and a few less tree sparrows.
I sat for some time just watching them feed on a hedgerow. They came closer and closer until they were about 5 yards away and I managed to get some decent pictures of them.
Yellowhammer
Yelowhammer
Yelowhammer
Yelowhammer
Yellowhammer
Yellowhammer
Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
Reed Bunting
Tree Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
We had some sun today for the first time in two weeks so I have a run around the Lammermuirs to see what I could find. I wanted to check out the mountain hares again in good light in particular.
I met an a fellow photographer up at the top of the hill, the much renowned Laurie Campbell. Laurie lives in the Borders and is one of the UK’s finest wildlife photographers.
I found a few interesting species today including some more mountain hares at close quarters. These are some of the picture I took today……
Buzzard
Red Grouse in a Hawthorn Bush
A pair of Wigeon in flight in The Whiteadder Loch
Red Legged Partridge
Mountain Hare
Mountain Hare
Mountain Hare