Well I have spent quite a bit of time up at the wood this month with not that much to show for it. I have done a little bit of maintenance and quite a lot of sitting in my hide hoping to photograph something good.

The maintenance has largely involved clearing up the tops of Silver Birch trees where they have had bark removed by the squirrels and then subsequently the wind has blown them down. I collect them up and remove the side twiggy bits and then bring them home and cut them into thin logs which get used on the wood burning stove. I have also removed small areas of young Silver Birch mixed with Gorse to open up the feeding area in the hope that it might attract in Kites.

The sitting and observing has resulted in me seeing quite a few different species but generally they have been too quick or too hidden to get any good photos. Particularly annoying, was the Red Kite episode. I saw it flying about and was ready with the camera but it dived in and removed a morsel of food faster than I could say f16 and was gone not to reappear again.

Similar was a couple of Roe deer they appeared or I should say half appeared out of the undergrowth and were visible for slightly longer, maybe enough time to say f8 at 1/1000 sec and then never showed again. It was not that I had disturbed them it was just the route they were taking and it was not out in the open where I might photograph them.

Similar stories with a Green Wood pecker which was around for some time but always behind a clump of Heather or on the wrong side of a tussock of grass, never where I wanted it. Buzzards were around most times but not once did they drop down from the tree tops. There have been many visits by Jays and I have seen up to 4 at the same time, they were photographed several times but that was because eventually you get bored and photographing something is better than nothing. I also have seen Tree creeper and Long-tailed tits but with the light so poor I have not managed any good photos.

 

Hey ho it is what it is.