Down in the woods tonight (well, in July really!)

When I was in the Lake District in the UK, I set up a Trail Cam / Night Camera in the woods behind the house we had rented.  There were lots of signs of animal activity in the woods - and I got lots of images of mice!  Larger animals were rather less abundant, and in some cases a little camera shy!

So, here are three videos - a fox and two badgers.   I had hoped for rather clearer footage - but I am on a steep learning curve with both trail cams and video.  So here they are!

I hope to be getting some Australian footage over the next couple of days - so, there may be some marsupials on the way.  Cheers SM

Wild Bird Wednesday 270 - Alpine Chough

The pictures of birds from my time in Europe come to an end this week with the The Alpine Chough (also called the Yellow Billed Chough) - Pyrrhocorax graculus.

I saw these birds in Switzerland - where I spent a week walking and being blown away by the landscape.  On most days I was not in the mood to carry a long lens into the mountains, so I did not get many bird pictures.

I had really wanted to see this species, and I was not let down by them.  The birds on the 'road' sign were at Jungfraujoch, and the combination of very bright sunshine, lots of snow and even more tourists mad bird photography a wee bit of a challenge!

Anyway, here is the The Alpine Chough.  One fact I can't let slip past, is that this species may breed at a higher altitude than other bird.  It has been seen on Mount Everest at an altitude of 8,200 m (26,900 ft)!  Impressive I have to say.

As ever you can join in with WBW by clicking on the blue button below. SM 

An InLinkz Link-up

Stott Park Bobbin Mill

When we were in the Lake District we visited Stott Park Bobbin Mill, which is a 19th Century Bobbin mill that was bought in working condition in 1974 by a government agency, and is now a museum.

The mill made bobbins - in other word the wooden spools that had cotton would on to them - for the Lancashire cotton mills.  The bobbins were made from local coppice timber, and in its original form the mill relied on a water mill to spin the lathes.  Local timber and abundant water are still present in the Lakes, and its a very nice example on a landscape that many only think of as being very attractive (and they are not wrong) also having an industrial history.

Much of the Lakes has been formed by human activity, rather than just found in this way by recent visitors.

Apart from the addition of modern covers on the belt drives for the lathes, the Mill is in more or less original condition.   As you can see the turning lathes produce a lot of waste material, and when the Mill installed a steam boiler and engine to replace the water wheel, the waste was used as fuel.  So, the use of local produce and waste minimisation are not really modern ideas!

Outside of the buildings there were some cut lengths of Silver Birch timber, which had been set aside to dry.  I rather liked them - and here are two images.

You can find more pictures from around the world here at Our World Tuesday.

Wild Bird Wednesday 269 - Great Crested Grebe

I'm almost at the end of the birds I photographed when I was in Europe, and it seems appropriate to feature a bird that I can see both on my travels to the UK and back home in Australia.

The Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) found across much of Europe and Asia. There are African and Australasian subspecies as well, and of course its the Australasian I see the most.  'Podiceps cristatus' means crested bum-foot (!) which refers to the crest on the birds head, but also how far back along the body the feet are found.  Its little scraps like this that keep me going you know!

I found the the birds in the pictures here at Ham Walls RSPB Reserve in Somerset.  Seeing Great Crested Grebes on an RSPB reserve is very appropriate, as it was the decline of this bird due to the hat trade that brought about the formation of the RSPB in 1889.

There seemed to be a great deal of both synchronised and unsynchronised preening going on with these birds - which are an adult and two well grown chicks.  The light was poor and the birds a little more distant that I would like - but a little bit of cropping works wonders!

As ever you can join in with WBW by clicking on the blue button below the thumbnails.   SM

An InLinkz Link-up

River Brathay

I seem to be swimming against the current at present!  Just too many things happening - fortunately I only have a few more days to go before I can take a short break and get back on an even keel!

So, in interim here are some shots go the River Brathay in The Lake District in the UK.

I was asked yesterday if I missed anything from the UK - it's not an unusual question I find - and I said without hesitation "the landscape".  I suppose these picture may explain why.

You can find more pictures from around the world here at Our World Tuesday.

Wild Bird Wednesday 268 - Robin

The Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a popular and very familiar bird in the UK.  I found this rather obliging individual at the Ham Walls RSPB reserve when we were in the UK.

It's another very busy week here, so this post is not going to be very long!

One of the things I like about Robins is the way in which their name has spread around the world - in many parts of the world, any bird with a red breast is a "Robin" - regardless of taxonomy or genetics. Its the same for black and white birds, many of which have Magpie in their name.

These are the best image I have managed to take of what might by the 'original' Robin.  I rather like them.

As ever you can join in with WBW by clicking on the blue button below. SM

An InLinkz Link-up

Jack's Rake - Pavey Ark

One of the (many) things I wanted to do when I was in the UK was climb up Jack's Rake with H.  H is a bit of a thrill seeker and I was sure he would enjoy it.

Jack's Rake is a scramble / very low grade rock climb up the face of a 'cliff' to the summit of Pavey Ark.  The cliff is about 400 ft heigh, and rises up from Stickle Tarn.

It's a great place. If you want to have a look at the cliff face, there is a picture here.  I did not take huge numbers of pictures as I was concentrating on having a good time, rather than on other things (not that the 'other things' are not good I hasten to add!).

These pictures are just grabs from Go-Pro video, but they do give you a good idea of what it was like.

You can find more pictures from around the world - and possibly less vertigo - here at Our World Tuesday.

I hope any of you that have been knocked about by Irma are OK - and that you and yours are safe.  SM

Wild Bird Wednesday 267 - Mute Swan

Given that I spent a reasonable amount of time in the UK by rivers and lakes, it's not surprise that I have some images of Mute Swans (Cygnus olor).   This species is basically very obvious and easy to see in the UK all year round.  In fact, it's population is growing thanks to better protection and the banning of the lead shot that was used in fishing that was poisoning the birds.  (I am unsure if the lead pellets used in shotguns have been banned as well).

Mute Swans used to be known as the largest bird in the UK, but this claim to fame is now help by the White-Tailed Sea Eagle. Male Mute swans have a wing span of over 2 meters, and can weigh more than 10 kg.  By all measures they are big!

Having said that this is a common bird, I only seemed to be able to photograph it in poor light, from rocking boats or with way too short a lens! These are not the best pictures I have taken by a country mile, but I have never posted Mute Swans on WBW - so, here they are.

The first two shots (which I think are the best) are from Esthwaite Water in the Lake District, the third shot is from Stourhead Gardens in Wiltshire and the last two shots are from Ham Wall RSPB reserve in Somerset.

As ever, you can join in with WBW by clicking on the blue button below.  Feel free to remind anybody you know in the land of bloggers that WBW is still running and we would love them to be involved!  SM

An InLinkz Link-up

Near Hawkshead

The house we stayed in near Hawkshead, in the Lakes, was about a 20 minute walk from the village itself.  It must be one of the more scenic 20 minute walks in the world!  Classic English countryside with Lakeland Fells in the background.

One of the things that always blows me away when I get back to the UK, is just how green it is.  The two pano type shots are an attempt to play with the idea of a green sea, because the movement of the grass in the wind reminded me of waves.

The other two shots are just small stream beds that caught my eye.

You can find more shots from around the world at Our World Tuesday.

Hawkshead Hounds

Greetings - here is a post to prove I am still alive.  Busy, busy, busy - but I think I have some time on Monday to catch up on comments.

In the mean time, here are two of the many good value hounds we met in our recent UK trip!

More pictures to follow - I hope!