Everything is Permuted

I've just realized that I haven't posted anything about the local bird life recently. It's still there of course. The greenfinches have re-established themselves in the garden, along with the wood pigeons crows and magpies. The swallows are still circling overhead before they head back to Africa for the winter, and today I saw four different species of birds of prey. First was a sparrowhawk (seen from the car), and then out walking I saw a buzzard and (eventually) a kestrel. The surprise package was this. It flew over quickly and I only grabbed a few frames, but enough to confirm that it's a hobby.
Hobby

There were numerous smaller birds as well, including this charming whinchat. They were busy flitting back and forth, trying hard to keep out of sight.
Whinchat

It was later, along the edge of the race track, that I saw the kestrel. I'd spotted it flying low across the grass and it took me a few minutes to find it.
Kestrel

She was enjoying the view at the end of the runs used by the local jockeys to exercise the horses. On the runs themselves several wheatears were searching for insects among the wood chippings.


That was today. Last night was about the badger, and the fox. Bold had taken up her usual spot at the front of the garden. She's there now, as I type this, looking very much as she did last night.


But she wasn't the only one about yesterday. All evening we'd heard rustlings and thumps from nearby. There are two other foxes, both impossibly shy. Judging from the trail cam footage I've been getting, there's a male and a younger/smaller fox, possibly a young vixen. They're often together. Plus - if I'm being strictly accurate - a fourth fox. 'Stumpy' still makes a brief appearances on the trail cam, though he is very much the outsider of the four. Anyway, I'm fairly sure this photo is the younger vixen. Curiosity was just enough to tempt it out from cover. The photo isn't up to much I'm afraid.


Finally, here's some video. As it happens, the badger last night positioned itself perfectly between me and the trail cam, so (unusually) I'm in the clips. Plus, as an added extra, there's a few seconds at the end of the two shy foxes. Do take a look



Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 400D. Various lenses used. The birds were all taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. Both foxes were photographed with the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens.

I'll be back with the St Davids' blog tomorrow, but I thought it about time for a brief catch up on what's been happening in the garden. We are still seeing the hedgehog nightly, and while we were away the trail cam caught the badger passing through on a couple of occasions, and two foxes: Bold and the cub (though generally not at the same time). I don't recall seeing Stumpy, but I've only scan-viewed the footage.

During the week since our return from Wales it's been fairly quiet (at least whenever I've gone to look). That changed last night (or strictly speaking, the early hours of Friday morning). First was one of the hedgehogs...
Hedgehog

Shortly after that I spotted that something had triggered the trail cam again. I went up to look and came face to face with a badger. It paused for a moment or two before ambling off but I was able to get one shot off before it disappeared.
Badger

I still hadn't seen a fox though since before we went away; until earlier this evening that is, when the bold vixen limped into the garden. She's injured her front left leg, and was carrying it high. I think that's probably the first fox injury of the year, which is pretty good going. I couldn't see any physical sign of injury, so it's (hopefully) one of those strains that will quickly heal itself. Apart from the foot, she seemed in good shape.
Limping into the garden

Sensibly getting more comfortable

Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 400D. I was using the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens for the hedgehog and badger. This evening I had the EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS on the camera.