And where there are trees, there are birds... in this instance a jay.
And the inevitable squirrels...
I've missed the garden activity for the past few nights, but the foxes are still around... just avoiding the times I'm outside. They are always a little more erratic at this time of year but I'm sure our paths will soon cross again Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM.
I spent a long afternoon out at Sheepcote Valley today. It was surprisingly warm despite the clear signs of autumn which, according to some reports, is likely to be one of the most colourful in decades. Here's an early taster from Sussex.
The swallows are also much in evidence, feeding in advance of their winter migration. I'm keeping an eye out for the pre-flight massing along telephone wires (one advantage - possibly the only advantage - of living in an area where phone lines are still above ground).
It was while I was twisting myself in knots chasing swallows that a kestrel appeared. She was hunting across a wide swathe of grassland and only occasionally approached within proper range of the camera. It was worth the wait. This is a small selection of the hundred or so shots I took.
Now for some garden news. One of my favourite garden spiders has met her maker. Or to be more accurate, has fallen foul of another (much smaller, but more aggressive) spider. The victim had been happily inhabiting the washing-line carousel for several weeks (you can see the pole behind them), building and rebuilding large webs, and happily posing for close-ups. Sadly, no more.
We've also had a badger visiting. No photos as such, but I have uploaded a short video clip. I've also included a brief clip of me photographing Cheeky in the garden last night.
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens except the spider (EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM).
We are being blessed by a late burst of summer. The temperature is mild, the skies blue (most of the time), and the autumnal colours are vibrant. Autumn colour
The day had in fact begun with greying overcast skies, and a touch of rain in the air, so it was welcome bonus to find the sun out at lunchtime. The cattle were out in the fields, and at least one young male was feeling rather frisky. Cattle
Others were behaving rather more sedately, sheltering in the shade of the trees.
In the distance a kestrel cut across the edge of the woods.
I followed. It settled in the tree and then rose again to hover. I debated whether to move across to get closer or to watch and wait. I waited. And I was rewarded when the kestrel tired of its hunting patch and swept across the fields to the wooded area on the far side of the valley. Kestrel
I followed him for a while, knowing that in doing so I was heading in precisely the opposite direction to where I should have been going. But a lunchtime kestrel is a lunchtime bonus that is hard to forgo.
And this is the video from last night, when Bold was investigating the torch and trail cam. Quality is not good, but you can see her now quite distinctive limp (which I think must be permanent).
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D and EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.
The recent persistent rain finally left these shores overnight and today proved to be one of those slightly sharp but beautiful autumn days. View of Stanmer Park
The rain has brought out the fungi, and I came across several large clumps of honey fungus. Honey fungus
While visually spectacular, this isn't one you want to find in your garden. It spreads via underground bootlace threads (rhizomorphs) and can cause significant damage to other plants and trees. Not that this squirrel seemed too worried about it.
Numerous corvids were enjoying the sunshine, including several magpies (we seem to have lots of them about). Magpie
Most of the smaller birds were playing hard to get, flitting in and out of the dense thickets at the edge of the woods. One did finally show itself and I'm going to make a wild guess and say that it's a chiffchaff. Chiffchaff
And just to prove the skies really were blue all day, I took this last shot as I was heading for the car at the end of work. Pied wagtail
On the home front, Bold was back and her eye seems to be improving.
Mind you, one false move here and all the good work could be undone. Bold vixen and hedgehog Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 40D. The daytime shots were all taken with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. The photos of the vixen were with the Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX DG macro lens.
My Opera
