Everything is Permuted

It was sunny this morning, which makes it all the more perplexing that I also managed to get caught in a brief downpour (twice). English weather can sometimes be a little too indecisive! But the soaking was worth it. The kestrels were up and about (no doubt they have young mouths to feed), and the first one I spotted was carrying a vole.


It was proving tricky to get close enough for some decent shots until shortly before I had to head off for work. The rain had stopped (again) and the kestrels reappeared. The good thing about the weather disruptions was that it forced me to the top of the valley, allowing me to photograph the kestrel with some solid background detail. This one also seems to have some prey.








More good news. I saw the fox cub this evening. Saw, but not photographed. It appeared at the back of the garden, paused... trotted forward... retreated... paused... and then made a moderate dash for the fence. What was more surprising that its escape dash took it towards me, and it passed within about 3 feet before disappearing through the hedge. That counts as the best direct sighting to date. This unexpectedly bold behaviour was, it seems, due to an adult fox lurking nearby. It turned out to be Shutterbug. He fancied a brief drink.


I'll close tonight with some trailcam footage from last night. It's the cub. Two different adult foxes feature... and there's a very startled (and lucky) pigeon at the end.



Camera note: all kestrel shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. The fox was photographed with the EF 100mm f/2.8L macro IS USM lens. The video is from a Bushnell Trophy Cam.

It was cooler today, or at least it felt cooler as a result of strong winds. Things have calmed this evening, but earlier in the day it was enticing enough for a trip down to the coast at Rottingdean. The tide was in and, as expected, the waves were impressive.




Most of the visitors were happy to watch from a safe distance.


If you ventured too close to the edge you needed nimble feet to avoid a soaking.


Not everyone though is afraid of a bit of water. One Brightonian was determined to enjoy the bracing (and abrasive) power of the sea.


The fulmars were keeping away from the cliffs. Given their usual difficulty in negotiating a safe landing I'm not too surprised that they were few in number today, though one or two were around. They generally flew in for a quick look before going back out to the relative safety of the sea.


And there were gulls...


Tennis-playing gulls...


The winds have dropped this evening and I've spent some time waiting to see if I can get a glimpse of the fox cub, or the badger. I didn't even manage a cat... so instead here's some trailcam footage with all of them from last night.



Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens. Video via a Bushnell Trophy Cam.

Tucked away behind the church at Falmer is one of the hidden gems of Sussex. It's a large thatched barn dating back to the 13th century (though the number of repairs over the past 700 or so years means it has something of Trigger's Broom about it). It is nonetheless extremely impressive; and rich with history, the village having at various times formed part of the estate of both Anne of Cleves and Thomas Cromwell.


As ever, there were young ducklings in the vicinity.


And older ducklings, looking quite grown up.


There were young goslings as well.


And older goslings too, all in a hurry.


The pied wagtails were foraging at the water's edge, while swifts fly overhead in ever increasing number.




But one creature keeps a low profile, away from the water but watching closely from the cover of the surrounding wheat fields. Somewhere, everywhere, a fox is lurking. I knew they had to be around there... it was only a matter of time.


To close, another trailcam clip. This time it's a fox cub, seen around dawn this morning.


Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L USM IS lens, with the exception of the barn which was photographed with the EF17-40mm f/4L USM lens.