Kicking off this year's odds and sods with Starlings in a rainbow on that extreme rarity: sunshine.
It was early morning, with the sun barely cresting the tree line. We were able to get out for our morning walk as it wasn't raining. This photo is my trusty Canon 80D and Sigma 18-300mm lens zoomed in at 300mm.
Pulling back a bit.
And finally all the way back.
Oh, 2024 got off to a good start with this.
So far my cat, perhaps two neighbouring cats visiting our garden, a local fox and Tawny owl, and this trap have accounted for at least five of the beasties. Sightings of rats in our garden are getting rarer, so I think I'm winning. Two rather timid and wary rats, that I know of, are proving more elusive to catch. I've resorted to buying a lethal trap. The trap was triggered, yesterday, but no rat, sadly. Though a mouse might have triggered it, and was small enough to be within the kill bar.
90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.
what a fantastic sighting and photo Kevin, lucky your camera was with you !
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Regards, Hazel
Bearing in mind my wildlife identification abilities are on par with my French speaking ones (I got a grade U in my O levels. One gets a U for turning up and writing your name on the exam paper), are you sure this is an otter?
I hate to say this, but is kind of looks like a mink to my untrained eye. I read that otters tend to be lighter coloured (brown) and they swim with their bodies low in the water with a U shaped wake. Mink tend to have their backs above water, with a V shaped wake, and can be quite dark.
Regardless of which, an all round cracking shot. Love it.
The plan: wake up early in morning (3:30am). Bundle up warm, go into garden and collapse into chair with hot cup of coffee. Star at sky in the hope of seeing a Perseids meteor.
Reality: 9/10 cloud, heavy mist.
Redemption: Due to afore mentioned cloud and mist, all was still fairly gloomy and dark at 5:00am. Ideal for our resident Tawny owl to get vocal.
I've heard the female calling out, both at night and early in morning, earlier this month.
Yes, very lucky, thank you
Oh, I just assumed it was an otter. I sent it to Worcestershire Wildlife Trust as a 'sighting'. Maybe they will put me right thank you for the heads-up. The regulars on the canal had told me about the 'otter' and I have been waiting for a while for a glimpse it was quite long, definitely light brown and I took a few photos. This was the only one when it lifted its head a bit
With the angle of the shot and the bright sunlight, it is hard to determine the exact colour of the creature; light brown to coal black are all possible.
Fingers crossed it is an otter. I've never seen one. Seen mink. Photographed mink. Got some footage on a trail cam. But no otter. Sigh.
A few randoms from my local valley over a long weekend.
Very nice captures Bob, thanks for sharing!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Thanks Wendy.
Wonderful shot Kevin! I wouldn't be able to identify it as I haven't ever seen either in the wild, just at zoo's and such where there is a sign ... . Excellent sharpness where it matters ...