It's Been a While (or Hello and Thanks for all the Fish)

Six years in fact since I last posted on this site - which I had long ago resolved to abandon - too much stuff had pervaded my life and one way or another dried up what few creative juices I might have hoped to drip onto these pages.

I'll try not bore with the detail, but the work life, I had thought I had given up, returned for a few years to a greater extent than I had envisaged, and I found myself too busy, tired or apathetic to carry on posting (not featuring Sid James).

So what now - late at night and I can't sleep - so I thought I might have another bash  at the old blogging thing and see how it goes. 

The past years have certainly not diminished my love of British wildlife combined with an interest in photography, which I like to think has developed (sorry) thanks to good advice, better equipment and thousands of hours in the field - often getting it wrong but sometimes getting the pay-off that patience can bring.

Expect then (as before) a predominantly nature focused collection of experiences - maybe a bit of photo chat and the odd (hopefully) amusing story or rant depending on life injustices.

To kick off then let's talk kingfishers and otters. 

For the last few months these usually elusive species have been showing really well at our local nature reserve. I suspect in the case of the kingfishers we have a few young birds looking to set up a territory combined with a lake offering good and relatively easy fishing conditions compared to the nearby river.

I know your down there - Kingfisher looking for a target

Locked on

As for the otters - occasionally three have been seen together, presumably a mother and two cubs - but it's usually a lone dog that turns up, quite literally, anywhere around our main lake and even very close to the hides. Like the Kingfishers, my assumption is, that they are using our lakes because flood conditions in the rivers are making prey location difficult. Recently they seem to be taking smallish fish, probably roach and perch, but I have also seen what appears to be a Crayfish disappearing down one gullet. 

"What makes you think I have been fishing?"

Just Looking

For nearly twenty years now I have been annually travelling hundreds and thousands of miles, mainly to the West Coast and Islands of Scotland, in search of otter spotting opportunities, so it seems unreal to be getting some of my best ever sightings a mile from my home. 

I am realistic enough however,  to know that just as suddenly as these wonderful creatures started appearing, they will soon revert to type and frequent sighting will diminish, so there are no plans to start cancelling the trips north yet.