Well that was a quick month!!

Well it's flown since the beginning of January but with it being a another warmer start to the year it feels good to see the change of spring coming early. With the growing of fresh vegetation in between the old brown bunches of last summer growth from sticky willy to daffodils and even daises popping up is giving me hope for Spring getting going.

The other day I took a walk to checkout a local Heronry to see if the birds had returned to begin I was not surprised to see that they had not returned but one thing I spotted and smelled was the wild garlic sprouting from all the mud that seems to be an occurring theme with my walks lately.

Sunset on the river weaver one Friday afternoon

 I went back a week later and there was a pair defending there nest with one on lookout and the other making alterations ready for the busiest months of there lives.

5 Nests in one tree awaiting there owners return

On the walk I also spotted this Badger sett which goes under a road and by the looks of it they decided to go under instead of crossing making a Badger subway.

I have a week off soon hopefully I'll be camping on the coast in the winter/spring weather and as long as we pack properly and remember where all the coastal bakery's are we shall be fine.

A photograph from last years February trip

 I'll do a blog about what I take and what we see while on our camping trip

I have seen plenty of wildlife while out and about but the best months are yet to come and I plan to be out alot even in the early hours before work but that will be mainly for Otters so stayed tuned.

Thanks for reading

Mike

My Drone is no more but was it on purpose or by accident!!! see my next blog post

One wonderful Easter Sunday from Dawn to dusk

While most people were tucked up in there beds early on Easter Sunday morning I was out enjoying the peace and the possibility of some wild encounters on my local patch. A few weeks ago I walked into a young Otter down on the local river catching it's breakfast before it saw me and disappeared off upriver leaving only prints on the muddy banks.

My wild encounters started when 2 Badgers ran into me and continued to chase each other into some bushes when I watched them have a roll around in the undergrowth with plenty of calling before returning to there sett at first light.

I continued on across some scrub land where I heard a Grasshopper Warbler and saw some Blackcaps gathering nesting material for there newly built creation in a bramble patch. The smell of the Hawthorn blossom in the fresh morning air was beautiful and combined with a sighting and the smell of a Fox made quite the spring aroma
Hawthorn/Blackthorn

Swans patrolling the canal

Sheep having lambs is wonderful to see at this time of the year

Grebes mating on the canal

A Coot searches for nest material under the surface

I thought I had stumbled into the Otter again but it turned out to be a Mink as the sun rose

A stunning sunrise along the canal

Canada Geese back in the warm sunlight

Sunrise over the picnic benches

When the sunrises under this bridge the light is so warm and refreshing

Lots more to come in the next few weeks as I'm off to Wales for a week!!!!

Stay wild and thanks for reading

Mike

Local patch Bird life and Springy things

Being quite a way into spring now it seems the birds are still holding back on breeding but we have alot of time left as it just beginning. I'm really loving the smells of all the flowering buds on the trees and plants especially first thing in the morning after abit of rain in the night makes it so stimulating to the senses. Back to the feathery subject now and as I have found a few good birds locally. On the edge of my local patch I found a pair of Kestrels nesting in a old barn Owl box, luckily there is a Hawthorn tree which is quite tight to the ground nearby which will provide a perfect if not spiky hide. I'll post some photographs soon as I will be observing them for a while before photographing as I love to appreciate Nature through my own eyes before looking at it through a lens.

My favorite thing to do at this time of year before work is to head off to a peaceful place to enjoy the birds singing as the sunrises into a clear blue sky. While out last week with my binoculars I got some lovely views of Whitethroats and Grasshopper warblers which seem to be every where on my local patch at the minute which I think is a first for here. Alot of the Mallard ducklings have disappeared from the local pond whether due to human interference or natural predators I can't say. I've seen an increase in distrustful individuals carrying air pistols in public places close to active Nature places. A quick reminder that with all the birds and mammals breeding please remember not every one loves and wants to protect Nature so if you see anything suspicious regarding wildlife then checkout my picture below.

New posts to come on bad weather days and as I'm on my holidays soon expect Welsh related posts :-)

Thanks for reading my blog

Stay wild, be happy and be safe
 

Mike

Springing out of January!!!

Each year the British winter seem s to be getting more unusual and this one in particular has to be the most bizarre Winter yet. Over the past week or so I've noticed the nettles and other vegetation springing up very early the most surprising has to be wild garlic growing down by the river. I love to pick a leaf and give it a good sniff as it reminds me of the transformation that will be soon upon us. A few other local signs Ive noticed are the new green reed shooting up. The local Swans are pairing up and have started nest building on the local ponds but they seemed to have stopped since the windier and wetter weather has come in. I have also noticed the birds are singing and things are really bursting into life.

Some time in the next few weeks I will be heading off for a days camping on the coast to reignite my wildness. In my next few blogs I'll be posting about another meeting with an idiot with a gun and in a another post I'll be sharing some of my gear I have purchased for my next camping trip.

On another note I have recently just opened a shop selling my framed wildlife sketches and my wildlife photographs on Etsy. You can view and purchase them here https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MikeMottramNatureArt?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Thank you

Mike Mottram

Stay safe and protect Nature where and whenever you can

My latest drawing of a Watervole eating a grass stalk

A new year and a false spring in full swing

With the New year in full swing and my wildlife sketch book filling up quickly I have decided to get going with the blog again.  My focus over the Winter months changes from my summer favorites like filming, photographing wildlife and enjoying the outdoors, so from December to February I like to patrol and keep an eye on areas where wildlife is vulnerable to a few local Sport Hunters and people who like to go out commit wildlife crimes. With Spring and the longer days of spring in sight thanks to this Winters milder temperatures. I think Spring 2016 will arrive earlier than before as I have seen a few very early signs on my local patch thanks to the frost less December.

I have noticed the local Swans paring up and beginning to show nesting behavior with the female picking up reeds and placing them in a pile while the male chatters next to her as if to say it's abit early for that.

While taking and a wander through a local woodland I found that on one of the ponds the reeds and vegetation was growing quite quickly. Normally they start growing at the end of winter usually early March which coincides with the first Frog spawn of the year. I am thinking that we could see Frog spawn in the nest month or 2.

With the signs above showing an early spring my thoughts of days by the sea and in the mountains are at the though of my mind.

Thank you and stay wild

Mike Mottram

A few more drawings from the Diaries of a Cheshire wildlife watcher sketch book

Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter on my local river

With the 4th season of the year upon us I have decided to post a photograph from each season taken on my local river. From Spring to Winter I visited this bridge to see if I could spot the local Otters and Kingfishers. Most days I just enjoyed the view and enjoyed the trickling calmness of the flowing water. While I was there I thought it would be a good idea to take a photograph to capture the beauty of each season in one photograph. As you can see the sun usually sets behind the bridge casting some really beautiful light at the end of the day. 

SPRING

SUMMER

AUTUMN

WINTER

All the photographs put together in one picture

 
Thanks for reading my blog
Stay wild, be happy and be safe

Mike

Cuckoos on Conwy mountain

While walking up one of the hills on Conwy mountain I heard a Cuckoo and after listening to it's cuckoo call we managed to pinpoint it's location. We found the male bird in an area of trees close to a farm and after 5 minutes of waiting the bird flew out and headed up to higher ground. It returned 10 minutes later being mobbed by another male bird.
I managed to get 2 flight shots and this one seemed to be the best one

 Mobbed

Only the male Cuckoo calls with the Cuckoo call and the female uses a bubbling call so it was quite interesting to see them competing for any females in the area. The 2 males kept getting mobbed by pipits that did not want them any where near there nests. It was great to hear my first Cuckoo and to see 2 on my second visit was a great result. Now I know there up there at this time of the year hopefully I can get back there next year or maybe in July before they leave as I would like to photograph one perched in a tree. 
I spotted this Pipit with food in it's mouth so it must have had a nest nearby

 Buzzard chased by a Crow

 This Fox was hunting in one of the fields near to where the cuckoo called

The views from Conwy mountain are beautiful as you can see by the photographs below

As this is my second and last visit on this trip it was nice to get a few photographs of a bird I've never photographed before and to find a new wild location to relax is a bonus for me. Since returning home I have heard my first Cuckoo on my local patch down by the river.

Thanks for reading my blog

Stay wild, be happy and be safe

Mike

Little baby Hedgehog in the cemetery

A few days ago I was walking back through my local cemetery at last light and I stumbled upon a baby Hedgehog next to a hedge. It looked in good condition and was calling for it's mother so I got a few photos/footage then placed the Hedgehog under a hedge a meter away where the nest is probably located, as there is no where else nearby where it could have been. I checked the roads surrounding the cemetery and saw no dead Hedgehogs around so I'm guessing it's mum is looking for food in the hedge but this little one must have tried to follow mum on her nightly feed. Sometimes you have to evaluate the situation and in this instance I felt the need to step and give the baby a chance to return to it's mum and other siblings. Hopefully she will hear her baby's calls and take it back to it's nest.

Thanks for reading my blog

Stay wild, be happy and be safe

Mike

A nest on the ground

While searching my new wildlife area my brother found a nest on the ground in long grass. We found the nest while searching for Foxes and on this visit I nearly stepped on a young Badger cub snuffling around in long grass near it's sett, once it noticed me it gave a big sniff and ran off into cover.

After abit of research I found out that the nest belonged to a _____ and hopefully over the next few weeks before I go on holiday I will get to see these eggs hatch and fledge.

Hidden in the thick grass

 6 Little eggs but will they all hatch

 The nest was well hidden in the undergrowth which got recovered with more grass when I left

As the nest is right next to a Badger sett where there are Foxes and Badgers I'm not sure whether they will make it to adulthood let alone hatch.

2 of the 3 adult Foxes I have seen in the area and hopefully there may be cubs nearby :-)

A lovely part of the river which flows under a bridge where I like to shelter when it rains when I am heading back from my new area.

Thanks for reading my blog

Stay wild, be happy and be safe

Mike

The return of Flash

As it was very warm the other day we decided not to head out to far. We ended up going to a local stretch of river so if we got to hot we could cool off in the water. We were mainly looking for a Swan family or Sand martins .After walking a few miles along the river we ended up finding nothing but the river looked beautiful with it's clear and sparkling water. 

There were plenty of Damselflies zipping up and down the river and mating on the river weed. On the way back though from a high bank over the river we spotted a pair of Swans with one cygnet, I did the call that some of the pairs I photograph know to see if they would respond. The female reacted and raised her head to my call and this so it got me thinking was this Flash and his mate Whisper. 

 Staying together and doing quite well with the faster speed of the flowing river

 

We could not see the family properly or leg tags so we fought through the nettles to get onto the sandbank where they were resting. Once we got closer we saw it was them and they had 4 Cygnets not just one.  When we approached calling like we have to Flash for years he came over without any aggression and tapped my bag to see if we had any food for him and his family. I took a few photographs and left them in peace heading down river closer to the unsafer area nearer to the town. The things that worry me at this time of year are the increase more Dogs off leads playing in the river and a few people who find entertainment in harming nature. Hopefully I will be able to keep an eye on them but nice thing was Whisper seemed to be wary of us which means she will be keeping her Cygnets very safe and she will lead them to safety if needed.

 I think Flash on the left is moulting but I think he's quite strong even if he can't fly

Thanks for reading my blog

Stay wild, be happy and be safe

Mike