All go for nesting season!!!

As the week began I noticed a sudden change of warm air and the first of the Spring showers coming in and many more birds are beginning there 2018 nesting season. Locally the Swans have built there nest up slowly but as more rain is coming and the fresh reeds have only just begun to breach the waters surface I dont think they will begin any egg laying in the next month for them. One Grebe has returned to the local flash and the Geese and other birds have begun to make there muddy platforms ready to begin adding the vedgetation to give them a stable platform for the future of there species. If we go by past nesting seasons then they have a task ahead of them.

The water level really affects the water birds here as the rain the canal locks and run off from nearby farmland causes the levels to rise and fall quickly as the flash also has a overflow into a river which runs alongside the flash.

  I even visited a few of my monitored Badger setts to check on cameras I've placed out to capture footage of any would be wildlife crime commiters plus as there also booby traped cameras so any one trying to take them will be very surprised on the messy outcome if there touched by any human interference. The Badgers have started to excavate they setts ready for there cubs next stage as they need more room to grow and I bet it can get very messy underground with all that Cub poo littering the sett chambers. Normally I have my first encounters with the Badgers and there cubs before easter so I'll keep you updated on that in the next few weeks.

Thanks for reading

Mike

False Spring I guess !?!?

Well here's me thinking that Spring was in full flow but the beast from the east came out of nowhere. In the past few days, we have had so much snow and cold weather than we have seen for a few years even if you put them together. I have had to cancel one plan of going to Teggsnose and Macclesfield forest due to the bad weather up there.

Ice by the roadside

 Caught out in a BLIZZARD

 Edges of the canalside waterfall began to freeze

A very icy and windswept tow path

 A white garden

 After the storm

As well as snow and Ice I had a wonderful Sunday morning last week when I visited a new place locally where I can watch the sunrise and the sunset. There are Lapwings, Woodpeckers and Skylarks close to home. I'll hopefully be finding Barn Owls and Foxes here in the evenings and early hours. 

We saw a pair of Kestrels calling and doing flying cortship one vening while dropping off some bird feed as theres a few flocks of unidentified birds I have not got close to yet but my new feeding station may pay off soon.

After arriving at the area and the sun rising the birds began to sing a stunning chorus. I waited until the birds quieted down and then I headed home for breakfast and to get a few hours sleep after a wonderful few hours sitting in the sun and enjoying nature.

Hopefully, once the air warms up my encounters will increase and as it's only 6 weeks till my first Wales trip I'm hoping my first Otter encounter of the Spring will be very soon.

Thanks for reading

Mike

Last day of 2017

Just a quick blog post to end the year and although I don't do all the happy the new year wishing. I thought it would be nice to finish off 2017 with remembering 3 encounters from the past year and also 3 things I want to do more of in 2018. My favorite three 2017 memories while out about may seem like small things to others but to me and maybe some of you will understand the beauty and complicity of Natural Encounters.

1-My first is Otters on my local river and as its the first year I've had so
many personal sightings of them only a few miles from my home in the early hours of summer.

2-My second is Waxwings in the early months of Spring we had them locally feeding on sticky spring buds on the edge of an industrial estate.

 3-My third and last is being outdoors in the rain, sun, wind, and ice I love all weathers and locations as each area has its own beauty. As I get older I love it even more and sometimes I head off deep into the local countryside to one of my peaceful beauty spots with my tent to commune with Nature.

My three things I want to do more of in 2018 are below:

1-Kayaking

2-Camping

3-Reading

 Hopefully, all the things above will encourage me to spend more time outdoors with Nature and the good thing is I can mix 1+3 together and 2+3 together which = another happy year doing what I love.

 

On Saturday 30th December 2017 I got a few photographs from a local bird reserve and one of the many lakes there, I got to see my first ever male Shovelers about 10m from the watching area which was a great bird to see to end the year.

A few of the 10+ bird feeders full of feeding birds 

 The local birders also rubbed fat on the posts to stick bird seed to the fence posts

I Would like to say a big thank you for all your custom at www.Gowildlifewatching.co.uk and to everyone that follows my passion. I'm looking forward to seeing what Nature brings next year. To be honest I can't wait to get out camping on the coast and hopefully within the next few months I shall as I am buying a few pieces of kit every month to make camping more comfortable. One things for sure in 2018 I'll be defending Nature in my own way with more kit and knowledge to save animals and habitats when and where I can.

Thank you

Mike