After a very wet night I collected the trail cameras. This film shows passing deer and a fox despite the weather. The camera also caught a fox calling which I have added to the film so you need the sound up to hear the call.
Rainy night.
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Monthly Archives: January 2021
Crossing the river
River crossing – Itchen bridge. Opened in 1997 to replace a floating bridge.
First mentioned in 1577, but said to be a medieval structure, the Cross House was for those using the old passenger ferry to cross the river Itchen at Southampton. It consists of two walls crossing each other at right angles, supporting a conical tiled roof, which gave shelter from wind in any direction. The tiled roof was removed in the 1930s but restored in recent years.
Ear fungi.
This fungus I recall seeing as a child. I know it as “Jew’s ear” and thought maybe in this world of being politically correct calling it such may be seen as anti-Semitic. These mushrooms look very much like wrinkly rubber ears. They are often found on the rotting wood of elder trees. In the Christian gospel,Judas Iscariot,hanged himself on an elder tree after he betrayed Jesus Christ, hence this is how these mushrooms got one of their common names. It is also known as Black Wood ear or Black fungus jelly ear. Its Latin is Auricularia auricula-judae. Jew’s ears is edible.
Another week.
Mondays walk I have posted 2 films today after picking up my trail camera. One shows a fox visiting the usual camera trap spot and searching for chicken skin left in the leaf debris on the woodland floor as bait. The after dark film is slowed slightly {unfortunately it also shows flashes from a second camera which malfunctioned.} The second film shows other visitors to the site during daylight hours.
Quite a few interesting birds spotted while walking to collect the camera’s including Goldcrests, a pair of Buzzards, a Sparrow Hawk and a close up of a Woodcock and a Tree Creeper.
As usual a number of Roe Deer were about.
A morning walk.
Another weekend with lockdown restrictions still in place and only local exercise allowed and to be honest a way to stay safe. Saturday morning headed to collect a trail camera set up in the woods for the last 48 hours. A frost again this morning so also took a standard camera and lens to try and capture the morning. Snow is forecast for much of the country tonight but Hampshire being in the south the risk is quite low, although visiting our local patch in the snow would be rather exciting.
Catkins are a sign of approaching spring.
A few gorse bushes are giving a splash of colour
Quite a lot on the trail camera.
A Jay, Blackbird, Wood Pigeons. Redwing, Young Roe Deer a Domestic Cat and a Fox.
Jack frost.
Heavy frost this morning so I took the chance of an early walk. Lots of deer about and a nice light. Left out some trail cameras to collect over the weekend.
Safe space.
Watching the world from a COVID free space.
No Pub,
No Cafes,
No Shopping centre,
No Cinema,
No Holidays.
Maybe a new start in 2022?
Fox.
More film of our local foxes. This fox found the roadkill we left for him. Note the scenting by the fox of the spot near the end of the film.
Foxes after dark.
We have found a spot where our local foxes seem to pass regularly so we have set up several of our trail cameras. The main film shows a couple of foxes enjoying some bait (chicken skin) to encourage them to stop for a while.
Weekend escape.
Nature recorded in our local area this weekend.
On one of the local streams a pair of Little Egrets have taken up residence it is funny seeing them inland rather than on the coast.
If you look at the 1st picture there are 2 birds in the tree it is amazing how white can be so camouflaged.
Many local deer were about.
We had set two trail cameras where we knew there was fox activity one set for movie and one for stills. The movies missed their target but the still one took some nice pictures and captured two foxes in some shots.
Continued Reflections from my world. 