Bel's Wood

The beck is always a good place to pick up wldlife activity on camera and w ith a long dry spell and so no longer flowing it has been even more fruitful. I have put a ‘leaky dam’ in place to hold up the water when the flow stops and this attracts wildlife. This has been followed by a great deal of rainfall and the wildlife have enjoyed washing in the dappled sun. Here is my top selection of stills and videos.  I love to see the Otter passing through which they do at this time of year. Once again this coincides with froglets appearing. I am frustrated that the otter is always running away from the camera! I shall persevere and will post a face to face one if I get it! Otters travel large distances and this one will go between Morecambe Bay, the River Gilpin and this beck alongside many others searching for food. Back in March I picked up tihs Grey Wagtail which is a first for the wood My most common footage is currently the Sparrowhawk  Drinking Washing Mating I nearly always s...

The cameras have been picking up activity at the wood over the summer. This Tawny Owl has visited this pool created by a leaky dam over a number of weeks and I have some lovely footage of him drinking, washing and pooping. This Jay poses for the camera perfectly here showing off his amazing colouring and moustache:- I often see the sparrowhawk and always hear his threatening call. Here he is by the beck and below is a chick who looks a little less confident hopping around. I’ve slightly enhanced this photograph to show the detail - the camouflage on Sparrowhawks and the Tawny Owls is amazing and such a different approach to the blue coloured Jayl I have had this Mink visiting frequently. The pointy nose is an indicator that it is a Mink not an Otter. In previous years I have had both visit at the same time. I have one swift piece footage that may be Otter but so fleeting it is hard to be sure so I have not included it. I have this rather nice footage of a stoat slinking around the tree...

There has been a rapid change of scenery at the wood with the hawthorn and gorse giving way to blossom from broom, rowan and whitebeam and the foxgloves have sprung up and are giving a splash of colour everywhere.              Broom                                      First foxgloves                     Silver birch in full leaf.                    Whitebeam in flower - briefly Dragonfly                      Unknown to me! Rowan in blossom                                            Gerrymander speedwort (blue)       ...