March Wildlife Challenge 2016

[LovelyLadyLux]

No photos but the swans are gone from the marsh out back. The Canadian geese have taken over their hassocks of reeds. I'm definitely hoping the Canadian geese will have babies out there. I'd love to see them.

[Grandad]

I hadn't mentioned but I ran into a problem with the trail cam. It recorded me putting out food but then zilch through the night although the food and peanuts all went. This happened 3 nights running so I sent it back and got a refund.

I have now ordered another one, different design and a bit cheaper BUT it has a no-glo IR illuminator and 17 five star and 3 4 star reviews. It has a narrower field of view, I can live with that, and it takes a full size SD card not the micro which was very difficult to remove each morning to download the nights events. Should get it early next week so I will keep you posted.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Grandad - way cool. Can't wait to see the next installment of Grandad's backyard at Night video!

[Grandad]

Now I have a problem. We certainly have two dog foxes and a short vid of each Tuesday evening confirms by different coloured tips to their tails, which is which.

I always thought we have two vixens but not until this evening have I been outside and seen both of them but independently. But, the one that I showed heavily pregnant earlier is in fact Maddy (that is what Mrs G has Christened her). She is more shy and waits under the bushes when I take food out.

Missy came up to me and would almost take food off the plate. I could not get a good look but I am not sure if she is pregnant. They both have a dog so maybe she is behind Maddy in her pregnancy. I hope so because we could end up with anything up to about 8 cubs.

As a point of interest, their gestation is 53 days, about 10 days shorter than domestic dogs. They then spend about 4 weeks in the earth, after the birth, being fed by the dog. The cubs then emerge and after about another 4 weeks they all desert the earth and live under cover of bushes and undergrowth.....

[Grandad]

Third camera just delivered to my door. Another toy to play with today. I will let you know how I get on with this one, or, if I go quiet on the subject it will mean I have sent this one back. As Mrs G says, "I am beginning to think it is the operator, not the camera" Perhaps she is right.

[Horus]

Well you have certainly put me off buying one

[Ruby Slippers]

Grandad, not wildlife, but I recently came across a photo of Canterbury library and I had no idea it was so fabulous! If, when you are out and about, you could get a piccie or two of it, I think everyone on here would like to see it!

[Grandad]

Grandad, not wildlife, but I recently came across a photo of Canterbury library and I had no idea it was so fabulous! If, when you are out and about, you could get a piccie or two of it, I think everyone on here would like to see it!

RS, do you mean the new library that was modernised a couple of years ago? That was when they spent a vast sum extending and updating the old Beaney Institute, museum and library.

I will make a point of doing what you ask, not least because the building is right in the centre of the city and I can park at the rear (Blue badge)

[Ruby Slippers]

Sorry, Grandad. Yes, I did mean the Beaney Institute! It's gorgeous!

[LovelyLadyLux]

Hopefully third time will be a charm and we'll get some lovely photos of the foxes and badgers and whomever else lurks in the shadows of Grandad's yard at night!

[Grandad]

I had a couple of rabbits for the foxes this evening. Put the first one out and went momentarilly to the kitchen and returned to find it had already been taken. Put the second one out and in a short while another fox, a vixen, came and I did get some snaps through the back door. The sentry light was on but even with the camera set at 3200 ISO the exposure was still a long 1/20th second, so, as she did not hang about, the pictures were not clear, hence the six frame collage of the story of 'Get The Rabbit'

[LovelyLadyLux]

WOW! She looked lovely but definitely wasn't going to hang about to get the PRIZE of a rabbit!

[Horus]

It must be like Christmas for those Foxes Grandad

[LovelyLadyLux]

Just got this hung up. My plan is to give Grandad a REAL run for his money now! And am hoping to get ONE BIRD to land on it and get a photo!!

I got the idea of a cage out the feeders from Grandad. I had a square thing I could put suet into but no way could I keep the crows away from it and they'd demolish anything I put out within a couple hours of discovering it. I have a couple of bird feeders but I figured it would be the same thing. The crows would arrive and drive the other birds out plus empty the feeder fast.

Saw this last week in the USA when I was down there. It was 'on sale' for 40% off PLUS I had a coupon for another 25% off so really scored on the purchase (I think $6.88USD after all was said and done)

Photo was taken this morning by Twin #2 today. I've been letting the twins use my handheld little camera learning all the buttons etc and how to focus and take photos. It has added another dimension to the walks. They've been surprisingly serious about taking photos too. Twin #1 is rock steady snapping a photo and has shown more curiosity so far in pictures (ie. climbing inside the tube of the slide so he can get a picture so he can SEE what it looks like). Twin #2 tends to want to take more photos walking as he goes cause he just can't take enough (hopefully the excitement of trying to capture everything in an hour will dwindle)

So Grandad - the challenge is now ON!

[Horus]

Looking forwards to your picture LLL, we have those sort of feeders here in the UK, they are very good for allowing small birds to feed without being predated. Nice idea letting the twins loose with a camera, could be the start of a good hobby or even a career.

[LovelyLadyLux]

When I hung the suet feeders they were discovered in fairly short order BUT they also brought the crows. The little guys would sometimes descend and pick at it and 1 would have lasted them half a winter but soon as the crows spotted it they'd arrive, demolish within hours but also drive off any of the smaller guys. I just hung it out so will have to see what I attract. There are lots of birds around here. I have several feeders but the crows arrive and empty them quickly. When I saw this one it reminded of what Grandad has (although I think his are to keep squirrels out) and figured it would definitely work. IF it does work well I'd be tempted to buy another one next time in down in the USA.

The youngest twin took quite an interesting array of photos. He took quite a few real close ups of things cause he wanted to see them (i.e. inside the slide)



The lock on the school gate



He quite wanted to take the walk path into the school (I thought he had a great idea of this one and did quite well)



The stream that runs into the marsh behind me



The bush on the neighbours lawn



He quite liked walking about with the camera and would stand and look at things then take a picture. There wasn't 1 spoiled photo due to blur although he take a couple (like the lock on the gate) that was not centered. His brother was quite excited with the camera and took several photos as he was walking that blurred and some that were out of focus. I know they see me always with a camera and they're both anxious to get a camera of their own. Now that they're older I've told them once they're consistently taking good photos and understand the basics of how a camera works (course they'll pick it all up probably way faster than ME!) I'll get them each a small hand held. They are holding out (naively as they don't know) for a bigger black camera they can hang about their neck like I do but have told them that will come in time when they get good with the smaller camera.

[Horus]

I reckon they are quite creative already LLL and I agree that a small pocket camera is the way to go at the moment

[Kiya]

Well Done to the boys, sure a little encouragement from gran goes a long way

[Grandad]

Impressive LLL Well done twin

I like the chain picture, a bit of close up detail, and the pedestrial crossing is a good example of how perspective is emphasised from a lower angle. A budding snapper there

NOW THEN! I accept the challenge but your feeder is much smarter than mine. Hope you have not got squirrels in your area because baby squirrels round here would het through your mesh and empty all the seed. That is why I have had to close down the apertures on my home made squirrel guards.

I am now going to sit at the back door (it is warmer indoors ) and see if I can meet your challenge.......

[LovelyLadyLux]

We do have squirrels here but I've yet to see one out front. I do have this feeder hanging on the front of the fence and there are not yet lots of bushes growing around it but hopefully this year the pieris I have out there will kick into growth mode. I think once there is a bit more shelter the birds will be up front more often than now.

A flicker has discovered it, was walking up and down the top of the fence looking at it but can't get at it. Hopefully soon I'll get some visitors. Have the camera ready.