Corvid not covid

Sunday March 29th: Isolation Day 6 Almost a week into our new life of uncertainty and restriction and the boredom and monotony is beginning to set in. Fortunately the sun is still shining enabling me to get out briefly each day for my daily dose of nature therapy. Whilst being limited to just one small…

Hide & seek

Wildlife photography can be a frustrating business, requiring a lot of patience often for very little reward… The resident pair of crows here in Aberystwyth harbour have always been rather elusive and difficult to get close to, over several years of following them I can only count a handful of occasions where they have allowed…

Fallen leaves

When it comes to the seasons I can never quite decide whether I prefer spring or autumn, however there is something about the cold, crisp air of a sunny autumn morning and the golden hues taking over the natural world which I find particularly appealing. Today a carpet of fallen autumn leaves provided a beautiful…

New beginnings

Having lived beside Aberystwyth harbour for over 4 years ago now, I have come to know its avian residents rather well, witnessing their trials of life, love and death on my own doorstep. In this time I have also seen the arrival of many new babies, from the adorable swan cygnets to the noisy, squabbling…

Bird Behaviour: Food sharing

Many species of bird will share food with each other, a behaviour known as allo-feeding. This most commonly occurs between parents feeding their chicks however it is also seen among adults, particularly during the breeding season and as part of courtship behaviour. But why should a bird waste energy feeding it’s partner who is more…

‘Jack, jack!’

Wildlife photography can often be a very lonely occupation and one requiring vast amounts of patience. I have spent countless hours sitting alone (often in some very uncomfortable spots) just watching and waiting for that next close encounter or interesting piece of behaviour to occur. More often than not I am left disappointed as things…

Happy Valentine’s Day

Did you know jackdaws are one of the few birds which truly mate for life? Jackdaws form pairs as young birds and will then remain together for all of their lives in a partnership sometimes referred to as a ‘marriage’. The couple will travel and feed together, and both birds are responsible for raising their…

The thaw

Another winter’s day and another glorious frosty morning! I had hoped to capture some photographs of the birds among the frost, something I have attempted and failed at several times before. Unfortunately, as is often the case in wildlife photography, my plans did not quite work out once again! It wasn’t until the sun was…

Reflection

It has been a rather dreary January, with seemingly endless damp and drizzle punctuated with the just the odd day of winter sunshine here or there. After a positive start with a beautiful frost to capture, there hasn’t been a huge amount to photograph. I must admit I have been feeling a little uninspired and…

Bad feather day

After my failure to capture photographs of the young Jackdaw a few weeks ago, today my luck had turned and I was able to capture some more successful photographs as the corvid family foraged in and around the harbour slipway under the pleasant morning sunshine. The adults were busy searching for their breakfast among the…

A wild Jackdaw chase

For several weeks now I have been following a flock of Jackdaws who regularly visit the area around the harbour in search of food. Although these birds are always a favourite of mine, I am particularly interested in them at this time of year as this is the time when their youngsters fledge and join…

A bird in the hand

Rooks are certainly not the most beautiful of birds. A black angular body and bare, scaly face with sharp beak give them a rather sinister, reptilian appearance. They do also have a unwelcome reputation due to their habit of eating other birds’ eggs and nestlings. Nevertheless I have always found these birds fascinating and charming,…