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The first two weeks of July are my favourite weeks of the year to spend quality time with my local hares.

The mornings start early but usually the light is good. With cereal crops being so high and more difficult to run through the hares have been making their morning short cuts through the more accessible rows of sugar beet.



The big, fleshy leaves often get in the way of a clear shot but do provide a lovely bright green background and foil for some sneaky peaks by the hares for the camera. Occasionally, I get an early warning that hare is on it's way by seeing the tip of an ear or movement of the crop. Often I think they come out on a sugar high, dancing or moving to a rhythm most likely having nibbled on the crop.

In a previous blog post I mentioned young hares getting too close for a photo but close enough for an in depth conversation or towel dry down.

This morning I felt as though I should have had a hard hat within arms reach as two young bucks pursued a more mature female in ardent fever! The wily female did enough to keep them at bay but the two young males decided that they needed to fight for their rights. Literally within the length of my car, with me on the ground, they went for it in front of me.

I could clearly hear the thumps, the harrumphs and the clumps being exchanged. Fur flew in front of my face and after a couple of vain attempts of trying to get an action shot I gave up and watched the awesome spectacle instead.

The victor ran off after the sensibly, departed female while the loser sat for a while and obviously did a mental replay how that went so very wrong.

I am great believer in being careful for what I wish for..so when I muttered in frustration at 5am this morning that I wished the hares would come closer they must have heard.


With in a few seconds they went from being too far away to do anything other than watch them to suddenly being in front of my lens. In fact too close to get a full body shot. As you can see in most frames I could only get body parts!



All damp and dewy, I would have towel dried the young hare had I taken a towel with me. Perhaps I will take both a towel and a comb tomorrow, just in case they are up for some pampering and I can then honestly say I've given them a hare (hair) makeover!

Happy days are here again..the rain has finally stopped and the sun is even rumoured to shine again later.

I wasn't the only one rejoicing this morning as I trudged back across the fields in the hope of finding the young hares again.



True to their nature they had relocated and finding them took a little while. Now that the farmer has stopped cutting the asparagus the young hares seem to be gravitating towards the lovely soft trenches to shelter in. Fingers crossed with some help from the sunshine it won't be long until the asparagus provides the bright, fern green backdrop I love so much.

I am currently updating the images on my website as it was fast just becoming an embarrassing library of old stuff. Please forgive the interruption should you join me midway the sort out!

It is a vital, early lesson for a young hare to understand the importance of grooming therefore keeping that thick, warm, baby coat in tip top, weatherproof, condition.

Although Mum only visits her youngsters once or twice a day, under her watchful inspection this little hare dutifully completed it's fingers, knees and toes cleaning routine but forgot to do behind its ears!

As I stepped out the door this morning at silly o' clock time I was immediately rewarded by the sight of a roe deer looking at me through the garden fence. It looked far more awake than me but I took this was a sign it was going to be a good day!
I was proved right in that prediction as the next quick stop was a progress check up on a little Tawny Owl owlet I have been concerned about. All seemed well as it sat looking at with with little, bleary eyes high up in a safe hollow of an old tree stump.



As the sun came up I began my wander down the farm tracks where by I was lucky enough to come upon a hunting, dewy fox with a mouth of breakfast vole. Along the track verges, baby rabbits fed on tender shoots and around the old stables, the house sparrows caught up with the chatter in the roof guttering. I had a close encounter with a male sparrow hawk that was too quick for me to photograph, got buzzed by a hunting buzzard and given an arial display by a raucous group of hungry baby starlings.



So by the time I made it home I was not only totally awake but really glad I made the effort to enjoy the early morning action.

Only a month away until the longest day and plenty more to appreciate.

I confess it is becoming more of a heroic effort getting out of bed these days, despite the beautiful light and the promise of a new start. However when I do prise myself out of my comfortable state of oblivion, I am reminded of how lucky I am to live where I do and what I could be missing out on if I had instinctively pulled the cover back over my head when the alarm went off!

It's taking a little while to settle into a new home and finding likely wildlife models to photograph. I spend way too much time just looking out the window wondering how I can get into a suitable position in which to photograph my new, wildlife "neighbours".

Just to take some of the frustration away I have been volunteering at the charming Gressenhall Workhouse Museum and Farm where I have been allowed to get amongst the farm stock including Suffolk Punches and Large Black Pigs!




It's been a great education so far and I am soaking up any small nugget of information I can about the rare breeds of sheep, cows and even chickens.

The staff work so far to recreate farm life authentic to the era during which the Workhouse was a community refuge and it is a genuine experience to see how wildlife and farm life really interweave with each other. Carefully managed living hedgerows provide natural boundaries as well as a haven for birds and insects. Horse ploughed fields are naturally fertilised as they get tilled.



Whereas the open style barns encourage a number of birds to nest cosily inside with both bedding materials in the form of straw and food, in the form of insects a just a peck away.

The Museum and farm run a number of great events for families to enjoy and are opening the gates for Open Farm Day on Sunday 6th June..hope to see you there!

Over the last couple of months our evening entertainment has been very much looking out of the window at the antics of the local pheasant throng.



From having one twitchy male pheasant to having now to least three proud boys, pumped up with raging hormones, competing in their breeding finery for the attention of the ladies! The latter, is has to be said are shameless flirts and they come hither / stay away from me behaviour certainly drives those bad boys stir crazy!



Recently the males have taken to calling throughout the night in a vocal attempt to gain superior rankings. Displays of their feathery finery have been more akin to Peacock behaviour but what has impressed me the most is their tenacity to never give up hope..one of those fine ladies will eventually relent and then maybe peace will ensue for a while.

Being one of my favourite species of LBJ (little, brown, jobs)I was delighted to read that House Sparrows are back on the increase and were the top recorded garden bird species in 2018 Big Garden Birdwatch.

Having been woken up by House Sparrows each morning, way back, in my school days, I have missed their cheerful chatter and constant conversation for far too long.

Now having moved to an older property and in an area where the roofs have more traditional tiles, I am now thrilled to be surrounded by these chirpy, little characters. They thrive in large social communities and are gregarious in nature so if you spot one rest assured there are another dozen close by.



In between hauling nesting materials under the lining of the roof tiles they sit in the guttering either basking in the sunshine or being in collaborative company of others. As the recent activity suggests there could be a few more on their way soon!

I finally managed to prise myself out of my lovely, warm bed in the early, chilly morning in eager anticipation of calmer weather and maybe some sunshine.

The hares were bouncing long before the sunrise and as ever they positioned themselves out in the middle of the field way out of reach of my lens reach.

Sadly, the morning light and prospect of sunshine didn't necessarily last as long as I had hoped and as the sky became dull and the temperature became cooler, both the hares and I huddled down to keep warm.



I am hoping for better luck tomorrow!

Having moved more rural into the deeper Norfolk countryside I was hoping for more up close and personal wildlife experiences. Having said that I hadn't really banked on having mice in the attic!

Been rudely awoken in the early hours by noises that resembled a huge creature gnawing it's way through the ceiling, it was with some relief to discover that we had inherited Yellow Necked Mice as undeclared fittings or fixtures!

It's really hard to tell the difference between Wood Mice and Yellow Necked Mice. Having witnessed how high our unexpected housemates can jump, my money is on them being Yellow Neck Mice, as they are really good climbers, whereas Wood Mice are more likely to be burrowers.

I quickly invested in some humane traps and tried to block all the holes or access points I could find at ground level to the outside of the house. In just 4 weeks I have successfully caught and released back to the woods a total of 27 Mice!

It is possible that we have some returning visitors and I can understand that, given the attic must be warm and dry. I have at least two different mice though having caught two in one trap on the same night. We call them all Steve (as in Steve McQueen, who's character in the Great Escape Movie, kept being re-caught and only to escape again)

Both species of mice are really important food to the Tawny Owl and in recognition of the circle of life and survival of the species I feel much happier returning them to their rightful home...outside..so they can take their own chances!

I relocate them back to the safety of a woodpile where if I am lucky enough they sometimes reappear for what I hope is a quick photo farewell opportunity rather than a cheeky, see you later!

There is nothing more cheery to me than to see the first hint of spring in the form of snowdrops. It seems to be a bumper year this year, despite the intervention of Muntjacs possibly Moles and Bank Voles, all digging for badges of distinction..and all succeeding rather marvellously in our garden!

I've always preferred a more impressionistic style for flower photography by loving the way that nature blends colours that create a seasonal atmosphere and ambience.

As the birds now start to pair up and become more vocal with their morning chorus, spring feels as though it's just around the corner. Perhaps a little optimistic given what happened last March, remembering well the impact of Beast from The East so I'll take this flowery form of snow for the time being!

There is nothing worse than having crawled out of bed in the early hours, knowing that the light is perfect, having set up my hide, I'm there ready, armed but not dangerous with my camera and accompanying paraphernalia, coffee, stool, three layers of gloves and wearing everything thermal I own, and the subject matter either doesn't turn up or just play fair!

This has happened a few times lately so I have filled those empty frame moments with some other feathered friends who kindly sit on the fence or gate post beside me. Possibility they are waiting to see why I am sitting outside in zero degree conditions but I am grateful that they at least have showed up!

It wouldn't be the first time I've been called "nutty" camping out in all weathers and spending hours trying to perfect a wildlife shot.



My garden Nuthatches are certainly keeping me entertained and can now confidently say there are at least three, having seen them all at the same time.

I know exactly the shot I want to get but the Nuthatches haven't got the memo yet, so guess I will keep on trying as long as they keep on visiting.

Forget the traditional rush hour of first thing and last thing of the day, it's been non stop action in my new garden and I have been delighted to welcome lots of different species in addition to some astonishing numbers of familiar garden birds. I've had to consult the oracle of Goggle to discover that the collective noun for Blue Tits is a banditry..without doubt they have become bandits at the bird feeders along with their cousins of Great Tit, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit and Long Tailed Tits.



All this actively of course does have consequences of attracting predators as I found out sadly to a little Chaffinch's cost!



I am also on the trail of four legged models but with so many potential feathered distraction I am not sure when I am going to fit them in just yet!

So it is Christmas with a difference, having moved home recently into much deeper Norfolk, I am finding my way round the new patch!

I woke to a wonderful frosty Christmas morning watching a Barn Owl serenely glide and quarter the field behind our home, made friends with a friendly local Donkey tried to get shots of the birds now gathering in the garden.

So my offering as an alternative to a Christmas Turkey to gaze at (definitely not eat) is the quintessential Norfolk Pheasant and a twist on the alternative vegetarian Nut Roast in the form of a Nuthatch..that's my Ho ho Ho for this Christmas!

The term birdbrain always feels accurate when considering the wisdom that Pheasants display when they run chaotically across the path of oncoming cars.

Trying to get close to them however isn't easy, the smallest movement seems to be automatically sensed by their peripheral radar. It's the time of year that they really should be keeping their heads down given the background noises of shotguns perforating the quiet autumnal tranquility.

The mornings when I have other domestic tasks to achieve and no time to get out the camera, 10 or more Pheasants sit on the gate fencing opposite the living room window. When I am set and ready for action I am lucking to get one or two!!




Perhaps its me who is the birdbrain as I am clearly missing some seriously good photo opportunities!

I've missed much of the seasonal changes of colour and wildlife behaviour this year. Been woefully unproductive and frustrated by the opportunity to get those crowd pleasing photos.

Despite all the "stuff" that life can throw at you, the pleasures of sitting in much eager anticipation of something landing on a perch nearby cannot be understated.
Someone told me the other day that my time spent waiting for something to happen sounded like my own private mindfulness class..zoning everything unnecessary out and only focusing on what mattered!



I managed to get a few last photos of the autumnal colours before the rain and winds finally detach the last remaining leaves from their fragile grip on their stems. Using a oak tree as the backdrop, it's been extraordinary to see the different hues and autumnal aura the leaves have help to create.