This time of the seasons I am always glad for February as it is a good short month, twenty nine days is what all months should be or at least give one of January’s to February. I am fed up of talking about the weather at present as from one day to the next you just do not know what to expect. We have got to head south for five days and when we go all the way down to the most southern county in England they are forecasting snow, so will keep you informed on that one but that will be the extent of weather related discussion on this blog.
My intentions are to be bright on this unhappy start to the month as after last month we (maybe just me ) need to try and start being brighter again. So I think we are off to a good start with the great Red Squirrels that frequent our garden.
2nd.
We have had a good amount of rain and snow melt so our small river has been roaring and the waterfalls look spectacular in these conditions and will help add electricity to the grid and Lude estate when it reaches the turbo one hundred yards further on.
On a previous blog a few years ago now, I showed you this old David Brown tractor but it was more intact than it is now, down to the bare bones now and not many useable parts left.
4th.
The first shot my beautiful Red was feeding away in the wooden trough, when (second shot) he just went down to his stump and froze. It was only then that I realised there were no birds about as well. Went out clapped my hands and the male Sparrowhawk took off from the evergreen right behind the squirrel. I think the hawk would have come of worse as reds are very aggressive and go straight for the legs of hawks when attacked and a hawk is no good with broken legs.
16th.
I have not processed these shots this is the real colour in the fog. It was approaching sunset and the sky had a real glow but the fog was still along the river and the combination of the two gave this wonderful colour to the shots.
17th.
It was a week of magical sunsets and today was no exception, still a bit of snow on the hills.
24th.
In my introduction I said I wanted to try and be happy in this short month, well nothing makes me happier than setting up my portable hide in the garden and grabbing a few bird shots. In order as they are, male Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Female Siskin.
27th and 29th.
We should all be like Snowdrops. In the first shot they are defeated and lying flat due to minus eight C overnight temperatures. Two days later when it is a bit warmer up they rise as if nothing had happened. We all get our down days but if we are strong we can lift ourselves up and enjoy what life has to offer us.
28th.
Had to go into Perth today and I had a bit of time on my hands before an appointment so took my camera with me. The intentions were to go to my favourite spot on a overflow stream to the mighty River Tay and film my favourite bird, the Kingfisher. Saw a lightening flash of colour as one went passed me but that was it. So then along comes a pair of Mallard which was okay, followed by this Female Gooseander. Now from where I was standing was ten feet above the water and the water was clear so I was able to get the bird chasing minnows under the water, something I have never achieved before. So I was able to finish the blog on a happy note in a sad month family wise.