Up on the farm: Green Woodpeckers and deer

June 14, 2012

Up on the farm: Green Woodpeckers and deer

At the start of my half term about two weeks ago, I headed up into the Coquet valley for a weekend, on arrival I headed straight out into the barns to check up on the Swallows but not only are the numbers down but they are a lot later in having chicks, none to report and none on nests. I then headed out to listen and watch the cuckoo's, I heard one pretty much straight away and then managed to get very close but only getting the briefest of sightings as it flew away and down into one of the small valleys, I soon located another one just a little way to the right and could only hear this one, in total I defiantly had 4 but believe I could have had six but I could have been hearing a pair repeat. Spotted flycatcher, Grey wagtail, Red-legged partridge, Jay and willow warbler put in appearances and just as I was heading off after watching a hare from a distance... "YAFFLE" I stood and waited for a few minutes but there was no further calls made.
The Next morning I was up at 6:30-6:45 and I was listening and looking for cuckoos by 7:15 I sat on a rock to wait for the "cuckoo" but as I looked over I found that there was movement of an animal fairly close to me , on looking I found it to be a Yearling Roebuck walking towards me, I sat extremely still and waited for him to come closer before lifting up my lens, it was overcast and fairly early so the light was perfect but just seeing such a beautiful animal so close was enough to keep me happy! It was that quiet that every time I took a picture he turned and looked right down the lens! I watched as he was seemingly very curious and then very scared of a rabbit that seemed not at all bothered by my or the Deers presence, he walked away and off into a small wooded area out of sight. Later on after the deer I heard a green woodpecker call in the same place as the night before so I walked up the hill and got my Bins up on a green woodpecker on a rock in the distance, as it flew away Yaffling away I found another perched on another rock, then another, then another, then another, then another! as they flew into the distance I watched as they formed into a single file line and followed each other into the same Scots pine. A quick look under the metal sheets for anything brought a Smooth newt and a toad and 10+ wall brown Butterflys flying around the rock formations, I found a small Froglet to which was hoping through the dead branches on the floor.
The day after I visited Northumberland county show at Corbridge but that will have to wait for another post, again if you want to keep more up to date with my photography why not like my Facebook page? just follow the link below! http://www.facebook.com/UndertheHoodPhotography