Squirrels, Fieldfares and Secateurs

The great thing about Wildlife Photography (or photography in general for that matter) at this time of year is that you can (sort of) have a lie in. Today (New Years Day 2023) I was out of bed (with no hangover!) at 6.30am, in my car with my equipment and down to a local North East Somerset village, through to an orchard where I have observed Blackbirds, Fieldfares and Squirrels feeding off of wind blown apples on the ground over the last couple of weeks.

The reason I was there so early was so that when I arrived my intended subjects (Fieldfares) wouldn’t yet be active and I wouldn’t disturb them.(Yeah that went out the window when after an hour my camping stool started sinking into the ground, bringing me down backwards with it, covered in brambles! The wildlife did scatter, luckily returning half an hour later!).

When I had been sitting down for a short while a large white bird appeared above the brow of a hill. At first I thought it was a gull but then after seeing the distinctive heart shaped face and graceful flapping and gliding I realised it was a Barn Owl quartering the orchard, probably out hunting in early morning due to the constant rain we’ve been having in this part of the world lately. Frantically changing my camera settings from one point auto focus to 9 point for moving subjects and adjusting aperture I almost got this beautiful creature in focus but it was too quick in the end and disappeared after an argument with a male Kestrel (over voles I guess!). So no photo, but a fantastic experience - what a way to start the morning!

After ten minutes or so of battling with brambles snagging on my camo gear - (note, bring a pair of secateurs next time) a couple of Grey Squirrels were the first down to feed on the glut of fallen apples. I couldn’t resist shooting a few frames of these charismatic mammals, although I wish they were red; It’s not their fault they were introduced into this country. The usual pattern of behaviour with the greys is that they will take a few nibbles and then run with it up the trunk of a tree and then devour the rest on a main branch.

Grey Squirrel after taking a bite out of an apple

f5.6, 1/640, iso 3200

Grey Squirrel about to make out with it’s prize

f5.6, 1/640, iso 3200

I would have to wait a while for the fieldfare’s to arrive, but the familiar and distinctive cackling was eventually heard with a couple chasing each other around and perching in amongst the twiggy winter trees. A small while later and one took the plunge onto the ground, around 20ft from me so not an ideal distance on a full frame camera at 600mm, but quite good to get some of the surrounding grass and apple litter to frame the bird. After a Sparrowhawk flew past everything went quiet for a while and I was considering packing up and calling it a day, until I could see the clouds breaking and the light getting good. I was pleased that I did decide to stay, as not long after a Fieldfare appeared much closer than before, behind a tree trunk, not showing it’s whole body before engaging in another fight with a rival (over apple rights presumably). Again, I missed the shots of the fight but was happy with the result of the single bird emerging for food. Just another reason for me to go back again in the future (with a pair of secateurs!)

Fieldfare gobbling down an apple

f8, 1/640, iso 3200

Thanks for reading and hope you have a fantastic New Year filled with wildlife encounters.