DSLR Camera Trap: Hedgehog
Scientific Name: Erinaceus Europaeus
As usual I am two sandwiches short of a picnic and late to the party but just in case you didn’t realise the 2nd of February was national hedgehog day. This date is to help highlight the importance of protecting these incredible spiky mammals.
 
Hedgehogs year after year face the increasing dangers and threats from human interference, habitat loss, road accidents, predators and the continuing use of pesticides that kills off its natural food sources.
 
These are just a few factors contributing to the rapidly declining population of hedgehogs across the UK.
 
Hedgehogs usually hibernate until mid-March so why not help these amazing beasts by setting up a feeding station ready for when they wake up and go out in search of a tasty meal.
 
I personally found Brambles Pet and Wildlife hedgehog food has been extremely popular with my resident hedgehogs and along with adding a fresh bowl of drinking water this type of setup simply helps the hedgehogs journey into surviving another wild year.
 
Build it and they will come, I started this project when we were all placed under house arrest by the government and told a person ate a cave bat/pangolin and a virus had spread across the globe.
So when life gives you lemons you make lemonade! Creating a feeding station out of an old owl box I had kicking around the shed, I then placed it at the bottom of the garden in an attempt to encourage any nocturnal visitors.
 
And within a few days I had a number of hedgehogs of all ages and sizes roaming around and munching the 5 star food that was on offer to them. This gave me an opportunity to not only see these incredible hogs but take some close up images of these elusive animals.
 
If you’re thinking of creating a feeding station of your own to help hedgehogs as they are coming out of hibernation then please check out the link below for more detailed information from the wildlife trust:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Garden studio: Robin
Scientific name (Erithacus rubecula)
 
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year you
beautiful humans and filthy animals!
Wishing you all good health, happiness,
and many more wild adventures! Much Love 🎄 x
 
 
 
 
 
DSLR Camera Trap: Garden Project
 
House Sparrow (Female)
 
Scientific name: Passer Domesticus
 
With the regular visitors of House Sparrows to the garden, I noticed they occasionally like to drink from the watering cans.
 
This has given me an opportunity to set up my DSLR Camera Trap system in hope of capturing some images.
 
Behind the lens:
 
I am still figuring out the technical aspects of using a wide angle lens when photographing wildlife. So far like all my camera trapping projects patience and time is the key factor of getting the desired photo’s I wish to capture. But until then here is my first image of a house sparrow perching on a watering can.
 
Nursery Web Spider
 
Scientific name: Pisaura mirabilis
 
The Nursery web spider is a medium sized spider and a fully grown adult will be around 10 to 15 mm in length. They have a beautiful mix of pale greys, oranges, dark browns and black colourings.
 
The best time to see these spiders is from May until late July where they can be found sunbathing on plants such as stinging nettles, thistles and grasses.
 
The female spider sometimes will attempt to eat the male after mating. The male helps reduce this risk by gifting the female with an insect when approaching her to hopefully satisfy her hunger.
 
After mating, the female lays her eggs into a silk cocoon which she carries around with her fangs. Just before the eggs are ready to hatch she will build a dense silk sheet among the vegetation that often looks like a circus tent and this helps to shelter the little spiders from the elements giving them the perfect chance to survive.
 
They are active hunters and do not make webs to catch food. Instead they use speed and agility to overpower it’s target where it will deliver a bite injecting its venom from its fangs killing its prey. These spiders pump digestive juices into their prey liquifying the internal organs creating a tasty yummy soup.
 
Bites from this beautiful lady can be extremely painful but the kisses from this spider is not considered dangerous to humans.
 
They can be found living in a variety of mixed habitats such as meadows, grasslands, farmland, towns and cities.
 
The conservation status is “common” with no cause for concern.
Small Skipper
 
Scientific name: Thymelicus sylvestris
 
The small skipper is a bright golden orange moth like butterfly that can be seen basking or resting among the tall grass vegetation.
 
They are amazing to watch in flight as they have precision manoeuvring skills that allow them to easily navigate through the tall grasses.
 
The best time to see these little beauties is from June until late August when they can be found feeding on the tasty nectar from a variety of meadow flowers such as knapweed and thistles.
 
The conservation status is “common” and they are currently not a threatened species.
 
They can be found living in habitats such as long grasslands, road verges, field edges and woodland openings.
 
Behind the lens:
This little gem is another species of butterfly that I have documented at site 6. They will now be pushed out into unsuitable habitats leading them to struggle to survive.
 
 
Marbled White butterfly
 
Scientific name: Melanargia galathea
 
This is a medium sized butterfly with a stunning black and white chequered pattern on its wings.
They weigh less than a gram and are one of the most easily recognised butterfly species.
They can be seen in late June and throughout August fluttering around in tall grasslands and meadows.
 
When feeding on the tasty nectar of wild flowers they will open their wings showing off its bright dazzling contrasting colours which acts as a visual deterrent to predators.
 
The conservation status is “low” and they can be found living in a variety of mix habitats such as chalk & limestone grasslands, woodland clearing, coastal grasslands and road verges.
 
Behind the lens:
 
Recently I have been visiting a site that is under development for housing (site 0).
This prime tall grassland ecosystem located in an area of outstanding natural beauty is home to a mixed variety of animals and protected species.
 
This butterfly is just one of many different wildlife species set for extinction on site 0 once the development is completed. And sadly with half of all the British butterflies now being placed on the UK Red List you can’t help but realise that the main cause of our rapidly increasing loss of wildlife here in the UK is simply due to habitat loss.
 
 
Garden Studio: House Sparrow
 
Scientific name: Passer Domesticus
 
 
Sparrows are a very intelligent and social bird that live in family groups. They are noisy in nature with the classic ‘cheee-ip cheee-ip’ sound that can be heard echoing around from the roof tops.
 
Males have a grey crown, chestnut wings with white wing bars, grey body and a black bib. Females are a drab plain mix of buffy brown and tan colourings. (Image below)
 
House sparrows feed on a variety of foods such as insects, fruits, seed, suet and scraps.
 
They can be seen living across the UK in habitats such as urban areas, parks, gardens and farmland.
 
The Conservation status: Red list species since 2022 and are Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
 
The average lifespan is around 3 years.
Garden Studio: Starling (Adult)
 
Scientific name: Sturnus Vulgaris
 
Starlings are an impressive looking bird with its vibrant colours of black, white, purples, yellows and greens makes it an easily recognisable bird.
 
They are slightly smaller than a blackbird, have a short tail, pointed head, long legs, triangular shaped wings and a yellow/orange beak.
 
Starlings feed on a variety of foods such as insects, worms, leatherjackets, snails, fruits, seed, suet and fat balls.
 
They can be seen living across the UK in habitats such as towns, cities, countryside, parks and coastal areas.
 
Starlings are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
 
The average lifespan is around 5 – 15 years.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Garden Studio: Blackbird (juvenile male)
 
Scientific name: Turdus merula
 
 
The Classic blackbird is one of the most easily recognised garden birds.
 
The males are black with a bright orange/yellow beak and striking yellow eye-ring. Females are light to dark brown with a brown beak.
 
Blackbirds feed on a variety of foods such as insects, earthworms, snails, fruits and seeds.
 
They can be found living across the whole of the UK in habitats such as woodland, farmland, towns & cities.
 
The Conservation status: ‘Common’ and they are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
 
The average lifespan is around 3-5 years.
 
 
 
 
 
 DSLR Camera Trap:
 Brown Rat
 
Scientific name: Rattus norvegicus
 
 
The Brown Rat has brown, grey or black fur, a pointed nose, almost bald ears and a long tail. These rats are usually nocturnal, good swimmers and will run away from most danger but if backed into a corner they will fight.
Originally from central Asia they came to the UK around the 1700s as stowaways in ships. Being able to adapt and survive in a wide range of environments these rats have now conquered the globe. They are highly social creatures and reproduce at an alarming rate.
 
 
 
Brown rats are one of the most major pest’s roaming the UK. They carry many nasty diseases such as Weil’s disease, Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma gondii and Hantavirus which can spread to humans through the rats urine.
Brown rats are omnivorous and will consume almost anything it sees from human food waste, other mammals, domestic pets, birds, eggs, insects, fish, fruits, seeds and cereal’s.
 
 
 
The Conservation status: “Common” and they are not a protected species. It is almost impossible to know how many brown rats there are in the UK with some research groups estimating around 10 to 150 million brown rats are roaming wild. Attempts to control rat populations by poisoning has resulted in negative impacts on our native wildlife species. Trapping is one of the most effective methods of reducing rat numbers around your home, garage or other structures.
They can be found living across the whole of the UK in a variety of mixed habitats such as woodland, scrubland, grasslands, farmland, towns & cities.
 
 
The average lifespan: 1 – 3 years.
 
 
 
Camera settings – Nikon D3300 – 1/250/F8/iso 400
Flashes manual mode 1/16 f8 iso 400
 Camtraption PIR Motion Sensor.
 
 
 
 
Sparrowhawk
 
Scientific name: Accipiter nisus
 
Sparrowhawk’s are a bird of prey with a hooked bill, hypnotic bright yellow eyes, broad short wings & sexy yellow legs with scary talons of doom.
 
Being master hunters they can fly at high speeds in and out of tight narrow spaces and along with its fighter jet style abilities it can easily change direction in the blink of an eye leaving its victim with little to no chance of escape.
They feed on a variety of birds such as sparrows, black birds, tits, doves and wood pigeons.
 
Gardens make for an ideal hunting ground and this is where my recent encounter gave me an opportunity to photograph this predator.
 
They can be found living across the UK in mixed habitats such as woodland, grasslands, moorland, farmland, towns and cities.
DSLR Camera Trap

“Wild Strawberry Thief”

Here in the UK the hedgehog is one of the nations most loveable nocturnal mammals. They are easy to identify with its armoured coat of thousand’s of prickly spines, an adorable pointed furry face, small eyes & snuffling nose.
Hedgehogs are savages when it comes to eating and they will travel around 1-2 miles each night in search of a meal. 
They munch on a variety of foods such as beetles, worms, slugs, fruits and almost anything it can fit into its mouth. There has been recorded events of them eating chicks and eggs from ground nesting birds.

The average size of an adult is around 20 to 30cm & weigh a whopping 2kg.
The average lifespan of a wild hedgehog is around 3-4 years . Sadly a large majority of hedgehogs will pass away within the first year of its life.
Habitat: They are usually found living in and round urban and rural gardens, grassland, mixed woodland, heathland and farmland.

Breeding: Females will often give birth to a litter of 3-7 hoglets between April and September. Males do not assist in helping raise the young.
Hibernation: This usually starts in November and ends around Easter depending on weather conditions. The hibernation nest is made of a mixture of leaves, straw or dry grasses that will be tucked away in hidden areas that offers suitable protection from the elements and predators.

The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2022 report reveals hedgehogs have declined by 30% – 75% across different areas of the countryside since 2000.
Hedgehogs appear to be declining in large numbers with the total population currently unknown.

A few of the biggest threats to hedgehogs are habitat loss, changes in farming practices, removal of hedgerows and the use of chemicals
that kills off it’s food supply.

Conservation status: Hedgehogs are a Red list species and Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Searching for Dorset’s elusive wildlife gave way to an incredible encounter with a family of dippers. These small birds are also known as water ouzels. They are a short tailed plump bird with reddish brown, grey to almost pure black colour with a stunning vibrant white chin, throat & chest.

 
For a little bird they have huge personalities making them a fun and impressive species to watch and study.
Dippers are a truly unique aquatic songbird as they have the ability to wade, dive & swim underwater to feed on a variety of aquatic treats such as fresh water invertebrates, tadpoles, worms and small fish.
 
Adult Dippers weigh a whopping 65 grams, have a body length of 17-19 cm with a wing span of 26-29cm. The average lifespan is around 3 years.
The conservation status in the UK is amber with cause for concern. This is due to a number of factors such as habitat loss and polluted water sources.
 
Behind the camera:
Photographing the UK’s only aquatic song bird was a new and fun experience. Watching different flight patterns along the river I finally narrowed down a perch where the suns light would shine through the woodland canopy at high noon to give just enough light for attempting to photograph these birds. Now it was simply a matter of timing and patience. Suddenly this juvenile Dipper come to say hello giving me an opportunity to capture this image.
Play Video
 
 
 
Camera Trap Diary: River Wolf
 
Another sneaky video clip from a camera trap project that I was working on last year with the Dorset Wildlife Trust.
 
Project Otter to be continued…….
 
 
 
Searching for Natures clues: Otter Spraint
 
While out walking along my local river I discovered the ultimate sign of an otters calling card it’s poop aka “spraint”.
 
Otters like to leave spraints in elevated positions out of the water on half submerged logs, fallen trees, rocks, bridges, weirs and along game trails. They act as scent messages helping them to mark & defend territories while saying hello to other neighbouring otters.
 
The sprint will contain visible fish bones and have a distinctive smell of freshly mown hay to putrefied fish but it’s often described as smelling like Jasmine tea? I ain’t that posh and not tried it but if that’s what Jasmine Tea is like I’ll pass on that brew!
 
Project Otter To be continued…..
 
 
Marbled White butterfly:
 
This is a medium sized butterfly with a stunning black and white checkered pattern on its wings.
 
They have a wing span of 53-58mm, weigh less than a gram & is one of the most easily recognised butterfly species here in the UK.
 
These butterflies can be seen in late June and throughout August fluttering around in tall grasslands. They enjoy nectaring on wild flowers like Scabious, knapweed, marjoram and thistles. As it feeds on the flowers they open their wings showing off its bright contrasting colours which acts as a visual deterrent to predators.
 
The conservation status is “low” and they can be seen in a variety of mix habitats such as chalk & limestone grasslands, woodland clearing, coastal grasslands and road verges.
Play Video

Roe Deer

 
Back to the meadow for another sneaky peek and it was fantastic to see the girls from last year grazing the same patch.
With the sweet taste of yummy dandelions on their mind I silently sneak into the meadow & lay down among the grasses. All I had to do was simply enjoy the fresh morning vibes and watch the wildlife magic unfold in front of me.
 
The conservation status is “common” and they are protected in the UK under the Deer Act 1991. They can be seen living in a variety of mixed habitats such as woodland, farmland & meadows.
 
 
 
 
Lady’s smock & Orange tip Butterfly
 
These beautiful butterflies are one of the first species to emerge in spring. They have dazzling white wings with the males having bright orange tips and the females having black to grey wingtips. Both male and females have a stunning mottled green pattern on the underwings.
 
Orange-tips are common throughout England and best seen from April until late July. Adults will often be seen drinking nectar from many different flowers but one of their all time favourites is Lady’s Smock.
 
The conservation status is “low” with no cause for concern. They can be found living in a variety of mixed habitats such as woodlands, meadows, hedgerows & river banks.
 
 
Play Video
Camera Trap Diary: Otters

This is a short video clip from a camera trap project that I was working on last year with the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Tracking down these elusive River Wolf’s was not an easy task! I will share some other camera trap footage & information on these incredibly beautiful animals soon.

Dorset Wildlife Trust
A quick glimpse of a trio of otters exploring one of the sluice gates on our reserve, and leaving their calling card – spraint (poo!). Captured by Jody Harrison on trail camera. Find out more about otters and their habitats here https://bit.ly/3rFF2e0 ~ Hazel
Camera Trap Diary:
 
Earlier in the year I received my Wildlife Trust reserve recording permit. This has allowed me access onto a DWT reserve where I can officially deploy my wildlife camera traps.
 
Over the last few months I have been surveying a section of a river system & searching for some of the UK’s more elusive and protected wildlife species here in West Dorset.
 
It has been a humbling experience as my wildlife tracking & field craft skills have been put to the test on this project. I am pleased to report that it’s been a successful operation and I am looking forward to sharing some “behind the scenes” camera trap footage & photographs with you all soon.
 
 
 
Common lizard:
 
 
Searching for Dorset dinosaur’s is not an easy task as these elusive and beautiful lizards blend perfectly into the surroundings. The common lizard can be seen in a variety of mixed colours but they are usually brown with rows of darker spots or stripes down the back and sides.
 
When fully grown these lizards are a huge 10 to 15cm from nose to tail and the average lifespan is between 5 to 6 years.
Common lizards are widespread throughout the UK and they can be found living in different habitats such as grassland, heathland, woodlands, moorland & railway embankments.
 
Dorset is home to the last stronghold of all 6 native reptile species. The conservation status for common lizards is “low” and they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Play Video
Swan rescue:
 
While out in my local patch searching for wildlife I discovered this swan tangled up in an electric fence hanging by its neck and dangling over the side of the river bank.
For queen and country it was my wildlife duty to help save this bird from its impending doom. I decided to record this rescue to show that in times of need sometimes nature will often understand your intentions to help them survive.
If you find any wild animal requiring help and your unsure how to handle the situation I advise you to call your local animal welfare association.
I am pleased to report that this swan is now back with its partner and they are both happily swaning around and looking healthy.
 
 
 
 
 
Peacock Butterfly:
 
 
The Peacock Butterfly is one of the most easily recognised butterfly species here in the UK. They are a medium to large sized butterfly with striking colours and what looks like large eyes on its upper wings.
 
The “eyes” actually help the butterfly from predation as when threatened it will flap its wings rapidly causing confusion and startling it’s predators. The underside of its wings are dark brown to jet black and when closed blend perfectly into the vegetation.
 
These butterflies are strong in flight and are highly agile. They often live a nomadic lifestyle searching for it’s preferred habitats and enjoying life on the wing.The average lifespan is around one year.
 
The conservation status is “low” and they can be found living in a variety of mixed habitats such as woodland, grassland, coastal areas & gardens.
Small Tortoiseshell:
 
The Small Tortoiseshell is one of the most beautiful and common butterflies here in the UK. They are a medium-sized butterfly with vibrant reddish-orange colours with black & yellow markings on its forewings and mesmerising blue spots around the edge of its wings.
 
The males are very territorial and will chase away any butterfly that comes into its territory. They will court the females by drumming their antennae on her hindwings in hope of impressing her with his skills. When they do pair up it usually takes place at night and they will roost together for a night of fluttering passion.
 
These butterflies usually appear from April to October and will have two or three broods each year. Adults from the last generation hibernate over the winter months.They will emerge in early spring and continue the life cycle all over again and the average lifespan is around 8 months.
 
The conservation status is “low” but with cause for concern as they have been declining in rapid numbers over the last few years. They can be found living in a variety of mixed habitats such as meadows, grassland, farmland, coastal areas, woodland & urban settings
 

 

 
Meadow Magic: Meet “Bambino”
 

With the meadow now freshly mowed & bailed I could finally catch sight of this beautiful Bambino while it was grazing on the sweet grasses along the woodland edge.

Known as “kids” or “fawns” the young Roe deer are born with spotted coat’s to provide them with camouflage that hides them from predators but this Bambino is at least 3 to 4 months old now and the spots are fading away.

In the early stages of the fawns life the doe will leave them hidden in the long grasses and will only come back to visit them for a few short times in the day allowing them to suckle. As they start growing and becoming stronger the fawns accompany their mothers on life adventures where she will show them the magic powers of dandelions & teach them the ways of the wild.

Roe deer are usually a woodland species but they can be seen living in a variety of habitats such as farmland, meadows, heathland & coastal areas.

 
 

 

 

Back to the meadow: Meet “Buck”

Returning back to the meadow for a sneaky peak when I noticed this young “Buck” patrolling his patch while munching down on tasty wild flowers.

I new at this point all he had on his mind was the sweet fresh taste of dandelions for breakfast and relaxing in the morning sunshine. This gave me the perfect opportunity to observe the champion and capture this image.

The Roe deer is a native species here in the UK and the males are called “bucks” and the female is a doe.

The average lifespan of a Roe deer is 7 years and they weigh between 10-25kg when fully grown.

The conservation status is “common” and they are protected in the UK under the Deer Act 1991.

 
 
 
 
News Flash:
 
 
Recently I was given a shout out on the Hike or Die Podcast “hiking media mashup lockdown special” Episode 34.
 
 
Hike or Die is a podcast series that share’s the love, laughs, reality’s and stories from the outdoors.
If your a fellow outdoor lover, filthy animal or beautiful human looking to brighten your horizon then please go check out www.hikeordie.com
 
Thanks again for the shout out Tom & Craig it was very much appreciated!!
 
Always looking forward to the next episode, Peace out!!
 
Whitethroat:
 
Whitethroats are migrant visitors to the UK flying all the way from Sahel south of the Sahara desert. They start arriving in mid April and leave in early October completing an incredible 4000 plus mile journey.
 
Males have a blue-grey head, broken whiteish eye ring, chestnut colour wings, long tail & impressive white throat . Females can easily be mistaken for just another brown bird hiding in the bushes. The males are quite inquisitive and can be seen on perches overlooking its territory singing it’s musical wheeet-a-wheet-a-wit bird song.
 
From studies it’s said around 1.1 million pairs of whitethroats come to breed here in the UK each summer. This amazing bird is about the same size of a sparrow, has a wingspan of 20cm, weighs a massive 16 grams and has an average lifespan of 2 years.
 
The conservation status is “common” and they can be seen in a variety of mixed habitats such as grassland, moorland, coastal wetlands, water meadows, farmland and urban areas.
 
 
Bee Orchid:
 
 
The Bee orchid gets its name from the way it mimics a bee. The vibrant flower’s look like female bees to attract a suitor and with its deception the male bee’s fly over in excitement to enjoy the wild pleasures, but they have only been tricked into pollinating the flower and helping the plant continue its life cycle.
 
They can take up to 8 years to grow from seed to flower and they are best seen when in full bloom from June to July.
 
The bee orchid can be found growing in a variety of mixed habitats like open grassland, woodland clearings, sand dunes, roadsides & chalk grasslands.
 
The conservation status is “green” but sadly they are another declining wild flower species and are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
 
 
 
Flower Power:
 
 
 
The spotted orchid is one off the UK’s most common orchids. They get their name from the dark oval spots which are found on the green leaves at ground level.
 
It can be found in a variety of different colours from white, pale pink & purple. The flowers are densely packed in cone-shaped clusters and can be seen in full bloom from June to August.
 
The conservation status is “common” and it can be found growing in habitats such as woodland, roadside verges, hedgerows, sand dunes & marshes.
 
Finding Nature’s Gold:
 
These beautiful spiders are named for the way they arranged their legs, body shape and sideways scuttling movement that is just like a crab. The crab spider is an ambush hunter and does not use a web to catch its food, it will sit on a variety of flower heads waiting for its victim’s.
 
Once it’s prey is in striking distance they will use their very strong front legs to over power it’s catch while injecting its deadly toxic venom which acts like a digestive enzyme and turns its meal into a tasty soup. The spider will then simply suck the inside contents out using its straw like fangs. Yummy yummy!
 
These spiders like to eat pollinators such as bumblebee’s, butterflies, hoverfly’s, moths and other invertebrates.
 
Crab spiders rely on their amazing camouflage and some species like this one can actually change colours just like a chameleon to match it’s background. They are usually white, pale green or in this case golden yellow.
 
The conservation status is “unknown” and they can be found mainly in the southern parts of the UK in habitats such as gardens, open grassland, woodland edges & scrub land.
 
 
 
Rare encounter:
 
 
The Marsh Fritillary is like the unicorn of butterflies. It is a medium sized butterfly with a stunning chequered pattern of oranges, brown and yellow markings.
The butterfly numbers fluctuate from year to year to almost non-existent but they can be found in very small isolated colonies here in Dorset.
 
The conservation status is “High” making them a threatened species. They were once widespread throughout the UK but are declining over the last several years.
 
The Marsh Fritillary can only be found surviving in a few unique habitats such as damp grasslands, south facing chalk grasslands and mixed coastal grasslands.
Play Video
 
 
Green Hairstreak:
 
This small green majestic butterfly is actually quite hard to find as the colours of its under wings blend perfectly into the surroundings making it one of the best hide & seek champions. The upper side of the Green Hairstreaks wings are a muddy brown colour and they are rarely seen unless in flight, as when resting they always hold their wings closed tight.
 
The Green Hairstreak is a widespread species and they are usually found in small colonies. Sadly due to habitat loss they are declining in many areas across the UK.
 
The conservation status is “medium” and they live in a variety of different habitats like chalk grassland, woodland clearings, heathland, railway embankments & scrubby grassland.
 
Painted Lady Butterfly:
 
The Painted Lady is a medium sized butterfly with a big taste for adventure. They are a long distance migrant and have one of the most mind blowing migrations ever observed.
 
They can travel an epic 2,500 plus miles to arrive here in the British isles to enjoy our beautiful summer weather, devour our tasty wild flower nectar’s, breed and produce the next generation.
 
As autumn arrives they will start to fly south on the returning journey back to North Africa while continuing their life cycle as they can’t survive our winter climates.
 
This butterfly is one of the most recognisable butterfly species in the UK. They have an average life span of 12 months, weigh less than a gram and have a brain the size of a pin head.
 
The conservation status is “low” and they can be found in a variety of mixed habitats like seashores, farmland, city’s and the Sahara Desert
Red fox:
 
Meet my new wild discovery “Rocket” the Red Fox Cub.
 
A vixen has recently moved her cub into an old abandoned badgers sett and this little “Rocket” loves to explore the new surroundings roaming free and embracing it’s wild instincts.
Using trail cameras I was able to monitor the movements of this curious little foxy.
 
Not to cause alarm I sneak into position wearing a leafy camouflage suit while staying completely silent, I eat my Cheese and onion roll while sipping on a can of vimto…….it was now time to see if I could out fox the fox.
 
The Red fox conservation status is “common”. They live in a variety of habitats from city’s, mountains, woodlands and deserts. The fox’s resourcefulness has earned it a legendary reputation for it’s intelligence and cunning.
 
Fox’s are omnivores and eat a variety of foods like fruits, grasses, birds, small mammals and even McDonald’s.
 
The average life span of a Red fox in the wild is 2-5 years.
 
 
 
Common Blue Butterfly:
 
 
The Common Blue is one of the most widespread butterflies in the UK. As the name suggests they are common and can be found in a variety of mixed habitats like grasslands, woodland clearings, coastal dunes, road verges & urban settings.
 
The butterfly conservation status is “low” but some colonies are declining across the UK due to habitat loss.
 
It is a fun experience learning to identify different types of butterfly’s, and they also make for an interesting challenge as photographing these crown jewels is not an easy task.
 
 
 
Brown Argus:
 
The Brown Argus is a small butterfly with stunning bronze & brown colouring with beautiful orange spots on its wings.
 
They can be seen throughout the summer in different habitats such as ancient woodlands, chalk downs and heathland.
The Brown Argus live in small colonies and will only travel a few hundred metres from where they emerge.
 
It was amazing to see many numbers of these butterflies zooming around in a sunny woodland coppice clearing, and I would often see them battling with green hairstreaks for a perch and territory space.
 
The conservation status is “low” meaning they are surviving mainly in southern England, north eastern parts of the UK and they can also be found in some parts of Wales.
 
 
 
  
“Grizzle me Skipper”
 
The grizzled skipper is a small and impressive looking butterfly that can be seen in early spring and summer. It is extremely fast and will be seen darting
around with an erratic flight pattern.
 
The best time to usually see these butterflies is in the morning before they get super charged on tasty wild flower nectar.
 
The Grizzled skipper likes short mixed vegetation and is usually found grazing on chalk grassland or woodland clearings.
Sadly the Grizzled Skipper is in decline and is another priority species for wildlife conservation.
 
The Duke of Burgundy:
 
 
These small elusive butterflies can only be found in small isolated colonies surviving on chalk or limestone grasslands.
Due to habitat loss and declining numbers it’s becoming more difficult to find them across England but here in West Dorset we have one of the last strong holds.
 
Persistence & patience was key to finding these butterflies as many hours were spent roaming the chalk slopes while enjoying the May weather of heavy rain, crazy hail, thunder and lightning storms then beautiful sunshine I was starting to question if I would see one at all.
 
Finally on day three of this Dorset butterfly expedition the weather conditions looked more promising. With only a small window of opportunity each year to see these fascinating butterflies I finally stumbled across two Duke’s allowing me to capture a series of images.

• Oh and a fun fact the Duke of Burgundy is named after some pointless aristocrat.

 
 
 Roe Deer & The Meadow:
 
 
With the meadow full of tasty spring flowers I was positive this was going to give me the perfect opportunity and advantage to get close to a small group of roe deer as they simply cant resist the magic powers of dandelions.
 
Zipping up my leafy camouflage jacket to break up my silhouette while hiding in a hedge over looking the field, I then started to crawl along the fresh morning grass in search of a suitable mole hill to use as a tripod.
 
Now in position all I had to do was wait quietly and after a few minutes observing the deer grazing the field they started to move closer to my position enabling me to capture a series of photos and this portrait of a beautiful Roe deer.
 
Behind the Scenes Fox Vs Mouse:
 
 
I was laying in the middle of a meadow observing Roe deer munching down on tasty dandelions. The deer started to look in my direction and at this point I felt like my cover was blown.
 
Suddenly one of the Roe deer stamped its front leg and was looking directly behind me, slowly moving to see what was going on I watched a fox stalking and listening to the sounds coming from inside the grasses when suddenly she pounced successfully catching a field mouse.
 
Chomping down and dispatching the mouse she casually runs off across the meadow back into the hedge line looking like a real champion.
 
I was able to capture this single image from a very unexpected encounter with a beautiful vixen

Hare Today:

While out walking along an old farm track one afternoon this grumpy looking hare comes around the corner and starts approaching me. In my amazement I quickly grab my camera out from my bag while hiding in the hedge. Then it casually runs passed me as if nothing in the world mattered.

Brown hares were introduced during Iron Age and are widespread throughout England and Wales. Brown hares live in a variety of habitats .They rely on acute senses and being able to run upto speeds of 45 mph to escape predators. Hares do not use burrows but instead they make a small depression on the ground known as a form.

Length: Adults Hare is about 70cm in length.

Weight: Average 3 – 4kg

Food: Feeding on grass shoots and other plants, cereals & crops.

Lifespan: Hares normally live to 3 – 4 years.

 

Dorset Panda

The European Badger or also known as the Dorset Panda is one of the most widespread animals in Britain. I was able to follow this juvenile badger while it was out foraging one drizzly morning. Just to add to my amazement the badger discovers a deceased pigeon and decides to enjoy a little play time with an afternoon snack.

Badgers are part of the Mustelidae family the same family as otters, ferret, polecats and weasels.

Length: Adults are usually between 70 and 100 cm (2/3 ft) long.

Weight: Weight varies according to the seasons. Adults are usually between 6 – 7 kg in summer and 12 – 14 kg in the winter.

Food: Badgers are omnivores. They feed on a wide variety of plants and animals.

Lifespan: The oldest known wild badger lived to be 14 years old, however only a few will ever exceed 7-8 years of age in the wild.

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