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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

John's Mammals 2017 (2 Viewers)

I'm just back from a few days working in the Netherlands: not much time or opportunity for birding/mammals but on the ferry after leaving Harwich I had a Noctule Bat circle the boat three times in broad daylight, and at the mouth of the River Maas I saw 6+ Harbour Porpoises.

John
 
Went butterflying at Bentley Wood in deepest Hampshire this morning and spent about ten minutes entranced as a Bank Vole clambered about in a tangle of bramble and birch, at one point getting about ten feet above the ground. It was perfectly capable in the twigs and branches, recovering onto one after slipping round to hang underneath it and otherwise running about quite happily.

Butterfly-wise it was a decent trip as well, with slightly faded Pearl-bordered Fritillaries being upstaged by spanking fresh Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, and a very unexpected bonus Grizzled Skipper. Quite a few Hornets around.....

John
 
I see John has a couple of nice photos in the Mammal Atlas of North East Scotland and the cairngorms, whist perusing my copy which arrived today.

Mentioned on the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-40117719




Mark

I see some chap called Mark Howes also has a few nice pix (of small mammals) in the atlas, either that or they've unfortunately mis-spelled our Mark Hows's name.... well done Mark!

I have to say its a very impressive book nicely laid out as well, haven't read right through it yet but think I shall be recommending it.

John
 
I see some chap called Mark Howes also has a few nice pix (of small mammals) in the atlas, either that or they've unfortunately mis-spelled our Mark Hows's name.... well done Mark!

I have to say its a very impressive book nicely laid out as well, haven't read right through it yet but think I shall be recommending it.

John

they did apologise for misspelling, it happens a lot.

Agreed an excellent book.

Mark
 
A few things before and after my trip to Ireland (update on that shortly), a harvest mouse caught at work, Red squirrels and Feral goats in North Wales.


Mark
 

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That update on Ireland, not really a mammal trip but saw feral goats, bottlenosed dolphin, Irish hares.

Mark
 

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I have been away again. I am dreadfully behind with photos but in due course there will be some from this trip to Hungary, including European Souslik which was a tick but not Eastern Hedgehog which outsprinted me on two occasions to avoid being photographed. Blasted hedgehogs, little devils go like lightning, only animals I know that are faster are tortoises, have had to retrieve those and put them back to get photos when they've dived out of sight a few times, that hare didn't stand a chance!

John
 
Well, I admit I had to google European Souslik - always learning!

Forgot to update my mammals after a trip to the UK in May, we did remarkably well for sightings considering that we didn't really go looking for anything, all spotted while birding or visiting family.

We clocked up Grey and Common seals, Red fox, Bank vole, Field vole, Brown Hare, Bat sp. (likely Pipistrelle), rabbit, Muntjac, Roe and Red deer, and Bottlense Dolphin.
Dad (Jabberwocky) also saw a badger on our first evening up in Northumberland. Unfortunately despite dusk walks every other evening I never spotted one - next time!
 

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A recent trip to Dorset and Devon





Mark
 

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I see some chap called Mark Howes also has a few nice pix (of small mammals) in the atlas, either that or they've unfortunately mis-spelled our Mark Hows's name.... well done Mark!

I have to say its a very impressive book nicely laid out as well, haven't read right through it yet but think I shall be recommending it.

John

they did apologise for misspelling, it happens a lot.

Agreed an excellent book.

Mark

Thanks for the comments, folks, and very many thanks indeed for allowing use of your photos. I was particularly embarrassed when I realised I'd misspelled Mark's name, as I'd been corresponding with him about mammal watching in Israel just prior to the atlas going to press. The other major "error" that I am aware of is that a record of a Harp Seal from 1994 (with photos) has come to light since publication.

For anyone wanting to buy a copy, it is available online through Blackwells. I believe the book will also be stocked by NHBS at some stage but not sure when (North East Scotland Biological Records Centre is handling sales). It can also be bought directly from the records centre by sending a cheque - see www.nesbrec.org.uk for contact details.

Cheers

Nick
 
Thanks for the comments, folks, and very many thanks indeed for allowing use of your photos. I was particularly embarrassed when I realised I'd misspelled Mark's name, as I'd been corresponding with him about mammal watching in Israel just prior to the atlas going to press. The other major "error" that I am aware of is that a record of a Harp Seal from 1994 (with photos) has come to light since publication.

For anyone wanting to buy a copy, it is available online through Blackwells. I believe the book will also be stocked by NHBS at some stage but not sure when (North East Scotland Biological Records Centre is handling sales). It can also be bought directly from the records centre by sending a cheque - see www.nesbrec.org.uk for contact details.

Cheers

Nick

Hi Nick,

If you'd like to knock up a pdf page for the Harp Seal (with pix, naturally) I'd be very pleased to slip it into my copy as an erratum sheet for completeness!

Cheers

John
 
Northumberland

Following on from Jasperpatch and his mammal spotting in the UK and Northumberland, we treated ourselves to a trip up there from the south of England this weekend (mainly to see the Lindisfarne Helleborine). We also went over to the Farnes and were surprised by the number of Bottle-nosed Dolphins in the area at the moment. Apologies for the rubbish pictures. Phil
 

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Foxes in town

Back home Enfield this Fox seems particularly tame and has even been in the house looking for cat food.
 

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Following on from Jasperpatch and his mammal spotting in the UK and Northumberland, We also went over to the Farnes and were surprised by the number of Bottle-nosed Dolphins in the area at the moment. Apologies for the rubbish pictures. Phil

Maybe we saw the same dolphins! I have many many photos of empty water, you did very well!
Amy
 
Sorry Amy. Naughty of me to assume male in my reply above.

Apparently, there has been a large increase in cetacean sightings in the Northumberland area in recent years, and talking to one of the wardens on Inner Farne, the seabirds have had a very good breeding season this year.

So some good news from NE England. All the very best, Phil

Maybe we saw the same dolphins! I have many many photos of empty water, you did very well!
Amy
 
My first, admittedly not great, photo of a skunk. Taken in Maine, USA two weeks ago at twilight in the woods at maximum optical and 2x digital zoom with my Canon SX50 from around 50 feet away handheld with a shutter speed of 1/6 sec. No crop. This is full frame.

The skunk has been hanging around and seen or heard several times. I'll be back there next week and perhaps will get a better photo.
 

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Sorry Amy. Naughty of me to assume male in my reply above.

Apparently, there has been a large increase in cetacean sightings in the Northumberland area in recent years, and talking to one of the wardens on Inner Farne, the seabirds have had a very good breeding season this year.

So some good news from NE England. All the very best, Phil

No apology necessary, my username is based on my old dog! Happens a lot, and doesn't bother me at all!

Very glad to hear that the breeding season went well. Mostly eggs when we were there, couple of shags had chica, but too early for the others.
 
crazyfingers;3592621 The skunk has been hanging around and seen or heard several times. I'll be back there next week and perhaps will get a better photo.[/QUOTE said:
I have the same camera, great zoom capabilities, but not a fan of low light! Lovely eye-to-eye perspective on this.
Our regular skunk seemed to move on once the snow melted. Haven't seen one in a while.
 
I have the same camera, great zoom capabilities, but not a fan of low light! Lovely eye-to-eye perspective on this.
Our regular skunk seemed to move on once the snow melted. Haven't seen one in a while.

Likewise me on low light. I've had the SX30, SX40 and now SX50 and low light performance has gone down as reach has gotten longer. Physics is physics I suppose. But a somewhat larger sensor on a somewhat larger SX50-ish product would be nice. The SX60 did not cut the grade.

That said, the image stabilization makes it all possible. At that range at 1/6 shutter speed and not too fuzzy, such a mobile camera, I think that it's still remarkable.

But back on topic, I look forward to seeing our local skunk again.
 
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