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

help from other wildlife (1 Viewer)

Woody

Well-known member
Hi All,

I was at Oare on Sunday and I caught sight of a Mink slipping into the grass. After it had dissapeared two stonechats popped up, presumably to avoid being eaten.

I managed a shot or two before my camera stopped working due to the cold. I never would have seen the chats if it weren't for the mink and I wondered if anyone had any other examples of seeing birds due to inadvertant 'help' from other wildlife?

Woody
 

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Woody,
Yes, several times. I was photographing Snow Geese once in Bosque del Apache and they're not real interesting just standing around in a field until a hawk swoops down amongst them or a Coyote comes in to feed, both of which gave me some great action shots of the geese taking flight.

Last Sunday I was taking pictures of some Boat-billed Herons and a noisy flock of Brown Jays going through the Heronry got me a few shots of their crests being raised (although I failed to capture it completely raised). See my post today in "Your Birding Day" for this one.
 
I have found owls on two occassions by following the sound of a bunch of small birds mobbing them and spotted sparrowhawks after hearing blackbird alarm calls.

Useful things, birds...

Woody
 
Hi Woody,

I wonder if you saw the mink at the same place as I have previously - about 1/4 of the way down the access road, just opposite a little wooden bridge as you look out over the scrape. I thought I noticed a 'game trail' when I was last there, so suspected that this was the mink's usual spot for crossing the road and going towards the scrape....

I too popped into Oare on Sunday, just for an hour about 2:00pm.... noticed a couple of Stonechats and quite a few Reed Buntings - never seen quite so many before....


Rgds.... Ruby
 
Ruby said:
I wonder if you saw the mink at the same place as I have previously - about 1/4 of the way down the access road, just opposite a little wooden bridge as you look out over the scrape. I thought I noticed a 'game trail' when I was last there, so suspected that this was the mink's usual spot for crossing the road and going towards the scrape....

Hi Ruby,

That's exactly where I spotted it!

I was there early in the morning around 7ish til 9.30 or so it was bitterly cold but the low sunshine was glorious.

I also got a quite nice shot of the little egret in the light.

On our way out a beautiful fox crossed the road and trotted across towards the scrape she was resplendant in her winter coat and looked to be in perfect health. The living for predators down at Oare must be good.

Woody
 

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Sounds fantastic Woody.... I think Oare is a great place and Sunday was certainly a nice day down in Kent (if a little brisk!!)

I had a great day's birding - started off about 09:30 in Reculver, popped into Oare on the way home, and then popped into Elmley even more on the way home. Finally finished up when it was too dark to see any more.

Suspect divorce papers are in the post.....
 
Woody,
Nice shot of the little Egret. I'm afraid at those tempertures I wouldn't have had to worry about the camera stop working due to the cold, more likely the photographer!

How about the opposite of your case of animals helping? How many times have you been focussed on a bird, ready to snap the shutter when whoosh, he's been chased off by another bird or animal? Thinking back, I think I've had more of these moments than the helpful ones.
 
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