Phil McLean Nature Photographer Blog

For those of you who don’t speak fluent Latin,I refer to the Lapwing or Peewit.This is the very attractive bird ,of the plover family,that you can see over the fields and around the Lammermuirs,where these pictures were taken.The two names are derived from the sounds it makes.At this time of the year it performs a striking aerobatic display,wings making a throbbing/lapping sound as it climbs and also uttering its’ peewit peewit song as it plunges down,rolling and twisting,before pulling up at the last minuet.

Here’s a few images,taken from the car as Ollie and I have been driving around the countryside.

Female calling.

Female on the nest.

The male,with the darker face and longer crest.

Walking down by the River Whiteadder with Ollie,we came across this swan having a splashing good time on the water.Then two different cock pheasants provided more photographic opportunities, as we were driving slowly through the countryside looking for wildlife.

Here’s some of the results of our recent adventures.









Bye Bye.

‘Hey Oll,’ I called,’Fancy a trip in the car’.     ‘No need to shout’,he said.I turned around and there he was sat by the door,waiting to go.So off we went, for a drive up into the Lammermuir Hills.

The weather was a bit dull and drizzly but I figured if we found anything it might look good in the rain.The male Red Grouse looks very photogenic at the moment and we found one that posed for a while and even his wife showed for a short time.

We had an enjoyable couple of hours up in the hills and even Ollie had a grin on his face when we stopped at the river on the way home.

Feeding in the rain.

The 'wife'.

Shaking off some of the rain.

Preening.

A bit more preening.

Final pose and off he flew.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures,and if you did,why not leave a comment.Bye bye.

Following on from yesterday’s blog,here’s a few more images of the heron.I think it realised it was going to be there an awful long time if it was going to satisfy its’ hunger with a few little insects.So it wandered out into the river to do a spot of fishing,but it soon gave up on that as well and ended up flying off, further downriver.

Swallowing another insect.

Buurrp!

Stepping out.

Land ahoy!

Tumble dryer on legs.

That's better.

It flew off,soon after this shot and Ollie and I continued on our walk down the river.’About b****y time’,one of us grumbled under our breath.

I was walking Ollie down by the River Whiteadder when we came across this heron and so we decided to sit on the bank,watch and photograph for a while.We ended up sitting for just 40 odd minutes and during that time noticed that the heron was doing most of its’ hunting amongst the vegetation,rather than in the water.It was catching insects crawling up the stems,probably having emerged from the river,before they changed into their adult form and flew off.I’d never noticed that behaviour before and so it was time well spent.

Ollie thought it was fascinating,as he yawned on the bank next to me.

Close up with insect in bill.

It might be a female.

Typical hunting mode.

Gotcha! Another insect bites the dust.

Part 2,to follow.

Last week I drove up into the Lammermuir Hills,here in the Scottish Borders.I was looking for the short eared owls which had returned from their winter holidays down by the coast.

As many as 9 had been seen in one evening,but when I went I saw 4 and they were all very distant.I blame Ollie,he was in the back of the car navigating.

The male red grouse are looking very handsome at the moment though,so I did get some pictures.I’ve also included a couple of shorties,taken in the gloom and from a distance.

Iso 6400. As is the last image.

While Ollie’s been walking me alongside the River Whiteadder,here in the Scottish Borders,we’ve come across several pairs of Pied Wagtails.Like most birds at this time of year,they’ll be laying claim to territories,bonding,mating and looking to start a family.

Here’s a few images of some of the individuals that we’ve come across in the past week or so.









As I am uploading these images I look outside and see icy,sleet being blown against the window.The early summer type weather has given way to arctic winter conditions and all of those birds’ plans are going to have to be put on hold,for a while anyway.

Ollie and I were walking along the banks of the Whiteadder when I spotted a heron up ahead in the river.I could see it was feeding but not what it was feeding on.I whispered to Ollie that we should creep up closer,to try and get some better pictures.

‘WHAT’,he shouted,looking back over his shoulder and charging ahead regardless.

Anyway,I followed the flight of the heron and noticed it had carried its’ lunch,circled around behind us and landed by the river again.

This time we did some creeping up.

Lunch appears to be the remains of a pheasant.

Grey Heron with its' leggy lunch.

It tried many different ways to swallow.

There must be a way.

Maybe if I soak it a bit.

Right.Let's try again.

Now,let's think about this logically.

This is ridiculous!

Damn it! I knew I should have ordered the trout.

The heron decided it was getting all flustered,being watched,and it flew off to a new location,to work on a new strategy for getting lunch down its’ neck.

Apologies to all those who have just eaten,or are about to eat!

I was walking Ollie yesterday,down by the River Whiteadder,when I got a call on the mobile.It was someone from the Scottish Nature Photography Awards to tell me that I had been judged to have the 2nd and 3rd best images in the Botanical section of the competition.’Keys’ was 2nd and ‘Poppy’ was 3rd.

These 2 images and the other 3 that I had shortlisted (all featured in an earlier blog,last month) will now appear in the forthcoming book to accompany the touring exhibition.

Here are the 2 images again.

2nd Place in the Botanical section.

3rd place in the Botanical section.

You can see more details from this competition at this address:http://www.scottishnaturephotographyawards.com/

Here’s a collection of images that I’ve taken in the past week,while walking Ollie down by the river.

The Invisible Strangler strikes again.

Gasping,he shouts for help,as the would be killer does a runner.

Phew! I need a kip.

Stuffed,after its' lunch.Just a bunch of feathers remaining.

On its' nesting ledge.

Patrolling its' territory.

Feeding in the newly seeded field.

Until next time.It’s goodbye from me.And it’s goodbye from him.