Phil McLean Nature Photographer Blog

Driving up into the Lammermuir Hills,here in the Scottish Borders,I came across and photographed these 3 different subjects.The skylark and the snipe both nest up here in the summer.The skylark was taken close to the road,thus showing close up detail,while the snipe was on a post much further away and so shows the bird in its’ habitat.Either technique works,as you learn something different about each bird.

The hedgehog had been crossing the road and an approaching car had just missed it.It had simply curled up and stopped in the middle of the road.So I stopped,moved it to the side and took some pictures as it uncurled and slowly moved off into the undergrowth.

Starting to uncurl.

Half uncurled.

Setting off.

Preening.

Bye bye from me and Ollie.

A number of different birds come up into the Lammermuir Hills,in the Scottish Borders,to breed and raise young in the spring/summer.One of these birds is Britains’ largest wader,the curlew.At the moment most of them have young chicks scrabbling about with them and if the adults think that there may be a potential danger to their offspring they will go into defense mode.While one adult will lead the youngsters away through the grasses and heather,the other adult will take to the wing,land not too far away and try to distract the potential predator away from the defenseless chicks.Of course as nature photographers we don’t represent a predatory danger,but this distraction technique can provide us with photographic opportunities.So it is a win win situation.We get our pictures and the adult bird gets to be the hero,saving the kids from’ terrible danger’. Once the danger is perceived to have passed the bird will fly back to its’ family and Ollie and I will continue on our drive through the Lammermuirs,looking for our next image to capture.

Calling to its' mate.

Havin' a scratch.

Relaxed and preening.

Havin' a good shake.

Calling to its' mate again.

A final scratch.

A final look back.

That’s all folks.

Where Ollie and I walk,down by the river,there are a number of pheasants and the predominant colour of the birds is blue.One day a nice blue cock pheasant crossed our path and we decided to go into stalk mode and get some close up pictures.So we crept through the grass and worked our way closer and closer.I say we crept but what I mean is I crept while Ollie thought it was a good game and bounced around alot.Fortunately the pheasant was very patient and stayed,putting up with our comedy routine which allowed me to take these few images.

A bit of heckling for the comedy routine.

Heckling in full swing.We're out of here!

Ollie and I met one of our regulars down by the river the other day and decided to all hang out together for an hour.There are 3 grey herons that we see on our walk along the river bank,although we don’t often see all of them on the same day.One of them is generally more approachable and on this day seemed to want to join us on our walk.The bird posed in several different locations as it flew ahead of us,landing,waiting for us,posing and then repeating the process several more times.The final session was during a heavy rain shower when I was hoping for a successful fish hunt but the bird suddenly took off and disappeared for good this time.’It wasn’t me’,said Ollie,sat next to me.I turned around to see a fisherman approaching along the path.’Getting some good pictures of the heron’,he said.

‘I WAS’,I said,through gritted teeth.









Bye Bye from Ollie.

I came across this hen pheasant while driving up in the Lammermuirs recently.It was hunkered down in the grass,just the other side of a fence,and seemed unconcerned with my presence.I thought I would take the opportunity to take some close ups,showing the pastel colours and delicate patterns around the head and body.It is obviously nothing like as colourful as the cock bird but still very attractive when you get in close like this.

I passed the stone wall where I had photographed the cock pheasant from a previous blog and there was another bird up there again.Couldn’t resist and so there is another image from that location,as well.








That’s All Folks.

In the days before all this rain came Ollie and I spent some more time down by the River Whiteadder photographing the Pied and Grey Wagtails.We sat quietly on the bank,focused on a couple of rocks protuding above the river and waited for the birds to stop off, on the rocks, as they went about their foraging for food,for themselves and their young in the nest.I’m not sure where the Pieds’ are nesting but the Greys’ nest is only about 25 yards from where the Peregrines are nesting.Either very brave,foolish or they come under the umbrella of protection of the peregrines,as they scare off all other predators,like the crows and jackdaws,in the area.

Anyway here are some images of these very attractive little birds.

Preening.

More preening.

The End.

Here are a few images taken from the car as Ollie and I drove along the Westruther road.It had been raining hard  the previous day and this temporary puddle in the field was being used by an oystercatcher to bathe in.The young rabbit was still a little too timid to venture far from home and the lapwing was busy feeding and going about its’ business.

On its' way to bathe.

Bathing.

Having a splashing time.

A spot of preening.

Bye Bye.

Ollie and I took a drive up into the Lammermuir Hills last friday evening,but for a couple of hours we hardly took a picture.It was dull and cold and Ollie was in the back of the car,moaning about being bored and’ were we going home yet’.So we slowly made our way back down from the hills,back to a warm house where according to Ollie there was a dentastick waiting,with his name on it.

And then the sun broke through and we spotted a short eared owl sat on a fence post.The light was really nice,the owl sat and then performed for a short while before disappearing over the horizon,just like the sun moments later.Neither disappeared as quickly as the dentastick when we got home though!

Into the golden light.

‘Til next time.

Ollie and I walk alongside the same stretch of the River Whiteadder,here in the Scottish Borders,most days.In time you get to see the same wildlife going about their lives on a regular basis.Wether it’s the swans setting up their nest site,the peregrine sat on its’ nest or the occasional otter hunting in the river margins.

One of these regular sightings is the plump,little dipper zipping up and down the river or sat on a rock at the waters’ edge.They are nesting on a rock face,behind some grassy tussocks,overlooking the river and have just succeeded in raising their first brood.With the first set of young fledged,helped on their way,they are now repairing the nest for the second brood to come.It’s wonderful to see this lovely little bird doing so well and long may it continue.

Here’s a few pictures.

Gathering food for the young.

Bringing food back to the nest site.

The young have now fledged and are always hungry.

Back to have a look at the nest site.

With some nest repair materials.

That’s All Folks.

Here’s a small collection of brown hare images that I have taken recently,as I have been driving around the countryside with the beanbag on the window and my spotter Ollie in the back.He’s a terrible backseat driver,doesn’t know his left from his right but of course ‘He’s never wrong’.'I should let him do the driving’.'Why don’t I give him the camera’.'Who gets more mentions in the comments ‘You or me’.And so he goes on and on and on and on….

In the rain.

One eyed.

On a dull,wet evening.

and on and on and on and………..