New Toys!!

Got a new toy for the camera recently – a remote switch and as tonight has been the first night in over a fortnight where the skies have been clear, it was out to try our first attempts at night sky photography, and what a beautiful night it was. – Cold, crisp and clear, so that the stars were bright and alive. It almost felt that they could be plucked out of the sky and marvelled at in your hand.

After a few abortive attempts, including problems of getting the camera and tripod pointing in the correct alignment, on what was a very dark night, with fingers that quickly became numb and clumsy with the cold, I’m quite impressed with the results – though I think that 30 seconds is a bit too long as the stars appear slightly elongated.

One of my favourite constellations is Orion, so as its soon to disappear below the horizon for another summer, it had to feature again. Tonight it was definitely a classic view of Orion, the sky was clear enough to pick up all the stars forming this constellation and the variation of the colours was just so easy to see. So I love this photo, as the colour of the stars shows up really well, especially the orange of Betelgeuse.

Orion – 30 March 2013 (Copyright Ross Lockley)

But for impressive, it has to be the capturing of Comet Panstarr before its lost to our view. In this picture the Comet Panstarr can be seen as the slight smeary star, (down and left of centre) as it sinks slowly into the fog and light pollution from Galashiels, on the horizon.

Comet Panstarr – 30 March 2013 (Copyright Ross Lockley)

Surprising Sightings

Winter continues here! The snow continues to fall and spring still can’t seem to force its way in. Even so during the daytime the temperatures are rising above zero, and the snow continues to melt a pace, which at least gives me some hope, even if overnight the amount of snow is increased again by new falls. This new snow fascinates me, as it ranges from frozen raindrops that form round, solid, icy, ball bearings that sit like partially sucked gob stoppers on the frozen surfaces, to light, wet, fluffy flakes that float down like feathers from the clouds above and disappears into the snow already lying.

The continuation of wintry conditions has also encouraged some slightly more unusual sightings from the window this week.

Early Tuesday morning, I noticed a couple of strange dark shapes moving across the field opposite. On closer observation there were two Roe Deer having a mad five minutes, dashing hither and thither, kicking up their heels, as though spring had arrived and they were mad March Hares. It is not unusual to see Roe Deer crossing the road on the wooded slopes of Gala Hill, where they dash, quickly and silently, from one side of the road to the other. But it is different to see them dashing around the snow covered fields so close to the farm steading, and at a time in the morning when people are regularly around.

Roe Deer – 26 February – (Copyright Carol Jones)

Then this morning, while watching the birds congregate round the feeder, especially the comings and goings of a number of House Sparrows and Chaffinches on the path in front of the window, I was surprised to see amongst them a pair of Yellowhammers, busily chasing titbits of food. These are uncommon visitors to our garden, in all the years of watching the comings and goings of birds from our garden, they have only visited a handful of times. They are regularly seen and heard from the bushes along the road, where their song, “A little bit of bread and no cheese” can be heard ringing out across the fields, but in the garden, almost never. Shame though, they failed to remain long enough to get in a picture, especially as their speckles of yellow were so bright and fresh, just as if they’d been freshly splattered with new paint.

Watching and Waiting!

Being confined close to home for the last couple of months, has had a few advantages. No having to dash from place to place, and the luxury to spend time watching and observing, without the guilt of feeling that I should be else where, doing something more important! Have to say that during this time, the bird table in the garden has been a great distraction, masses of entertainment, and considerably better than the lunchtime soaps!!

Our feeders attract groups of Blue Tits that behave like gangs of teenagers, they push and shove and squabble for the best bits, while at the same time keeping up a continued chatter between themselves. Just like teenagers who text their best mates, while walking down the street with them. Amongst the Blue Tits arrive an occasional Great Tit, being bigger and butcher than the Blue Tits, they easily bully their way in amongst a crowd of four or five Blue Tits, and feed just as they please. Also slipping in occasionally are the small, but just as cheeky Coal Tits, with their distinctive white Mohican strip across their sleek black crowns. They hide on the edge of the teenage pack of Blue Tits, a bit like the lost souls that aren’t really members of the in-crowd but desperately want to be. Then just once or twice, we are also visited by the fairest of the bunch – a number of Long-tailed Tits. This winter they never arrived in more than pairs, but still they are cute balls of fluff that provide endless fascination as they flit from the hedge to feeder and back again.

Blue Tits and Co – 21 February 2013 (Copyright Carol Jones)

Accompanying the groups, we also have the regular arrival of a Nuthatch, another bully in the bird world, who zooms in like a small jet fighter making straight of the peanuts, muscling the other birds out of the way. On a larger scale, but behaving with the same bully attitude there is also a Greater Spotted Woodpecker, who if disturbed makes sure the whole world knows of it’s disapproval at being disturbed!

My favourites amongst this group of birds though, has to be the pair of Treecreepers, who are total opposites, more like mice than bullies, but also much tamer as they will remain on the feeder long after the other birds have departed when disturbed and providing you don’t make any sudden moves, they will remain for quite sometime and continue to feed. However, our Treecreepers have obviously not read the bird books, that say that these birds do not feed on the ground, for quite often they will spend sometime under the feeders picking up bits and pieces that have been discarded by the birds above.

Underneath the feeders, amongst the Chaffinches and House Sparrows that flock for the left overs, there are also a number of Dunnocks that also scavenge for titbits. To me, as they scurry around, their actions remind me of wind-up clockwork toys, with their continual jerky movements. The ground feeders also have their excessive characters, such as the over weight Wood Pigeon that is generally too heavy to fly much and waddles off when approached rather than attempting to fly. Can’t seem him surviving long should a local cat pass through. Then there is one of my favourite characters – the Robin, maybe the “King” of the birds, who bullies all and sundry alike for the tastiest bits, and when not feeding will find the best vantage point, often either a fence post by the gate or at the top of the bird table itself from which to observe the comings and goings of the world.

Robin – 19 February 2013 (Copyright Carol Jones)

Birds are not the only visitors to the feeders, there is the regular presence of the Grey Squirrel whose sole aim seems to be to wreck the place, by ripping apart the wire feeder in order to obtain the goodies from inside. My favourite non-avian visitor though has to be the Wood Mouse, who climbs up through the hedge, then runs out across the bird table and so down on to the feeder. But who always takes the easy exit, by simply dropping off the feeder, the metre or so to the ground below! On a human scale this must be something similar to base jumping, but without a parachute, but always who always gets up and walks away without injury!

Wood Mouse – 28th February 2013 (Copyright Carol Jones)

Well now spring supposedly comes, though the weather might have forgotten this, and its time to return to the world outside again, but still the soap opera of the bird table will continue, with its mad confusion of activity, now mainly unobserved, but for the occasional snapshot, that I know will appear in the pages of the journal of the Lost Naturalist again, at some future time when there is time to stop and just look again.

First Day of Spring!

Well its the first day of spring today and I’m dreaming of warmer days, blue skies and sunshine, with all the associated wildlife stirrings of spring!! Meanwhile back in the real world, its more like the depths of winter here with several inches of snow lying on the ground and the continued gentle flurry of snow blowing up the valley, in the Arctic breeze.

Snow in the Garden – 18 March 2013 (Copyright Carol Jones)

Winter may still seem to be here and according to the news it is likely to be one of the coldest March’s on record, but still nature knows what is coming. The signs of spring are there for those that wish to look. From the first signs of movement on the Contorted Hazel, which has a couple of female flowers open, showing their bright red stigmas to the world. To the more blatant display of Snowdrops that are blooming in the shelter of the hedge, even if they are now hidden under a layer of snow.

 

Snowdrops – 28 February 2013 (Copyright Carol Jones)

To be honest the birds also know what should be happening, for they are beginning to display. The Robin that has been visiting the garden all winter, when he was chasing off all rivals, has begun to tolerate the arrival of a second bird. Now he regularly sits on top of the nearest post and sings his heart out to the world. Also both the Chaffinches and Blue Tits are becoming more like territorial birds and less like flock birds, as they are regularly playing tag round the bird table and hedge, showing off their prowess to anyone interested.

So though the weather has forgotten to move on, the wildlife knows what is due to occur – Spring!! Hopefully the weather will remember to move on soon, or so I can dream. At least while the weather is stuck in the past, I can think back to the record temperatures of last year’s spring and dream of that now faded, but much loved memory! Hope lives on!!

The Misadventures of Comet Hunting!!

The target “Comet Panstarr” is the astronomical highlight for me this month, and as such the task, should you wish to accept, is to view find it in the night skies. Here follows the adventures or misadventures of the Lost Naturalist and her companion to achieve this aim.

Sunday – Doesn’t begin well, snow showers on and off all day!! However, my loyal assistant dresses up like “Nanook of the North” and goes on a scouting mission hunting for the Moon and so the Comet Panstarr in the gaps between the quickly moving clouds and various snow showers!! No sign – just snow!

Monday – More snow on and off during the day – in fact in the morning, we’d got up to three or four inches of the stuff, accompanied though by some wonderful bright blue skies, unfortunately by the time night fell, the sky was socked in with clouds – No chance!!

Tuesday – A day when the temperatures rose as the cloud settled in and the snow melted rapidly, unfortunately it meant that all chance of seeing anything was lost in the cloud. Again!!

Wednesday – At last an evening, of biting coldness, but that meant the sky was crystal clear and stars shone brightly!! At last a decent opportunity to go Comet Panstarr hunting!!

Going out just after sunset, when the western sky still retained the last stains of the warm orange glow of the setting sun. As we waited for darkness to fall, there was the sudden whoosh overhead of a small flock of rushing birds, as they headed rapidly to their roosts for the night, and the icy stillness of the evening was disturbed by the final squabbles of the local Coots, settling down on a near by lake. Unfortunately this wonderful stillness was then shattered, as the quiet lane suddenly became the M6, as a number of cars passed by. Each of which slowed down to observe the activities of two lost or maybe mad Naturalists looking for a Comet!!

Even though the darkness of night had yet to fully fall, the tiny sliver of the crescent Moon shone exceptionally brightly, as though it was being lit by a spotlight. It was so well lit that the Earth shine shadow was really obvious to the naked eye, almost as though the rest of the moon was just out of focus. Through the scope, the Moon also revealed the Seas on the Moon as darker shadows with the darker Earth shine area. The scope also revealed the details of the craters on the thin crescent in full light, they were so bright and fresh that they felt exceptionally close, as though you could almost reach out and touch them, if you just had the courage. Its that same urge, that comes when you see that glossy new coat of wet paint and just have to put your finger on it!!

The Crescent Moon with Earth Shine – 13 March 2013 (Copyright Ross Lockley)

As the sky darkened the the surrounding stars also began to come into view, with Jupiter shining out as a bright beacon first. Followed more slowly by the various stars of Orion, beginning with the shoulders and working down the body as the sky progressively darkened, until just before we left, after the Moon had set, the whole constellation was visible.

On the Comet Panstarrs front, not so much luck. Doesn’t really help that we were not looking in quite the right area of space! We were looking above the Moon, unfortunately by Wednesday the Comet would have been below the Moon – Oops!! Also it doesn’t help here; that the surrounding hills mean that the Moon set before it was really dark in the west.

Thursday – Yesterday was another evening where the skies were covered by cloud!!!

Friday – Had thought that this evening was going to be another write off, as just before the sun set it had been raining again, and to the front of the house the sky was still covered in thick dark clouds, however, outback the clouds had broken and the Moon shone out – signalling another attempt.

As time was moving on and the Comet Panstarr would by now be low in the sky and soon setting behind the surrounding hills, we dashed down the road, to another view point, lower hills here and this time armed with a decent set of instructions. There was the crescent Moon and about a hand span below and to the right, there in full view in the scope’s eye piece (unfortunately not visible to the naked eye) and almost setting on the horizon, was the Comet Panstarr!!! A glorious fuzzy mass, but somehow amazing and very wondrous!! Not at all like the classic view of a Comet, with a tail streaking out behind, just a fuzzy mass, but still something that once gone from view in a few weeks time, won’t return again in my life time, so amazing and wondrous!!

The Moon – Below which but not visible would be Comet Panstarr – 15 March 2013 (Copyright Ross Lockley)