Peregrine falcon

A glorious afternoon for February so I went for a tour round my favourite spots and as it has been for the past couple of years nothing to see. Not even a sparrow, just the odd ferral pidgeon and crow. As usual I finished up at the quarry where I knew the peregrines would be enjoying the sunshine. I was able to get closer today but there was only one. I hope they mate more successfully this year that will give me something to do during the summer.

Old faithfulls

 With the wildlife depleting in my area I havn't done much in the way of photography. The wildlife locally has been much affected by the demise of the insect life. Small birds and animals have almost disappeared through lack of food. Probable cause either air polution or farmers overdoing the crop feeding. But the peregrines soldier on travelling much further to feed.

A better day weatherwise I decided to see how the peregrine pair were doing and there they were sitting in their favourite spot enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

Surprise-Surprise !

I have spent the last few weeks working on photographs for a book that a friend is writing and what with the winter weather I have had little time for the wildlife (if I could find any, it is now oficial there is a decline in the bird population in this region). I opened my curtains this morning and was greeted by this handsome buzzard sitting in my garden. It did not stay long but it was the first time that such a bird had been seen so close to my house.

Back to the wildlife

I have spent the last month away from the birds and doing some photography for a friend of mine for a book he is writing on local history. Mainly updating pictures that were up to 100years old. On the way back home this afternoon I stopped to see how the peregrines were doing. There they were on their usual spot with the wind howling and snow in the air looking quite content waiting for spring and the warmer air.

Poor old badgers

I have been a fan of the badger for more than 70 years and currently looking for a suitable sett on my new patch. Over the past few years the government in its wisdom has been slaughtering badgers in its belief that it will help to reduce BTB in cattle. Close to 100,000 badgers have been killed during this time. A new scientific review found that in some cases they are to blame but they have been carrying an unfair share and puts farming practices in the spotlight instead. The rates of transmission from cow to cow are higher than previously thought. The failure to use basic infection control measures on all farms is severley hampering efforts to get the disease under control. Better and more modern methods of cattle slurry disposal must be implimented. Successive environment ministers have wasted millions of pounds on a wild goose chase while farmers have endured the unnecessary heartbreak of losing herds to the disease. Farmers, as well as badgers have been failed here and the question is why.

Info taken from The Guardian October 22nd 2018.