Cliff-top Kestrel

Hey, This is my second post. This guy was photographed on the coastal path just off Portloe. You often see kestrels hovering over hedge rows and scrub lands, on this particular day there was a strong breeze which meant he stayed in the air effortlessly only occasionally moving to change his hunting spot.  This meant I had a good chance to get up close and personal. The numbers of kestrels have declined in resent years due to farming of fallow land which is where their main prey the field vole lives. Kestrels, unlike humans, can see the Ultra violet light reflected of urine trail left behind the voles which enables them to follow the voles far more easily. They are relatively small birds which are common across of the whole of the U.K. (Except for the Farne islands.)

How to see

You will see them on roadside verges coastal paths and most open habitats but mostly luck determines wether you will get a good sighting. 

Common frog (Rana temporaria)

Common toads (Bufo bufo)

Hi guys, this is my first upload and looking at what’s already up I thought these would slot quite nicely in to the growing portfolio that is already here. 

    For those who didn’t know these are common frogs and toads during mating season, spring. I managed to get surprisingly close to them; I am guessing because they were preoccupied with other, slightly more important things than a giant holding a camera inches from their faces. I took these in late march and frogs being frogs they had probably been at it since February. I've got to give it to them they have stamina.  They don’t eat a thing during this season as there only focus is to mate. Each female will lay over 1000 eggs but weirdly due to high infant morality (from being eaten)and the rapid spread of  a number of new and  deadly disease’s their numbers have been decreasing along with those of the common toad.

            Ed Smit