Forest of Dean Wildlife & Nature Diary

Wild Boar Cull Suspended!

2012-01-20T14:18:00.004+01:00

As the majority of people know, I have been campaigning for a closed season on the culling of wild boar in the Forest of Dean for quite a few years now.
This campaign has been an upward struggle, not only with the Governing bodies that hand down controversial policies, which are then put into practice, but also trying to dispel the scaremongering that can be seen on a regular basis in local and sometimes national newspapers.
The Forestry Commission have announced that they have suspended their proposed cull for 2012, until September. This is very welcome news and I thank the people responsible for making this happen, especially Dave Slater and Joyce Moss from Friends of the Boar. However, this is, in their own words an experimental closed season so the fight will continue until a closed season is implemented as policy every year, not just for 2012.

The wild boar numbers in the Forest of Dean are at critical level. To some this may sound foolish as wild boar evidence can still be seen on the road verges etc. However, what the majority of people do not understand is that it only takes one boar to overturn at least 100 metres of road verge in just one night.
This is not "damage", this is natural behaviour from an animal searching for food.
The reason the wild boars numbers are so low at present can only be the result of over culling and it may take a few years for their numbers to return to healthy levels.
When a species feels threatened it will do everything in its power to survive and this usually results in the production of more offspring. If the human race was under threat, how would we secure the survival of our species? We would breed!
If the wild boars know they can breed without the threat of being hunted and killed, over time we will see a self sustainable, healthy population, but for this to happen we need to be brave and accept them, respect them and only manage them when necessary, e.g. nuisance animals, aggression and to keep their numbers to an acceptable level, which has been scientifically proven.

I am over the moon that they have the luxury of being able to breed and ween their hoglets through the spring into the summer of 2012, but this experimental closed season must be made policy if this species is to survive.

Click here for a recent BBC feature regarding this issue

Click here for a Local Media story

I also filmed with ITV West today; to be aired at 18.00hrs tonight.
Click Here

Friends of the Boar

Petition - Please Sign

Rob

Warm, Cold and Confusing!

2012-01-17T12:40:00.003+01:00

What a weird month it has been so far. First we have temperatures around 12 oC, then within a day or two they are at -3 oC (last night) and now there is talk of them returning to around 12 oC later this week!
You may be forgiven if you are thinking, "well it is winter", but when the temperature hit 12 oC earlier this month it confused a lot of our wildlife into thinking spring had come early.
Firstly there was a hedgehog rooting around my garden and secondly there was a red admiral butterfly basking in the forest. January is not a month where we should be seeing these creatures and I just hope that it has not jeopardised their survival!
There have also been reports of blooming flowers, such as daffodils, a flower, which usually blooms in February.
Snowdrops have also been blooming and I am concerned that the recent freezing temperatures may have killed them off, not to return when they should. Remember, these flowers aren't there to just look pretty; they play a vital role in our gardens and countryside with our insects, which "we" rely on for our own survival.

January Hedgehog.

January Red Admiral Butterfly.

There is one thing that you can be sure will be there every month, whether it is raining, snowing or sunny and that is the fly tipper!

Rob

Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T17:59:00.006+01:00

At the start of 2011, I along with many others had no idea what the future held for our forests in the UK. As the months passed, the support and passion from local people soon became evident and it also became clear to our Government and local MP's that we were not going to give up our forests without a fight!
When the day came that our Government backtracked on its plans to privatise our forests, it was a massive relief for me as I didn't want to imagine the devastation these plans could have on our forests and the wildlife living within. My very sincere thanks to all who put their weight behind the HooF campaign and also to the many who supported this cause with so much passion.
The forests mean so much to many of us, for many different reasons. The time I spend in the forest with our varied and healthy wildlife can never be topped and I hope that it will always be out there for future generations to enjoy. For this reason we must always be ready to stand up and fight again and again and again if the fire reignites!

2012 will undoubtedly bring its hardships and personal battles to many of us, but there is something out there; something that has the capability to help us through the toughest of times, and that is nature. If you are looking for a way to escape the stress of modern life and the worries it brings, take nature into your life and realise what life is really about.
I wish you all the best for 2012.

Below are some of my favourite photographs of wildlife from the last 12 months in the Forest of Dean....

And finally, a photograph that for me "is" the Forest of Dean. The wild boars may have been illegally released and they may not be every ones cup of tea. However, they are here to stay and I for one will keep up the fight until they are given the status and protection the deserve.

Happy 2012!

Rob

BBC Filming on Poaching!

2011-12-18T20:17:00.003+01:00

I filmed earlier today with BBC Points West on the poaching of dear and wild boar in the Forest of Dean.
You have one chance to watch it, tonight at 10pm on BBC1, but only if you receive Points West. Not available on BBC iPlayer!

Here is a link to the website article.
Link Here

Rob

Please Help the Birds this Winter!

2011-12-18T10:51:00.022+01:00

With the harsh weather well and truly here, we must turn our thoughts to the vulnerable at this time of the year.
Firstly look after yourself, secondly look after your neighbour and last but not least, please spare a thought for our wildlife!

Our forest birds take a right battering, especially when the ground is frozen with ice and snow. Finding enough food and water to survive is tough for them and this is where we can help.
If you are unable to take the food into the forest, park or countryside, put some out in your garden; the birds will find it as they associate gardens as a good source for food as many of us already have feeders for them.
Break the ice on any water source you find and also take some fresh water out for them as it is so easy to forget that they need to drink as well as eat!
Wild bird peanuts and sunflower hearts are high in nutriance and also cheese is a good source of fat and calcium, which is essential for the birds survival.
To see a tiny bird struggling to find food is gutting, but when you see them taking advantage of the food you have taken out, the feeling is awesome and you go home knowing you have helped them survive.

I usually mix the seed and nuts together with grated cheese. You then have a lump of food, which can be pushed into crevices or just placed on a surface without falling to the ground and lost in the snow. Although bread does not have a good source of protein or fat, one or two slices will give your mix some consistency and help it to bond together.
Look for somewhere high up like a fallen tree or fence post and place the food on top of it, this will ensure the food will not be eaten by deer, wild boar, sheep and even dogs passing by.

Break up the bread into a bowl or kitchen sink with a little water.

Add the sunflower hearts.

Then the peanuts.

Grate the cheese over the top.

Then mix well.

However, this activity can cause severe bruising and swelling to your right eye, but there is a remedy. Cleaning the sink afterwards seems to stop this from happening!

You are now ready to take your food out to the birds. I usually take the food into the forest as there are not many cats out there, which could take advantage of the birds feasting on the food, but as mentioned earlier your garden is a good place if you are unable to get out.

Selecting your spot. If you know of an area where the birds are fed regularly, then this is ideal as the birds will not be far away and word will soon get out that fresh food has arrived!
If you don't know where to put the food, look for an area close to a car park as you can guarantee that this will almost certainly be a place where the birds hang out, hoping for tit bits from motorists.
Place your food on something raised from the ground, like a fallen tree, or fence post and then sit back and watch as the birds find it.

Here are some pics from over the years of the birds I have helped. I do this every year as many times as possible and it makes me feel good, knowing I have done something positive to help them.

A blue tit having spotted the food, sits on a branch nearby. He has fluffed up to help insulate himself from the freezing conditions.

A great tit also lands nearby.

A dunnock is first to land on the fallen tree.

Then a mistle thrush drops in.

Followed by a pied wagtail.

And then a grey wagtail.

Even a pigeon turns up!

It was great to see a tree creeper appear!

It wasn't long before the blackbirds arrived.

Male

Female

Then a long tailed tit!

And it wasn't long before the chaffinch arrived.

Then a robin, the perfect Christmas Card image!

And finally, the scene where it all happened.

So why not have a go yourself and see how many different birds you can help this winter!

Rob

A Bolt from the Black Stuff!

2011-11-22T12:56:00.012+01:00

Rain, low light, foggy and cold; not ideal conditions for a wildlife photographer, but if the conditions were ideal all the time, it wouldn't be as challenging!

I am focusing this post on low light (or rather no light) long exposure photography. If you are thinking about trying this, or don't know how, I will give you some guidelines. It can be quite difficult to get it right, but patience and trial and error will pay off.
The first and most important piece of equipment you will need for this type of photography is a tripod and a solid surface to place it on as your camera has to be rock steady for up to a few minuets at a time.
You will also require a self timer function built into your camera or a remote release switch. This will eradicate any hand shake from pushing the shutter manually.

Here are some basic camera settings I usually use (without filters).

ISO: 100 - 200
Shutter Speed: Between 15 and 30 seconds
Manual Focus
A/V (Aperture Value): As low as possible (e.g. f/2.8)

Focusing can be tough, especially at night, so for example, if you want to photograph lightning, visit a spot where you have good views in the daytime and with your lens at its widest setting (e.g. 18mm) manually focus on the horizon, or on something in the distance. This way you will learn where your lens's sweet spot is and this will enable you to focus at night. Alternatively, pick a location where there are street lights etc in the distance. You can usually focus on them.

METEORS

Photographing meteors is very difficult as they are not confined to one area like lightning; instead, they shoot across the whole sky. This is where your patience comes in as taking one photograph every 30 seconds for a few hours can cause the best of us to cave in. But if you are lucky enough to have your camera pointed at the right part of the sky when a meteor burns through our atmosphere, you will be glad you stuck it out.

Here is a shot of faint meteors from the famous meteor shower; Perseids. One is entering the frame top left and the other is entering from the right.

The long exposure causes the stars to blur, but the meteor tails remain sharp as the light from them disappears quickly.
Here is another pic where I captured an aeroplane as it moved across the sky. There is also a meteor coming in from the right, just above the aeroplane.

Then my luck changed as a meteor started to burn through our atmosphere right in front of me. It looked like a big star getting brighter and brighter, until it faded and burnt out. My camera was pointing directly at it, but I had to wait approx 20 seconds until it had finished taking the shot before I could take a look to see what I had captured!
When I looked I was gobsmacked! Not only did I have the entire meteor in frame, but it was also well exposed and the light was awesome!
Here it is, the best meteor shot I have and one I will struggle to better. This photograph was taken approx 3hrs after the previous two, this is the reason the sky is darker.

LIGHTNING

Although photographing lightning can be a tad dangerous when compared to meteors, it is awesome to witness as well as photograph. It makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. Or is that a sign that you are about to be fried?
Photographing lightning is something I love doing, although the opportunities do not present themselves very often!
The same settings can be used, although lightning is usually brighter, so this is where trial and error comes in. You have to learn what settings are best for the conditions and your camera. This is something I can not tell you, as you have to learn this for yourself.

Here is a pic where I captured two bolts of fork lightning. They struck within 30 seconds of each other and the one on the left is over exposed as it struck first. My exposure was too long and as a result, too much light entered the camera, overexposing the lightning.

Here is another shot where it looks just like heaven has opened up to release it!

Sometimes the sky lights up, but it doesn't expel lightning. This is a truly awesome and beautiful sight as the sky changes from black to a golden red, brown and blue colour.

There is lightning that hits the ground and then shoots off like it has a mind of its own!

And even some, which seems to go up! This is called a tracker and I was lucky to capture this before the fork exploded from the cloud above!

Then, the one you have been waiting for; a MONSTER fork, which hits the ground too close for comfort and makes the electricity lines buzz overhead!
This was a true monster and if I was unlucky enough to have been struck, I would have been quick fried!

If you have any questions, email me at robward10@btinternet.com and I will do my best to answer them.

Rob

Look our for Hedghogs - They need our Help!

2011-11-20T13:53:00.005+01:00

As the temperature drops, hedgehogs will start searching for a place to hibernate. However, underweight or sick hedgehogs will not survive the winter and as their numbers have decreased drastically over the years and are classed as an endangered species, we all need to keep our eyes open and be ready to help them.
I featured them in my latest wildlife column, so if you have any queries please read it here.
Ward's Wildlife

Also, here is a link to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society: (BHPS)

Cute baby hogs like this one will not survive hibernation during the winter, but we can help them!

Rob

Red Deer Rut!

2011-10-23T21:28:00.016+02:00

I dragged myself out of bed nice and early this morning to go in search of a beast, which has eluded me for quite some time. The Red Deer.
I got to the location at sunrise and what a sunrise it was...

CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEW

I desperately wanted a stag silhouetted against this sky, but if they ain't there then there isn't a lot you can do about it.
After around 30min of walking up and down hills with a very heavy kit bag on my back I was starting to wonder if there were any in the area at all! As I approached the top of the last hill I could hear the familiar sound of red stags as they bellowed and finally I spotted them in the distance.

To be honest I didn't think I had a chance of getting near enough to grab a decent photo as they were so far away and in the open. However, like all wildlife, if you can't get to it then you have to wait for it to come to you.
I scanned the area and saw what looked like the ideal spot. However, it meant I would have to walk into the open to get to it, in clear view of the rutting deer! It was a nice spot behind a fallen dead tree and it looked to good an opportunity to miss, so I went for it.
They spotted me as I got to the tree and they stared right at me, but I was far enough away to not disturb them and they soon went on with their business, paying me no attention.

Now, in a better location and hidden behind the tree I was confident they would eventually come closer, and they did.
This fella was bellowing the loudest and judging by the size of his antlers, there wasn't another stag in the area to match him!

Watching this group, I saw two hinds start to square up to one another so I trained my camera on them just in case something happened. I was gobsmacked to see them rear up on their hind legs and box each other; just like hares!

Then I heard it; the clashing of antlers! I was on them like a shot, but they had separated!
They were two younger stags and were still squaring up so I stayed with them. Suddenly one turned to face the other and as soon as he did the other instinctively turned also. This photograph was taken at the precise moment of impact and you can see the one stag has both his hind legs off the ground as they smashed together!

I photographed this herd for a while and then decided to have a look around to see what else was about.
It wasn't long before I bumped into some fallow bucks resting, so I took the opportunity to grab a few shots of them.

I saw a nice group of scotch pines and decided that it would make a great photograph if I could find a deer in there, so I ventured in!
I had only walked around 5 metres when I heard a fallow roar nearby, so I took my heavy bag off my back and sat down by a tree to rest and hope that he was heading my way. I was scanning the area to my right, in the direction of the fallow when I heard a noise behind me.
I turned my head to find the biggest deer I have ever seen, on the edge of the woodland I had just entered! He was the size of a cow and had some pretty impressive antlers. I must admit, being this close to a massive red stag during the rut was something else, but I also knew I was on his patch so I had to be careful.

I tried to get into a better position and this is when he bellowed as loud as he could. Believe me, it was loud.
I took a couple of snaps (out of position) and then just lay there admiring him until he vanished down the hill back into the valley.

I was now fueled with adrenaline and with the red deer lying down resting, I knew this encounter was at an end.

PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH DEER DURING THE RUTTING SEASON, THEY ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ANIMALS AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. SERIOUS INCIDENTS CAN AND SOMETIMES DO OCCUR INVOLVING HUMANS AND IT WILL NEVER BE THE ANIMALS FAULT.
IF I AM EVER INJURED I WILL NEVER BLAME THE ANIMAL INVOLVED, NO MATTER HOW SERIOUSLY I AM HURT. MY FAMILY ALSO KNOW AND RESPECT THIS.

Rob

Two Kinds of Beasts!

2011-10-22T12:25:00.012+02:00

Firstly, Blogger is playing up so sorry for the formatting at the bottom of this page and I have also been unable to comment for quite some time. I'm not ignoring you!

I spent a few hours selecting my location; this is always crucial as it can make all the difference with wildlife photography. I had no intention of photographing the deer on this day, it was all about preperation.
After selecting my spot (deep in the forest) I quickly built myself a hide from dead branches etc and then left the area.

This was the view from my hide, where hopefully I would capture some rutting and even a fight between two bucks; if I was lucky.

The following day I was sat in the hide at 7.30am with a cammo net draped over the front. It was cold, damp and again I was sat in a very uncomfortable position with a tree root sticking in my butt!
It's all about patience now, just staying very still and quiet while listening for any noises, which would tell me that a deer or another mammal was close by.
The buck was roaring nearby and the noise was getting closer, so I knew he was making his way towards me.
I saw him peering through some bracken, checking the area was safe. He was just to my left making his way to the clearing.

I was ready, the pain and the cold was gone, just my will remained, for him to stand in the clearing.
To put the work in and vision a shot; then to walk away with that shot is an achievement.
He got closer and was now on the edge of the clearing, just a few more steps and I could get the shot I was after.

He stood there for a few minuets and I could tell he was nervous. Had he picked up me scent? Doubtful as I had the wind in my face; it must be something else.
Then I heard it; loud talking in a forein language!
He was gone, disappeared into the forest and my teeth were grating as I had been only moments away from my goal.
I just sat there looking in the direction of the voices. The talking became louder and then I saw them; bucket toting fungi collectors!
They had no idea I was there even though they were no more than 5 metres away from me, but even worse they had no idea that they had just disturbed a rutting area. Either that, or they didn't care.
They moved out of sight, but not far, so my time had been wasted in this area. Thoroughly "%**+= off I decided to move about 250 metres to another location.

45min I had been sat in the second location when I heard a noise coming from behind me. It sounded heavy and could only be a mammal I thought as I sat there ready for whatever it was to walk past me.
This is what walked past me!

There were three of them in total and I knew it was useless to carry on. All my preperation had been wasted, all my time and effort gone in a flash.
I understand that the forest is for all to enjoy, but the forest is a big place and I couldn't believe that they chose the part I was camped out in.

I decided to get some fungi shots (before the three amigos collected it all). So I snapped on my macro lens and went fungi humting.

Here are some of the fungi I found with some MINI BEASTS!

.

They weren't the only Beasts that had been in the forest! I came across this; a half full fuel container, left behind from Forestry Opperations

And then this!!!!

Time to go home!

Hornets for BBC Autumnwatch!

2011-10-06T12:28:00.007+02:00

On Saturday 1st October I took a film crew from BBC Autumnwatch out into the Forest of Dean in search of wild boar and any other wildlife, which would be good for filming.
I showed them a couple of wild boar wallows and two adders before heading off to an old tawny owl haunt, hoping that he still occupied it? He wasn't there and it soon became evident as to why!
As I approached the roost I could see hornets buzzing in and out, and it wasn't until I got close that I realised they were actually building a nest.
Hornets build their nests in the spring, not autumn and it can only be the insane hot weather we have been seeing lately that provoked them to start building at the beginning of October.
The hornets typical behaviour in early autumn is to leave the nest to mate and shortly after mating the male hornet will die. Towards late October the workers and unfertilised queens also die just leaving the fertilised queens, which survive the winter.

Anyway, I wanted to get some pics and footage of them myself as I knew it wouldn't be long before they realised that autumn is on the way and would soon leave the partly built nest to mate. So I went back out to film and photograph them.
As I approached the nest they were buzzing around my head as they were flying in and out, so I approached with caution as just one sting would have sent out a pheromone, which would have mobilised the whole colony to attack. The sting from a hornet is far worse than that of a wasp, due to their size and venom yield, and as they have no barb on the stinger like the wasp, they can sting multiple times.

I was within a few feet of the nest and noticed a guard hornet sat at the entrance, watching me. As he kept his eye on me, he was also watching every single hornet enter the nest and it was fascinating to watch him rear up like a preying mantis if I got too close, or if a worker hornet got too close to him.

Here he is, watching me as I got as close as possible. Photographed using a 100mm macro lens from approx 6 inches away.

And here he is in all his glory; all 5cm of him!

I had to stretch to grab a shot of the inside of the nest and this is when he reared up like a preying mantis, so it was a couple of quick shots before he told me off!

I then filmed them for around 45 minuets. You can watch the edited version below...
Hornet Film Here

Although I didn't get to film for Autumnwatch in person, I know that these hornets along with wild boar and possibly an adder will be featuring on the first show of the series on Friday 7th October. I hope they liked the varied wildlife I showed them and I also hope it will make for some interesting viewing, even though I have not heard from them since.
My time spent with them, helping to give some unique and unusual wildlife behaviour opportunities should have warranted a thank you at least? Maybe my name will appear in the credits as a special thank you, but I doubt it.
Sorry to finish on a duff note, but without people like me they would have to work a lot harder and probably wouldn't stand a chance of finding hornets building a nest in October!!!

Rob

"I recieved a text message from a member of the film crew thanking me for my time, helping them find the hornets, adder and wild boar wallow(s)."
It was a pleasure to help and would love the opportunity to help again in the future. It was a bit surreal watching it on TV!

Rob

What a "Waste!"

2011-09-29T15:07:00.002+02:00

If you live in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley area, you will probably be aware that yet another white fallow buck has died!
Not from being involved in a collision with a car like the last one, but from discarded rope getting tangled in his antlers and then with a melanistic (black) bucks antlers as they fought, during rutting. Sadly the white buck died before he could be saved and as these animals are quite rare, it was very sad news.

Story Here

The white buck was a lot younger than the black buck and this would have meant he was not as strong, hence the reason why he perished first. If the two lads hadn't found them, the black buck would have perished also. Basically with a combination of factors ranging from stress, lactic acid build up and exhaustion, he didn't stand a chance and probably died from heart failure.
You can judge a buck's age from the size of his antlers and as you can see in the photograph, the white buck had significantly smaller antlers.

As many of you know, I write a wildlife column called Ward's Wildlife for a local newspaper, but I don't expect anyone can remember the very first article I wrote?
It was simply called "Fly Tipping" and it showed the consequences of what discarded material such as rope can have on our wildlife and environment.

Link to article on my blog as I can't find the original online. Warning, graphic photograph! Article Here

Some people just don't care and they don't give a damn about our wildlife. I know, I have met many of them in the forest over the years.
I just hope that when one of these people are eventually caught, the punishment will be an example to show the others that their behaviour is wrong and cruel, and will not be tolerated.
I urge everyone to report any fly tipping to me anonymously by email, thanks.

Rob

Time of Change

2011-09-28T14:31:00.002+02:00

Click link below for my latest column for Ward's Wildlife.

Time of Change

Rob

Great Response!

2011-09-23T14:07:00.002+02:00

Following my recent column feature for Ward's Wildlife; "Volunteer for a Better Future", I am over the moon that 8 new volunteers have signed up to help Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust after reading my column.
This is great news and I am very pleased that I was able to help such a worthy cause.

Thank you to all who have already taken the step towards a better future for yourself and our wildlife!

Feature Here
Rob

ITV West - Wild Boar

2011-09-17T15:06:00.003+02:00

Click the link below for my recent TV slot with ITV West on the Wild Boar culling issue.
As part of a group I am petitioning DEFRA for seasonal protection for this animal. The majority of "my" filming was cut from the final piece as the Forestry Commission took over to try and justify the reasons for culling 12 months of the year.
As this piece was very biased, I will be filming myself to elaborate and put right the many errors and misguided comments from Ian Harvey.
This is not going away and there will be more. I have never been more determined about anything in my life and I will fight this until the end.

Watch this space.

Click Here for Film

Rob

Ward's Wildlife - Volunteer for a Better Future!

2011-09-15T15:01:00.002+02:00

Follow the link below for my latest column for Ward's Wildlife; "Volunteer for a better future."

Click Here

Rob

Wild Boar Update

2011-09-12T14:18:00.004+02:00

I have just finished filming for ITV West; to be aired later this week after they have interviewed the Forestry Commission. The filming was to promote the need for seasonal protection for the boars. See reasons below and support us by signing the petition and joining our site. Thanks!
__________________________________

We have been living alongside wild boar in the Forest of Dean for the last seven years. During this time we have slowly seen and heard the scare tactics used by certain people, to gain support and justify the culling of this animal.
I don't know why these people feel they need to justify their actions as I, as an individual fully support the management of the wild boars, as I do with the deer. However, what I do not support is the culling of this animal all year round. The wild boars have an annual rut, which takes place near the end of November and after mating, the Wild boar sows have a gestation period of four months where she will not breed again.
All depending on the age and experience of the sow, she will usually give birth to between two and eight hoglets. These hoglets are dependant on the sows milk for three months and during this time the sow will not let "any" sexually mature male boars near her or her hoglets.
There has always been speculation that wild boars will breed all year round. This speculation is giving out false facts and making people think that as soon as they give birth, they breed again. I would like to point out to the powers to be, which think this is possible.... There are only 12 months in a year and for a wild boar to have two litters per year, there would need to be 14 months in a year!?!

The problem is that a lot of the studying and "so called" facts are coming from domesticated farmed animals, which have a food source supplied to them all year round. These are not wild animals like the boars we have living free in the forest, that have to rely on finding their own food.
One main concern is that the over culling of this animal will disrupt their normal breeding pattern. E.g. If a sows hoglets are taken out, natural instinct will tell the sow to breed again and the males will automatically oblige. This then puts an awful amount of stress on the sow as she has already endured four months of pregnancy and given birth.
This could lower her immune system and leave her susceptible to disease!

Now we must look at it from the hoglets point of view. If a sow, which has dependant young is taken out, the dependant hoglets will slowly perish without the support and nutrients they rely on from their mum.
If they are old enough to survive, they will have no experience, which would have been passed down from the sow. They will be living on their natural instincts, but this will not be enough for them in a world, which has changed since they last walked free here.
These orphaned hoglets will undoubtedly end up as either road kill, or as an easy target for the cull. Either way, this is not acceptable as a "correct management plan" exists to "manage" the population, not to shoot on sight as this is just glorified hunting.
The Forestry Commission recently estimated their to be between 200 and 350 wild boar in the Forest of Dean. That is one hell of a margin and this just proves that they have no idea "like everyone else" how many are actually here!
As already mentioned, I support the management of this animal, but only if it is done correctly and at present they are shooting on sight, an animal which they obviously know very little about.
If anyone from the Forestry Commission is reading this, let me share my one true reason with you as to why I am against your wild boar policy at present.

Firstly, you throw the scare tactics around like there is no tomorrow and you try and intimidate people to shut them up. The wild boar is a living creature that deserves and requires seasonal protection. If you can't control them with a closed season in place, I would just like to ask you where all the revenue is going from this once absent creature. You have killed way over 150 animals so far this year, so surely this has generated a substantial amount?
Why can't you have a "dedicated" team to manage them. I am sure the revenue generated would easily pay for the extra costs and with a closed season in place they will not be required on a full time basis all year round.
You have had 7 years to learn and manage these animals, yet in these 7 years it seems that you still know very little about them. Or is that you only print certain aspects from fear of being labeled as cruel? 7 years on and you still aren't putting the wild boars welfare first. They didn't ask to be here. It isn't their fault!
Only the other day, someone came up to me and said that if they were removed immediately when they were released, there wouldn't be a problem today.
You left them out there to breed, knowing what would happen and 7 years later you are still making excuses.

Like I said, these are living animals, which have dependant young. They are tight family units with strong bonds and "deserve" to be treated right!
I love all wildlife and as you know I work extremely hard with our native snakes each year. I never do anything for finantial gain as you also know and the wild boar mean no more or no less to me than any other living creature in the forest.
I will support you all they way, as long as they are being managed right and you put their welfare first.

Join our site... Friends of the Boar

Sign Petition here... Petition

Rob

Snake found in Bedroom!

2011-09-08T14:16:00.002+02:00

A Cheltenham resident has found a snake in his bedroom! A releaaed or escaped pet? No, an adder, Britain's only venomous snake.

Think I'm joking? Click here for the article

Rob

Recent Article

2011-09-07T15:23:00.003+02:00

Firstly I need to put a few things straight regarding this recent article.

1. I did not set up the petition; Paul Adkins did - Petition

2. I did not accuse the FC of killing lactating sows, as the article implies.

3. Severely misquoted and my children could have put together a better piece.

It is obvious that whoever wrote this just jumbled sentences together from fragments of information, to try and make a story.

TO THE EDITOR:- Try getting off your ass and doing a bit of journalistic work; you may find that you actually get the facts right, don't misquote people and provoke more interest.

Article Here

Rob

Closed Season - Petition, please sign!

2011-08-31T14:49:00.003+02:00

Although I agree that the wild boars require management and I fully support this. I am against the culling of this animal all year round.
Wild boar sows usually have between 1 and 8 dependant young in the wild and these piglets rely on their mums milk for the first 3 months of their life.
For this reason alone, these magnificent animals deserve the luxury of a closed season. Something, which is already in place for our deer throughout the country' that also have dependant young.

This is not a dig at anyone, its just time that everyone saw these animals for what they really are. Wild, living creatures.

Please sign the petition below. You don't have to leave a comment, just your signature and it only takes 1 minuet. Thanks!

Sign petition Here

Rob

Mutilated Fox!

2011-08-23T12:05:00.004+02:00

"IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED AND DON'T LIKE LOOKING AT DEAD ANIMALS, PLEASE DO NOT VIEW THE IMAGES BELOW!"

Hopefully someone can help me with what I found the other day. I came across a dead fox in a layby. I have seen many dead foxes and this didn't shock me, but I have never seen one, which had had its tail brush and ears removed.
The fox had been neatly scalped with a sharp knife, removing both ears completely along with a large part of the scalp and the tail brush was removed at the base, leaving the fully intact tail bone. Indicating that this was not done by an animal.

Here are the pics. It was dark so excuse the quality.

"Again - if you are easily offended, please do not scroll down."

If anyone has seen this before or knows why someone has done this, please let me know thanks.
I suspect this is someone who thinks they can use the ears and tail as a trophy of some kind, but that is just a guess.

Rob

The Deer and the Butterfly

2011-08-19T14:52:00.006+02:00

The colours are still awesome out there at the moment, with greens and yellows everywhere. It wont be long before the greens turn a golden brown as the autumn sets in and the yellows disappear though. So I made the most of it!

I asked this fallow doe if she had seen any wild boars on her travels and she said "they went thatta way!"

A little further on and I came across another doe with her fawn. I asked them the same question and they said....

I think they went in there?

I must be losing it!

I didn't find any wild boars, but I did come across a Speckled Wood butterfly resting on some yellow flowers. I think its a female and she has obviously come a cropper with a bird, which has taken part of her wing.

Rob

Open Season!

2011-08-10T13:04:00.003+02:00

Below you will find a link to my latest newspaper column. It focuses on the wild boar once again and I hope you will find the time to share your views and comment. Just open the link and search for the feature "Open Season". You will also see a link for 2020 Vision, this will become relevent when you start reading.

I have also pasted the unedited text below the links.

Open Season

2020 Vision 2020Vision will be featured on BBC Countryfile on Sunday 14th August.
Countryfile
________________________________________________

Open Season

The Wild Boars will always be a hot topic while they are here in the Forest of Dean and this is why I need to highlight them again.
Whether you love them or hate them, they are living creatures and nobody with a heart would want to see an animal suffer, but that is exactly what is happening in our wonderful forest.
During the early part of 2011 I worked very hard with a friend; world famous wildlife photographer and conservationist Andy Rouse and together, deep in the forest we tracked and monitored a sounder of wild boars for the most ambitious conservation visual media initiative ever staged in Britain. This initiative is called 2020 Vision and all details of this project can be found online.
After finding the boars the next stage was for Andy to photograph them in the wild, in their natural habitat.
All was going well and it was great to see eight young piglets emerge with their proud mum in early March. However, on 31st March while out checking on them I found all eight piglets wandering, or rather running around the forest alone! Alarm bells started to ring right away as I have never seen a sow leave her piglets on their own in the past and as they were still on their own 4 hours later, I knew that the sow had to be dead.
I photographed this sounder the previous week and the sow was healthy, indicating that she had not succumbed to an illness or disease. Poachers may have taken her, but as the location was deep in the forest I am not so sure.
I had to tell Andy that day and it was then that I realised how close he had become to this sounder. He was emotionally gutted and for the “first time in my LIFE”, I felt ashamed of the way our wildlife was being treated in the Forest of Dean.
At present there is no closed season on the culling of wild boars and in my personal opinion, this is morally wrong as the piglets are dependant on their mum’s milk for around 3 months.
Other feeding sows have been known to take over feeding responsibilities if another sow, which has dependant piglets, dies, but this did not happen with the little ones we were monitoring and slowly they disappeared.
Basically when these little ones lost their mum it was no different to a human mother taking away her baby’s milk within the first month of its life!
Whoever took out this sow is aware of what they did and they also understood the implications of what will have happened to the piglets. In short they were doomed to suffer an agonising death from malnutrition and starvation. The welfare of the wild boars in the Forest of Dean needs to be addressed IMMEDIATELY.
Predominantly, the majority of wild boar births happen in the spring, so the implementation of a closed season would have to be from late February to early June or until the piglets have lost their dependency on their mum’s milk. However, the sows have a gestation period of approximately four months, so I feel the culling of pregnant sows is also morally wrong.
I understand that the wild boar has no natural predators in the UK today and like our deer they require management, but what if there were little deer fawns running around out there, left on their own to die? Would that be acceptable, would it? I think not and as the wild boars are tight family units with strong bonds, they deserve to be treated in the same way as our deer, which have the luxury of a closed season!
To date (7 years) no human has been attacked by a wild boar in the UK and this is something that needs to be realised by the powers to be, which are calling for their eradication.
Not the best start for the Forest of Dean’s involvement in Britain’s most ambitious conservation project!

Rob

Asda Response

2011-08-04T14:01:00.003+02:00

Thanks for your comments below on the bTB issue. I contacted Asda's CEO and this was their reply.

Dear Robin

Thanks for taking the time to contact Andy Clarke about the proposed badger cull. As part of Andy's Executive Relations Team, I'm available to respond to customer's on his behalf.

Please be assured, Asda are not in favour of the government plans to address bovine TB, contrary to the rumours circulating on the internet.

We're aware of the debate and acknowledge the genuinely held beliefs on both sides of the argument. However, we have never taken a view on this, and we can't see this changing in the future.

Thanks again for contacting us, if there is anything else I can help with, please let me know.

Kind regards

Roselyn Walker
Executive Relations Team

Asda Support Badger Cull!

2011-08-02T13:28:00.003+02:00

The ignorance from this man is astounding and it is blatantly obvious that he is acting on commands passed down to him from senior management. It is also obvious that he has no understanding of bTB in the UK today.
What makes it even more absurd is that this statement has been issued before an accurate public response to the badger cull has been announced.
This could and probably will backfire on Asda, but one thing is for sure - they will carry the label as a supermarket that holds its profits in higher regard, than our wildlife!

A Email below from Adam Bagnall, ASDA Service Team.

Thank you for taking the time to email Asda about dairy UK Position on Bovine TB July 2011.

Healthy dairy cows and a healthy badger population is the goal in seeking to eradicate bovine TB through the implementation of a carefully managed science-led programme of badger control.

Bovine TB is one of the most serious problems facing the dairy industry at present. It continues to spread throughout England and Wales, resulting in the slaughter of tens of thousands of dairy cows every year and inflicting severe damage on the financial and emotional well-being of many hundreds of dairy farmers and the rural communities they are part of.

Urgent and effective action needs to be taken to address this disease, which impacts on the health and welfare of wild and farmed animals alike. As such we fully support the Government's decision to implement a science based approach to tackling Bovine TB.

Thank you once again for taking the time to email Asda and If there is anything else I can help you with, please let me know.

Kind regards

Adam Bagnall
ASDA Service Team

Not a Boaring Encounter!

2011-07-29T10:37:00.012+02:00

If you walk in their garden they will charge, attack and kill you.

Sadly this is the perception some people have where the wild boars are concerned, in the Forest of Dean. I suppose this is to be expected as the wild boars are controversial animals and why should they be treated any differently than the other controversial animals found all over the world?

It is encounters with these animals like the one I had yesterday morning, which show them as they really are. Not stampeding killing machines, but as tight family units that have a strong bond and will avoid conflict if given the choice.
____________________

The Encounter!

After failing to find the wild boars on Sunday 24 July, I had time to pop out and try again yesterday morning. The conditions were not good for photography, but I was more interested in finding them, than photographing them.
I walked to an area where I have seen then in the past and found some fresh signs that they had been in the area recently. I tracked them from these signs and within 5 minuets I was sat behind a tree with 7 piglets running around in front of me.
Judging by the size of them, they were probably 3 months old and dependant. This was good news as the sow was nowhere to be seen - probably shot like many other sows throughout the forest!

I watched as they foraged the forest floor, searching for roots and bugs.

Then one spotted me!

I stayed perfectly still like I had with the fox on Sunday, but these little ones were not foolish and disappeared into some high and very dense bracken.

I stood on the outside of the bracken for around 5 minuets. I could hear them and see the bracken swaying as they were rooting around within.
I decided to go in and try to find them!
Knowing the sow was not present, I presumed that all was well and that there was no chance of me startling her.
I crept in and came across a clearing, approximately 3 metres across. I could see the bracken swaying, so I knew the piglets were just in front of me. The wind was in my face, so they would not pick up on my scent. They didn't know I was there and it was just a case of being patient, waiting for one to pop out.

Then all of a sudden the bracken started moving like T-Rex was coming through and before I could think "sow" she was there, staring at me!
I was on my knees and had a mixture of adrenalin, excitement and fear pumping through my veins as I looked back at her. As I was on my knees she was around the same height as me, which made me feel vulnerable as I took this photograph.

I held my nerve and ground as she watched me through the bracken and this is when I heard a noise behind me that sent a shiver down my spine. Some piglets had moved around and were behind me and I was now directly between a protective sow and her little ones. This is something I try very hard to avoid as if the sow perceived me as a threat, then the most direct path back to her little ones would be through and probably over me!
Before I could do anything she started moving around me "to my relief" and walked up a slight mound, behind some trees.

The piglets were still in the bracken with me as she circled above, checking me out further. She walked back down the mound and stood there on the edge of the forest, just staring at me.

With a single short grunt, I heard the piglets run towards her and thought she was going to leave the area.
However, she disappeared back into the bracken, heading in my direction! I quickly thought that perhaps I had overstayed my welcome and that I had pushed my luck too far this time, but it was completely the opposite. She just stood in the bracken watching me.

I stayed put for around 10 minuets with the sow and piglets foraging all around me, but I felt that it was time to leave as I couldn't get any clear shots and had quite enough adrenaline in my veins to last quite some time!

Once again another encounter, which blows the scare stories out of the water. I know this animal can be dangerous given the right "or wrong" circumstances, but if you respect them and learn how to behave and react around them, it is one of the most enjoyable and memorable encounters you will ever have with wildlife in the UK.

Rob

The Fox!

2011-07-26T13:03:00.010+02:00

It was a fantastic day on Sunday 24th July, so I ventured out to find the elusive wild boar.
Even though I had been walking for two hours and covered a lot of ground, I hadn't seen anything, which was not good.
I came across an area with very good, far reaching views in all directions and decided to see if the wildlife would come to me instead.
I found a nice tree to rest against and sat down with my back against it. This is when I tune into my surroundings - I hear more and usually see more like this as the slightest sounds can be picked up. I didn't hear the fox, but saw him from a distance as he made his way up the grassy verge towards me.

I was sure that he had spotted me when he walked into the verge and thought that was it, but I stayed put, hoping that he hadn't. I was right as he walked back out even closer!

Closer still and this time I thought he was definitely history as he was looking straight at me, but I stayed perfectly still as he carried on sniffing the air and the ground. He was quite close now!

I was resting my elbows on my knees while holding my camera, with my eyes and face covered. I was starting to wonder how close he would come!

I watched as he scanned around for any possible threats. Then he would walk a little closer and scent mark the area, not knowing that I was no more than 8 metres in front of him!

Then he saw me and was off like a rocket!

He didn't go far though and stopped to try and make out what I was. This is when I captured this image.

So, no boars, but one truly awesome encounter with a red fox. Well worth the effort!

Rob

Before the Rain!

2011-07-09T19:11:00.002+02:00

Not very good weather for photography today as its raining hard and very grey, but I did manage to grab a few macro's before the bad weather set in!
Not my best by far, but the colours make up for the poor composition.

A Morning in the Forest!

2011-07-02T12:11:00.005+02:00

A good morning out in the forest yesterday. Covered a lot of ground and the warm weather was just perfect.

I need a bit of help identifying these two butterflies. I think they are meadow brown's, but am not certain!
I was hand holding with my big lens attached, so shots are not sharp and couldn't get the best angle, but good enough for an id. Thanks.

A female broad bodied chaser. Again it was hard to get her whole body and head in shot, due to where she was resting.

I'm pretty sure this is a male tufted duck - or maybe a Goldeneye?

This is a mandarin duck. Only a few weeks old and having a scratch!

And finally, a juvenile female adder.

To see more adder and grass snake pics, facts and encounters, please visit and follow my dedicated "Snakes in the Forest of Dean" blog, by clicking the link below. Thanks.

Snake Blog Here

Rob

Have you Heard Anything? Please Come Forward!

2011-06-27T14:37:00.003+02:00

Just to highlight this again "and again" ask for people to come forward with information regarding the shooting of an eagle owl in February 2011.
This crime was recently reconstructed for BBC Crimewatch.

My original post below with contact details....

A rare (to Britain) eagle owl was recently shot near Coleford in the Forest of Dean. If anyone reading this has any information regarding this shooting please use the contact information below, or email me directly.
All information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Simon Clemett PS1256, Forest North Safer Community Team, Gloucestershire Constabulary.
Contact Simon by calling 0845 0901234 and quoting Incident 447 of 25/2/11.

Look out for Bambi!

2011-06-11T14:14:00.005+02:00

Our roe and fallow deer have given birth to their fawns, so please be aware of this if walking your dog off lead in the forest.
The doe will leave her fawn in the grass, sometimes near the edge of a track while she wanders off in search of food. This is not neglect and the fawn has not been abandoned as the doe needs to feed to keep her strength up and to produce milk for her suckling fawn.
Fallow deer have one fawn after a gestation period of nearly nine months, whereas roe deer have between one and three fawns after a gestation period of ten months. The mortality rate for roe deer fawns is much higher than fallow deer fawns and one reason is due to their weight and size at birth.
A roe fawn can weigh as little as 1.5kg, whereas a fallow fawn weighs between 4 - 5kg.

If you come across one, please don't disturb it or stay around it for too long as the doe will be anxiously watching from a distance and it will also be very stressful for the fawn. Thanks.

Deer in the Forest of Dean...

Roe Deer - Buck

Roe Deer - Doe

Fallow Deer - Buck

Fallow Deer - Doe

Fallow Deer - Doe & Fawn

Melanistic Fallow Fawn

Rob

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 - To Be Scrapped!

2011-04-29T14:14:00.002+02:00

If you care for our Wildlife, Countryside and environment then I implore you to sign the petition to help stop "our Government" from scrapping The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Its hard to believe that once again "our Government" is trying to take steps to damage our fragile environment. I can't imagine living in a civilised Country, which has no protection for its wildlife. This Act is the highest form of protection our wildlife has and by removing it, it will open the door to death and destruction!

For instance, we have wildlife in decline throughout the country, like the dormouse, water vole, great crested newt and the adder, to name just a few. We / they need this Act for their ongoing protection and also for the thousands of people who spend countless hours and work very hard protecting and creating endangered habitats.
Have they lost sight of what really matters? Do they not care that one day we will all be living in concrete jungles, choking on the smog filled environment we have created? It is time once again to open their eyes and show them that we do care and we will not bow down to their idiotic idealists!

They tried to sell off our forests and failed due to public condemnation and we should feel proud that we stopped them in their tracks (for now). But once again, I ask you all to stand up and be counted as this issue is just as serious.

Please click the link below and sign the petition.

38degrees

Also, send a email to your local MP, asking him to clarify what proposals have been made and that you are strongly against them.

Write to Them

Thanks for your support!

Rob

The Sun Brings Them Out!

2011-04-25T19:35:00.003+02:00

Its been a scorcher over the Bank Holiday so I got out there and covered a lot of ground. Too hot and too busy for the majority of our wildlife and by going deeper into the forest to find them would have just invaded their safe space!
I spent a lot of time searching new areas for the adder and grass snake (to see dedicated blog) Click Here

I found a couple of blue flowers, don't know what they were so I thought I had better take a snap in case they were rare! :-)

Than I found this fella sitting on a stinging nettle leaf!

And this lady - I followed her up the blade of grass and waited patiently for the right moment!

I know they are invasive, destructive and the reason why our native red squirrel is absent from many parts of the UK, but they are cute when they are babies!

Rob

The Encounter!

2011-04-14T15:03:00.005+02:00

I spotted a piglet dart onto the track and then back into the verge while I was out searching for wild boar. Then I saw the sow with around 8 piglets in total! I hit the deck and crawled on my belly through mud and brambles until I was approx 20 metres away. This is when the sow walked out onto the path!

She spotted me and proceeded to stalk me from the other side of the path! As I was lying down with my camera rammed into my face, she could not make out what I was and this enticed her to come closer and closer!

She was approximately 3 metres away when she suddenly realised what I was and stopped dead in her tracks. She watched me for a few moments and then as if she had suddenly realised she had piglets nearby - took off!
She ran straight back to her little ones, but stayed in the area, not bothered by my presence.

I carried on crawling on my belly until I got to within a few metres of them, but struggled to get a clear shot of the piglets.
I decided to go back to the area a couple of days later and as luck would have it, they were virtually in the same spot and this time I managed to get a piglet, nearly in the open!

On my way home I decided to stop off and take a look around another hot spot. No wild boar, but I did bump into this fine lady. A roe deer!

And finally, a greylag goose enjoying the sun on a local lake. (I was lying in the mud again!)

Snakes, Birds, Toads and Boar!

2011-03-25T13:42:00.005+01:00

Been a hectic few weeks, but I have managed to get out now and then with the camera! Here are a few pics from my time in the Forest of Dean over the last month.

This is a grey heron and it was by far one of the largest I have ever seen, with a wingspan of at least 6 feet!

Toads everywhere and I was spoilt for choice, although I did have to lye in the mud for this shot!

My first adder shot of 2011. A male, which proved very tricky to get close too!

And finally a wild boar sow, complete with piglets!

I spotted their movement from a distance and then proceeded to "try" and get close, using the trees as cover. There were lots of brambles etc all around, which pushed me to get even closer for a clearer shot, bad idea and I should have known better.
Suddenly one of the piglets spotted me and bolted straight back to mum, which left me looking like an idiot for pushing my luck! They disappeared over a small hill, so I quietly crept up and as I approached the top, the sound was like a thousand squirrels jumping around in the leaf litter.
As I peered over the top I could see the piglets rooting around, so I brought the camera up to my eye. This is when I heard it! A grunt from the sow - she was to my right with her head bowed, staring straight at me, no more than 6 metres away!
As I was lying on the ground, I thought to myself "I now look smaller than her and she is probably deciding what action to take against me", so I quickly got up to the crouched position. This was not a deterrent as she then ran about 3 metres towards me and stopped. The piglets soon joined her and this is when I got this photograph.
I tried to move to get the branch out of the frame, but as I did she legged it with piglets closely behind.
I did find them again, but it was obvious that my presence was causing her stress and concern, so I took a few pics and left them to forage in peace.

Rob

Eagle Owl Shot - Information Requested

2011-03-08T10:56:00.003+01:00

A rare (to Britain) eagle owl was recently shot near Coleford in the Forest of Dean. If anyone reading this has any information regarding this shooting please use the contact information below, or email me directly.
All information will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Simon Clemett PS1256, Forest North Safer Community Team, Gloucestershire Constabulary.
Contact Simon by calling 0845 0901234 and quoting Incident 447 of 25/2/11.

Eagle Owl Shot in the Forest of Dean!

2011-03-03T13:10:00.004+01:00

They might be a native species, but the eagle owl (pictured below) is a rare sight in the UK today. Persecution saw the demise of this bird many years ago, but over the past decade they have started to repopulate areas of the UK, to the dismay of many people and they are once again being targeted!
For over a year, a tame (escaped) eagle owl had been living happily in the Forest of Dean. However, a few days ago he went missing after a local resident heard gunfire and for a few days of not seeing him, they feared the worst!
Luckily a local workman found the owl in the middle of a road on his way to work and managed to catch him by throwing his coat over him. He was taken to a vet where it was discovered that he "had" been shot, through the wing!
He is now being rehabilitated at the International Centre for Birds of Prey and as I know this centre and the owner well, I know he will be looked after well. I just hope he is still able to fly after the wound has healed.

I have said this many times, but persecution is one of the biggest threats to our wildlife today and I for one am totally disgusted that anyone could, or would want to kill such a magnificent animal.
When first discovered over a year ago, this bird had jessies on his legs, which meant that he was once a captive bird. He was loved by the people of the local village and they were gutted when this atrocity happened.
If the person who shot this bird is reading this, I hope you are caught very soon and that you receive the maximum penalty available. Obviously education has not worked with you, so perhaps your punishment will serve as a reminder to others who persecute our wildlife that it is wrong and illegal.

The Eagle Owl

Rob

Safe at Last!

2011-02-22T13:25:00.004+01:00

Good news everyone - the UK Government has scrapped the idiotic plans to sell off the UK's woodlands!
People power has prevailed and we have shown that if enough of us stick together and say "NO", anything is possible.
There are people saying that the Government just backed down after they realised (themselves) that their plans were wrong and that they themselves were wrong for thinking that the "sell off" was a good idea, but what I can guarantee is that if the British public had not stood up and pressurised the Government, MP's and everyone else who supported this sell off - the sell off would have already started.

Hopefully they will now leave our forests alone and concentrate on the protection they require and deserve, for they are the life blood of everything living on this planet.
The destruction of forests throughout the world is a massive threat to life on this planet, but at least we can now carry on with our world wide campaigns to help halt the destruction and deforestation going on in many countries, without looking like hypocrites.

Long live our trees and all the wildlife they support!

Forest of Dean - December 2010

Hundreds of Fish Dead!

2011-01-19T14:15:00.004+01:00

Well the harsh winter has taken its toll in the Forest of Dean, as we have seen mass fish fatalities on a local fishing pond.
Temperatures dipped to -10 and below during December, which saw a thick layer of ice on all water areas in the forest. Then came the heavy snowfall, which covered the ice, blocking out the sunlight.
Rotting vegetation absorbs a lot of oxygen and with no sunlight the plant life and algae died. As a result, hundreds of fish have died!

So far and hopefully this is the only pond affected and as a precaution, tests are being carried out on the dead fish.

This pond is known for having a lot of plant life and weed, so this is probably the reason.

Rob

A Mixed Bag

2011-01-09T00:07:00.003+01:00

Gave the birds a feast earlier as we have some cold weather on the way. All the recent species, which were absent the last time I fed them turned up. All apart from the Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail and Tree Creeper.
The conditions were poor with a grey sky and not much light, but it was still good to get out and help them. Even a grey squirrel turned up!

Pied Wagtail

Dunnock

Cole Tit

Male Chaffinch

Grey Squirrel

Rob

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T14:23:00.002+01:00

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from the Forest of Dean!

2011 is going to bring some challenges where our wildlife and forests are concerned in the UK, but this doesn't mean we should stop fighting to protect every living thing out there. If anything, it will make me work harder to make sure they will always have a safe home and lead a free life.
It is power and greed, which wants to destroy our beautiful ancient forests, but as the majority, we can stop them!

Rob

Help the Birds this Winter!

2010-12-20T14:41:00.004+01:00

Did my duty and gave the birds a feast yesterday. One thing I did notice was the absence of quite a few different species from my usual feeding site.

No Bluetits
No Dunnocks
No Grey Wagtails
No Pied Wagtails
No Long Tailed Tits
No Great Spotted Woodpeckers
And only a couple of Great Tits and Chaffinches

There were plenty of robins, cole tits, nuthatches and blackbirds, but I was a bit concerned at the absence of the other birds as this area has "always" shown a great abundance of birds and a wide variety of different species.

Rob

The Forest of Dean is NOT FOR SALE!

2010-12-17T11:59:00.008+01:00

Living in the Forest of Dean my whole life has been incredible. My childhood memories of building tree camps and walking around the forest finding snakes, while learning about all our other wildlife could never be topped.
Every day I grow fonder of this place and could not imagine living anywhere else. Away from my family, the forest and wildlife is my passion, my reason for living.

I would like to ask everyone who is reading this to support the fight to save the Forest of Dean from being sold into private ownership.
The FoD is one of Britain's most ancient forests and because of its unique, ancient and varied habitats, it also supports wildlife, which is also unique.
Bircham Wood near Coleford in the Forest of Dean has already been sold. Hunting and harvesting rights were included in the sale and this is bad news for the forest and our wildlife!
Once the wildlife has been shot and the trees chopped down, we could see this beautiful part of the forest left as a baron wasteland, or even worse, developed for housing etc.
There is not one part of the forest, which is safe!

I can't and don't want to imagine what the FoD would look like without its forest, but one thing I do know.....

It would then be called just "The Dean!"

We are going to need more than just a giant if we are to stop these insane proposals, so please help us be showing your support, today!

SUPPORT US AND CONDEMN THE SELL OFF BY VISITING THE LINKS BELOW - THANKS!

HOOF on Facebook
HOOF

HOOF Official Website
HOOF

Forest of Dean on Wikipedia
FoD

Badger Cull!

2010-12-02T13:11:00.001+01:00

The Government is consulting until 8 December 2010 on a policy to control bovine TB (bTB) based on licensing the culling of badgers in specific areas in England. Gloucestershire is one of the counties where the incidence of bovine TB in cattle is particularly high.
Please help oppose the proposed badger cull.

CLICK HERE

Rob

NEW BLOG....!

2010-11-17T16:23:00.003+01:00

I have started a new blog, dedicated to one species that is and always will be close to my heart. The snake.
We have two snakes in the Forest of Dean and both are native. They are the grass snake (Natrix natrix) and the adder (Vipera berus).

The adder is Britain's only venomous snake and this, accompanied by all the scare stories that have been around since time began, has given the snake a bad reputation.
Some people fear them, some people even kill them on sight, but this is down to ignorance and a lack of education because no animal deserves to die just because the TV has told us that they can be dangerous!

I love the snake for its shy secret life, its stealth and above all its beauty!

I hope you like my blog and please recommend it to your friends. Thanks.

SNAKES IN THE FOREST OF DEAN

Rob

The Grass Snake

2010-10-31T19:01:00.005+01:00

The photographs below show a clutch of 18 hatched Grass Snake eggs, plus the skin from the female who layed them.
Going by the size of the skin she was a very big snake. I have sloughed skins from 120cm snakes and this skin was considerably bigger!

As the young snakes hatch, they use a small egg tooth to cut through the leathery egg casing. They lose this tooth not long after they have hatched.

Hole where young snake has broken through.

Close up of mature female skin. Top scales - Mid body section.

Eggs

Sloughed skin complete with eye scales.

Top scales.

Close up of belly scales.

Rob

Fallow Deer Rut - Ward's Wildlife

2010-10-23T13:41:00.004+02:00

Below is a link to my most recent wildlife column article, in colour with photographs. Page 33.
This will be available until 27/10/2010.
I have also pasted the text below if you want to read it after this date.

Ward's Wildlife

Forest Lords in Battle!

Standing at an impressive 200cm in full antler, the fallow buck is our largest mammal in the Forest of Dean and during the month of October, it is the best time to hear and witness the rut, where they battle each other for the right to mate!
They will parallel walk before engaging each other – This involves walking next to each other until one turns to face the other. When this happens, the other buck will quickly turn and with all their strength, they lock antlers.
It is then down to strength and stamina as they force each other backwards into submission.
However, strength and stamina is not the only way of winning a fight! A well placed antler or a slip from the other buck can cause serious injury and even death!
If you are out walking in the forest you may hear the bucks calling from their stands. A deer stand can be identified by the severe thrashing of the nearby trees and also bare ground where they have scraped away the grass. The stands are also the buck’s territorial markers and as they patrol their territory, they call from each stand to herd and protect they’re doe’s.
The doe’s give birth in June after a gestation period of nearly 8 months, so they don’t get much of a break!
This is a time of year, rain or shine when I love getting out there before sunrise. The call of a fallow buck sounds like a mixture of a lion’s roar and a loud belch. Walking into the dark forest with these noises all around can be a bit spooky, but I get a buzz from the anticipation of what I might capture!
Once in the middle of the forest, I find a good location with clear views all around, not forgetting to select a location with a good solid tree that I can rest against.
I quickly erect a makeshift hide from dead branches and cammo netting to conceal myself and sit perfectly still and quiet.
You can sit there for hours without a decent view of a single deer, but a lot of patience and persistence is required if you want to get a decent photograph without disturbing them.
You cannot predict where a fight will happen and even though I have been photographing the rut for many years now, I have not managed to get a decent photograph of one. Maybe this will be my year!

Please remember – our forest is home to our wildlife and as we are supposedly intelligent human beings, we must put all the wildlife first and not disturb it, especially when they are mating.

Note: Please take extra care when driving the forests roads. The deer are more active at this time of year, especially during the early morning and late evening when the light is poor.
Road conditions can make it harder to stop and there are too many incidents on our roads involving our wildlife.
Take it easy and look after yourself as well as our wildlife!

Rob

Urban Wildlife? - Forest of Dean

2010-10-14T14:51:00.005+02:00

Bit of a stink being kicked up in the local press (again) regarding the rootings and mess left behind from the boars, pictured below at an Industrial Estate in Cinderford.

So, a bit of grass has been turned over and then the screams start for the blood of the wild boar!

I was kneeling down in between these animals to get some of my pics and one even gave me a nudge to say get out of the way and off my worm.
1. If it isn't the Rooting its the....
2. "What if I were a child!"
3. Then we have the "I was charged for nearly a mile!" Yeah OK!
4. And not forgetting the "They are going to cause a serious accident on our roads!"

I haven't finished yet!

1. I will now ask everyone who reads this and drives around the forest over the next 4 months to look at the road verges for litter and rubbish, after the vegetation dies back.
Litter everywhere, fly tipped tyres etc, yet some are more concerned about some grass being turned over, which "will" grow back!
But then, the wild boar don't talk back and can't defend themselves, can they?

2. Scaremongering is and always will be the lowest form of persecution as it can turn a nation, even the majority of the worlds population against a species. We only have to look at the snake and shark to see what can happen!
It has always been present and always will be. There is an animal in our forest, which has the capability of killing a child within minuets and we take it there ourselves! Woof woof!

3. Wild boar can reach speeds of 20 mph, if not more in a very short distance. How fast can a average human run? If these were indeed charges with intent to attack like it has been claimed, then I'm afraid these people would not have outrun a wild boar. Now here we have a different type of pig - A Porkie, or maybe just a few that do not understand the wild boar, or wildlife in general!

4. We have always had free roaming sheep in the forest, some of which, during the winter months lick the salt from the middle of the road and don't even move when you blast your horn!
We have roe, fallow and muntjac deer all over the forest and these animals can be seen frequently on the road verges in the evening, early morning and through the night.
So, why is it acceptable to target and persecute the wild boar when they pose no more a threat than the sheep and the deer?

PS: And why do people keep referring to wildlife enthusiasts as animal lovers! Yes, I love all animals, but when someone uses this term as a means of trying to belittle their passion while slating wildlife, then it becomes offensive.
Unless there is someone who can stand up and say that they hate all animals and wildlife, then we are all animal lovers!

Slow Down for Wild Boar and Deer

2010-10-05T10:32:00.003+02:00

The leaves are changing colour, the fungi is looking magnificent, snakes are heading for hibernation and the fallow deer are rutting!
It may be cold and wet out there, but who can say this time of year is boring?

However, there a few things to be aware of! - During the months of October and November the fallow deer mate. This is called the rut and the bucks will patrol their territory, herding and protecting their doe's.
While walking you can hear them calling from their stands and if you are lucky, you can sometimes hear the clash of antlers as they engage in battle!

There has been some recent reports of dog and boar incidents in the forest and although none have been fatal, its still not nice to see a dog injured and the owners shook up.
The rut could be forcing the boars from the deeper parts, to the edges of the forest, and this is where they will come into contact with humans (and dogs) more frequently.
Please be alert at all times when walking in the forest and if you feel uneasy, keep your dog on a lead and close to you until you are in an area where you are sure you will not come across any boars.
Prevention is better than the cure!
Some boars get alarmed by the presence of dogs, especially if they have young nearby, and/or if the dog is barking. You can't stop your dog barking, but common sense "should" tell you to go another way if you spot them. Why take the risk?

Dogs should always be under control in our forest and only the other day, after someone told me that they were supposedly charged by a wild boar, I was faced with a comment from them saying "what if I was a child?"
My answer to this is simple - Forget the boars, I would be more concerned with all the dogs running around off lead. They pose a greater risk to children than any of our wildlife critters!

This time of year also poses a greater risk of collision with a deer (and now boar) while driving.
Poor light during the early morning and late evening is when you must be extra vigilant as both the boar and the deer move around considerably at this time.
Hitting one of these animals in your car, or on your motorbike can be devastating for all concerned!
The animal will almost certainly die, probably after a very long and excruciating time, but your car will also sustain untold damage and imagine a mature fallow deer buck smashing into your windscreen!
I don't have to explain what would happen if a motorcycle hit one of these animals...

There are too many incidents on our roads at this time of year, involving our wildlife, so please take it easy and look after yourself as well as our wildlife!

Rob

Base Camp Eden - The Adventure

2010-09-30T18:05:00.004+02:00

My article has now been published, so here is the link to my diary of our weekend at Base Camp Eden!
This on-line version will only be available for 1 week, so I have pasted the article below, in case you want to read it after it expires.

The article is on page 32.

I have also included a link for the Eden Website...

Base Camp Eden - Newspaper article

Eden Inspires

Here is my article, now read it, be inspired and tune into Eden!

Base Camp Eden - Forest of Dean 2010

Day1.
It was midday when we arrived at the first ever Base Camp Eden, the journey was painstakingly long from Cinderford, but it was worth it as we pulled into Beanhill Farm at Alvington.
We were the first family to arrive and were greeted by at least 6 organisers and of course the film crew. I could see Ben Fogle standing outside the large tent and he looked down and nodded. It was very surreal, knowing that we would be spending the next two days with Ben and a film crew in the place, which we call home.
My two daughters Alice 15, Louise 12 and my wife Nicky were a little camera shy at first, but we all soon learnt to ignore them and to just have fun.
After the other families arrived, Ben introduced us all to Base Camp and what we could expect over the next two days. We were then ushered into the large tent where we had lunch. Everything was relaxed and perfect, right down to the smallest detail.
We set off for New Fancy for some falconry, put on by the International Centre for Birds of Prey at Newent, before heading off to Puzzle Wood!
I had no idea who had been lined up as our guides and it was another surreal moment to find that a friend (Pete Ralph) was giving the tour around Puzzle Wood.
Pete's knowledge of the Forest of Dean is overwhelming and it made the tour very special.
Piling back into our convoy on Land Rovers, we headed back to Base Camp.
There was a banquet for dinner, with a whole spit-roasted pig (not wild boar!), a huge fish pie and all the vegetables you could eat!
As we sat down I left a small space to my left. As soon as Ben walked in, I made the space slightly bigger and he picked it! I can tell ya, eating some carrots while listening to Ben Fogle recite the time when he rowed the Atlantic is something you gotta try!
That was not all the reciting he did! After dinner we walked out to a massive camp fire with Ash tree stumps to sit on. Ben recited his whole life and I mean his whole life! A lot of people took an awful amount of inspiration from Ben that evening, including me. He is a genuine nice guy who is approachable and Saturday evening was the highlight of the trip for me.
After questions we had a treat! Chocolate covered scorpions, ants and mealworms! The scorpions tasted like chocolate peanuts, but the ants were a bit tangy!!!
It was a 06.30am wake up call, so we then headed for bed. They had erected some Mongolian Yurts for us to sleep in and they were absolutely fantastic. As a family we have always been keen campers, but after sleeping in a Yurt, none of us will ever look on a tent in the same way again!

Day2.
Full English breakfast at 07.30am, then off for Bush Craft in the forest with a local man called Alan Cree. I have lived in the forest all my life and thought I was good at building hides for wildlife photography, but Alan taught us all how to build the perfect shelter, how to light fires without matches and how to survive if you have no food and water.
It was a pleasure to meet and learn from this extraordinary gentleman and if there is anyone who would like to learn survival skills, I would recommend him to everyone.
We then headed to Symonds Yat Viewpoint where a very extravagant packed lunch was waiting! We strolled up to the viewpoint where we were greeted by Forestry Commission Ranger, Neil Sollis and his wife. They were to be our guides for the rest of the day.
Sadly this is where Ben had to say goodbye, so I quickly took the opportunity to get a "few more snaps" of him with my daughters before we headed off to Symonds Yat East for some canoeing!
After a quick lesson of how not to capsize, we headed off towards the rapids! This was one amazing experience and I was lucky that along with my eldest daughter Alice, we were the second to venture down the rapids and luckily we made it down without capsizing!
With a better view from the bottom we were watching everyone else come through. My wife Nicky with my youngest daughter Louise did a pirouette half way down and I thought they were gonners, but somehow they managed to stay dry"ish". Then all of a sudden we saw the person on the front of one boat fly out and go head first into the river. Then the person on the back flew over the side! I promised I wouldn't say anything, but I must say Neil, you are quite a good swimmer!
We were now all cold and wet, but it made the walk back to the canoe centre even more enjoyable as Neil talked about the forest and the wildlife.

After TV interviews, we headed back to Base Camp Eden for the last time, collected our gear and then set off on our long excruciating journey back to Cinderford.
If I had been given the choice of where the first ever Base Camp Eden was to be held, I would have chosen the Forest of Dean. This place is just amazing, from the nature to the wildlife, we have it all here, right on our doorstep and I can't wait to get back out there!

Rob

Base Camp Eden 2010 - With Ben Fogle!

2010-09-29T13:18:00.005+02:00

What a weekend we have had! After winning a photo/conservation competition, my family and I spent the whole weekend with Ben Fogle and a film crew, filming the first ever Base Camp Eden!
The setting was the Royal Forest of Dean, where I live and even though we know the forest like the back of our hands, it did not take away any of the excitement and the weekend will be one, which we will all remember for the rest of our lives.

I have already written a full page article for my Wildlife and Nature Column that will be coming out later today. I will upload this feature tomorrow to give you an insight into what we all got up to on this amazing weekend.

Ben Fogle is one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet and I thank him and everyone else behind the scenes for everything they did, to make this adventure very special.

Credit....
TV presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle hosted the first Base Camp Eden in the Forest of Dean this weekend. For more information visit exploreeden.co.uk

Eden Website

Some pics from the weekend!

Rob

Peregrine Falcon Poisoned - Forest of Dean

2010-09-19T20:59:00.003+02:00

The results from tests on a dead peregrine falcon, found in June this year have revealed that it had been poisoned.
It is rare that I get upset to the extent that people make me swear, but these people are Assholes!

Click below for full story.

CLICK HERE

Wet, but Wonderful

2010-09-16T14:35:00.003+02:00

Here is a link to my latest wildlife column - "Wet, but Wonderful".

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

If you have trouble with this link here it is in print.....

Wet, but Wonderful!

Well, it’s that time of year again! The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are starting to drop.
It may be miserable and cold out there, but there is a surprising amount of activity going on where our wildlife is concerned. Fallow deer are gathering for the rut, which commences in late September, our reptiles are preparing for hibernation and the lesser horseshoe bats are preparing to mate in the autumn.
There is always something going on in the forest and the fallow deer rut is a great opportunity to get some awe-inspiring views of this beautiful mammal. I will cover this and show some of my unique photographs in October, when the rut is in full swing.
I survey the Dean for the adder and grass snake every year, and this is a time when I feel slightly sad that I will not be seeing them for another 5 months.
I understand that some people have phobias and that some believe the scare stories regarding snakes, but I have helped certain people overcome their fears.
I am not an adrenaline junkie and I always put the wildlife first, but to be inches away from our only venomous snake, without being in any danger is a massive buzz and it is one species I will always have a massive passion for.
On one occasion, I found a 15cm juvenile adder (pictured) that was tucked under a small leaf. She was very hard to spot, but with her eye in the shade of the leaf so her vision was not impaired from the bright sunlight, she could see me just fine!
I started to photograph and film her when I heard a noise next to my right ear. I turned my head slowly and saw a mature male adder looking me right in the eye!
He was approx 60cm away, so I had no choice but to keep my eye on him in case he decided to come closer.
I have worked with these snakes long enough to read their body language and this male was either just being inquisitive or I was lying on his favourite basking spot!
I turned towards him with the video camera and started filming him as he slowly moved away. A couple more snaps of the juvenile and I moved away to let them bask in peace.
I would never advise “anyone” to try and get this close to the adder for it is venomous and an allergic reaction to its venom can be very serious. The problem is that you will not know if you are allergic to the venom until you “are” bitten!

My Reply

2010-08-21T11:51:00.004+02:00

Again, a few comments regarding the wild boars, so I have decided to reply with another post as my comments were rather long.

They have been cage trapping them Adrian as well as shooting them, but it is not proving effective enough. They say they need more people on the ground.
What I am worried about is that they may hire hunters to help and this could be bad news as we could then start seeing orphaned hoglets.
If a feeding sow is killed and there are no other feeding sows in the sounder, the little ones will starve to death as they are dependant on their mums milk for up to 4mths.
And I expect this news has already spread, so the poachers will be out in force. Again shooting anything that moves, regardless of whether it is feeding young or no.

Wolves: Hah, I would love to hear the cries then. The people around here would probably make up a new nursery rhyme about how you will be eaten if you venture into the woods!
Seriously though, the Forest of Dean is not big enough (42 square miles) to re-introduce wolves.
After the boars have eaten a few thousand people, then the time will be right to introduce them!

Close the area to people who don't like wildlife: Now that's the best answer I have heard in a very long time. You know, there are dozens of other places around here where the wildlife haters can walk their dogs, without seeing anything larger than a rabbit, but they won't, why? They are not prepared to change their routine or their habits for the sake of our wildlife.
I know quite a few people who walk their dogs in the forest. Some of them hate the boars, yet still let their dogs run around off-lead. Others love seeing them, but keep their dogs on a retractable lead so they can easily pull them back.
Can you see a trend here? I call it respect and without it there will always be problems for some.

The recent death of the greyhound was sad, but this type of dog likes to chase things and should not be off the lead where wildlife is. Whether it slipped the lead or no, this dog was out of control – either that or the owner didn’t bother calling it back.
It's OK for a dog to chase and sometimes injure wildlife, but when wildlife chases and injures a dog, the owner kicks up holy hell!

Rob

Wild Boar Cull

2010-08-20T15:18:00.002+02:00

The Forestry Commission has issued a press release today. They are apparently struggling to keep the boar numbers down to their agreed level.

Just a thought, but the Commission (Kevin Stannard?) has estimated that the boar’s numbers need to be reduced from 300 to 90. Surely the revenue made from the culling of 210 wild boars would pay for extra manpower, which is being blamed for them falling short of their targets.
Do you think this cull is too high, or do their numbers need to be kept this low for safety and management purposes?
Your comments will be appreciated.

Click HERE for article.

Rob

Wildlife Management

2010-08-18T19:06:00.003+02:00

You will find a link below to my latest wildlife column. This colour on-line edition will only be available for one week, so I have copied the text below also.

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=f09ENo162Bi1&PBID=dc43da64-0fec-4776-a517-22780c4ae1fd&skip=

Wildlife Management

The vast majority of our wildlife is capable of sustaining and managing itself. However, we now live in a world where deforestation and loss of habitat is making life very hard for a great number of our wildlife species.
Wildlife management takes many forms, but the one that has to be the most unpopular with animal lovers and with people who do not understand the importance of it has to be the culling of certain species.
Personally I don’t like this word as it gives the impression that an entire species is going to be wiped out. The term wildlife management instead of cull is more appropriate IMO.
Up until the 12th century, wolves roamed much of Britain without much of a threat from man and they helped with the natural process of predation. Edward the First ordered the extermination of the wolf in 1281 and by the late 16th to the early 17th century they were extinct from British soil. This may seem like a long time, but it has been reported that there were around 10,000 wolves in Britain at their peak and the mature breeding females from 10,000 wolves would have produced a lot of offspring every year!
The extinction of this animal in Britain left other animals like the deer with no natural predators. As a result, Scotland now has a problem with red deer and as the area is so vast, culling is proving inadequate. Talks are still continuing on the reintroduction of wolves to help with this problem.

In the Forest and Wye Valley, fallow and muntjac deer have one fawn per year, per doe whereas roe deer doe’s have two, usually of different sexes. The management of this species is easier when compared with a species that is capable of producing multiple offspring. Wild boar sows typically have between 3 and 8 young per sow, per year in the wild and although uncommon they can sometimes have two litters per year.
From these statistics alone, I don’t have to explain how this species could breed out of control if not managed.
I talked briefly about balance in my last article and this is a good example of how balance works, but also how it can be damaged. If we eradicate a predator, we must take over the management of the prey species or they will over populate and the consequences can be unimaginable. The species would become weak from lack of food and disease would then spread quickly throughout that species. In turn the disease could easily be transmitted to our other wildlife and even domestic animals.
No animal lover likes the thought of our wildlife being shot, but we must think logically and support the management of our wildlife.
One more thought. It is a long way off, but even if the wild boars become accepted in the Forest and Wye Valley, their numbers would still need to be controlled every year.

Rob

Perseids Meteor Shower

2010-08-15T13:23:00.003+02:00

On the 12th August, I photographed the Perseids meteor shower. This meteor shower happens once a year, but this was the first time I had a go at photographing it.
I pointed my camera in one area and left it there for over 3hrs, taking one photograph every 30 seconds.
There were big ones shooting by overhead, out of my cameras field of view, but I just left it pointing in the same place. I treated it like photographing wildlife, you can chase around trying to get the ultimate shot, when all you have to do is stay in one place and wait for it to come to you.

Photographed over the Forest of Dean at 23:49 on 12.08.2010.

Camera settings used....

Focal Length: 18mm
Manual Exposure
Manual Focus
Shutter Speed: 30 seconds
A/V: f/3.5
ISO: 1600
RAW

This is the typical faint streak we normally see. Small particles burning up through our atmosphere.

This was a biggy! When this meteor came burning through our atmosphere it lit up like a white fireball, which lasted around two seconds, hence the light generated.
My patience had paid off as it happened right where my camera was pointing. I have photographed lightning before and I felt the same feeling from this as I do when a big bolt of lightning explodes in front of my camera.
You can sit there all night and not capture this, so I was well chuffed.

Rob

Fallow Deer

2010-08-03T19:35:00.003+02:00

Here are a couple of fallow deer I bumped into earlier. It was raining, but that didn't seem to bother them and I was lucky that they were not bothered about my presence either!
None of the images have been cropped, but the light levels were low and I bumped the ISO up to 6400, hence a bit of noise!

Melanistic Fallow Doe - (Dama dama)

Melanistic Fallow Doe - (Dama dama)

Common Fallow Doe - (Dama dama)

A Few Birds and a Snake!

2010-07-28T21:54:00.005+02:00

Click Images for Larger Size

Juvenile Robin

Female Adder

Great Spotted Woodpecker (Juvenile Female)

Nuthatch

Raven

Rob

Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly

2010-07-23T22:35:00.008+02:00

Don't know how rare these are in the Forest of Dean, but it is the first time I have seen one. Excuse the quality, taken with my camcorder.

Silver-washed Fritillary Butterfly

Rob

More on the Wild Boar

2010-07-22T10:36:00.002+02:00

Due to some of the comments below, I have decided to write some more, where the wild boars are concerned.

A few dogs have been injured and some have been killed since the boars arrived, but this has been with dogs off lead, approaching the boar.
The Forestry Commission are managing them, but this will never be enough for some and too much for others. Some want an outright cull because the boars don't fit in with their nanny state, while others want them left alone to breed out of control. Neither of the above is the right answer, the boars need to be managed to a healthy sustainable level and this will take a while to get right.

I can understand how a person must feel if they lose their dog to the wild boar and I can also understand the hatred, which must follow. However, as I have always said, the forest is home to thousands of wild animals that have “themselves” been terrorised by dogs, off lead, for decades.
Nobody gives a damn about this and the only reason why our wildlife is persecuted in the way that it is, is because they have no voice, they can't defend themselves. Well they couldn't until now that is!
There are certain people that see the forest as a playground for their dog. I have never seen it this way and it’s about time that these people started to respect the forest and see it for what it is. Home to our wildlife.

We should and always will be able to walk dogs in the forest, but if we choose to let them run wild, then the risk of injury and death of our pet is down to us. Its like taking your dog for a walk down the street on a lead away from the traffic, or letting it wander around off lead where it could run into the road and be killed by a car. Who is to blame, the dog, the car, or the owner?
Hundreds of dogs are killed by adders every year in the UK. This reptile is also hated by many and has also been persecuted in the past, but even though they are hated like the wild boar, they are protected and accepted. Why, because they have always been here.
People forget that the wild boars are a native species like the adder, but as they have been away for so long people are not prepared to accept them as it means they will have to change “their” ways to enable them to fit in. They are not prepared to do this, so this is why the wild boar will never be accepted.

Other countries live alongside far more dangerous animals than the wild boar and they manage. Why, because they have a healthy respect for them, something, which is sadly lacking in the Forest of Dean.

Your comments are always welcome. If you disagree with my views then please tell me as I am open to all sorts of constructive criticism.

Rob

Wild Boar - Latest - Newspaper Article

2010-07-21T17:05:00.006+02:00

Below is a link to an on-line article I wrote for my local newspaper, regarding the wild boar.
The on-line edition will only be available for one week, so I have pasted the article below also, for future reading.
Your comments will be appreciated and please feel free to say what you want, without being insulting of course, as I value all opinions.

The article is on page 10.
http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=4a0MW2y13k0Y&PBID=dc43da64-0fec-4776-a517-22780c4ae1fd&skip

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Ward’s Wild Life

Rob Ward has been photographing wildlife in the Forest for years. His views are based on that long experience.

Header: They’re just saying back off. End of story.

Sub-header: Can we co-exist in the Forest? Probably not!

SOME of the recent reports of charges and attacks by the boar just don’t quite add up and I would like to address this. I am not calling anyone a liar or disputing their concerns but this is now a very controversial animal and the whole facts need to be given, not exaggerated and they need to be precise.

Firtly, the recent report by the cyclists said that they were apparently charged by a male boar. They said that the boar started charging from about 30 yards away and that they had to pick up and carry their bikes to a fence and throw them over then obviously climb over the fence themselves.
I have seen wild boar run and believe me they are fast, getting up to speeds of 25mph in very short distances. If the two people on bikes were that close and if the boar really did charge them, they must have been on top of the fence or they must be Olympic-quality sprinters because if this was a charge, the boar would have reached them in seconds.
Secondly, the dog, which was butted at Boys Grave recently. If these boars wanted to hurt this dog, the husky would have either been gored or even killed. The boar butted him, this was the boars way of saying go away! This was not an ambush and, in my opinion, it certainly wasn’t an attack. The owner had the dog on a lead and was able to pull him away.
If wild boar hate all dogs and attack every time they see one, why didn’t they do it on this occasion? If they wanted to hurt that dog then they would have - end of.
Wild boar have approached me on numerous occasions in the past. On two separate occasions I have had a sow (with piglets) run towards me. Once I was on my own (I have it on video) and once with a friend, (I have pictures). So I can understand how it can be frightening for people who have not experienced it before. But remember, wild boar have poor eyesight. They can see you, but they need to get close to see exactly what you are.
They can only distinguish blue from the three primary colours and if they have dependant young, their first instinct is to protect and chase away a possible threat.
In my experiences as soon as they identify us as human they will stop and then move away with their young. Never, in more than 50 sightings have I ever been charged.
During the severe snow of January 2010, with a friend I tracked down a sounder of between eight and 10 wild boar. We were off the main path and it was very hard getting around with the amount of snow. We spotted them rooting under a group of trees after about 10 minutes of searching, so we decided to get as close as possible. With my video camera I moved to within 10 metres before one of them spotted us. Within seconds of seeing us they ran about three metres and then stopped, looked back and ran again, this time disappearing.
If you have a dog with you, then it is a different ball game. They don’t see a domesticated friendly dog, they see either a hunting dog or a wolf. Their natural instinct has taught them not to run from these animals but to stand and fight to protect themselves and their young. They are very good at it too.
Will an unprovoked wild boar charge and attack a human? Yes, I believe it is possible as they are wild animals and anything is possible, but looking at statistics from around the globe, it is extremely rare.
Hunters from other European countries have maimed wild boar with a poor shot and subsequently been attacked, sometimes even killed. However, this is a different scenario as the boar becomes a wounded animal which is capable of defending itself, so an attack is inevitable in these circumstances.
Can we co-exist with the wild boar in the Forest of Dean in the 21st century? No, probably not as history has a habit of repeating itself. Its only a matter of time before the wild boar are once again extinct from our forests and just a memory. Not hunted to extinction like they were in the 17th century, not chosen by nature, but eradicated through our intolerance of change and our inability to learn and adjust.

Rob

The Buzzard & the Buck

2010-07-14T21:38:00.003+02:00

First, we have a buzzard. This is now our most commonly seen bird of prey in Britain.
This was a big old bird that was taking a nap in a tree when I found it. Look at the size of the talons, pretty impressive!

It then took flight, but went the wrong way! Never mind, still nice to see up close.

Next we have a poor young fallow deer buck. He was being eaten alive by flies and midges. I know exactly how he felt as they were everywhere, in my ears and eyes.

His ears didn't stop flicking, trying to keep the flies at bay. As you can see, the flies were out in mass! I wish I could flick my ears.

It got so bad that he decided to just shut his eyes while munching on the buttercups.

Rob

Cygnets

2010-06-25T14:46:00.003+02:00

All 7 cygnets are doing well, but they will soon be outgrowing the nest! I will follow them as they mature and update with pics.

Taken on 27.05.2010

Taken on 25.06.2010

Rob

Fallow Deer (fawn)

2010-06-19T12:30:00.003+02:00

I went out with the intention of looking for wild boar, but alas, even after covering a very large area, I was not lucky this time!
I did manage to find a rather large print though!

I carried on mooching about (quietly) and heard something heavy. I got myself into a good position, looking out towards a good photo spot and waited.
This young fella walked out and started grazing. Couldn't believe it!

Then, about 5 mins later this little one walked out with mum. If you are wondering why he/she is black, it is melanistic!
Melanism is caused by an increase in dark pigment and I was lucky that I photographed its dad during the rut of 2009.
He was also melanistic and the dominant buck in the area where I photographed this fawn.

Rob

Some Spiders!

2010-06-16T21:35:00.003+02:00

The wind was blowing and it was hell trying to grab a shot! Best I could do, with the conditions.
Photographed in the Forest.

Green Orb Weaver Spider

Photographed in my garden.

Garden Orb Weaver Spider

Rob

Product Review

2010-06-15T12:28:00.002+02:00

I recently purchased a canvas print from The Image Box and would like to share their details with you as the service I received was outstanding.
Three days after logging onto their website, I have a canvas print on my wall and it looks superb!
With savings up to 65% and prices as low as £13 for canvas prints (at time of this post), this is one site you need to visit!

For future reference, please check my favourite sites and friends for the direct link to their site.

The Image Box

Fly-tipping!

2010-06-03T11:54:00.004+02:00

Below is a link to a recent article I wrote for a local newspaper. My article is on page 10 of this digital on-line edition.

Bottom of the page is a news release from the CLA (Country Land and Business Association) asking fly-tipping victims to speak out.

Forest and Wye Valley Review

______________________________________________________

NEWS RELEASE
Date: 2 June 2010

Rural watchdog urges fly-tipped victims to speak out.
There's a warning about a surge in the number of people illegally dumping rubbish around the West Midlands.

The CLA ( Country Land and Business Association) says the amount of DIY work and gardening that takes place over half-term breaks and the summer holidays leads directly to an increase in fly-tipping.

Donna Tavernor is the CLA's regional officer for the Midlands : "We found that the majority of people get fly-tipped with garden waste and household rubbish, so they have had prams and beds on their property. It is really important that people send that to recycling centres."

Across the Midlands , it costs £6m per year of taxpayers' money to clean up fly-tipped waste, and surges in the number of cases were reported after holiday periods. In fact, this time last year across the region, there was one recorded case of rubbish being illegally dumped every 11 minutes.

Harsh penalties for fly-tipping have been introduced, and anyone caught doing it can be hit with a fine of up to £50,000 (unlimited if the case goes to the Crown Court) or a prison sentence of up to five years.
However, if waste is dumped on your property, it is your responsibility to clear it up.

The CLA's Donna Tavernor explains: "If it is not on a public highway and it is on private property, then it is your responsibility to clear. If it is in our countryside then it is spoiling our local areas and the views we all enjoy, so it is a really important thing to stamp out."
The CLA has urged victims of fly-tipping to report incidents on a national database which highlights the environmental crime.

The Association is working with the Landowner Partnership to record incidents of fly-tipping on the Government database, Flycapture. The project has been set up to encourage every farmer, land owner and land manager to report fly-tipping.

“We’re pleased to see the Government take fly-tipping so seriously. Recent pilot schemes in the West Midlands and North West have highlighted the problems faced when reporting fly-tipping, so to get a true picture of the scale of the problem on private land, the Flycapture project has rolled out across the country until September,” says Donna.
“We hope the data recorded nationally will expose the scale of the problem, and encourage the Government to allow the disposal of fly-tipped waste from private land at local tips without charge.”
She added: “Even if you are not a member of the CLA but you own or manage land, you can report a fly-tipping incident to us.”

To report incidences of fly-tipping in your area, please visit http://www.cla.org.uk/In_Your_Area/

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tim Barnes-Clay | Media Relations Manager ( Midlands ) | CLA Ltd
07702 926696 | tim.barnesclay@cla.org.uk

Out of hours Press Office: 020 7201 9511 | www.cla.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The CLA – the rural economy experts - has a 36,000-strong membership
CLA members own approximately half the rural land in England and Wales, and the resulting expertise puts us in a unique position to formulate policies and lobby effectively.
For more information, visit www.cla.org.uk/In_Your_Area/West_Midlands/

Rob

Product Review!

2010-05-29T14:06:00.003+02:00

Looking for something contemporary and stylish?
Do you have an image of your beloved pet? Or maybe a family portrait, which you would love to see turned into something special, for all to see?

LOOK NO FURTHER!

Simply upload your favourite prints to MCanvasPrints.co.uk and let them do the rest. They have a massive range of canvases available and with a remarkably low price structure and "FREE" P+P, this is something not to be missed!

I recently purchased a 18x12 landscape print and it arrived today. The quality and workmanship took my breath away.
I have a massive passion for our native snakes, so my first canvas was obviously going to involve my favourite snake pic.
Just stunning and I would like to thank MCanvasPrints.co.uk for their excellent service and product.

Click image for larger view!

I have added MCanvasPrints.co.uk to my friends and favourite sites, on the right hand side of my front page, so if you are looking for a canvas in the future, you will know when to find their link.

http://www.mcanvasprints.co.uk/

Rob

Cygnets 2010

2010-05-28T19:25:00.002+02:00

A pic from the other day with the cygnets. Hope you like?
I had my 100mm macro lens on at the time and was unable to zoom out, this is why I accidentally decapitated the mother. Oops!

Rob

Mute Swans and 7 Cygnets 27.05.10

2010-05-27T16:43:00.005+02:00

Below is some film footage and slide show of a family of mute swans on a local lake in the Forest of Dean. There are 7 cygnets, just under 1 week old!

Rob

Their Home or Our Playground?

2010-05-26T21:37:00.005+02:00

On Thursday 26th May 2010 a dog disturbed a sounder of wild boar in the Forest of Dean! As a result, the dog was attacked and had to be put to sleep by a vet. There were probably piglets within the sounder as mature females have a gestation period of 4 months after breeding early in the year and the piglets are dependant on their mums milk for three to four months.

I have the utmost sympathy for the dog's owner and can imagine the anguish caused. I would never wish this to happen to any living animal and this post is directed at everyone, not just dog owners.

It was reported that the dog was "off lead" and "out of sight" when it was injured by the boar.
To make matters worse, the owner of the dog has raised concerns "like others before" that a child may be attacked! Personally, I am more concerned about an out of control dog injuring a child than the boar!

"AGAIN" I would like to say that I have had numerous encounters with wild boar in the Dean and not once have I had a bad experience. They sometimes run towards me when they first spot me, but this is because they have poor eyesight and can only distinguish "blue" from the three primary colours. I'm not saying that they don't see me, just that they need to get closer to identify me correctly. Don't compare this with a charge or an attack as this is just scaremongering!
I am usually crouched or lying on the ground with my camera, but as soon as I stand, they stop and watch me for a few moments before moving away. This has always been the case whether on my own, or with "numerous" other people who have seen them with me. I have captured it on film and through a series of stills as evidence.
My daughter has also seen them, while walking with me and I would never put her in danger!

The wild boar have something in common with the rest of our "native" wildlife, which stands out above anything else. "THEY ARE WILD".

"AGAIN" I would also like to make the point that out of control dogs, "off lead" have no place in our woodland. A dog in control will stay in sight of its owner, will not chase or approach wildlife and will come to heel when called.
The forest is home to thousands of wild animals and this is the time of year when the vast majority are breeding and have young.
If you are walking your dog and it runs into the forest, out of sight, you condemn and scream bloody murder when something happens to it. But I wonder what happens when a dog has savaged or killed our wildlife? It is kept quiet, that's what happens!

"AGAIN" Leave our wildlife alone and treat it with the respect it deserves. It is their home out there not ours. We can choose where we walk our pets, but certain species of wildlife require certain habitats to survive. Don't blame them when you invade their space without thinking of the consequences.
A bit of common sense and respect is all that is required. I have both and I have had nothing but pleasurable encounters with all the wildlife the Forest of Dean has to offer.

And don't forget...

Wild boar are not the only animals in the forest, which has the potential to harm your dog if it is out of control.
Fallow bucks in antler and adders are more than capable of looking after themselves.

Rob

Bluebells - Forest of Dean - 2010

2010-05-21T14:45:00.005+02:00

They were late this year due to the severe weather in January and February. The bracken is now quite bad in places and spoils the usual blanket of blue, but there are still some good spots for pics!

Rob

Water Birds

2010-05-13T19:22:00.002+02:00

A Great Crested Grebe with chicks (one hitching a ride) and a coot exploding into her nest!

Rob

BBC Radio Glos Interview

2010-05-11T16:50:00.008+02:00

Below is a slide show accompanying a BBC Radio Gloucestershire interview I gave recently. I would like to stress that the adder is relatively harmless unless you have an allergic reaction. However, I would suggest that all adder bites are taken seriously and medical advice should be sought asap.

Rob

Some New Arrivals

2010-04-28T19:15:00.004+02:00

The bluebells are starting to show and there are little ones everywhere!

Images below....

1. Canada Geese - Water level shot.
2. Greylag Goslings.
3. Canada Goose drying wings.
4. White bluebell.
5. Traditional bluebell.

Rob

Bugs!

2010-04-25T19:57:00.003+02:00

Broke out the macro lens and went bug hunting!

Image 1: Shield Bug
Image 2: Shield Bugs Mating
Image 3: Cockchafer (Maybug) Larvae
Image 4: Lily Beetle

Rob

Wild Boar

2010-04-23T10:46:00.002+02:00

Tracked some Wild Boar yesterday evening. Two sows and half a dozed piglets. They didn't hang around long and I lost the light before I could find them again!
There are two piglets in the second picture, just to the right of the young sow.

Rob

Birds

2010-04-19T17:51:00.004+02:00

A few from earlier today, before the clouds rolled in and blocked out the sun!

Female Mandarin Duck
Male Mandarin Duck
Common Sandpiper (Large Crop)
Tree Creeper

Rob

Macro

2010-04-18T20:35:00.004+02:00

A few macro shots from my garden today. The first one is a pond Skater!

For more detail, click images for larger view.

Rob

Adders and a Nice Walk

2010-04-16T15:35:00.002+02:00

Here are a couple of pics of a male and female adder, plus a nice winding path, which I was wanderin' up on one of my days in the forest!

The brown adder is the female and the light coloured one with the dark zig-zag is the male. Sorry his head is not showing, but it was quite thick undergrowth and I didn't want to disturb him by trying to get a better angle.
His head was at the bottom and he was watching me closely!

Rob

Horrific End for a Giant

2010-04-08T21:14:00.005+02:00

This will probably be disturbing to most, but I need to post the pic to raise awareness on the plight of our wildlife when people fly tip and just discard their waste without thinking or caring about our wildlife.
This fallow deer buck had obviously picked up this twine and had made it quite deep into the forest before getting tangled up with the tree.

This is where he died, after a slow agonising, excruciatingly painful death!

All that is left are his antlers, still tangled in the twine and some scattered bones, which would have been dragged away after he was scavenged by foxes, birds and anything else that came by.
The bark had been rubbed off the tree from him going round and round trying to free himself!

I am hoping that this pic will make some people think twice in the future and if only one person thinks twice before throwing their coke can out the window, or the local builder takes his rubbish to the correct disposal point, then this fella would not have died in vain.
Thanks to Neil Henderson for bringing this to my attention and allowing me to use his photograph.

R.I.P - for your last days on earth were hell!

(c) Neil Henderson

Rob

BBC Hereford and Worcester

2010-04-08T21:04:00.004+02:00

Here is a link to BBC Hereford and Worcester web-site. They have used some of my reptile pics to accompany an article detailing a new project, which is close to my heart.
The conservation and protection of our native reptiles.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

Rob

Juvenile Adders

2010-04-08T19:19:00.005+02:00

Below us a pic of a juvenile adder that I found and photographed earlier today.
She is one of last years offspring and very tiny. I nearly missed her and had to really stare before focussing on her.
Also a couple of lizards and a slow worm, plus a male adder with a female sneaking up on him!

Poaching in the Forest of Dean

2010-04-07T17:07:00.002+02:00

Open the link below, which will take you directly to a newspaper article I contributed to, highlighting the illegal poaching issue in the Forest of Dean.

Newspaper Article

Juvenile Adders!

2010-04-07T15:20:00.002+02:00

I found two juvenile female adders the other day while surveying. They look like they are last years offspring, very cute and very small.
As well as these two, I also found another 9 adders of mixed sex and size.
I will endeavour to photograph them on Thursday or Friday and upload some pics for you. The weather is supposed to be hot and dry on these two days, so ideal conditions are on the cards!

Rob

Bats!

2010-04-06T15:38:00.005+02:00

Do you like bats? If you do check this out!!!

The following recordings have been made with Avisoft-UltraSoundGate 116-200. In order to make the recordings audible, the files have been slowed-down by factor 10. Spectrograms were created in Avisoft-SASLab Pro.

http://www.avisoft.com/sounds.htm#bats

Rob

Slow-worms and a High Adder!

2010-03-28T13:15:00.003+02:00

Footage from yesterday. A male melanistic adder basking on top of a hedge, plus some natural slow-worm footage.

Newspaper Article - Snakes

2010-03-25T11:48:00.004+01:00

BLACK ADDER GOES FORTH

Below is a link to a newspaper article I supplied to the local press, it has been slightly changed and edited.
My main purpose was to try and dismiss the fears that some have regarding our native snakes as just rumours and folklore. I hope it helps to save a few!
I usually find between 2 and 5 dead snakes within my reptile sites throughout the Forest of Dean. This figure may not seem high, but it is when both the adder and grass snake are in decline and are both protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Schedule 5 from Trade, Injury and Killing!

http://www.forest-and-wye-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=10365&headline=Black adder goes forth

Rob

Filming Reptiles

2010-03-23T09:32:00.005+01:00

A short film below from 21st March 2010. Reptiles in the Forest of Dean. This clip has been edited down from over 35min of footage. So not to disturb the reptiles, I focus my camera on them and move away, this way I capture their natural behaviour!

Hope you like?

Rob

Reptiles in the Forest of Dean

2010-03-22T18:55:00.005+01:00

Today "terrible", but what a day yesterday? The sun was blazing and the reptiles were out dancing!

I counted 8 adders, at least 12 common lizards and a slow-worm in just one of my survey spots! Naturally I had the camera(s) with me and glad I did as I captured some of my best snake and lizard footage to date!

Safety in numbers! I think these adders are taking advantage of each others body heat?

I see you! This male was on the look out!

A melanistic male adder. How do I know he was a male? He was out of hibernation very early and one of the first adders I saw this year. The females emerge slightly later.

Notice that he has flattened his body. They do this to create a larger area so that they can absorb more heat from the sun.

A common lizard. Wherever you find the predators, you will find their prey not too far away!

Rob

Juvenile Male Adder (Vipera berus)

2010-03-20T14:25:00.008+01:00

They were out basking for approx 2 hours on Friday, before the rain started falling, forcing them the retreat back into hiding. I will wait eagerly for the next dry sunny day!

The two pics are of the same snake, just different angles. He was only a nipper (excuse the pun!), about the thickness of a pencil, but slightly longer.

Photographed with my 100mm macro lens.

Canon 7d - Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro

Canon 7d - Canon 100mm f/7.1 macro

Rob

Great Crested Grebe Footage

2010-03-18T19:13:00.009+01:00

I filmed the great crested grebes today. They are constructing a nest, so I should be able to get some decent footage later in the year when the chicks hatch.

Rob

Some Grebes and a Short Film

2010-03-16T22:04:00.009+01:00

Below are some photographs of a pair of nesting Great Crested Grebes on a local pond. I was using my beanbag and left the tripod in the car. Result? All pics were hand held at 400mm - Yikes!
Lucky to come away with a few keepers!

This bird is the reason we have the RSPB today. The RSPB was formed in the 19th century to protect the Great Crested Grebe as it was hunted to near extinction, for its head feathers!

And this is a new "Spring" video. Filmed for around an hour a day over three days in March and then edited down to 4 mins.

Rob

Adders in the Forest of Dean

2010-03-15T21:21:00.006+01:00

The first 4 images below are of a male adder, but not just a male adder, a melanistic male adder. This is the first one of this kind I have found in the Forest of Dean, so I am well chuffed.

The last image is of a common male adder.

Melanism is the occurrence of an increased amount of dark pigmentation in the skin, which is also evident in feathers, hair and even the eyes.

It is the opposite of albinism.

Rob

Spawning Frogs

2010-03-14T18:40:00.008+01:00

Photographs taken at a pond on a local nature reserve. The water level was quite low and a lot of the spawn was exposed and drying out!
While photographing the frogs I kept looking at the spawn, wondering how long it could survive out of water.
I didn't know the answer to this so I moved it carefully back into the water. It may rain tonight and all may have been fine, but I didn't want to take the risk!
Last year this same pond was full and the spawn was all submerged or floating in the water, but this year is totally different!

Here are some pics taken at the pond over the last couple of days.

Rob

Atrazine - Amphibian Killer

2010-03-12T17:34:00.004+01:00

Atrazine is a common pesticide, which is commonly used on corn crops among others around the world. It has been revealed that this chemical is having a devastating affect on the world’s frog population, turning male frogs into females!

Sounds bizarre? It gets worse. Once the male frogs have been turned into females, they can breed successfully with other males. The problem is, because the converted frogs are genetically male and they are breeding with another male, all their offspring will be male!

The true male frogs will have no idea, so they will think they have successfully mated, when in fact they have contributed towards their species demise!

The most common Trade Name for this chemical is AAtrex, but other trade names include...

00045 (CA DPR Chem Code) , 080803 (US EPA PC Code) , 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4-diamine, 6-chloro-N-ethyl-N'-(1-methylethyl)- , 1-Chloro-3-ethylamino-5-isopropylamino-2,4,6-triazine , 1912-24-9 (CAS Number) , 1912249 , 1912249 (CAS Number) , 2-Chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine , 2-Chloro-4-(propylamino)-6-ethylamino-s-triazine , 3-(N-Butyl-N-acetyl)aminopropionic acid , 305 (PDP Code) , 45 (CA DPR Chem Code) , 6-chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine , A 361 , AAtram, component of (with 019101) , AAtrex , Aktikon , Aktikon PK , Aktinit A , Aktinit PK , Argezin , Atazinax , Atranex , Atrataf , Atratol , Atrazin , Atrazina , Atrazine , Atrazine , Atrazine (ANSI) , Atrazine plus related active triazines , Azinotox 500 , Candex , Cekuzina-T , Crisazina , Cyazine , Farmco Atrazine , Fenamin , Fenatrol , G 30027 , Gesaprim , Griffex , Guardsman herbicide (080803+129051) , Hungazin , Hungazin PK , Inakor , Oleogesaprim , Primatol A , Primaze , Radazine , s-Triazine, 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)- , Shell Atrazine Herbicide , Strazine , Sutazine +, component of (with 041405) , Triazine A 1294 , Vectal SC , Weedex , Weedex A , Wonuk , Zeazin , Zeazine

If you use pesticides, please check the brand on-line to make sure it has no devastating affects on our wildlife!

Look at the "W" listings above. Recognise the name Weedex? You should do as it is a very common brand in the UK!

I am sure that by now you are all aware that it wouldn't take long for the frogs to breed the true females out and then when the males die, the species will die with them!

This sight may one day be lost forever from our ponds if we don't act now!

PS: This is not scaremongering, it is fact!

Thanks

Rob

Wood Mouse

2010-03-11T17:04:00.002+01:00

This was taken with my Blackberry as I really didn't go out to photograph wildlife, but I guess it just finds me.
It is a wood mouse and it was running around on some grass not far from me and a friend, so we stood still and watched it for a few seconds before I hit the dirt!
I have had plenty of elbow stalking practice lately with the deer, so I went for it.....

Closer and closer I got and it was still sat there munching on its biscuit! I actually got so close my phone could not focus and this is the picture.
It was still sat there munching away when we left, amazing!

Rob

Ninja Skills!

2010-03-10T19:24:00.003+01:00

I spent a couple of hours trying to sneak up on fallow deer today. I think I have used up all my Ninja Skills though, as I managed to get quite close!

This young doe took ages to walk out between the trees, but patience sometimes pays off.

I was too impatient and this was my second shot, I spooked him with the first!

It was pure luck that this fella moved his head just as I was looking in his direction or I would never have seen him. Had some serious crawling to do to get closer though!

This was about the best angle and as close as I could get without spooking him. He was dozing nicely and he scared himself a couple of times, making himself jump.

Rob

Resting Fallow Doe

2010-03-09T17:35:00.006+01:00

This is a hand held grab shot as I didn't want to disturb them, so I didn't mess around with the tripod etc.
I found three fallow deer doe's lazing under a tree in the spring sunshine, chewing the cud while struggling to keep their eyes open.
It's always nice to see wildlife acting natural and this is one of a series of photographs, which shows her slowly closing her eyes for a mid morning nap!

Rob

A Few From Today

2010-03-08T22:28:00.003+01:00

A few from today.....

River Severn at Awre
Male Adder

Little Grebe just before a dive

Mallards having a territorial battle

A Coot

Rob