Neil Hulme

[Jack Harrison]

Neil is

braver than I am

says Goldie.

How about a thought for me? I lost my bottle when I couldn't park the car a few minutes ago while I waited for a scary-looking HEDGEHOG to get out of the way.
It was VERY BIG.

Jack

[Susie]

Great photos of the stag. They always smell so strongly this time of year. Very musky indeed. Do they still have the white stag there?

[Gruditch]

Buck Susie


Sorry to butt in on you diary Kipper.

Regards Gruditch

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks all.
Acceptable butting Gary ... good point.
No white Fallow there as far as I'm aware Susie, although I know there are a few on the Angmering Park Estate at the moment.
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Snow Bunting

In recent years I've started to spend a bit more time birding during the colder months, rekindling the interest I showed in my youth. Today I spent about 30 minutes on Goring beach, looking at the very obliging Snow Bunting that was first spotted yesterday. It's always a pleasure to see this attractive little bird, not least because it reminds me of the years I spent in Scotland.

[Jack Harrison]

Cracking little birds and so tame (approachable). Distant flocks of 30 to 50 (as found in North Norfolk on occasions) are wonderful in low winter sunshine: they look like snowflakes.

Winter is clearly not far round the corner - first Fieldfares yesterday.

Jack

[Susie]

Buck Susie


Sorry to butt in on you diary Kipper.

Regards Gruditch

I didn't realise there was a difference until now.

[mud-puddling]

Nice shots Neil; looks like it was quite obliging for you. I went at lunch but it
was quite flighty and couldnt get any decent photos. Though still nice to see. Regards, Leigh

[Neil Hulme]

Planting Plugs

This morning (3rd November) I joined BC Sussex members Mavis and Alan Hards at Rewell Wood near Arundel. We were there to plant out the 140 cowslip plants that they have kindly grown on from seedlings. These were distributed over areas where the Norfolk Estate has generously helped by widening the woodland rides, and where BC Sussex and the South Downs National Park Authority have recently financed the extensive removal of old stumps, allowing for 'cut and collect' management of the grass and scrub. I have little doubt that this work will be of benefit to the Duke of Burgundy, so wish to say a big "thank you" to Mavis, Alan and everyone else involved in the work here.

The beech trees were looking magnificent in their autumn colours, particularly on such a sunny day. The warmth was enough to attract a few butterflies out, including 10 Red Admiral and a Peacock. On the way to and from the site I stopped off at Goring beach, to spend more time with the very obliging Snow Bunting.

[Neil Hulme]

The Last Shall Be First

I had an hour free this morning (4th November), so headed back to one of my favourite parts of Rewell Wood. I couldn't help but notice the similarity between the selection of butterflies seen today and those most likely to show on the first warm, sunny day in February or March. 11 Red Admiral, 3 Peacock and 2 Comma provided a final flourish to the season. Of course the big difference between now and late winter is the fantastic display of autumn colours.

[lee3764]

No Long-Tailed Blues there I suppose Neil??
Cheers,
Lee Slaughter (Cornwall)

[Jack Harrison]

Well, Comma is another tick on my suggested December list. But no Specklies?

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Lee and Jack,
Sadly no LTBs, or even Specklies. It's beginning to look increasingly likely that I managed to show my parents the last LTB seen in the UK this year. I'm already dreaming of what 2014 might bring.
BWs, Neil

[Wurzel]

Lovely shots of the Snow Bunting Sussex - I saw my first and only one two years ago and the "footage" is still mblazined on my memory

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Neil Hulme]

Thanks Wurzel. If you're in the area it's worth dropping in on this one (still there today). They are almost always 'friendly', but this one shows down to about 1 metre!
BWs, Neil

[Neil Hulme]

Woodland Walks

Today (10th November) I stopped briefly at Coldwaltham Brooks, where I managed distant views of the Great Grey Shrike which has been around for a couple of days. Just before leaving I spotted my first Red Admiral of the day.

Next stop was Rewell Wood, where I was a little disappointed to find only a couple of Red Admiral. However, the fast developing autumn colours were far from disappointing.

Rewell Wood

Lastly, I took a longer walk around Stansted Forest in the far west of the county. I only saw a single Comma, but once again the views more than made up for the lack of butterflies.

Stansted House

[Neil Hulme]

Heyshott Again

Yesterday (13th November) I headed towards Heyshott Escarpment for the weekly work party. However, I couldn't pass Burton Mill Pond without stopping to enjoy the view. This beautiful lake is full of fat, green Tench and although I haven't fished for many years, I always get the urge to cast a line whenever I stand on the dam wall. It won't be long before the first Bitterns of winter arrive.

As I approached Heyshott I could see the wood-smoke from the work party bonfires, rising then hanging low against the wooded slope in the still, damp autumn air.

Seven members of the Murray Downland Trust and BC Sussex spent the morning brush-cutting and raking the plateaus and pits in Compartment 10, part of a rolling programme of rotational habitat management.

Once the day's work was finished I stayed a while to enjoy the autumn colours on the reserve. I always think the Heyshott Beech trees are particularly beautiful, but everything about Heyshott seems to be beautiful.

[Neil Hulme]

Garden Visitors

Despite the low temperature 3 Red Admirals appeared in my Worthing back garden this morning (14th November), attracted to my Fatsia japonica along with a large number of wasps and hoverflies.

[Susie]

Lovely photos. Burton mill pond is a favourite spot of mine.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Jack,

I had time to read your comment/question before the system threw a wobbly and your post went AWOL.
Almost all of the landscape shots I take are with the mode button set to SCN and the programme choice set to High Dynamic.
All butterfly shots are taken with the mode button set to P and Conversion option set to On (to allow for attachment of lens adapter and close-up lens).
The only other thing I've ever changed is Exposure, using a -2/3 setting as standard and -1 for Whites or highly reflective butterflies.

BWs, Neil