Farm

Spring Dorset Camera Trapping 2023 – Pt. 2: Fabulous Foxes

/ Laura Tuke / 1 Comment

Bouncing, pouncing, twisting, turning, four tumbling balls of red fur. So small, so little, miniature versions of what they will grow to become. Playing for hours, fighting, racing, hunting each other, unknowingly preparing for the world beyond their home. One day these furballs will venture out, cunning, wily, and most of all majestic.

From the city to the countryside, wherever you live, you will most likely have seen a fox in your lifetime. In Britain the red fox is an iconic mammal species, standing out with their striking orangey-red coats and bushy tails. They are known as expert hunters, catching a range of prey from rats to crows, but are actually omnivores, supplementing their diets with plant material, such as berries. As a species they feature heavily in British folklore, being depicted as cunning and wily, spiritual and intelligent.

Though foxes are often seen wandering around cities, they mainly inhabit rural areas, being more elusive than their urban counterparts. On my family’s farm in Dorset, my camera traps have allowed us to gain an uninterrupted view of the lesser seen world of this majestic species. By gain a greater understanding of their behaviour, habits and daily patterns, it allows us to live alongside them with ease. With the frequency of their presence on my camera traps this year, there will be much that can be learnt once again!

Field Cameras

This year foxes featured at nearly all of my camera trap locations, including all sites where my cameras faced out into open fields and meadows. This could be capturing foxes passing through, hunting, leaving their dens, or just watching the world, but it showed us where the foxes were seen more often and in what capacity. Here’s some of the highlights:

  • Water Meadow – Fox highway

  • Sugar Field – Adult fox passing through; fox cub venturing out of a possible den
  • Tower Paddock – Fox hunting spot

  • Cowleighs – Fox cub on the wander; adult fox returning to their den with food
  • Garden – Adult fox checking things out

Badger Alley

Last year Badger Alley was home to a pair of lovable fox cubs that gave me the wonderful opportunity to watch as they grew up to be scruffy young adults venturing out to explore the wider world. So when spring rolled around this year, I put my camera traps out once again to see what stories would unfold in Badger Alley.

On the 18th April, my camera trap gave me my first views of a new family inhabiting a badger sett in Badger Alley. I was amazed to see a litter of four small cubs exploring the world created by the trees sheltering the footpath, and also excitedly welcoming their parents back as they brought back food to them. On the 21st April I got the wonderful sight too, of all four cubs being suckled by their mother.

With each week my camera traps watched as the fox cubs grew bigger and bigger and came into their deep orange-reds coats like those of their parents. They fought, played and sunbathed, and began to venture further from their den. It was great to see all four cubs thrive through this time and I hope they continue to do so!

Quarry Field

My Quarry Field site is an active badger sett shared with other species. In 2020, I captured a lone cub on my camera traps, sleeping, being fed and wandering around on its own. The following year, in 2021, things looked a bit brighter with two rowdy fox cubs living in the sett, keeping each other company, playing, fighting and growing together. Last year, in 2022, there was signs of an adult fox passing through with food, but that spring I saw no actual sign of fox cubs living within the sett. What did I find this year then?

During spring 2023, I first put a camera trap out at this site on the 8th of April. During the following week, my camera caught lots of sights of an active badger family and a passing through female roe deer, but also an adult fox passing through every night. This was a positive sighting as it meant to me that the sett could be being used once again by a fox family.

This year luck was on my side and on the 17th April, my camera trap caught a first sighting of very small fox cubs venturing above ground at the sett, and there was not just one, or two, but four! I was astounded to have two known large litters of fox cubs on the farm this year, with potential others situated across our land also.

It was amazing over the following weeks to watch the cubs play, race around, rough and tumble, explore, and even beg one of their parents for food in front of the camera. Over time the cubs turned from orangey-brown little cubs into true miniature versions of their parents, lying outside the sett in evening sunshine, running up and down the hedgerows, or venturing out into the surrounding fields, still relying on their parents though. They even blessed me with some in person views of their natural behaviour on my adventures this year too!

This year has been a particularly incredible year for foxes that I will not be forgetting in a hurry, but it will be interesting to now see what the impact may be for local fox populations. They are an important species in the countryside and one people need to learn to continue to live alongside.

Spring Dorset Camera Trapping 2023 – Pt. 1: Wonderful Wildlife

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

“In photography there are no shadows that cannot be illuminated” – August Sander

“Actually, it’s nature itself that creates the most beautiful pictures, I’m only choosing the perspective” – Katja Michael

Over the last four years I have used camera traps to try to capture the wildlife that call my family’s Dorset farm home. It has been a way to gain an insight into the lives of animals that usually would only be seen in passing on a day-to-day basis, such as a hare or a fox, and to be able to see them as anything but ordinary. It has also been an opportunity to watch natural behaviour that we would not usually easily see without disturbing wildlife, and to truly get an idea of the abundance and diversity of species over 250 acres. There is always more that we can learn each year though!

For the last few months, my camera traps have been back out recording what there is to be seen out in nature this year. Moving between 10 locations across our land, from March to July, there were lots of lovely moments that were captured, along with the unusual and unexpected. Over two parts, I will delve into what my camera traps had to offer in photograph and video form, and share some of my highlights. To start, lets take a look at the range of wildlife that featured on the farm this spring, saving the best this year for next week!

Bridlepath: Badger Alley

A family-named Badger Alley is a great site for a variety of mammal species found on the farm, with even a first muntjac deer being spotted last year. Badger Alley is a naturally-enclosed bridlepath that was once home to a large family of badgers, but now the sett lies bare. This path for humans is also a popular thoroughfare for wildlife as well as being a sheltered location for the homes of certain species. This is one site that I return to with my camera trap year-on-year!

This year 6 mammal species were captured on my camera traps, including one of my favourite’s that will feature next week. I had a scruffy adult female roe deer passing through,

an often seen adult male roe deer feeding and scent marking,

a territorial grey squirrel on his favourite perch,

plenty of whizzing past, including babies,

and a one-off inquisitive badger.

Badger Setts: Badger Field and Quarry Field

Over the years our badger population and distribution has fluctuated, including with Dorset’s badger. Currently though we have two active badger setts that each contain a healthy family of badgers that stick to defined territories within our land.

These setts are not just home to badgers, but also other species, including next week’s stars. Each year new species can be added to the list featured at these setts, but this year 4 common ones were captured alongside the two already mentioned. Species seen were:

  • Blackbird
  • Pheasant
  • Carrion crow
  • Roe Deer (male and female)

Wooded Area: Gill Hill Copse

This year I only used one wooded area on the farm for my camera trapping, a small copse towards the centre of our land. Over the years this rich copse has been home to and a passing through place for a variety of typical and more unusual species, and each year it is interesting to see what will be found. This year the more typical characters were seen, which included the highly abundant roe deer, such as a frequent female, and pheasants.

Within the copse an old badger sett can also be found, being situated not far from one of the active setts. This year for the first year of many, a lone badger could be seen entering and leaving the sett using a particular hole, making me think of a satellite male. It will be interesting to see what can be found here next year as a result!

Fields: Cowleighs, Quarry Field, Tower Paddock, Water Meadow

Across the farm, you will find our land is a mosaic of habitats and grassland managed for different purposes, on different timescales, and in different ways. This does mean that depending on where you are and at what time of year, you may experience different species at varied abundances and also the potential for some more unusual species. Fantastic wildlife moments are a guarantee though!

This year has been a hard year on nature already, and so analysing camera trap content is a good moment to stop and reflect on the feathered and furred individuals that call our land home all year round. Living not far from shoots, pheasants and red-legged partridges are a common sight, with numbers reducing over the summer when they provide a popular food source for a number of species. This year pheasants did a good job of making their way into the frame of my camera traps at nearly every site!

Another species going through a population boom on our land at the moment is the roe deer, with individuals being seen at most of my camera trap sites and a walk through our land giving you consistent sightings of many males and females. Next week’s star was also seen at nearly every camera trap field sites this year too!

Badgers were caught on my camera traps when observing fields that were adjacent with active badger setts, showing badgers roaming for food, territorial marking and social interactions.

Many bird species made their cameos on my cameras, including an inquisitive woodpigeon, feeding carrion crows, and a magpie passing through. This year bird species broke up the antics of the mammals that were vying to be the stars of my camera trap photos and videos.

To finish my field observations, my camera traps this year did a good job of capturing sightings of the charismatic hare, a wonderful common sight across our land. Shots include a hare feeding, an inquisitive individual, and hares speeding past.

Garden

Our house and garden is situated at the centre of our land, and has often been described as a hive of bird activity, as such an abundance of different species visit daily. We also get visits at different times of year from different mammal species, which add to the fun of setting a camera trap to gain another view of the wildlife visiting our small garden. This year’s wildlife visits included a cheeky magpie and an emerging hedgehog, a species that we now see in our garden in the autumn in increasing numbers!

Check out my blog post next week to see the missing star of this year’s camera trapping adventures!

Spring 2023: How It Happened

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

The last few years spring has been unusual and unpredictable, with the effects of climate change changing from month-to-month, year-to-year in Dorset. This year has fitted into this with months switching back and forth between record breaking dry spells or heat waves to rainfall or low temperatures. This is bound to have had an effect on nature and the wildlife around us, which is interesting to explore.

Last year there were trends towards earlier spring events or a slow start to spring and then a speeding up to events in April. I can already suggest that spring this year was slow to start as it gave me the opportunity to really experience spring as it got under way and unfolded in front of me. It will be interesting to see though, if this was the trend for trees, shrubs, flowers, insects and birds alike, if the trend differs to 2022 and how spring shaped up as a whole. Read on to see how my favourite season went this year in all its vibrancy!

Trees

Though in 2022 spring emergence dates for trees had crept earlier than the year before, in 2023 nearly all tree dates were later than 2022, following a more similar trend to 2021 and the proceeding years. Field maple and silver birch both flowered earlier in April, but otherwise ash, horse chestnut, english oak, wild cherry and Norway maple all budburst, unfurled leaves and flowered between 1 and 28 days later from March through to May. The same could be said for the leaves of field maple and silver birch. It was odd to see trees though, lacking their fineries for so long this year!

Flowers

In 2022, flowering times varied between species, but this could be split into half flowering earlier and half later than the year before. This year primroses, cuckooflowers and bluebells in woodland all flowered earlier (4, 2 and 1 day earlier respectively), but flowering trends generally followed a more similar pattern to to those of tree events, occurring later. For snowdrops, lesser celandines, daffodils, stitchwort, cowslips, wood anemones, early purple orchids, wild garlic, oxeye daisies, and hedgerow bluebells this was 1-16 days later between January and June. Interestingly yellow archangel was noticeably absent during its usual flowering time, and instead flowered 36 days later than in 2022 on 17th May, being greatly affected by climate and a great indicator of spring conditions.

Insects

Of 13 species recorded emerging during spring 2022, only 2 did not emerge earlier than the year before: the buff-tailed bumblebee and orange-tip butterfly. For 2023, spring flipped dates back around for insect emergences, with 10 out of 12 recorded species emerging later than the year before. This ranged from 2 days later with the speckled wood butterfly to 46 days later with the red admiral butterfly. The exceptions were peacock and comma butterflies, being recorded 15 and 36 days earlier respectively. This could be due to the colder spring impacting and delaying emergences, for example the brimstone butterfly, a common sign of spring, delayed its emergence until the 3rd of April 2023.

Shrubs

For shrub species recorded in 2022, spring events occurred both earlier and later than in 2021, with no obvious trends. In comparison, spring 2023 showed an obvious trend, with nearly all recorded budburst, first leaf unfurling and flowering for 6 species, occurring later than 2022. The exceptions were dog rose flowering earlier in May and hazel catkins flowering earlier in January. The other spring events took place 3-27 days later from February to May. It was an odd year to see blackthorn flowering 2 weeks later within March and meeting its peak in April, and hawthorn first flowering in May, later than usual.

Birds

There was a split with spring bird events in 2022, with events closer to the start of the season occurring later, and those towards the second half occurring earlier than 2021. For 2023, it seems that the dates of spring bird events were also split, but this time with less clear a trend. Rooks began building nests later and most birds fledged young later, but swallows arrived on the 11th April once again, and blackbirds began singing earlier in February. Some differences in event occurrence can be explained by spring temperatures and weather conditions, whereas some are less easily explained for 2023. It is expected though that the later spring will have an overall effect on bird species through other spring events occurring later.

Conclusion

Spring 2023 varied from month-to-month with weather, temperatures, natural events and vibrancy. As a whole, a general unsettled and cooler time led to spring events occurring later than the year before for many species. The concern is though, that there may be a mismatch between the occurrence of events for different species, such as trees and birds, which could have had a greater impact than currently known. Time will tell what the impact of spring 2023 may be!

Species List

  • Ash (Tree) Fraxinus excelsior
  • Blackbird (Bird) Turdus merula
  • Blackcap (Bird) Sylvia atricapilla
  • Blackthorn (Shrub) Prunus spinosa
  • Bluebell (Flowering Plant) Hyacinthoides non-scripta
  • Brimstone butterfly (Insect) Gonepteryx rhamni
  • Buff-tailed bumblebee (Insect) Bombus terrestris
  • Chiffchaff (Bird) Phylloscopus collybita
  • Comma butterfly (Insect) Polygonia c-album
  • Cowslip (Flowering Plant) Primula veris
  • Cuckoo (Bird) Cuculus canorus
  • Cuckooflower (Flowering Plant) Cardamine pratensis
  • Daffodil (Flowering Plant) Narcissus spp.
  • Dog rose (Shrub) Rosa canina
  • Early purple orchid (Flowering Plant) Orchis mascula
  • Elder (Shrub) Sambucus nigra
  • English oak (Tree) Quercus robur
  • Field maple (Tree) Acer campestre
  • Goldfinch (Bird) Carduelis carduelis
  • Greater stitchwort (Flowering Plant) Stellaria holostea
  • Great-spotted woodpecker (Bird) Dendrocopos major
  • Hawthorn (Shrub) Crataegus monogyna
  • Hazel (Shrub) Crataegus monogyna
  • Horse chestnut (Tree) Aesculus hippocastanum
  • House martin (Bird) Delichon urbicum
  • House sparrow (Bird) Passer domesticus
  • Lesser celandine (Flowering Plant) Ficaria verna
  • Meadow brown butterfly (Insect) Maniola jurtina
  • Norway maple (Tree) Acer platanoides
  • Orange-tip butterfly (Insect) Anthocharis cardamines
  • Oxeye daisy (Flowering Plant) Leucanthemum vulgare
  • Painted lady butterfly (Insect) Vanessa cardui
  • Peacock butterfly (Insect) Aglais io
  • Primrose (Flowering Plant) Primula vulgaris
  • Red admiral butterfly (Insect) Vanessa atalanta
  • Red-tailed bumblebee (Insect) Bombus lapidarius
  • Rook (Bird) Corvus frugilegus
  • Seven-spot ladybird (Insect) Coccinella septempunctata)
  • Silver birch (Tree) Betula pendula
  • Small tortoiseshell butterfly (Insect) Aglais urticae
  • Snowdrop (Flowering Plant) Galanthus spp.
  • Song thrush (Bird) Turdus philomelos
  • Speckled wood butterfly (Insect) Pararge aegeria
  • Starling (Bird) Sturnus vulgaris
  • Swallow (Bird) Hirundo rustica
  • Swift (Bird) Apus apus
  • Wild cherry (Tree) Prunus avium
  • Wild garlic (Flowering Plant) Allium ursinum
  • Wood anemone (Flowering Plant) Anemone nemorosa
  • Wren (Bird) Troglodytes troglodytes
  • Yellow archangel (Flowering Plant) Lamium galeobdolon
  • Yellowhammer (Bird) Emberiza citrinella

Breeding Birds on the Farm in 2022

/ Laura Tuke / 1 Comment

In the heart of rolling Dorset, you can find my family’s home, a 250 acre mixed dairy farm with the hope of producing food alongside conserving and promoting nature. As a naturalist and conservationist, the farm is my base for exploring, learning and putting ideas into practice. With an increasing variety of habitats, there is an increasing amount of wildlife to experience, explore and enjoy, in particular a fantastic diversity and abundance of bird species (explore my blog for more adventures).

In 2019, I got the opportunity to begin training as a bird ringer with a local trainer, which was one skill that I always wanted to gain. Whilst working towards gaining my next permit, a C permit, my training has allowed me to acquire greater knowledge and a new perspective of the birds that call my family’s farm home. In 2022, my C permit was in reach and my training gave me some new experiences and some continued fantastic moments. Whilst the breeding season for birds currently plays out for 2023, I want to look back on my experiences for 2022 to see what can be learnt, including our amazing barn owls.

Kestrels

In previous years on the farm, we have known kestrels have been breeding here, but not where they were nesting. In 2021, we did find one nest within a hole in an ash tree, where a pair hatched 3 chicks. Two weeks later though, at the end of June that year, bad weather unfortunately led to the chicks not surviving, potentially due to the nest being exposed to the harsh weather. Thankfully in 2022, this same hole was used again by a pair of kestrels, and they successfully reared 3 chicks fledging in the first week of July, and I was lucky to have the opportunity to ring them too.

I was as well lucky enough to discover another pair of kestrels nesting in a hole in an oak tree at the other end of the farm. This pair was also successful, raising 4 chicks to fledging in the second week of July, that again I got to ring when they were still in the nest. With spring having been odd this year, kestrels are late breeding, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out for them.

Swallows

Year-on-year, the swallows return to nest within our farm buildings and our neighbour’s outbuildings, and still do so even if population numbers are not as high as they used to be. For 2022, I began my nest checks of the two properties as part of my ringing training on the 25th May. During this check I found 5 nests in use, with one already containing eggs. These 5 eggs hatched on the 27th May, and marked the start of a rocky breeding season for the swallows. With the first round of nests, 4 nests got to the chick stage, but only 2 fledged chicks (3 and 5 respectively). One of these nests then successfully went on to rear another brood of 4 chicks to fledging, though most pairs did not re-nest as the weather was very hot and dry last summer. Fingers crossed for a better year this year!

Barn Owls

Barn owls go hand-in-hand with my family’s farm, so it is unsurprising that they are my father’s favourite bird species. With our nest box being a popular site each year, since 2019, barn owl chicks have been ringed on the farm by my ringing group, even before I started with my own ringing training. In 2021, Barn owls had a tough year though, with bad weather having an impact on their success rate on the farm. Thankfully in 2022 they had more luck, with a pair nesting in our box hatching 5 chicks, varying in size, at the end of June. They went on to successfully fledge 2 chicks. The icing on the cake was discovering another barn owl pair nesting in a hole in the ash tree also used by one of our kestrel pairs. These particular barn owls hatched eggs at the beginning of June, and went on to fledge 2 chicks too. Fantastic!

Garden Visitors

In 2022, as I worked towards finishing my training to get my bird ringing C permit, I got to do 2 days of ringing in my garden for the very first time. Though fairly small, our garden is a hub of avian activity daily, so I was excited to see what mist nets would catch. On the first day we caught 100 new birds (30 house sparrows, 30 great tits, 23 blue tits, 7 starlings, 4 chaffinches, 2 robins, 2 blackbirds, and 2 great-spotted woodpeckers), with a lot being juveniles. On the second day, 2 1/2 weeks later, a morning spent mist netting caught another 101 birds, with 92 being new (33 blue tits, 33 house sparrows, 7 great tits, 4 chaffinches, 3 robins, 3 great-spotted woodpeckers, 1 blackbird, and 1 goldfinch). It was really interesting to get the opportunity to get an idea of how many birds there really are in my area and producing young each year. Apparently alot!

All birds were ringed under license and following rules to ensure the health and welfare of the birds handled.

I look forward to seeing what 2023 will shape up to be!

Spring In Photos 2023

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

This year spring has been a very unusual and unpredictable couple of months for nature. Last year, spring took its time to unfurl, and this year saw a similar trend. A very dry February, a very wet March, a cold April, and then a wet followed by hot and dry May, made for a slow start to spring, and a short and vibrant season.

Despite an odd spring this year, the season has been an enjoyable and fulfilling one for me. It has been filled with lots of wild adventures, experiences, and colourful moments. With my camera by my side (or phone), I have spent lots of time this year capturing and exploring spring in all its shades and vibrancy. Here’s just a few of the many versions of my spring 2023.

Spring In Photos

Seeing Red – When people think of hazel flowers, catkins always come to mind, hanging like lamb-tails and powdered with yellow pollen. These are just the male flowers, with the female ones taking the form of understated buds topped with bright red tufts of styles, adding much needed pops of colour at the start of spring.

Glistening Snowdrops – This year I spent much time photographing snowdrops in different ways, making the most of the flowers staying around later into spring. Here I enjoy the glisten of the simple white petals of a nodding snowdrop.

Walking the Line – This crow can be easily recognised from its silhouetted form against the pastels of a blue sky in early spring. A simple photo but an effective one.

Pretty in Pastel – A cheerful sign of spring, primroses get their name from the latin for ‘first rose’. Flowering early in spring, they are often seen as a harbinger of the season, brightening the bleak winter landscape.

Blossoming Chiffchaffs – Chiffchaffs are a real highlight of spring for me, adding to the soundtrack for trees blossoming and leaves unfurling, flowers blooming, and the landscape becoming alive with life once again. I had always wanted to try and capture them amongst this backdrop and this year I had my opportunity to do just that!

Quarry Bank Comes to Life – A National Trust property in Cheshire (check out A Naturalist in Manchester), Quarry Bank’s gardens come to life in spring with a fantastic array of colours!

Sunshine Celandine – Celandines are another classic spring flower, helping to provide a joyful pop of colour, as winter slips away. I always enjoy the challenge each year of trying to photograph them in new and interesting ways.

The Hare [Not] In A Hurry – Whilst walking in my local woods, I caught sight of this lovely pair in a neighbouring field. It was lovely to sit and watch them for awhile as they groomed themselves and interacted with each other, never knowing that I was there.

In The Blue – People familiar with my blog and photos will know that bluebells are one of my favourite spring flowers, as they fill me with joy when I see a woodland floor carpeted with their fantastic blue. The bells individually are like magic themselves.

Leading the Way – A lone early-purple orchid bordering an animal track running through a woodland. These spotty-leaved plants can be found in clusters or as here, on their own, amongst the trees.

Woodland Wonders – The wood anemone is another of my favourite spring flowers, appearing like little stars in the green of a woodland floor. Being found in light spots, they are an indicator of ancient woodland.

On the Way to the Peak – Set against a spectacular backdrop of the Peak District, my friend Emma and I passed these stone stacks on the ridge up to Mam Tor. They provide an interesting feature to the rugged landscape.

A Patch of Light – It’s not the first time that I have enjoyed photographing wild garlic in spots of sunshine, but these clusters of white stars always add a bit of enchantment to the landscape.

Ewe and Me – This photo was taken during my first time out with my swanky, but hard-earned, new telephoto lens, and I was hooked. It is so enjoyable to get up, close and personal with animals without having to disturb their natural behaviour!

Blue-Toned – This was a chance sighting, but a wonderful one to see a holly blue butterfly on the deep purple-blue of bluebells. Wonderful!

Terrific Tawnies – One of my highlights of spring was having our first brood of tawny owl chicks hatch within one of our nest boxes. These two chicks grew on to both fledge successfully from their box!

Nature Photos For 2022

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

Last year was a very unpredictable year for all walks of life, but for me it was another fantastic year for wildlife, with some wild firsts and much inspiration to be taken from nature. With each new year, I take it as a fresh opportunity to enhance my skill as a wildlife photographer and to also immerse myself in the wildlife that can be found all around me. There is so much to celebrate in nature and so much beauty to be found, and 2022 did not disappoint in this. So to look back on the year, here’s a collection of photos spanning 2022, from my photographic adventures through to simply finding inspiration from nature in my life. Enjoy!

2022

January

The start to the year felt a little grey and bleak, but adventuring out with my camera I was able to find some life and activity in the landscape, which can always be found if you look closely enough. In this photo, this little blue tit looks so small, as they are, but I love how its bright colours pop out from its surroundings.

February

For me one of the joys of my year in 2022 was following the life of one particular oak tree and visiting it regularly to experience its annual cycle and those of the wildlife living within its close surroundings (check out my A Year In The Life Of An Oak Tree blog post).

March

One wildlife first for me in 2022 was discovering frog spawn for the first time in my family’s new pond in our conservation field. I enjoyed making multiple trips to this site at the beginning of spring to enjoy, explore the development of tadpoles and all its intricacies, and to take some cool photos.

April

Sometimes the most simple of subjects can be the most satisfying to photograph, showing a different side to their shape and form. Dandelions such as this one are a favourite of mine as they are a common sight, but have a hint of the magical when you look a little closer. This particular photo has also become a favourite with some of my friends and family.

May

This beautiful boy was a spontaneous joy to photograph and has inspired me to see the beauty in even the more common of inhabitants to be found in nature. All can inspire!

June

Last year was another fantastic year for camera trapping in my local area. From roe deer to fox cubs, I got to record some magical sights, including this wonderfully patterned British mammal and the antics of one particular family.

July

In summer, the countryside around my home in Dorset is alive with the scent and colour of many different species of wildflower, from meadowsweet and dog roses to bird’s-foot-trefoil and wild marjoram. Pictured here is the flower of the common mallow which can be found in a variety of habitats, in this case on a wild chalk mound.

August

Summer is a great time to see lots of weird and wonderful moths, including this red underwing, that will even venture into your garden and home at this time. With over 2500 species of moths in the UK alone, there are lots to discover!

September

Summer mornings waking up very early to go and take part in autumn migration bird ringing is made all the more better by fantastic sunrises, such as this one from September. That golden light over water is simply magical!

October

Though I do not celebrate Halloween myself, I have made it my annual tradition at the end of October to carve a pumpkin with a nature-themed design. The design for my 2022 pumpkin was the shapes of leaves of 5 different tree species, including oak, field maple and hazel.

November

November is a month that observes the end of autumn and the start of winter in Dorset, with greyer skies, shorter days, and the landscape falling into a slumbering state. As a result, a colourful sunset can really brighten up a less spectacular day at this time of year.

December

Though my family and I only have a small Christmas celebration each year, part of advent for me is making Christmas decorations using greenery and natural colourful plants (check out my How to… Bring Nature into Your Home at Christmas blog post for more). Here pictured are some of 2022’s Christmas decorations.

Spring Camera Trapping 2022 – Pt. 2: Badger Alley

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

I sit flicking through the new photos and videos of rabbits, pheasants, active adult foxes, territorial badgers, and female roe deer passing through by my camera trap. Exciting, but wait what was that? I stumble across a video taken at night. There an adult fox is climbing the outside of the sett with a special surprise for me. Two dark long-tailed fluffy bundles. I could not believe my eyes to see my first cubs of the year this young!

This year I have had the best year yet for camera trapping on my family’s farm in Dorset. With 8 sites, ranging from woodland to hedgerows, and now using 2 camera traps, I was able to capture some fantastic moments from March through to June. Highlights included 2 setts both with badger cubs, an illusive fox, feeding female roe deer, and a fox den discovery. Check out my blog post from last week to find out more!

My favourite site from this spring was one I have used regularly over the last few years. Badger Alley is a 210m stretch of bridleway bordered either side by hedges that have grown up to form an arch over the path. Along this tunnel lies two separate badger setts that were both once active, but are now mainly abandoned by badgers. Though less frequently used by badgers themselves, these setts are now home to a whole host of other animal species, whilst also being a busy highway for wildlife.

With infrequent use by humans, it is unsurprising that Badger Alley is a haven for wildlife. To explore, I ended up keeping my brand new camera trap at the site over 67 days from 17th April to 16th June, changing the set up between 4 angles during this time. This camera takes both videos and photos, so keep an eye out for the full videos coming soon. For now, lets find out what species call Badger Alley home in 2022.

The Characters of Badger Alley

Amongst the species that call Badger Alley home, a number of birds nest along its length. During the 67 days my camera was observing this site, I captured evidence of 4 common non-native and native bird species. Amongst these, there were 6 sightings of pheasants released from a local shoot, all males strutting their stuff and showing off their bright breeding plumage. There were also 5 sightings of woodpigeons feeding, 3 sightings of blackbirds defending territories, and 1 sighting of a robin carrying food in its beak. These are just a few of the birds that frequent Badger Alley.

Along with birds, lots of different mammal species also make use of Badger Alley. This year my camera trap caught sight of two smaller mammal species: grey squirrels and rabbits. Non-native grey squirrels were only seen on my camera 3 times, but made their presence known rushing around in a hurry. The rabbits were a more common sight, being seen 23 days out of the 67 recorded. These rabbits populate both Badger Alley setts and are increasing steadily in numbers. My camera watched on as rabbits fought with each other, mixed with other species, and raised their babies. Though a less common sight for many people now, our successful rabbit populations have become an important food source for other species in our area.

Deer populations have been experiencing increases in the countryside over the last few years, and Badger Alley has become a popular throughway as a result. This year my camera trap recorded roe deer sightings on 22 days of 67, with different variations of individuals, from lone males and females to males following females around. Some of the highlights include a deer being particularly interested in my camera, a female feeding alone, and the unusual sight of a female with a missing back leg. An individual that stole the show though, was not a roe deer, but a muntjac. I have never seen a muntjac on our land before, so my camera caught my very first sighting for me!

Badger Alley was once named for an active badger population, but in more recent years the setts have become abandoned. This year my camera trap caught 4 separate sightings of badgers, with all the individuals taking a particular interest in the lower sett. One day saw a badger passing through and scent marking, another saw two badgers being interested in the camera, and the last two saw a badger looking very interested in one entrance to the lower sett. Maybe one day these satellite individuals will return to form a family in Badger Alley once again.

This year’s most observed species in Badger Alley was by far the fox, being recorded 37 days out of 67. During this time it was really lovely to see some fantastic photos and videos from my camera trap, of adult foxes living in and passing through Badger Alley. In particular one family was shown to be living in the lower sett, whilst another was living around the corner from Badger Alley in Cowleighs. This allowed me to watch the daily lives of different foxes, such as bringing food in the form of pheasants or rabbits, and I have really enjoyed it.

The highlight for me of the whole of this spring season has to be the fox cubs. To add to the photos from the Cowleighs’s fox family (check out last week’s blog post), for the second year running fox cubs were born in Badger Alley. They are the reason I first set up my camera there this year, following a sighting of little cubs by my dad in person. My camera trap gave me my first sight of the family on the 18th April, with an amazing video of the female walking up the path followed by two little brown cubs trying to suckle her.

Over the next two months, my camera allowed me to watch the two fox cubs grow from small brown things following their parents around to two large mini foxes exploring their surroundings together and solo. These cubs were little delights to observe, giving me some special moments and mood boosters along the way. I hope these two cubs in particular survive their first winter and go on to have families of their own in the future.

Spring Dorset Camera Trapping 2022 – Pt. 1: The Farm

/ Laura Tuke / 2 Comments

“The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera” – Dorothea Lange

“The two most engaging powers of a photograph are to make new things familiar and familiar things new” – William Thackeray

As each year passes, and spring rolls around once again, I set out with my trusty camera trap to record the wildlife that call my family’s Dorset farm home. Remote cameras are a great way to delve into and explore the hidden worlds of the wildlife that live alongside us, without causing disturbance. You never know what you may discover, and so there is nothing quite like the excitement I feel each time I check my cameras.

For the last few years I have spent an increasing amount of time using my camera traps to explore and survey my area of Dorset, and each year the results have got better and better. Species recorded range from small mammals and birds up to larger more iconic mammal species, such as badgers. These adventures have allowed me to open my eyes to the species that goes unnoticed on the farm each day, and to help my family forge a deeper connection with the wildlife we strive to manage and protect. Check out my blog posts from 2019, 2020, and 2021 for more!

This year I have visited 8 locations on my family’s farm, using both my old camera trap and brand new model to see what I could discover (check out next week’s blog post for the 8th location). Last year 6 locations were used that were all visited this year also. Some of these sites were used with a set purpose and question to answer, whereas others are just great sites to use for exploring wildlife. This year 9 species were recorded, with 1 new one to add to the collection. Read on to find out what my camera traps found!

Camera Trapping 2022

Little Wood Field

This year I set up my camera trap 12 days earlier than last year, beginning with a new site. I had spotted an interesting tree at the edge of a small field, where a hole had been dug between its roots, and I wanted to know who may have dug it. So I set up my camera watching the track in the field leading to the hole, and left it from 22nd-26th March to see what I could find.

It was a good start to spring camera trapping, but with mixed results. Different arrangements of male and female pheasants made an appearance every day, birds in the form of magpies, a woodpigeon, and a carrion crow were seen, and potential home owners came in the form of a fox and a badger. Though the badger may have possibly been using the hole, in the end I came to the conclusion that the hole was not currently in use.

Monkwood Field

For my next site, I returned to a new site from last year, a small abandoned satellite badger sett that had been home to a family of foxes. When I went to put out my camera, I could see that a new hole had been dug in the sett, so I set my camera to watch the track heading from the field directly to this new hole over 2 nights (26th-27th March), due to stormy weather.

In the short time it was operating, my camera trap was productive, with a displaying male pheasant, a fox passing through (maybe the same from Little Wood?), and the sett’s current resident. My camera was able to show that the new hole belonged to a lone badger, most probably a male.

Later on in the season I decided to see where the fox may have been coming from, and returned to Monkwood Field. I chose to set my camera trap in the corner of the field on a tree trunk within the hedge, looking at the animal tracks that run through it. I did not know what results I would get, but after nearly a week (8th-13th May), my camera actually did quite well, despite not pinpointing where the fox may have been coming from. I caught sight of the fox a few times, and got some nice photos of a territorial male bullfinch and territorial male blackbird.

Quarry Field Badger Sett

For the last 3 years running, I returned my camera trap to my highly successful site at the active Quarry Field badger sett. Each year I have set my camera up on a fence post in an open space within a hedge lying directly above the sett, pointing in one of 2 directions. Previously, it has been a great site to capture the resident badger family and the other animals sharing the sett, in particular fox families. Last year, in this way, I got to watch the antics of 2 fox cubs living in the sett.

For a week during April (16th-23rd), my camera trap watched this site. During this time, rabbits were a common sight every day, day and night, along with a busy badger every night. So far there was no sign of any foxes at the sett, as in past years.

As this site still seemed to be a productive one, I returned to the sett with my camera trap for a second round once some time had passed. For 2 weeks (6th-20th June), my camera was very busy, capturing rabbits, male and female roe deer, a territorial male blackbird, and at least one fox passing through. The best photos though came in the form of the sett’s resident badgers, and two small editions. An active family, it was amazing to watch the cubs and adults feeding, grooming and playing each day.

Gill Hill Copse

This copse has been another of my regular camera trapping sites over the past 3 years. At this site, I tend to set my camera up on a tree, as with this year where I set it watching an animal track passing through the copse.

This year, over 6 days (23rd-29th April), my camera was not particularly busy, but did capture one of the many male pheasants in the area, as well as a fox passing through.

Dorset County Council Wood

The small piece of wood close to my home is another site that I have used over the last 3 years, situated next to this year’s new Little Wood site. This year, I first visited the wood at the beginning of May, setting up my camera on a tree to face an animal track coming off a quiet road into the wood. After a week (2nd-8th May), my camera had caught photos of a one off woodpigeon and a regular badger.

As spring passed away, I decided to give my camera trap one last go in the wood, over 4 days between 20th and 24th June. This time I set up my camera further within the little wood, facing a clearing. Though the only animal photographed during this time was a fox, I was still excited to see the charismatic species passing through.

Badger Field Badger Sett

My oldest camera trap site is an active badger sett in a hedgerow between two fields. Over the years this sett has given me badgers, fox cubs, and even a field mouse. This year I returned and set my camera up in its usual spot on the trunk of a small tree in the open space within the hedge above the sett. Within a week (13th-21st May), I caught sight of a blackbird, a fox, and a badger. Though no fox cubs, this active sett excitingly had badger cubs again, like the Quarry Field sett.

Cowleighs Paddock

Towards the end of my spring camera trapping, I tried another new site in the hope of capturing sight of a particular species. This year has been a very good year for foxes on our farm, for example with 3 potential breeding females living along the same connecting hedgeline. Though at the beginning of spring I had discovered one litter of fox cubs (check out next week’s blog post), I had yet to find any others. I had a hunch about one den though, potentially situated in a ditch alongside a small paddock. I set up my camera trap and waited 2 weeks to see what I would find (22nd May-4th June).

My camera trap did not fail me. Alongside a showy male pheasant, my camera caught the photos I had hoped for. At least one fox cub can be seen playing and exploring in the long grass in the paddock outside the ditch, along with photos of an adult female bringing food to the same spot. Though from these photos I cannot confirm how many fox cubs are in this litter, it is great to know that they are there and doing well! A great spring this year!

30 Days Wild 2022: My Wild June

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

Every June the Wildlife Trusts hold their annual 30 Days Wild challenge, aiming to connect more people with nature. It is free and easy to get involved with, and is a great way to have fun, relax, and learn something new. It is completely up to you how you spend your 30 days, with every ‘Random Act of Wildness’ counting. Now in its 8th year, the Wildlife Trusts hope that this year will have been the challenge’s best year yet.

For the last 3 years, I have been taking part in 30 Days Wild each June. From baking to birdwatching, this challenge has been an opportunity to slow down and spend more time out in nature. If you want to read all about my previous years participating in 30 Days Wild, check out my blog posts from 2020 and 2021.

For this year, I wanted to try something a little bit different. Instead of intentionally trying to do something wild every day, I wanted to simply appreciate nature in my everyday life. Being a very active, outdoor person, I wanted to see how in 30 Days I naturally connect with nature on an average day-to-day basis. Read on to find out all about my 30 Days Wild 2022!

30 Days Wild 2022

Wednesday 1st: The first day of the month was a busy one, but in my downtime I spent part of my evening exploring my farm’s and neighbours’ buildings for occupied swallow nests ahead of monitoring them over the coming weeks. So far I have found 4 that were either lined or already had eggs laid or chicks hatched.

Thursday 2nd: I spent my Thursday working, but also taking some time to relax out in nature. This included going out for a hack on my neighbour’s lovely mare Marsha with a friend and her horse, and watching a spectacular sunset with friends on Okeford Hill for Okeford Fitzpaine’s Platinum Jubilee beacon lighting.

Friday 3rd: This Friday was my first Wild Friday of the month on my blog. For this one, I went back to one of my very favourite times of the year: the blooming of the bluebells. This post had a twist though as I explored a little further and focused on the life amongst the bluebells this year.

Saturday 4th: As the breeding season for birds continued, I took some time today to check some of my nests. My barn owl nest box was looking good, and I discovered an interesting new nest tree on the farm (stay tuned!). I also discovered a robin’s nest hidden in the middle of a rubbish pile where the chicks are close to fledging.

Sunday 5th: On a more chilled work day, I began reading Simon King’s book ‘The Shetland Diaries’ and continued sketching butterflies and their caterpillars for my next blog post. A little bit of escapism!

Monday 6th: Today I got to ring my first swallow chicks of the year, with one nest that has done well and is 2 weeks ahead of all the others. I hope the chicks continue doing well and fledge successfully! The rest of the day I was out working in nature, until I ended up hurting my knee and going to A and E!

Tuesday 7th: Despite a stitched up knee, between rest and easy jobs, I still went to check my current bird nests. I now have 5 swallow nests, 1 with my ringed chicks and 4 with eggs, and discovered my second kestrel nest of the year.

Wednesday 8th: My wild highlight of the day came in the form of fluffy goslings. At lunch my neighbour’s family of Canada geese got spooked and the parents flew off. The 6-8 goslings fled in fright and I did my best to catch them back up. I only found 4, but I was able to successfully release them back to their lake and their parents thankfully returned to them later on in the day.

Thursday 9th: I began my busy day, that included some habitat maintenance, bright and early with the dawn chorus and a wonderful sunrise. It was a great start to the day, listening to the songs of robins, song thrushes, chiffchaffs, and more.

Friday 10th: Today’s wild time was spent out in nature walking a lovely little dog called Kaya for the Cinnamon Trust. It was also Wild Friday on this blog once again, and this Friday’s post was one of my favourites to put together. With a collection of facts, my photos, and my own drawings, my post was a How to.. guide to identifying common British butterfly species.

Saturday 11th: Today I had a lot on my mind, weighing me down. So I thought it was the perfect time to take a break and be mindful in nature. It was just what I needed to clear my head and calm my body, allowing me to pick myself up and carry on.

Sunday 12th: I took the day easy, giving my knee some more time to rest. I did though check my bee hotel, which is currently being well used, and spent a really lovely summer’s evening with my brother and his family in their wonderful little garden.

Monday 13th: Today was another day when I got to walk the little dog Kaya, and this time we escaped the hot day by walking in the shade of a huge avenue of trees and looking out for all the wildflowers we could find.

Tuesday 14th: Today was a special day on the farm for me. I got to ring the first of this year’s barn owl chicks, which is always a real pleasure, but I also got to ring our very first kestrel chicks on the farm! Stay tuned to this blog later on in the year to find out how our barn owls (and kestrels) have fared this year.

Wednesday 15th: My wild highlight of today’s work day was seeing fox cubs. On my daily travels around our land, I saw not one family of fox cubs, but 3, all out playing and exploring. Whatever people might think of foxes, fox cubs are a real joy to watch.

Thursday 16th: Though a day late, today I made my usual swallow nest checks. My 5 nests are doing well, 1 ringed brood of 5 staying close to their nest, 2 nests nearly ready to be ringed, and 2 more that are just hatching.

Friday 17th: I was outside most of the day, but my wild highlight has to be watching 4 red kites swooping over the fields following grass being cut by tractors. It was also Wild Friday on this blog, and so this Friday’s post was a collection of some of my favourite photos from spring 2020.

Saturday 18th: In between work hours, I used my free time to finish hand painting the bee hotel I had been working on for my niece’s 4th birthday. I really enjoyed painting it and I was very happy with the end result! Maybe I will have to do more wild wood painting in the future!

Sunday 19th: As I had a more relaxed day, I headed out and collected recent photos and videos from my two camera traps that are out and active at the moment. This is my favourite part of camera trapping, and my cameras did not disappoint. Check out my blog posts coming in the next few weeks to see all about my camera trapping adventures this spring!

Monday 20th: Around work today, I picked the first gooseberries of the year, explored what flowers are currently out right now, and watched a lovely sunset.

Tuesday 21st: Today I spent most of the day working away from the main hub of our farm, provided with wild moments including listening to yellowhammers sing, watching adult kestrels feeding their chicks, and escaping a swarm of honey bees. To finish the day, I got to ring another 2 of my 5 swallow nests. I am enjoying monitoring my small swallow population!

Wednesday 22nd: As Wednesday rolled around once again, I was back checking on my swallows that have yet to reach the ringing stage. Now 1 nest has completely fledged, another 2 have been ringed, 1 is ready to ring, and unfortunately 1 of my nests has been predated. This year has definitely been a tough one for swallows once again, but it is good to have seen some chicks fledge already.

Thursday 23rd: After a couple of weeks resting up from my knee injury, I was finally back out on horseback. I went for a lovely chilled hack out around my local area on Marsha, taking in lots of wildlife, including singing greenfinches and a hunting buzzard.

Friday 24th: Today I enjoyed sharing the last Wild Friday on my Laura’s Wild World blog this June. This particular post celebrates spring by looking at how spring happened in 2022. It was an interesting post to put together!

Saturday 25th: For the first day I had had off in a long time, I had been invited to a ‘Greylag Goose Roundup’. This event was being held at Poole Park to catch geese for a project where each year as many as possible of the current population are being coloured ring. It was a great day of catching up with other bird ringers and getting to ring my very first greylag goose!

Sunday 26th: Today I woke up to the rain falling and quenching the thirst of the land right now. It was great to take some time to appreciate the falling rain, before getting some drier spells to walk the countryside.

Monday 27th: Again another day begun with rain, before heating up and drying out. After a busy day, I enjoyed taking a break from life and walking around our land, exploring nature. Flocks of juvenile goldfinches, knapweed blossoming into purple flowers, and hares grazing in the fields, just some of the few sights to be beheld.

Tuesday 28th: This morning I had another lovely ride out on Marsha, with some of my wild highlights being a buzzard trying to hide in a tree, painted lady butterflies on the wing, and hedgerows full of wildflowers. This afternoon I had a good walk with my Dad watching butterflies and birds, including meadow browns and red kites.

Wednesday 29th: Today when I was not working or going to appointments, I spent time organising my wildlife photos and camera trap photos, and playing outside with my young nieces, who both love nature in their own individual ways.

Thursday 30th: For the last day of this year’s 30 Days Wild, I have been travelling up to London by bus to spend a few days exploring with my mum. For something a little different, I challenged myself to my annual A-Z of wildlife, but a travel edition. Here’s how I got on:

Looking back at my June this year, I was very busy, but the month shows that I naturally take time each day to connect with and appreciate nature. This could be through harvesting food, walking out in nature, or even getting involved in conservation projects. Being outside out in nature is important for my mental health, for my inspiration, and for my lifestyle, and so after this year’s 30 Days Wild, I now appreciate our natural environment even more so. Here’s for living every day a wild one!

Spring In Photos 2022

/ Laura Tuke / 1 Comment

Spring this year has been a joyful and colourful experience. In 2020, spring was a lifeline during lockdown. In 2021, spring was a turbulent and unpredictable season, with some real wonderous moments to behold. This year though, I have simply enjoyed every moment that spring had to offer, watching as the season swelled into being and slipped out once again with the heat of the summer sun.

This spring the season began slower, but reached its peak quickly once it got going. In Dorset, from blossom and bursting leaves to nesting birds and breeding mammals, spring bloomed spectacularly, with so much new life on offer. During this time I made lots of adventures out with my camera and took many, many photos. Here are just a few of my favourites from spring 2022.

Spring 2022: In Photos

Sunset Damson Blossom – This year the blossom of fruiting trees was fantastic. Our damson tree blossomed without being bitten by frost or hit by strong winds, so hopefully it will be a good year for damsons

Lambing at Home – My mum has her own mini flock of Lleyn ewes, a Lleyn ram, and a Charolais ram, and for us spring would not be spring without lambs springing around the fields!

Horse Chestnut Flowers – Often tree flowers are simple, green and unassuming, but not those of horse chestnut trees. Horse chestnut flowers form a candelabra of fantastic white flowers with dots of pink and yellow, towering high in the boughs of the trees

Woodland Minibeasts – This year during the bluebell bloom, I focused on exploring the hidden life amongst the bluebells (check out my previous post for more). One of my finds during my hunts was this fly which looks to be a St. Mark’s fly. This fly gets its name due to emerging around St. Mark’s Day in April each year

Oak Flowers – Though horse chestnut flowers are showy, some tree flowers are fantastic in a subtler way. The flowers of English oak trees hang down in green streamers from their branches, looking pretty swaying softly in gentle spring breezes

Up Close With Stitchwort Flowers – Stitchwort flowers or ‘Shirt-buttons’ are white stars spotting the countryside throughout spring. Taking a closer look, this particular flower looks weird and wonderful with stamens that curl around each other

Super Snail – This white-lipped snail is a simple, but colourful individual amongst the green of spring. Their swirling shells are a great subject to photograph

Wild Cherry Blossom – Every year one of my favourite flowering trees is the Wild Cherry. There’s nothing like banches covered in blankets of white set against a bright green backdrop of new leaves

Fabulous First Frogspawn – In 2020, we started digging a pond in our own mini nature reserve at home on our farm. This year we were excited to find our very first frogspawn! It was amazing to watch the tadpoles change and transform over time

1 O’Clock, 2 O’Clock, Dandelion Clock – All children find magic and wonderment in dandelion clocks and their parachute seeds. Even as an adult I still find inspiration in their fragile globe-like forms

Majestic Beasts – My mum has her own herd of beef cross suckler cows and an Aberdeen angus bull that are free range and raise their own calves. We especially enjoy watching the calves grow up and grow into themselves over their very first year of life

Apple Blossom – As a family we have always enjoyed growing and foraging for our own food in our local area. Though last year was not a very good year for fruit, this year looks to be a better year, apples included

Woodland Spider – Just like the St. Mark’s fly, whilst exploring a woodland of bluebells, I found this species of orb-weaver spider. The bluebells were home to many, many of these little arachnids all weaving their webs between flowers, waiting to catch a meal

Beautiful Blackthorn Blossom – Every year one of my favourite parts of spring is blackthorn. The snow white flowers of blackthorn winter bring colour to the landscape at a time when things are still grey and spring is only just trickling in

Portland Pets – This year I spent some time photographing my neighbour’s pedigree Portland flock. These small sheep, topped off with curling horns, have a great character and warm colour to them which make it a joy to take their portraits again and again