Welcome to Matthew Peaster's Countrymans Diary.
Award winning wildlife photographer Matthew Peaster from Over Stowey writes about what to look out for in the natural world right on your door step. All you need to do is read this feature, turn off that computer and get walking — not always very far either!
Summer 2010 on The Quantock Hills
Tawny Owl
Summer Stag
Sunrise
Now in early June it at long last feels like summer is here. Our temperatures have risen and we’ve had some scorching days. For me this is a double edged sward – we’ve planted a lot of trees in the early part of the year and with the ground drying out with the recent dry spell I’ve been concerned about their survival. However I’m sure they also appreciate some warm sunshine. As any horticulturalist, farmer, gardener and forester knows it’s the balance of sun and rain for best growing conditions and our unpredictable climate is probably good for this, but either our climate is changing or I’m taking more notice of what our weather does – we have been going through a number of cycles of dry and wet for a couple of years – either too dry (really??) or prolonged wet (of course!).
The weather is always a good starting point for any conversation but how does our Quantock wildlife respond? Well, probably in many cases the animals and birds just get on with it. Looking closer though and the cold northern air currents which brought the volcanic dust in May held the migratory summer birds in Europe – the Swallows and more noticeably the Swifts were later and in fewer numbers but now seem to have arrived. We’ve had a Blue Tit nesting above our front door and the adults have been busy feeding the chicks so maybe the dry weather has been good for the insects and invertebrates.
Is the weather going to stay fine or will we get a fourth wet summer. Well today we’ve had a good soaking which is welcome for all plants and trees. Using nature as an indicator there’s a saying “Oak before Ash, we’re in for a splash (of rain), Ash before Oak, we’re in for a soak (wet summer)”. It’s been interesting driving around to look for which have been bursting into leaf first and on the whole it’s been Oak, so a dry summer. Someone also pointed out the Hawthorn flowers, the Hawthorn is covered which also points to a dry summer. No doubt there’s plenty of speculation and old tales but our maritime environment will bring some rain and sun.
It’s also the time of year I see my favourite bird the most. The Tawny Owl is generally very elusive but we hear them a lot during the winter months as they call in their family groups. The longer summer days obviously reduces the hours of darkness so they have to hunt in early morning or early evening. As I was driving around the other morning photographing one swooped down to beside the road to catch its breakfast. It was too dark so I drove on. I came back along the same route through the forest and just a bit further on there was a Tawny sitting on a low branch just below the road. I parked a bit further on the road and crept back – but which branch! With eye sight like an owls it was not surprising it saw me first, even dressed in my camo. Luckily it stayed to look at me, possibly with greater interest! Slow and careful movement got me to a good position looking down over the bank and I enjoyed a good 5 minutes photographing this beautiful bird. What’s most rewarding about the Quaantock Hill’s wildlife is that it’s so rich and diverse that I never know what I’m going to see and photograph – if you’re not out there you won’t see or get anything! Until next time ...
