Grey seals, courtship and mating. Cornwall, November 2025

 Having spent 2 and a half hours counting, photographing and generally monitoring the Grey seals we were just finishing recording all the data for the Seal Research Trust when I noticed a boat offshore with people looking our way in a manner that made me think ..."something's up"!

A quick dash to the cliff overlook and I saw what they were peering at... there was a pair of seals showing really well and in courtship mode.

Fortunately for me and my camera the light was behind me and the seals were looking amazing. 

I was in a field above the cliffs at quite a distance from them and I was using a Nikon mirrorless camera on silent shutter with a 500mm lens and well aware not to disturb them. 

A few times one of them would glance my way but they were more interested in each other.

They stayed in the same area from 15:39 hrs when I first saw them until 16:20 hrs when another courting pair swam amongst them and the males checked each other out.

I took many photos so here is a small section of them.... still lots!

 

Short-eared Owl, Cornwall 11th January 2024.

 An example of the Short-eared Owl's ability to alter the size of its pupils to suit the light. The eye in the sun has the pupil contracted whereas the one on the shadow side is still dilated. Nature has it sorted!

Nuthatch nesting in oak tree. 12th May 2023.

 I checked out this regular nesting site in a huge oak tree in the Camel valley and sure enough a pair of Nuthatches were actively feeding young.

I photographed this from quite a distance with a 500mm lens to avoid any chance of disturbance and the birds carried on their normal routine without flinching. I watched the same nest hole last year but this year the late evening light was much better and illuminated the tree nicely.

Nuthatches will partially block up natural holes or old & unused woodpecker holes with mud so that when it hardens it fits their body size perfectly. This then helps keep predators from stealing their eggs or eating their young.

A few more photos follow.....

A tight squeeze

Black-winged Stilts at Walmsley sanctuary, Wadebridge 8th April 2023.

 

Well who'd have thought we'd have a group of 6 Black-winged Stilts turn up at Walmsley this spring. Having raced off to Bude to see one on Tuesday it was a bit of a shock for 6 of them to turn up at our reserve, Walmsley sanctuary, on the Wednesday.

It's now Saturday and they're still there, feeding well and spreading across the site. Marsh Harrier is annoying them at times but I'm sure they will be used to these birds where they've come from.

A remote possibility they may try to breed but after last summer with 18 Glossy Ibis I've lost that hope factor! 

Here are a few images from the past few days.

 

4 of the 6 birds present