george hogg

Tawny Owl in the wildlife garden last night . Hopefully all the frogs , newts, toads , woodmice , bank voles and insects will persuade it to become a regular visitor .

Future humans may meet aliens . Or you could could just buy a microscope and scoop them from the nearest pond . Stentor from our wildlife pond today .

There is a phenomenon countrymen know as the 'ancient dread' whereby prey species go into prolonged motionless following the presence of a predator . I think that was part of the issue with this bird as it was found close to a peregrine nest .

Translocated a woodcock from between tall buildings to a nearby shrub/wild grassland habitat today .

Calling to change card in this woodland camera ,spotted a scattering of dunnock feathers on the stump so knew there should be a sparrowhawk among the videos . Sure enough she was filmed three days before ,but after only two minutes departed with her prey when a roe doe appeared .

A long awaited lifer for me today . My 1st ever Hairyback (Gastrotrich) . From the sediment layer at the bottom of my wildlife pond .

@Ornithomedia Sorry for late reply . I always agree to anything which promotes nature . Feel free to use .

@hoggestateserv2 Hi, I'm the redactor of the website ornithomedia.com: would it be to present on of two of your photos for an article ? Naturally we would credit them. regards David

Found a White Billed Diver at Skateraw today . Only my 2nd ever . The 1st was in the Orkneys .

NEWS FLASH !! Camera trap catches collared dove turning into woodpigeon !

As I have been absent from X for a while , it is some time since I invited followers to join my wildlife gardening group East Lothian Wildlife Gardening | Facebook

Lovely little 'Musket' in the garden on 11th Feb . ( falconer's parlance for male sparrowhawk )

last of my decent pics , the rest are smudgy

The most fascinating animals are the ones you can't see ! I think this is s Cothurnia ,though understanding of freshwater micro life still has plenty room for naturalists wishing to name new species . Usually genera is as far as a specimen can be identified

An alternative to buying bee hotels is to make bee blocks by drilling numerous holes in a block of wood. Drill almost all the way through and use different size drill bits to attract different species of solitary bees

Ivy is a magnet for autumn butterflies and hoverflies . It is a secure nest site summer's birds . Even now in February the woodpigeons are gorging on it's berries . Trees outside the garden have had their ivy cut through A crime against nature ,old dead ivy looks hideous .

Bank Voles are secretive residents of our wildlife garden

Wood Mouse on left , Bank Vole on right . Wood Mice are much more nocturnal , hence their enormous eyes and ears . Pics from our wildlife garden

Although woodcock are superbly camouflaged in many shades and shapes of brown , they have hidden white tips under their tail feathers which are flashed in courting display and as a defence distraction

No doubt X may not allow this link but trying anyway . It takes you to my 2025 posts when I was trying Bluesky . George Hogg (@georgehogg.bsky.social) — Bluesky

Left out an apple with a camera a few cm away . This wood mouse was tempted during the night and a bank vole at dawn . The vole stayed behind the apple mainly ,so trying again tonight .