SPRING AT COTTERDALE: THE EXTRAS

   During the week I captured a few images that included more than one species at a time indulging in some different behaviour. The picture above shows one of the Red Squirrels that visited the garden feeding from the wall where I had placed some mixed squirrel food sitting next to a male Pheasant who was interested in some of the smaller seeds and nuts. It was interesting to see that the Pheasant although much bigger than the squirrel was not the dominant species in this encounter and he only got to feed once the squirrel had eaten his fill and departed.
   Below is an encounter observed up on the moors when a Golden Plover and a Lapwing had a territorial dispute and engaged in some fighting. It may have been that one or both of the birds had a nest or chicks in the area and so were defending them but the action went on for a long while with the Golden Plover although being smaller not giving up and repeatedly returning to hassle the Lapwing.

   Finally back in the garden and towards the end of the week a rat had found out that I was placing some tasty squirrel food on one of the walls. Also interested in the food was a Greater Spotted Woodpecker who would regularly come down to take a piece and on this occasion the rat was already feasting on the wall. The Woodpecker immediately fanned itself out and drove the rat away which was quite surprising and illustrated how aggressive they can be. It was also apparent that the rat had an injury to one of its eyes but how this occurred and whether it had any relation to a woodpecker is unknown.