Rainy summer

This summer hasn't been a real summer, meaning a lot of rainy and colder days. Mayby this is one of the reasons the hide doesn't give in the summer what I expected. Being busy with work and family holidays, together with the weather, made that I didn't spend a lot of time in the hide. The visitors that came over were nice, but they didn't visit frequently enough to spend time in the hide. Visitors lately spotted by the trailcam were adult Goshawk (Havik), 2 Tawny owls (Bosuil), Red squirrel (Eekhoorn), Red fox (Vos), Hedgehog (Egel), Great spotted woodpecker (GB Specht) and Blackbird (Merel). The Red fox is another one then the one visiting before. To me it's looks like a juvenile.
In the near future I might have to leave the forest where my hide is situated because it probably will be used fot other things. I'm looking for a new location... !
Some photos of the last few weeks:

 2 Tawny owls

drinking juvenile Red fox

adult Goshawk

adult Goshawk

adult Goshawk

adult Goshawk

The trailcam did it !

Lately I didn't have the opportunity to spend time in the hide. The only observations I have are these from the trailcam. After seeing the results of the last few weeks I surely have to make some time to sit in the hide. Goshawk (Havik) is becoming a regular visitor at the pool the last 1 to 2 weeks. Mainly the same juvenile bird that was also visiting in the winter but also once an adult one. Other interesting visitors were Common Buzzard (Buizerd), first time in summer, and still regular the Tawny Owl (Bosuil) during the night.
Regarding the smaller there are no new species. Numbers are rather low, mayby because of the cat that is hanging around the hide lately.

juvenile Goshawk

adult Goshawk

adult Goshawk

juvenile Goshawk 

 Common Buzzard

Visitor update !

The last couple of weeks I didn't spend much time at the hide. The weather wasn't great, no longer dry periods, and the Finland trip took a lot of spare time.
It was mainly the trailcam that did all of the work. As far as I (and the trailcam) could see, no new species are visiting the hide. The only disadvantage of the trailcam is that it's not always noticing the smaller birds. In general spring has been rather disappointing regarding visitors and different species. I expected more and better. Mayby I should consider a hide at another place for next spring/summer.
What happened at the hide ? Tawny owl (Bosuil) is still a regular nightly visitor with once even 2 birds at the same time. Also for the Red fox (Vos), the trailcam saw 2 foxes at the same time at the hide/pool. Red squirrel keeps visiting, same as the more general birds with juveniles: Eurasian jay, Great spotted woodpecker (adult and 2 juveniles), Great tit (5), Blue tit (3), Blackbirds and Song thrush.
On my walk to the hide I spotted a Small heath (Hooibeestje). Having my camera with me I took some shots of this butterfly while the sun was setting.
Hopefully the next few weeks will bring a long dry period and new species... .

Small heath

Small heath with spider

Tawny owls

Red squirrel

Eurasian jay and juvenile Great spotted woodpecker

2 Red foxes

Brown bear in Finland !

Instead of spending some time in my own hide, I went to Finland last week, photographing from a hide at Wild Brown Bear lodge in Vartius, Finland near the border with Russia. I was hoping to see the European brown bear and if very lucky Wolverine and Wolf.
Both nights we went to the hide at 04.30 pm, spending the night there until 07.00 in the morning. Because we were almost near the polar circle we had only two hours of twilight between midnight and 02.00 am. Although it wasn't totally dark the light conditions were not easy to make photos.
The first nights we saw a female bear being chased by a male and two 1,5 year old cubs. Unfortunately they only came between 11.30 pm and 01.30 am so in poor light conditions.
The second night was much better. The female decided to come over at 09.15 pm, the male 1 hour later. The cubs came over the same time as the day before, when almost dark.
After all it was a great experience, seing these amazing creatures up close. Sometimes they were only a few metres away from the hide. Especially the male, who can weigh up to 315kg, was very impressive.
Other observations from the hide: Common greenshank (Groenpootruiter), Wood sandpiper (Bosruiter), Goldeneye duck (Brilduiker), Eurasian teal (Wintertaling), a very shy Red fox (Vos), Hooded crow (Bonte kraai)  and Eurasian curlew (Wulp). We missed the Wolverine by a day.... .
Around the lodge we also had nice obervations of Eurasian elk (Eland), Red squirrel from a hide (Rode eekhoorn), Red throated diver from a hide (Roodkeelduiker) and 2 times female Capercaillie (Auerhoen).
All together: 3 days Finland, 20 hours of travelling, about 32 hours in a photography hide, hundreds of mosquitos, dozens of mosquito bites, about 7 hours of sleep and 4 different bears ! A great trip !!!
More photos on my website Jelle Van de Veire - Natuurfotografie .

 View from the hide (smartphone photo)

 Hide in the morning (smartphone photo)

View from the hide during twilight

 Male

 1,5 year old cubs

Female

Red squirrel in winter coat

Goldeneye mother with family

Record shot Red fox

 Record shot Elk/Moose

Record shot of female Capercaillie

New life

The warm and dry weather that was predicted stayed away. Instead we had unstable weather with regular showers or rain. Not good for drinking birds at the hide.
Lately a family of Great spotted woodpeckers (Grote bont specht) is hanging around. Both parents and 1 juvenile are seen regulary at the pool and around the hide. The parents are still feeding the youngster. More and more juvenile Great Tits (Koolmees) are visiting too.
Other visitors are still Red Fox (Vos), Red Squirrel (Eekhoorn), Tawny Owl (Bosuil), Blackbird (Merel), Robin (Roodborst), Chaffinch (Vink) and Eurasian Jay (Gaai).
I'm waiting for dry weather and new species...... .

Female Great Spotted Woodpecker

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

Male feeding the juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

Update

After a wetter period it's getting warm, sunny and dry. Hopefully this will bring some nice species to the pool.
Lately the main visitors at the pool are Eurasian Jay (Gaai), Wood Pigeon (Houtduif), Great Spotted Woodpecker (GB Specht), Blackbird (Merel), European Robin (Roodborst), adult and juvenile Great Tit (Koolmees) and a new species which is visiting daily now, Carrion Crow (Zwarte Kraai).
The trailcam gave some nice results. Red Fox starts passing by or visiting in daylight, once even at 4 in the afternoon. A Roe Deer (Ree) was passing and 2 nights in a row a Tawny Owl (Bosuil) came over at 22.00 hour to take a bath or drink.

Red Fox

Roe Deer

Tawny Owl

juvenile Great Tit

Goshawk is back !

Good news on the trailcam. After a few months, the juvenile Goshawk came back at the hide this week. This time he's coming over to drink at the pool. It was a long rather dry period. Hope to see him a lot this spring/summer at the hide !
Around the hide, Common Cuckoo (Koekoek), Tree Pipit (Boompieper), Willow Warbler (Fitis) and Common Chiffchaff (Tjiftjaf) are singing. Hope to see them at the hide soon.