Introduction to Diary of a Welsh Landscape

I am beginning this record of wildlife, nature and anything else that comes to mind in my patch of mid-Wales. I am writing mostly for my own entertainment and to keep a record of the wildlife and the natural world around me and to add my musings and observations.  The hills and valleys of mid-Wales are stunningly beautiful, sometimes gentle, sometimes harsh.  Here will be a record of the good - and the bad - but mostly trying to focus on the good.

So, first I need to back-track to August 2017 when I purchased my first trail camera.  The first time I placed my camera out on the land I saw my first (and so far only) stoat - or is it a weasel?  Shame he only peeped around the corner!

Same night and same spot I captured this fox:

Images aren't great but I can tell you I was pretty pleased and really rather excited!  I soon found out there is nothing quite like putting a camera out on the land in some random place and waiting to see what you get.

This was using a cheapish camera bought from Amazon - a Crenova which proved to be faulty and I had to send back.  It took stills ok but no video, so back it went and I bought an Apeman to replace it for around the same price, about £70.  Soon after I bought a second Apeman as this trail camera lark was beginning to grow on me!

September 2017 I found my first badger near to where I'd discovered we had a badger latrine. Now I was buzzing with excitement.  I'd been a town dweller for many years and lived in the country for only a short time, so this was opening up a whole new world for me.

Apparently badgers and foxes will share the same latrine as I would see.  This fox was enjoying the few scraps of food I'd put out to attract whoever might find it near to the camera.

Then in November 2017 I was entertained one lunchtime by this visitor outside my window, luckily I had my little Sony camera to hand and was so thrilled to see this fox catch a small rodent and eat it while I watched.

And the final photo for this entry is from December 2017 and is worryingly the last time I saw a fox on the land.  To be continued . . . . . . . . .