Revealed: Nature of night life in the wild as rain stopped falling
THESE STOLEN moments in nature have been meticulously captured on camera at a homemade photography hide in the heart of the Scottish woodlands.
With this spring having seen so little rain, many forest animals were struggling towards the end of May as natural streams began to run dry.
Photographer Alan McFadyen, recognising the opportunity after months of hot weather, has used it to his advantage in the hopes of capturing the perfect shot.
Digging a large pond in the forests surrounding Dumfries for the wildlife, he filled it with 200 buckets of water transported from his home.
It took him three days to fill the pool and, with so little water for miles around, various wildlife soon flocked to the site including a badger, a squirrel and a fox.
Mr McFadyen, a wildlife photographer best known for his hide shots, is only too aware of the patience needed.
Waiting to frame his shots over several nights, the resulting images show perfectly mirrored reflections of British wildlife in their own environments.
‘’I dug a big hole in forest then filled it with around 200 buckets of water from home,” said Mr McFadyen, 50, from Kirkcudbright, who has shared the images with fellow nature enthusiasts.
“I had to wait five nights to get the fox but had lots of activity while waiting. Immensely satisfied once I got the shot I was after.’’
The UK saw its sunniest spring since records began in 1929, according to the Met Office, with the driest May on record for some areas. Until the weather turned last week, some areas were warning of drought conditions.