My Best Footage of 2024

 Hi everyone and happy new year!

2024 was probably just as good as 2023 for the blog, if not even better. Whether I'm out in the field or have gotten something exciting on the camera trap, 2024 has resulted in some of my best footage yet. This is my personal top ten but it might be very different to yours. Let's get into the top ten.

10. Daylight Bat

For me, the number ten spot goes to this bat I saw in broad daylight at a lake near my house. It was the first bat on the blog and something I thought was really cool.

9. Flying Great Egret

One of my most recent videos, this one of a great egret flying at Doxey marshes deserves the number nine spot in my opinion as it was the first time I had ever seen a great egret before. This video not only shows off the size of the great egret, but the whole view from the hide we were sat in and you can see the cattle egrets and shelducks it flies past. The whole trip was really good and I will be going back to Doxey a few times this year. 

8. October Fox

Surprisingly, we only got one day-time fox on the camera trap this year, but the one we did get was a great video and doesn't need much explanation why it is my top ten.

7.Little Egret Chase

I know I have already had an egret in my top ten this year but this video I took on my visit to Seaton Wetlands was too good not to include in my top ten. Little egrets are great birds and this video of one chasing another away is great and demonstrates the great zoom of my camera well.

6. Ringed Teal

This year I have seen loads of new species of waterfowl for the first time, including egyptian geese, common teal, shoveler, the little grebe and plenty more. To pick one of them for the top ten, I was originally going to pick the wigeons I saw at Swaledale. This is because I had been wanting to see one for years and this was the first time I had. However, after a very recent visit to Sandbach Flashes SSI I have changed my mind. This is because I saw three (one male and two females) escaped, South American Ringed Teals. I think they represent all the new waterfowl species I have seen this year as they are one I actually went searching for and found. They are definitely my favourite waterfowl species I have seen this year. 

5.Stag in the Snow

This time last year (in 2024) I would be shocked if I knew that we would get more roe deer than badgers or foxes on the camera trap this year. I have picked one for the top ten, and I have decided that it is this video of a stag in the snow. I have picked it because we don't often get stags on the camera and this was the first time we had ever had one at night ( we usually get does, and we had one at night in the summer). It was also snowing in November and the stag appeared just at the right time as it started to fall.

4. Red Kite

Like the fox, this one doesn't need much explaining. It was the first time I had ever recorded a red kite and they are just really good-looking birds with a massive wingspan of up to 195cm.

3. The Sparrowhawk

Not only was this the first time I had ever recorded a sparrowhawk, it was also the best bird I have ever had in my garden. I'm sure a lot of people who have had sparrowhawks in their garden would agree with me that it is very exciting. And I only had to go as far as my bedroom window.

2. Fallow Deer Fawn in the Forest of Dean

My trip to the Forest of Dean was unsuccessful in finding wild boar, but the camera trap did pick up a herd of fallow deer which passed by. However, more often a doe and her fawn walked past. I really enjoyed my trip to the Dean and we will hopefully be going back this year to try and find some boar.

1. Badger Fight

Just a few days before my birthday the camera trap picked up a badger fight by the sett. These fights are very rarely recorded and I was really lucky to capture it. It will remain one of my best videos of all time and is without doubt my favourite footage of 2024.

That is all for 2024. Thank you for reading my posts over the year.

2025

What do I want for 2025?

Well, this time last year I said I wanted to record more badgers and foxes which I did and will continue doing. I also said I wanted to film some wild rabbits which I managed to do. Same for the roe deer (that was the biggest success) and to film even more birds which I definitely manged. 

There was one thing I wanted to do but sadly failed. That was to record wild boar in the Forest of Dean, which will remain the number one target for 2025.

Here are some new targets for me:

1) Record some daylight badgers at the badger set.

2) Try and find a fox den.

3) I would love to get a roe deer fawn on the camera trap.

4)  Record any new type of bird of prey. I would love Ospreys which you can see at Rutland Water.

5)  The bird I want to see the most this year is the RSPB's logo; the avocet. Spoonbills, dippers and water rails are also high up the list.

6)  Find even more species of waterfowl.

7) Any reptiles or amphibians. I would love to record an adder.

8)  Have fun and discover more species I have never seen before.

That is all for today's post. Remember to leave a comment and thanks for reading!