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After the usual 3.30am look through my bedroom window to see what the autumnal weather had in store for me, I picked up my camera gear and headed off to Rivington in search of that small but spell-binding mammal - the infamous weasel.

The spot where I was going to set my hide, was a little patch of woodland in a quiet area of this vast nature reserve where I had watched a small group of weasels hunting on various occasions during the summer. The family of weasels were using a hollow under the roots of an old oak tree for a den. The sounds that came from the hollow when I had visited the group of villainous marauders gave me the hope that they still lived here, I only hoped that the day would bring me luck and hopefully a great set of images for my collection.

Chris at his hide

After a 30 minute drive and a brisk frosty walk through the cherry gardens of Rivington I reached my secret spot well out of the way of the morning dog walkers and over-enthusiastic runners that start to explore this area from as early as 5.30am.

Tripod and camera set up "check" butties out "check" flask where I can easily reach it "check", oh no - memory cards? Phew" check" now comes the wait!

Peering out of my hide I watched as the local rabbit population bounce around soaking themselves in the morning dew in the search of their breakfast and watched as a lone fox crossed over a distant field followed closely by the local rook population much to the annoyance of the sly old dog.

A Rivington weasel (pic Chris Beever)

It is often the case for us wildlife enthusiasts that as soon as we put our attentions to something else - like pouring a brew - something will always happen as though the subject knows that you are not looking! That was the case in this instance. On lifting my head and peering out of the hide I watched as a couple of my subjects emerged from their lair and disappeared into the undergrowth taking a slight glance towards the edge of the wood where the rabbits were having breakfast before disappearing completely into the bracken.

After cursing myself for being unprofessional I switched on all my senses and tried to make sense of the sounds of the woodland "could there be any more weasels in the den?" After a four hour stakeout I hoped so! Then just as my morale was in danger of hitting rock bottom, a pair of beady eyes glistened in the darkness, then the moment I had been waiting for! There in all his glory a stunning little weasel made his way out of the darkness. He sat there sniffing the air and began to call out as though to find out where the rest of his family where hiding. Sure enough one by one weasels started to appear everywhere, darting around under and over logs and squabbling in excitement, it seemed that everywhere I pointed my camera a little head would be looking at me.

With fellow nature enthusiast Bill Oddie

After a mind-blowing 10 minutes of trying to get that one fine image - and going slightly cross-eyed in the process - and with a flash of chestnut brown and a distant sound of excited weasel the family had gone!

I carried out my stakeout for another couple of hours and scanned the field to the edge of the woodland in the hope that the marauders would pick on the local rabbits in the distance - but nothing. After checking the images on my camera and giving the family another half hour to return and get on with the photoshoot I decided that it was time to leave this enchanting woodland and head home for my reward - in the form of a nice warm cuppa and a bacon sandwich!

Article sent in by website user Chris Beever.