Another unsucessful look for otters I headed east. After a few non wildlife stops I arrived in the Forest of Dean and had a quick look at Cannop ponds. Here the feeders were well attended and I got some nice photos. Then it was a quick look at New Fancy view which only produced a common lizard. I met up with Ben and we searched an area for wild boar but we only saw fallow deer. Just we though about leaving we heard the sound of some boar close by, we froze and two wild boar came out of the bracken and started to feed, they seemed to know we were there but stayed a few mins before they wandered off back into the bracken, it was almost dark but the encounter was still good.
26th September
An overnight drive with a few hours looking for Polecats in South Wales produced nothing at all. I arrived at Neyland to meet up for a dolphin survey trip however the weather had taken a turn for the worse with a stiffening breeze and plenty of rain. But we boarded and headed off, things were calm until we left the protection of the Haven then the sea state turned and became very rough. We quickly encountered a few common dolphins who were bow riding and were too close to photograph for most of the time. The next part of the trip was quite rough and I felt pretty bad but kept it together. Some close manx shearwaters, and a few skuas could not move me from my quest of keeping my breakfast down. We arrived in the calmer waters round Grassholm and then Skomer where I recovered and managed to fire up the camera for some grey seals that were showing nicely around the boat. After a reviving cup of tea we bumped into a 4 harbour porpoises close to Skomer and we made it back to land safely. I headed to Bosherton Lily ponds and after a quick search found some Autumn Ladies tresses but the otters were elusive, as were the polecats. I only located a couple of road kills, and after a few hours I had to get some sleep.
25th September
A couple of hours at Fowlmere in late afternoon warmth was rather enjoyable, following up on several reports of water vole I staked out the Spring hide, but could see no evidence of water voles but did see a couple of brown rats. A peregrine, hobby, sparrowhawk, buzzard and kestrel was a nice set of raptors during my wander around. Mammal wise muntjac, flaaow deer, rabbit and grey squirrel in addition to the rats.
22nd September
Bat box checking this morning in north Cambs was excellent, only two species present mostly soprano pipistrelle but we did have two cracking Leisler's bats a particularly difficult bat to catch up with. I stopped in at Fowlmere on my way home the highlight being several common lizards enjoying the sunshine.
18-20th September
The final session of small mammal trapping at work and a nice selection of captures. bank and field voles including a very unusually marked individual. common, pygmy and water shrews the obligatory wood mice and also a harvest mouse. I also saw the polecat that had been seen by some colleagues and along with a couple of water voles a rather good mammal week and I had not gone anywhere but work.
14th September
Small mammal trapping at Fowlmere RSPB produced mostly wood mice, but a couple of Yellow necked mice, bank vole and common shrews were also caught. A nice selection of moths from the trap were also present.
4th September
The opportunity to do some small mammal trapping at work arose so I took it and selected one area, I will do other areas in the next few weeks. But in this area I had a great haul on the first morning, plenty of wood mice a single yellow necked mouse and common, pygmy and water shrews but no voles. The morning of the 4th Sept I unusually had a helper and that would prove to be very fortuitous. After a few mice and shrews I picked up a very heavy trap and suspected it was a weasel and opening it I was right and out popped a weasel. I had gloves on but they were designed for mice not weasels and it bit my finger through my glove. My assistant took some photos and let him go. I had never caught a weasel before so this was a great experience.
31st August
I was up early to entertain Farnboro John who was on a mission to add yellow necked mouse to his year list, I had the brother of Thursdays Yellow necked mouse in the tank and we took him outside for release. He was far less happy about the release / photo procedure than his brother. John headed off to Norfolk and I to Oxfordshire to Whitecross Green Woods. Here it was pleasantly sunny and warm and it was not long before I located a brown hairstreak high up in the trees. I located a couple more in other trees but it was almost an hour until one came within photography range, a few bullfinches and a migrant hawker also of note. Next stop was Streatly hill as I know it (its local name - I did grow up down the road) it is commonly known as Lardon chase. I was here for second brood Adonis blue, having missed the first brood here. I did see a giant robber fly apparently quite rare and considering its size and evil looks I can understand why, but it is totally harmless. I found plenty of Adonis blues and even saw some mating. Greenham common was my next stop a site I have never been to before and I made hard work of finding my target but did eventually find loads of autumn ladies tresses. Time was moving on so I headed west to Wiltshire for the main event, via a chip shop obviously! I joined the Wiltshire Bat Group for a trapping session. We all arrived early and quickly set up the equipment and got organised. Bats were being caught as dusk fell and we quickly had small numbers both lesser and Greater horseshoe, serotine, whiskered bats. This was followed by large numbers of daubentons and Natterer's mixed with a few bechsteins, brown long eared and a couple of Brant's. As the numbers dwindled and we contemplated packing up we trapped a barbastelle to bring the species tally to 10 and well over 200 individuals what a cracking night.
30th August
Having somehow missed Chinese water deer this year I was up early and headed to Woodwalton Fen, and was surprised not to be the first there, a birdwatcher had beaten me to it but they visited the other part of the reserve to me. I quickly encountered a muntjac and then had two nice views of Chinese water deer before reaching the far end of the reserve. Here I twisted my ankle in a rabbit hole having to sit for 10 mins before I could move, it hurt like hell. I used the monopod as a crutch and made it up the bank but no deer here. I hobbled along the bank a bit before turning round and taking a different route around the rabbit hole but sods law I found another and the same ankle again twisted and I was sprawled on the grass soaked with dew, fortunately no one was around to see my indignity. I hobbled back to the car stopping for a couple of dragonflies before heading off. That evening I released the bank vole and got a few photos.
29th August
I was taking the traps up this evening, two were tripped the first held a bank vole and the second a yellow necked mouse. I put the bank vole in a tank with food and water. Then tackled the YNM transferring the trap and mouse in a tank good job as a second mouse was still in the trap. With two YNM present I removed one and took a few photos as I let him go, he was very calm for a YNM and allowed a few photos as he got his bearings and dashed off.
28th August
With the harvest in the fields behind my house Trapping I set some traps and over the last couple of days I have caught the following, common shrew, bank vole wood mouse and yellow necked mouse.
22nd August
Finishing off the small mammal trapping this morning we caught 2 water shrews, 6 common shrews, 1 field vole, 2 bank voles and 7 wood mice. The evening was spent in south Essex at what is now an annual visit to see Don Hunford and his badgers. An excellent visit as always with 11 different badgers visiting the feeding site.
21st August
Some students come and do a biodiversity survey at our work every year and this year I helped them with some small mammal trapping. This morning the first trap contained a water shrew and we caught 2 water shrews, 3 common shrews, 2 pygmy shrews, 2 bank voles and 3 wood mice The evening produced a bank vole and two common shrews.
20th August
The little owl family at work were showing nicely and I could not resist a few photos.
17th August
After a very busy period work wise, I met up with James Hunter for a day in Kent our target Long Tailed Blue. As we arrived at Kingsdown Leas conditions were perfect and we quickly picked up a few wall and three clouded yellows. We began our search and located several other butterfly species chalkhill blues and a couple of silver spotted skippers but no sign of the LT blue. As the hours ticked by the weather deteriorated and despite several others with a similar quest we gave up and headed back to the car for some food. A quick drive to Folkestone where we had a site with some wall lizards and a couple showed including a tiny hatchling despite the less than ideal conditions but still warm enough for an ice cream. We headed off for some other targets when news came the LT blues had been seen - damm! we about turned and returned to the site and very quickly James picked up a long tailed blue but it flew and was caught in the strengthening wind and was lost and despite a further search with conditions very poor we gave up but did catch up with a migrant hawker. This site yielded 19 butterfly species in very poor butterfly weather - very nice indeed. A short distance from Grove Ferry we found some photogenic willow emeralds before ending our day at Oare Marshes, the temmink's stint was present but the bonapartes gull was not about and we called it a day via the chip shop.
4th August
The resident hedgehogs and foxes are out in force at the moment showing well.
23rd July
An afternoon jaunt to Lyndford Arboretum where I briefly caught the two barred crossbill juvenille as I arrived but it was quickly lost to view and no further sign to 8pm when I left. Anyone checking the bird reports would notice that it was reported during this period this was because there were some observers calling siskins and chaffinches as the crossbill!
20th July
I stayed at St Mary's Lighthouse which is a good spot for Roseate terns at first light I did some searching for them without luck but spotted some dolphins a quick look and about 8+ white beaked dolphins were present I only had them for a couple of mins but got a record shot. Next stop was Lindesfarne but a quick search for helleborines was not sucessfull. Neither was the trip to the Farnes for the bridled tern which left just before we arrived and did not return. I returned to Lindesfarne where I eventually found the lindesfarne helleborines. I could not stay to try for the tern again so I headed for home, the chip shop in Alnwick had a power cut so no chips and then only one common seal at Greatham creek finished a very mixed day.
19th July
Finishing at Lunchtime I headed north, the temperature was hot the traffic bad and the drivers idiotic, but unscathed I made it to a pleasantly cool Filey. Upto 10 minke whales have been present and I had a quick sighting just after arrival, but then the sightings were brief and distant until after a few hours we had one close in feeding which showed nicely. I grabbed some chips then headed to Scarborough to search for harbour porpoise but had no luck so headed to Scalby, here I had more luck with two brief sightings and as darkness fell I headed north.
17th July
Fortunately last week I had arranged to go to Rutland Water today to drop off some stuff and mid-afternoon met up with David Grey who had already seen the pacific golden plover the previous day but we decided it was worth another visit. After a rather hot walk we arrived at the hide, it was showing a little distantly but it was a cracking individual. Four ospreys were also present but little else of interest apart from a plague of dragonflies. After some cool drinks we headed to a nearby site for some butterflies 50+ dark green fritillaries and even more marbled whites amongst the common species. Most of the orchids were going over but a few common twayblades still looking OK and the odd common spotted still passable including one var Okelli. Next stop was Glapthorn , I found a black hairstreak leaving the feeding area never to return as I arrived, a wood mouse was scampering round and a couple of purple hairstreaks were flying round one of the large oaks near the exit was the best of it, so I headed for home where a few cool beers were waiting for me.
14th July
In the early hours I waited at the famous tunnel near Buckfast, where I was a little disapointed to only see one greater horshoe bat but I had to get some sleep so had to be satisfied with only one. I drove through Dartmoor, where a toilet stop produced a lesser spotted woodpecker, I managed to avoid hitting any cattle or ponies that frequented the road. After a touristy day with family I headed back through the Chilterns making a couple of stops for orchids. The first stop had plenty of common spotted, pyrimidal (inc var alba) and frog but I was after a hybrid Frog x common spotted and I found two. It was a quick look at some nearby musk orchids before heading to Wendover. I arrived very early and was eating some chips and all above me were edible dormice, I have never seen them out that early before. They were not very co-operative but one did sit very high up in the canopy for a few seconds, long enough for a couple of photos. Totally exhausted I headed home for some well earned sleep.
13th July
Emptying the small mammal traps started with a common shrew then a water shrew a couple of wood mice and a yellow necked mouse. The moth group opened their traps and we were shown a large array of cracking moths and some some clearly for the enthusiast! Eyed, lime, privet and poplar hawkmoths spectacular of course as well as large emerald, garden tiger and many other to mention one of the highlights for the moth guys was the silver barred a wicken speciality. Mid afternoon after a quick shower to cool down I headed to Devon. I stopped at the Tiverton ballon festival on the way to my destination now an annual event. Here hazel dormice visit a bird feeder and they did not disappoint, two turning up off and on for a few hours, I left just after midnight.
12th July
Some small mammal trapping at Wicken fen as part of their bioblitz two common shrews and a wood mouse, but the highlight was a weasel running down the board walk, a family of 4 were also seen the following day but not by me. I stayed late to watch the soprano pipistrelle emergence.
11th July
The cat brought in a pygmy shrew but unfortunatly it died during the day.
9th July
Saw one of the garden foxes this evening, not seen them for a while as they have been visiting late, the hedgehog usually doing the early shift.
9th July
I popped to Weeting for the fourth time in the hope of photgraphing stoats, but even though a couple of views were obtained no photos, but 11 stone curlews were present.
7th July
The harvest mouse gave a nice photoshoot before its release, but not much else bar a few garden damselflies.
5th July
A visit to a few Cambs sites, first a regular site for red eared terrapins three were present and easily photographed. Then onto Fulbourn Fen nature reserve where a nice display of orchids was in bloom. Mostly early marsh orchid but smaller numbers of common twayblade, bee orchid and common spotted orchids avoiding the abundant rabbits. I then drove to Biddenham where after considerable searching and hearing loads of midwife toads and in someones front garden I saw a toad, it looked like no one was at home so I took a dash up their drive and took a quick few photos and left before I drew attention to myself. The cat was paying attention to a corner and indeed it had brought in a small mammal a unharmed harvest mouse I kept it overnight fed and watered and it was fine, but I did not release it until Sunday to ensure it was well fed and watered.
4th July
As I work so close to the Cambs Lizard Orchid site it would be rude not to make a visit, so I popped over on the way home. I easily found 50 spikes without really looking some were in excellent condition others just past their best. A few common spotted orchids were just starting to go over but the pyrimidal orchids were just coming to their best as well, a nice bonus was a field vole.
3rd July
Finally caught up with the stoat that is resident at work, but I was camerless at the time, A nice walk at Eldernell produced the target species a corncrake was calling nice and close but it was totally invisible. Other highlights were a cuckoo and a barn owl but all this was a warm up for the noctule roost. And they ut on a good show 52 emerging in about 20 mins.
1st July
Hedgehog again but a little before dusk showing very well.
