A couple of local stops as I am not well, first a visit to the local Lizard orchids which were just past their best but still a few good ones. Then it was Fulbourn Fen where the early marsh orchids and common twayblades had just about gone over but the Southern Marsh and Common spotted orchids were in their prime and I also located a few bee orchids as well.
24th June
A brief stop for some wasp orchids on our return home.
23rd June
A weekend away in North Wales with friends complete with poor weather so we headed slightly north to the coast where the sun was out over the Great Orme. We quickly located a kashmir goat flock feeding quietly, but it was far too windy for any butterfly watching so we searched for chough and found a couple quite easily and after an ice cream which Anna nearly lost to a herring gull we headed to Llanberris. Here we easily found some feral goats feeding on a mountain side. With the rain starting we gave up for the day.
9th June
A grand day out to the West country with James Hunter, started in Wiltshire at 6am at an amazing site where no sign of civilisation could be seen, here hundreds of burnt tip orchids were in flower it was an amazing site and we did locate our target a burnt tip orchid var ochreluca which was slight past its best. Some nice frog orchids were also seen. The second site a compete contrast right next to a main road but here some nice orchids were present fragrant orchids including var alba some pyramidal orchids including var alba, bee orchids and the main reason for our visit were the bee x fly orchid hybrids. With a hectic schedule we headed off to Arne RSPB where the car park was surprisingly empty. But the Sika deer were present and a young stag showed nicely. A green hairstreak was a bonus, we then headed off to a local open heath reserve. We had a nice wander round with a few dragonflies, peregrine falcon some cracking stonechats and two smooth snakes in the now nicely warm conditions. The temperature was excellent and our next stop benefited from the conditions with several sand lizards showing very nicely and a roe deer was disturbed from the undergrowth. A painted lady was an unexpected bonus and a nice downy emerald and raft spider added to the invert haul. Where our next stop would hopefully add to the tally, but despite a lengthy and exhaustive search we could not find any ladybird spiders, but sand lizard and keeled skimmer were of note. A little tired from our exploits we headed for some easy herps in Bournemouth, which was in a fancy dress frenzy, and straight out of some warped horror film, but we evaded any harm and headed for the wall lizard and green lizards of the cliffs, both species were easily found. A quick stop in the New Forest for the absent fallow deer was a disappointment as was the M3 accident which put our next stop in jeapardy. But we arrived in Surrey with some sun and warmth and after a bit of searching located a Glanville fritillary at around 8pm. We were not finished yet and headed to Kent, here we stopped at a Man orchid site which was now in darkness but the use of torches we located hundreds and also a bee orchid var belgarum. The last stop was for some moth trapping at a local nature reserve, but conditions were not ideal and catches were slow but a few nice moths were caught. I dropped James back home and headed home myself and finally got to my bed again 23 hours after leaving it.
5th June
Interesting visitors to the garden a female mallard along with 10 ducklings during the morning, I later went up to Northamptonshire to visit the southern midwife toad site where several were located.
1st June
I popped into a reserve no too far from work, here was a good selection of orchids, southern marsh, narrow leaved marsh and early marsh var ochroleuca. I then popped into a site in Norfolk where despite the poor conditions I located two pool frogs.
29th May
I could not make the Orphean warbler before dark, but managed the Lincolnshire marsh warbler which showed very nicely. A pair of barnacle geese had two goslings and a duckling! I stopped in at a noctule roost on the way home 59 emerged - very nice.
24th May
Not much else this week apart from some small trapping in the garden which yielded a bank vole, yellow necked mouse and plenty of wood mice. I visited a local site for red eared terrapins where two were easily found.
21st May
The report of a bee eater in Norfolk tempted me north despite less than ideal weather, and it was still present on arrival showing well, little else was about and poor weather I headed for home a brown hare of note.
19th May
I spent a few hours at Grafham Water looking for the Weasel again with no luck.
18th May
After work I headed to Eldernell for corncrakes but due to the heavy rain the whole area was flooded, so no corncrakes but I did have a few yellow wagtails and a turtle dove. I headed to the bat roost I was to survey, and it was not long before the forst Noctule emerged. In total 49 emerged and a couple of pipistrelle sp were also seen.
16th May
Finishing work early I returned to the water voles, would it be third time lucky? There was plenty of action with 7 water voles being spotted and I finally got a couple of photos of a black one. There were two barn owls hunting, almost constant purring of a turtle dove and plenty of kingfisher sightings. Next I went into Ely to see the muscovy ducks and the long staying small canada goose. My final destination was a local bat roost, it was a perfect evening and not too long before the first serotine left the roost. A few soprano pipistrelles were about as well.
15th May
Following up on some info I headed to Bedfordshire, I arrived just as torrental rain, hail, thunder and lightning did, so I waited an hour until it was safe to venture out. It was not long before I located a black tailed prarie dog and managed to get a few photos before the rain started again.
14th May
Excellent garden foxes over the last few nights with at least one fox cub visiting with a vixen and a continual procession of hedghogs
13th May
I spent a few hours at Grafham Water looking for the Weasel that Simon West had seen a few days earlier but no luck, not much apart from some 24 Spot ladybirds and a few whitethroats.
12th May
Day of the Stortford Crew Birdrace although only one of us now lives in Stortford. Stephen Patemore, Mike Harris and myself had a massive haul of 158 species in 21 hours, we started in the Brecks and then hit the Norfolk coast visiting a large array of habitats and sites we kept mostly to our plan with only a short twitch for the Temminck's stints at Cley, the weather was mostly OK but very strong winds made it difficult at a few sites.
Highlights - Red Kite, Short Eared and Long Eared Owls, Merlin, goosander, common cranes, Golden Oriole my bird of the day - Firecrest a cracking male seen very well at close range. A top day if quite exhausting
11th May
I revisited the water voles again in search of a black one but it was very quiet, I brief view of a brown water vole and a brown rat, but an excellent hobby, turtle dove, kingfisher, cuckoo and barn owl. Just as I left I spotted a black water vole but it was gone in a flash and I did not see it again.
9th May
An early jaunt to Fowlmere in what was quite poor weather, but the birds did not seem to mind, a good haul of warblers in the dawn chorus, and the first few fledglings of the year were welcome. The highlights a common sandpiper and two hobbies, few mammals only a couple of muntjac
8th May
Following up on reports of black water voles found myself in the Fens near Ely, with a nearby resident. And it was not too long before we saw our first water vole but of the standard colour. Then too far away for a photo a jet black water vole was spotted, and then close in a dark chocolate brown water vole, all three colours at one site. I stayed a while and had both the chocolate and jet black one again but no more photos, another visit will be required.
5th May
I thought the day would be tied up with prior commitments but these finished well ahead of schedule and that left me able to head the Flamborough where I joined a few other birders and was quickly onto the possible Atlas Flycatcher. After having my fill I went to the lighthouse area for an ice cream before searching for the ring ouzel and wryneck. The wryneck was eventually located and I had a couple of brief views but nothing else, so I headed for home via the chippy. A fox cub was dicing with death on the M180 and a black rabbit on the A1 were of note on the way home.
29th April
What turned out to be a good day, started at the Waterworks reserve in London, home to a population of edible frogs which were easily seen. I do like urban reserves as the wildlife can be very confiding and a drake pochard was no exception. But I had plenty more to see at Rainham RSPB, where I quickly had views of a water vole but always obscured in the reeds, so I walked the reserve catching up with plenty of migrants, hobby, cuckoo, whitethroat, wheatear, sedge warbler to name a few. The marsh frogs were just starting their chorus and a few were seen, but this should build up soon. Crossing the bridge into Kent to a nice site for reptiles and it was not long until I had a common lizard and several slow worms, but my target was a little more elusive but I did find one adder, and a couple of dingy skippers. I headed for the coast and to a woodland site where I know there is a good population of yellow necked mice. I set a few traps and headed for fish and chips, on my return I had a result a large male. Time to head for home but not before visiting the yellow tailed scorpions, I found one photogenic one to round off a rather enjoyable day.
26th April
My early morning suspicions were confirmed as I had seen a Golden rabbit on my way to work, in fact there were two young golden rabbits as I returned this evening.
16th April
A brief visit to Letchworth as I was passing did eventually lead to some good views of a black squirrrel
10th April
Back to work and the return of the good weather so despite lots to do I finished early and popped upto the brecks for a glorious evening. My target was Reeve's phesant, which I have seen before in this area and others. But they were very elusive as I toured round the usual sites. But as always being out and about you get other stuff, and the abundance of brown hares and roe deer gave some good photo opportunities. Just when I was pleased with my efforts a kestrel then sat for me and I bumped into a black pheasant, and last knockings a male Reeve's Pheasant final gave itself up although it may have been a hybrid as it did not want to pose for good views or photos. With more roe deer, dozens of muntjac, rabbits and a grey squirrel, several grey partridges amongst the red legged made a great evening, can wait for more sunny weather.
8th April
With the car repaired, I spent some time in the Lee Valley, with some cracking bank voles and even better muntjac including a fawn. Other mammals seen were common shrew, grey squirrel and rabbit. Birdwise a mandarin duck the pick but some nice great crested grebes. The evening I staked out a badger sett, unbeknown to me, they had dug some additional exits and so most eluded me, but I had views of two badgers, a muntajc and a fox. The journey home also produced a brown hare.
7th April
Not been upto much over the last week apart from garden watching, with at least 3 hedgehogs in the garden, and I rescued a yellow necked mouse from the neighbours cat, bird wise the yellowhammers and reed buntings are still visiting the garden very regularly and the grey partridges still making the occasional visit. A pair of mallards seem to like my pond and visit most days. And a house mouse was trapped in a longworth set in the garage.
1st April
A quick look for black squirrels at Letchworth, produced only one shy one so I headed to my destination, the Lodge. Those who know me might wonder why on a sunny Sunday afternoon I was heading to a very busy reserve. Well over the last few days there have been several reports of a water shrew, at a small pond on the reserve. As I arrived at Jack's Pond I met last nights observer Tim, who had been very helpful with information. He could not stay but I was shortly joined by a couple and for the next few hours we waited, watching the lesser redpolls and other small birds come down to drink. A couple of ravens were overhead off and on, and then I had a quick glimpse of a water shrew but the couple missed it. They had to leave after a few hours and we joked that it would show 5 mins after they left, and it did. It was showing quite well for almost an hour and I got a few record shots, well they are hard to photograph. Tim returned and I headed for a walk round the reserve and he also had the shrew for almost an hour. I made do with rabbits, a muntjac and a black squirrel amongst the greys.
