Deerie me -WARNING Contains Spaiders

Hello strangers! Many apologies for the long silence; work has been absolutely crazy the last few weeks, with 12 hours days the norm & days off a bit of a rarity. Compounding that, it's been a bit of a funny time of year for wildlife in the local area; the summer migrants are by & large departing, but winter arrivals haven't put in an appearance just yet. Vegetation is still very high in most sites, so the few occasions I've managed to get out for an hour or two, there hasn't been a huge amount to see!

On the plus side, I have recently upgraded my main lens to the spanking new Canon 500mm f/4 IS II, so I've been itching to give it a proper test-drive! Thankfully, the last week or so, I've managed to get out and about a little bit & I'm pleased to say it's performing very well!

I spent a few hours one afternoon on one of the local private lakes, watching a pair of Little Grebes fishing. I really enjoy working with these entertaining little birds. The female seems to have a particular penchant for eating newts  - while the male tends to stick to minnows & sticklebacks.' 

Little Grebes

Sadly 'Lonesome George' - a male Great Crested Grebe I've been watching for the last few years, is once again an eligible batchelor. I'd hoped that, after he paired up with a female this spring, he'd succeed in raising a brood. Unfortunately, after two failed clutches, his mate seems to have disappeared & poor George is all alone again. Hopefully, better luck next year.

Lonesome George

I was also pleased to be able to spend a couple of hours watching the resident pair of Hobbies catching dragonflies over the lake at Coate Water - although the site was otherwise very quiet for this time of year.

Hobby

Common Darter (Lunch)

Last weekend, Lou & I spent a few hours in a hide in the Midlands. It's a site where I've previously had good luck with Muntjac Deer, but no joy this time around. For the first 90 minutes or so, a Buzzard was perched close to the hide, which meant that very little was stirring, apart from a few rather handsome pheasants. Once it left, the bird life picked up a little, with a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and one of their juveniles spending some time on the feeders. Although we didn't see any Muntjac, we were rewarded with a pair of Fallow does and their fawns, which were very nice to see.

Fallow Deer - Fawn

Now that some of the hay fields have been cut, it's starting to get easier to see hares again. I managed to get fairly close to one more or less at eye-level through the stubble. They seem to have had a good year - we saw over a dozen in one field, albeit rather distantly. 

Brown Hare

One of my local pair of Little Owls have also had a successful season; I was delighted to spot two owlets out and about on my last visit to their territory.

Little Owlet

This morning, we made the decision to get up mega-early and head down to the lovely RSPB reserve at Arne, on the edge of Poole Harbour. We especially like to visit during the autumn, when the Sika deer are rutting. It's still a little bit too early for that yet, although we did hear a few of their squeaky bellows this morning. We arrived just before sunrise, and spent several hours wandering around the heathland and mixed woodland. An unexpected bonus on the way in was coming across a Nightjar sitting on the entrance road; I'd thought that they would have all made their way across the channel by now. We also spotted a Little Owl flying off a fence by the side of the road. 

Little Owl - Not from Arne

The Sika deer were out in force. We saw around 50 over the course of the morning; although mainly does and fawns/ juveniles. Unusually, we only came across a couple of stags. They seem to be mainly congregating under the chestnut trees, and appreciating the windfall nut mast - as were the multitude of Grey Squirrels! 

Sika Deer - Doe

Sika Deer - Fawn

Green Woodpeckers are also abundant at Arne - although tricky to get close enough for a decent shot. However one did pose quite obligingly for a few minutes on a dead tree limb in the sun's first rays. We also spotted a Wryneck flying through the glade, but couldn't quite see where it had landed. 

Green Woodpecker

It was a good day for raptors, with distant Ospreys out in the channel, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzards. On the Salt marshes, we also saw 9 Spoonbill, Cormorants, Little Egret, Shell Duck, Greenshanks, Herons, Curlew and various gulls.

Small birds were also out in force; highlights were the resident Dartford Warblers, but we also saw Treecreepers, a female Stonechat, Long-tailed Tit, Great-Tit, Coal-Tit, Gold Crest, Gold Finch, Chaffinch, Swallows, Housemartins and  Wheatears (in flight).

Stonechat

For me, the invert life was a particular highlight; we found a nest of hornets, which were quite something to watch, as they carted caterpillars and other insects into the chambers at a great rate. I also saw my first Raft Spiders today - a big tick, after several years of looking for them. We saw at least 10 spiderlings (which are still big enough to make most people feel rather uncomfortable!), but no adults today.

Hornets - Trying to be a bit arty

Hornet Nest

Raft Spider

Think that's probably enough for now - I promise not to leave it so long between posts in future! 

An unexpected bonus

It's funny, some of the places that you can find wildlife. You don't always have to be in the back-of-beyond to see some amazing species; as the sites we visited this weekend show.

The forecast for the weekend wasn't brilliant, but after my first full week in my new job, I was determined to get out and about to make the best of it. So, on Saturday morning, Lou & I headed down to South Wales for another look at one of the pairs of Dippers. Driving down through an industrial estate, you wouldn't expect to be coming across much in the way of wildlife, other than the ubiquitous seagulls & a feral pigeon or two. However, hidden behind is a secluded stretch of wooded riverbank, with lots of weirs and rocky islets - perfect territory for Dippers. 

We spent a pleasant couple of hours watching a pair zipping back & forth, taking beakfuls of cadis-larvae up to the nest under overhanging tree-roots. The chicks could be heard very loudly when either parent went in, so I wouldn't be surprised if they fledge this week. The light conditions weren't great, as it was dark clouds & drizzley, with a few heavy showers, but it's always interesting experimenting with different shots in more muted colours. As well as the Dippers, there were several pairs of Grey Wagtails - and a pair of Chiff Chaffs showing well.

Grey Wagtail

Last night, I heard that a Red-necked Grebe had turned up again at Farmoor Reservoir. I had great views of a bird in eclipse plumage in the autumn, but as this one was showing well and in breeding colours, I decided I had to go and take a look today - even if it was bucketing down! Thankfully, the day wasn't as bad as forecast & although it was very dull, we only had one shower. Farmoor is a bit of an odd site to me; you do get some really good birds turning up, but it's a huge, rather featureless concrete reservoir, so it's not quite as appealing as a more naturalistic setting. However, with a bit of patience, we did get some good views of the Red-necked Grebe, fishing & preening fairly close in to the bank. At one point it was only about 6 metres from me. It was vocalising quite a bit, so I wouldn't be surprised if it moves on over the next few days to it's breeding grounds. Having looked back at my photos from autumn, I strongly suspect it may be the same bird - although it's impossible to be certain!

Red-necked Grebe

While waiting for the Grebe to come in closer, we had a very unexpected bonus siting. We noticed a large group of gulls come up from around one of the huts, mobbing a large bird - an Osprey! Obviously on it's way North, it looked like it was thinking about trying to fish, but the gulls were giving it such a hard time it eventually flew off down to the far end of the reservoir & out of sight. Walking back, we had close views of some of the resident Greylag Geese, Little Gulls and a possible Sinensis Cormorant perched on one of the buoys. However, I'm not 100% sure on the identification! 

Osprey

Pied Wagtail

Greylag Geese

Sinensis Cormorant

Driving home, we spotted a fair few Red Kites floating above the fields, and a male Muntjac Deer grazing close to the edge of a copse. Pretty good for a dank weekend!

Andalucian adventures - part two

More about our birding trip to the South of Spain last September!

Sights visited: Bonanza Salinas & Algaida Marismas (wetlands)

Doñana National Park is one of Europe's most important wetland sites - particularly for wintering migrant birds. Access to the core of the park itself is restricted, but these sites in the surrounding area attract many of the same birds.


Driving towards Trebujena to enter the Marismas area, we were surprised to see an adult Imperial Eagle perched on a pylon - presumably one of the Doñana birds. Sadly as it's a fast & busy stretch of road, we couldn't stop for a better look.

We always like to come through the Trebujena end of the area, as you get a spectacular view down across the river and marshes. In the early autumn, it's also very nice to see the grapes being harvested in the vineyards as you pass through.

As there had been very little rainfall all year, the area of Marismas between Trebujena and Algaida were extremely desiccated, so most of the wildlife was concentrated along the drainage channels. Unfortunately, since many of the wider channels seem to have been dredged in the previous winter, the banks are now so high that it is impossible to see down into the channels from a car. This made getting views of Purple Swamp Hens and Jack Snipe more difficult than in previous years. This section of the wetlands does tend to be of more interest in the Spring, when the area is wet & verdant. However, it's a good area for both Short-toed and Lesser Short-Toed Lark, Corn Buntings and Stonechats and we had a Red Kite circling above us for quite some time. 

Crested Lark & Stonechat

A number of small raised pools just before the road reaches the river are generally worth a  stop for a look for smaller waders, Little Grebe, Stilts, Wood Sandpiper, and Squacco Herons - as well as the Greylag Geese that are the emblem of the Park.

Moving on alongside the Guadalquivir river towards the fish farm, there were plenty of birds to see, such as young Flamingos, Black Winged Stilts, Shovellers, Avocets, Cormorants, Little & Cattle Egrets. I spent some time with a pair of juvenile Flamingos on a small inlet, playing with reflection shots.

Greater Flamingos (Even though the smaller one is very small it is a greater)

Just before Algaida village, a clump Tamarisk bushes is a daytime roost for a large colony of Night Herons. If disturbed, we've seen up to 60 birds stream out, and circle round a few times before settling back once more.

Knight Herons (Juveniles and Adult leaving the roost)

The Algaida pinewoods are home to a substantial number of Black Kites, as well as a very elusive group of Azure-winged Magpies, which we've never yet managed to see in this location. As the track through the woods is in a very poor state, we tend to drive through the village instead,  stopping for a look at the Laguna Tarelo, where you can reliably see White-headed Ducks. It does seem a bit incongruous to find one of Europe's rarest ducks surrounded by agricultural poly-tunnels & cloches!

White-headed Duck (Spring)

The Salinas at Bonanza can be fantastic for getting close views of many small waders, gulls, terns and of course, Flamingos. It always seems a little bit strange following the sign for the Parque Natural and turning into a salt works. It's interesting to see how this traditional industry of salt-extraction provides such an important habitat for wildlife. There always seem to be one or two evaporation pools which are at just the perfect stage to provide a feast for migrant birds. A particular speciality of the site is Slender-billed Gulls, although these are at their best when viewed in the Spring to get their lovely pinkish breeding plumage.

 This autumn, the dry conditions in the surrounding area seemed to have made the Salinas a magnet for all manner of waders, including Dunlin, Knots, Avocets, Black-winged Stilts, Kentish & Little-ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshanks, Spotted Redshanks and even a pair of Red-necked Phalarope. We also spotted two Ospreys, both dining on their own fishy catches. With a bit of patience I finally got a shot I've always wanted - showing both an Osprey and a Flamingo.

Osprey & Greater Flamingo

Behind the Salinas, is a large lagoon & pumping stations - which is always absolutely packed with birds. As well as more of the waders seen on the main Salinas, there were Sandpipers, lots of Spoonbill and White Storks and a small number of Black Storks. This is also a  good place to see Kingfishers, who often fish off the weir, and Little Terns plunging into the out-flow from the pump for small fish.

2013 in review

Since the weather has been so rubbish the last few days, I've been spending some time looking back through my files and reflecting on 2013's wildlife experiences, so I thought I'd share a few of my highlights here.

January - Bushwacking in the Gambia

We'd previously visited the Gambia right at the end of the wet season in early November, so it was quite a different experience during the dry season in late January.  Some different birds; less dense vegetation; much lower humidity, which made hiking through the bush much more comfortable, & best of all, no mosquitos! Very difficult to select just one highlight, but for me, it'd probably have to be a close encounter with Ruppell's, White-backed & Lappett-faced vultures while on our way up-country to Tendaba Camp. We spotted large numbers of vultures descending from the highway, so our guide Modou & I set off through thick bush to locate the carcass - to the amazement of our companions!


Juvenile White-backed Vulture



















Juvenile White-backed Vulture

February - Day-active barn owl
Our local barn owl pair seem to have changed their hunting areas due to crop-rotation, making them hard to observe. So it was a real treat to get some great views of this day-hunting owl on Severnside.


March - Spain
Our week in Andalucia in March was primarily spent relaxing with friend, but I did managed ot squeeze in a bit of wildlife watching too - albeit in the guise of tourist activities! Some great views of the thriving colony of Bald Ibis  near Barbate. Surprisingly, the front bird shown below doesn't have a ring - could it be from the population in Morocco?

Bald Ibis at nest site

April - Sleepless in the Taiga
Louise had organised a trip to Finland as my birthday present from family & friends, so late April saw me wide awake in hides all night waiting for the Capercaillies to start lekking. A wonderful place - hope to go back this year for brown bear & wolverines.

Male Capercaillie lekking

Male Capercaillie

May - Playful Puffins
Skomer Island is a great places to spend a day during the breeding season. There are a wide range of seabirds breeding on the ledges, but of course the Puffins are the main attraction. Always a pleasure to photograph these charming little birds. the cold spring meant that we were just slightly too early to get the birds bringing in beakfuls of sand-eels as the eggs hadn't quite hatched. This year, for sure!

Puffin courtship behaviour

Puffin displaying

June - Great Crested Grebes hatching
We're lucky to have Coate Water nature reserve on our local patch. It attracts a great range of different species across the year. I love watching the Great Crested Grebes - especially in the Spring when they are courting, but also when the very attractive chicks hatch. I was pleased to capture this typical Grebe behaviour of the mother feeding feathers to her youngsters.

Great Crested Grebe & chick

July - Otterly amazed 

A trip to Mull in early July has become an annual pilgrimage for us. It's a very special place - and a wildlife enthusiast's paradise. It can be one of the best places in the UK to see otters, but I've never really got the shots I wanted in previous visits. We couldn't believe our eyes when this young otter decide to fish for crabs less than 10 metres from where we were walking the dogs on the beach!

Young otter, Mull

otter fishing for crabs, Mull

August - Early bird catches the ... Osprey
A trip to Perthshire for a family occasion gave me a great opportunity to zip even further up north for a shot a catching Osprey's fishing at Aviemore. It did mean a ridiculously early start to be in the hide before it started getting light, but it was well worth it. I'll definitely be back in 2014.

Osprey with Trout

Osprey fishing

September - Imperial Eagles in Southern Spain
We generally spend a week in Spain watching the autumn migration. While we've usually been lucky enough to see juvenile Imperials, the opportunity to photograph an adult pair in their territory in the  mountains was a real wow.

Spanish Imperial  Eagles - pseudo mating

Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight

Spanish Imperial Eagle pair

October - Stuck in a rutt?
I love spending time with deer at anytime of year, but the rutt is always particularity special. The mild autumn meant things were a little slow to get going, but persistence does pay off.

Fallow stags clashing antlers

Red deer stag bellowing

Red deer - full frontal bellow

November - More grebes
I've been after pictures of Slavonian Grebes for ages, but had missed out on getting really close to them until this autumn, when a very obliging individual appeared on one of the local reservoirs. By keeping down by the water-level, I was able to get some intimate shots without disturbing the bird. A Red-necked Grebe was an unexpected bonus!

Red-necked Grebe

Slavonian Grebe

December - Stunning Sparrowhawks
Thanks to a pre-Christmas visit to our family north of the border, I managed to squeeze a half-day session at a Sparrowhawk hide in Scotland - something I've been wanting to do for ages! I'm really delighted with the results.

Adult male Sparrowhawk

So, although 2013 had it's up and downs, from a wildlife point of view I had some cracking experiences. Let's hope there are lots more to come in 2014. If only it'd stop raining!