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! 

Woodland wildlife

We had been half thinking about a trip down to Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire today, to see the Puffins & other nesting seabirds. However, a poor forecast last night, coupled with general over-tiredness & a lack of appetite for a 2am wake-up call found us a bit closer to home this morning. 

After a slightly more civilized start, we decided to head over to a small woodland hide in South Woscestershire. It's usually good for a wide range of woodland birds, and for me, the main attraction is probably Muntjac deer, which are fairly regular visitors.

On the drive across, we had quite a few raptor sightings, including the inevitable Buzzards, several Kestrals and a possible female Red-footed Falcon. We also saw several Jays flying across the road, as we passed through wooded stretches.

While we didn't have any Muntjac during our session today, it was still a pleasant way to spend the morning. I very much enjoyed watching the antics of a pair of Red-legged Partridge, and a rather dapper Pheasant - accompanied by a veritable harem of females. 

Male Pheasant

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge

The hide is particularly good for Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and today was no exception. We had a pair, plus an additional female visiting frequently throughout the morning. They seem to be still on chicks at present, as they were taking lots of food off; presumably to their nest. A number of over-ripe pears had been left out for the wildlife, and these seemed to be particularly appreciated by the females.  

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Lots of other woodland birds came & went - including Jackdaws, Chaffinches, Dunnock, Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Collared Doves, Blackbirds & Goldfinches. I was particularily pleased to be able to get some shots of a pair of Stock Doves - not an easy bird to get a close view of! They are quite distinct from the more numerous Wood Pigeons when you take a closer look.

Stock Dove

Wood Pigeon

Collared Dove

Lots of Grey Squirrels were busy scampering too & fro, including one rascal who carted a whole apple off by himself. While we didn't get the Muntjac, a rather shy yearing female Fallow Deer did grace us with her presence - although she was clearly very nervous and didn't stay in the clearing for long. 

Fallow Deer

Lou also took the opportunity for a quick bit of garden centre & farm shop retail therapy - always good to keep the editorial staff on side! I'm slightly horrified by the stinkiness of the cheese she has come home with; it may possibly qualify as a new species in it's own right.

This afternoon, I went to check out a Treecreeper nest in one of the local parks. I always love watching these cute little birds hopping up trunks, like little wind-up mice! While I was there, I was lucky enough to see one of the two chicks fledge. The attentive parents were still kept busy stuffing it & it's sibling full of food. Lovely to see it taking it's first steps (or flaps?) into the big, wide world.

Treecreepers

A Wind in the Willows sort of day

This afternoon, Lou & I took a gentle wander through the ancient mixed woodlands of Savernake Forest. Everything is starting to look very green and lush, and the woods were full of birdsong. We spent a very relaxed hour or so sitting on the banks of a small pool, just waiting to see what appeared. We had a pair of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers calling from the surrounding trees, and got a few glimpses of one of the birds. One day I'll get a decent shot of them! There were also plenty of the usual woodland birds; Long-tailed Tits, Wrens, Pheasants, Great Tits, Chaffinches and Wrens, as well as a pair of Buzzards patrolling across the clearing, and a Sparrowhawk on the hunt. Green Woodpeckers were heard, but not seen today. 

The highlight of the day was the huge number of Common Toads congregating in the pool to spawn. More and more kept creeping out of the undergrowth to make their way down to the water, to join the hundreds already there. I had fun playing with different shots, and Lou was in seventh heaven, as toads have long been one of her favourite beasties. 

Male Common Toad

Reflection of a Male

Female carrying Male to the pool

We drove back towards Swindon through the smaller country lanes, passing several Red Kites and more Buzzards. I was saddened to come across an uncommon Grey Partridge which had been freshly struck by a car. There are only a few pairs of these lovely little birds in the area, and I've been on the lookout for them for ages, so such a shame to come across a dead one. However, at least it proves they are around. 

We also found a very promising looking Badger sett, judging by the freshly dug earth around the entrances. We do know of several other setts in the area, but have yet to find one in as good a location for staking out, so I think I'll be back with a few peanuts in the very near future!

Finally, we stopped off so that Lou could have a look at the Water Voles, as she hadn't yet seen any this year. We got some great views of the male swimming along his stretch of stream and browsing on various reeds and stems only feet away from us. I experimented with trying a few different shots looking through the rushes, but can't quite make up my mind whether I like the results or not. No doubt I'll be back again soon for another go.

If only we'd found a mole, we'd have almost a full house of characters for the Wind in the Willows!

Sun, sea and squirrels

I've been out and about a lot this week, trying to cram in as much wildlife watching as I can before the new job starts on Monday.

Spring is now well and truly underway, with the hedgerows heavy with blossom and lots of tender green shoots bursting from every branch. The local wildlife is also in full-on preparation for the breeding season. On a repeat visit to the Water Vole stream, I spent some time watching a pair of Wrens shuttling to and fro bringing lots of nesting materials to their chosen site.

Wren

I was also really pleased to get a slightly different shot of one of the voles, peeping out from within some tree roots.

Water Vole

I've also been back to check on my pair of Little Owls a couple of times - the female hasn't been showing at all, hopefully suggesting she may be on eggs.

On visiting one of the local lakes, I was really pleased to see that a lonely Great Crested Grebe that I've been observing for the last 2 or 3 years, has finally paired up with a mate. It was lovely to watch their courtship dance.

Great Crested Grebe

The pair of Little Grebes on the same site seem to be on the nest already, so I'll be keeping an eye out for their chick appearing in a few weeks' time. The Tufted Ducks also seem to be paired up now, too.

Great Crested Grebe - Pair

On Friday, my friend Phil & I went looking for Dartford Warblers, on a commons near Newbury. However, the weather was against us, and we only got a brief view of one in flight. We did also briefly see a Wood Lark on the ground. Lots of Skylark present, all singing away loudly!

Since our visit to Jo McIntyre's dark-morph Red Squirrel hide earlier in the month, I've been really fancying getting some shots of the 'standard' Red Squirrels in sunlight. As the forecast for the weekend was stunning, Lou & I decided to pay a long-overdue visit to the National Trust's Brownsea Island. In the middle of Poole Harbour, Brownsea is one of the last populations of Reds in Southern England - and it's also an important site for waders, terns and other seabirds. So, it's always a great place to spend a day, especially in the Spring and Autumn. We often combine a trip to Brownsea with a dawn visit to the RSPB reserve at Arne, on the other side of the bay - however today we opted for a fairly civilized departure time of 7.30am instead!

Driving down, we passed a family of foxes, basking in the early-morning sunshine on the embankment on the side of the M4.  Lots of Buzzards and several Red Kites patrolling along the motorway corridor too.

As we drove along the edge of Poole bay, we spotted a flock of 9 Brent Geese very close to the promenade, so I just couldn't resist pulling in to get a few shots of these elegant fowl.

Brent Goose

Fortified by a bacon-roll, and armed with pockets full of hazelnuts, we hopped on the first ferry of the day over to Brownsea. We were greeted by a drip-drying Cormorant, right by the landing dock on the island.

Cormorant

We started off with a visit to the Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve on the North End of the island, which includes the man-made lagoon, now an internationally important site for wintering and breeding birds - particularly waders and terns.  Many of the winter migrants have now left, while it's still slightly early for some of the more unusual summer visitors to have arrived yet. However, there were still lots of good birds to be seen; albeit a little too far back from the hides for much in the way of photography. We saw many Shellducks, Greylag, Canada and Brent Geese, Gadwall, Teal, Mute Swans, Black-backed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls and large flocks of Black-tailed Godwits, now starting to colour up nicely. Other waders included Avocets, Knot, Dunlin, Turnstone, Redshanks & Spotted Redshank and Greenshank. Apparently a couple of Sandwich Tern have returned earlier this week, but we didn't spot them; at the moment, the nesting scrapes are mainly occupied by very vocal groups of Black-headed Gulls and some Mediterranean Gulls.

Walking round towards the Villa, I spotted a Water Vole swimming through the marsh; Brownsea is actually where I saw my first ever Water Vole, a few years ago now! At the bird feeders in front of the Villa, we had a good range of woodland/garden birds, including Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit - and a Siskin. We had a quick look at the Salt Marsh hide, but the reeds and rushes are not yet high enough in front of the hide to attract the Bearded Tits etc, so we didn't linger.

Moving back to the National Trust side of the Island, we went into squirrel search and photograph mode. Things started off a little slowly... While we quickly located four foraging in a valley close to the visitor centre, our efforts to coax them closer with a judicious trail of hazelnuts were completely foiled by the attentions of one of the island's Peacocks! Having wandered over to see what we were up to, he quickly sussed that we had food and decided that we were his new best friends. He quickly hoovered up most of the carefully-placed nuts and the squirrels scarpered - while Mr Peacock seemed to be insisting that we should instead be taking his portrait!

Male peacock - Taken with my phone

Wandering on through the woods, we saw at least a dozen Red Squirrels, but didn't get anything more than record shots! We also saw several pairs of Green Woodpecker, all of which seem to be staking out nest holes. 

Eventually, in mid-afternoon, all of the hazelnut strewing-around finally paid off, when we got a pair of very tolerant squirrels foraging along a fallen tree. Sadly, by this point, the sun was largely off the area, but you can't have everything. We were both having fun snapping away - attended by the same Peacock, who'd clearly decided he was onto a good thing! We also made several families very happy indeed by helping them get a close view of the squirrels; maybe one of those excited little boys will be the next Chris Packham?

Waiting for the ferry back, we spotted a group of Turnstones zipping around on the rocks. Always nice to watch these funny little clock-work birds in action. All in all, a most enjoyable day out.

To finish the day off, Lou rescued a pair of Toads from a busy road while walking the dog this evening, so we released them back into the marshy woods behind Coate Water, where hopefully they'll have a better chance of not ending up laminated to the tarmac...

Floods, mud and raptors

The weathers been atrocious for most of this week, so I haven't been out and about too much. However although I'm not much of a  twitcher,  I did make a point of stopping off to see a rare vagrant Red-flanked Bluetail on Tuesday. Since I was passing by anyway, it seemed rude not to! It's a rather charming little bird.

 

Red-flanked Bluetail

On Thursday I was passing the Cotswold Water Park so again decided to take a flying visit to a couple of the pits even though I didn't have the camera. I particularly wanted to see the Smew that had been reported along with a Red-breasted Merganser. I was lucky to see one Drake and 3 red-headed Smew and briefly got a glimpse of the Merganser (for me a first in my local area). I also saw my first Black-necked Grebe in the UK along with plenty of Teal, Shoveller, Pochard and a couple of Red-crested Pochard. 

Black-necked Grebe (For reference, Taken in Spain)

When the clouds lifted for a while this afternoon we took the opportunity to get out and about to see how the local wildlife is faring after the storms. We've been relatively lucky and escaped fairly lightly compared to many areas. However driving round the lanes, we saw a lot of storm damage - felled trees and downed branches - as well as acres of thick mud washed onto the road. A lot of fields are flooded, and several streams have burst their banks - particularly around the Aldbourne area. 

Things started off fairly slowly, with just a few Fieldfares and lots of Jackdaws and Crows in the field as we passed by. After checking a few sites, we were rewarded with a pair of Hares resting very close to the road. They seemed to be stick close together as they moved off, so hopefully I may get to see some boxing action in the next few weeks. We saw several more singleton Hares in the fields along our route.

Brown Hares

We were also really pleased to get a good view of a Goshawk, displaying above a small copse. It was a bit distant for photos though, but always great to see these fantastic birds. The resident Red Kites were all taking advantage of the better weather too - we saw six in the space of a couple of miles.

Heading back towards town, we passed a big mixed flock of Redwings, Fieldfares and Starlings huddled in a tree, trying to avoid a marauding Sparrowhawk.  We also came upon a Buzzard perched up on a post & as it was in a good position where I could safely stop, I decided to try for a few shots of it. I'm really glad that I did, as I've seldom met such an obliging raptor! Although I was less than 5 metres away, it showed no signs of rousing and seemed quite content to sit and pose for me. (In reality, I suspect the strong gusts of wind were making it reluctant to take off, plus it seemed to be watching some small prey in the grass beneath it). I was so close to begin with  that I could only fit it's head and upper body in the frame, so I had to circle further back to get the whole bird in shot. I've always really liked buzzards, and I think they're under-photographed  - so it was great to be able to get some really detailed shots of this one.

Buzzard

Buzzard

We also got some good views of a Kestrel - I was getting overexcited for a moment thinking it was a Merlin! Plus I spotted group of 3 males and 2 female Bullfinches sheltering in a hedgerow at the side of the road. Not a bad little tally for a quick pootle round the local spots.

Saturday Sightings

I had my camera & lens serviced during the week, so I wanted to get out to give it a quick test run before my trip to Andalucía next week. We took a quick scoot out around the lanes around Aldbourne yesterday afternoon, just to see what was about. The area has quite a rich mix of different habitats, with sloping chalk meadows, traditional hedgerows and pockets of mixed woodland, so it's always worth a visit.

Even before we got out of town, we passed the local gang of Long-tailed Tits, hanging out in the trees across from our house. We also spotted a Sparrowhawk hunting starlings just above the car.

Redwing

Fieldfare

 Once we got into the countryside, there were lots of wintering small birds in the fields up on the ridgeline. We saw several large flocks of Fieldfares, Redwings and Goldfinch, as well as a mixed flock of Chaffinches and Bramblings. I always keep an eye out for Grey Partridge in this area, as I have occasionally seen them here - however this time there were only the usual Red-legged Partridge. We also spotted two pheasant cocks having a scrap a the edge of the woods; just a bit too distant for pictures, sadly.

Red-legged partridge

The resident raptors were all in evidence too; we saw 3 Red kites, several buzzards - including one on a kill, a Sparrowhawk, and  two Kestrels.

There was evidently a shoot going on, so there weren't too many mammals to be seen, although we did spot a male Roe Deer sitting down in a patch of long grass.