Mammal Trapping at Heartwood

As part of my butterfly work at Heartwood I get invited to other events that are hosted up at the forest so last week a early start on a warm september morning with the sunrising allowed us to see up close four different species of mamals with very high numbers of Wood Mice and Banks Voles and good numbers of Common Shrew and a few Field Voles but sadly no Yellow-necked Mice or Harvest Mice which where recorded last year what this means regarding the site only time will tell.

Bank Vole

Field Vole

Common Shrew just so fast

One of many Wood Mice

Autumn Sunrise

Sunrsing in the Woods

Suffolk Coast

At the weekend decided to head out to suffolk first stop was to Sizewell and the Lesser Grey Shrike which had been around for a about a week, was showing pretty well when i visted with feeding visits to the ground before darting into the nearest hedge or tree very often with a bug in the mouth.

Lesser Grey Shrike

Then headed to Minsmere where i started off at the Island Mere Hide which looked quite difference since I was last here in april with the reed having been trimed down for the Autumn. Out on the Lagoon where three Great White Egrets hunting at the back and a nice pair of Marsh Harrier hunting overhead.

Then did the loop via the Autumn trail catching up with a flock of Marsh Tits in the Scrub area but moving so fast while feeding on the berries. Then walked around the main Salt Marsh with some nice species around with the highlights being a Lone Greenshank, Redshank, Curlew, Wigeon, Teal, Little Egret and heard the flock of Bearded Tits in the reeds but not seen before heading back home a good day out.

Little Egret

Greenshank

Tring Reservoirs

Had a productive trip out with my local RSPB group to the Tring Reservoirs started out from Startop's End car park with a late Great Crested Grebe family out on the water with lots of House Martins and a few Sand Martins feeding above before a Hobby decided to have a brief unsuccesful hunt. Then further round manged to have on the water edge a few Pied Wagtail, Common Sandpiper and a Ringed Plover. Then moved on to Tringford Reservoir where one of our member had a Kingfisher and 3 Red-crested Pochard seen by all and Sparrowhawk and kestrel where seen hunting over the fields at the back but alas no Green Woodpeckers despite the fields looking good. Then ended the main walk by heading back round to Startop's End where had good views of the Hobby hunting overhead and a brief view of a Lesser Whitethroat by the hide.

Then ended the day by heading over to Wiltstone where had 3 Ringed Plovers, Manadin Duck and a nice Black-tailed Godwit in front of the hide and a good selection of Teal and Wigeon on the bank.

Norfolk before Autumn

Last week before the weather changed to autumn had a nice day out in norfolk started out at Titchwell where had a nice selection of waders with the hightlight being the number of Curlew Sandpipers with over 20 on the scrape feeding within the big flock of Ringed Plover, Sanderling and Dunlin which was quite moveable on one occassion a hobbey flew through but did't catch anything . Other waders around included Little Stint, Curlew, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Snipe, Little Egrets and Avocet. Around the edge lots of Butterflies around with quite a few Wall Butterflies and Green-Veined White and Small Tortoiseshells

Curlew Sandpipers

Dunlins

Common Snipe

Black-tailed Godwit

Ringed Plover

Hunting Little Egret

Young Goldfinch

Then headed over to Strumpshaw Fen where had lot of Butterflies with easily 50 Small Tortoiseshells, a Red Admiral ( rare recently) and lot of Whites. Birdwise had a Wheater by the river and Tit flocks in the woods and lot of Ruff from the hide. The most intresting find of the day was finding a Wasp killing a dragonfly which seems amazing with the speed and size difference.

Wasp taking down Dragonfly

Small Tortoiseshell Feeding

Typical Wheatear