A late start produces the goods

The safari had the luxury of a lie in this morning - a real bonus cos it was after sunrise when we got to Patch 1. Patch 1 in the light!!!
Too late for the Robins although there were still some ‘ticking’ away in the undergrowth. It would have been nice to have got there a few minutes earlier and get a good count. 250+ Jackdaws going seawards were noisy. Meanwhile we hit the thrush jackpot. The first Fieldfare of the winter launched itself out of the Fox’s scrub followed by a Blackbird and a handful of Redwings. In the park proper the treetops were alive with the ‘chack-chack-chack’ of more Fieldfares and the ‘seeepp-ing’ of Redwings. In all 22 Fieldfares and over 100 Redwings were seen to set off eastwards from the roost.
The dog walkers were out in force, but it was noticeable that there were a few more Blackbirds than normal skulking around in the darker recesses away from the mad mutts.
Back at Base Camp I learned that Frank had got caught short in the small hours and had to be taken out…Wifey reported that she had heard several Redwings going over; “really ‘loud’ and obvious in the still of the night.”
A machine full of laundry needed to be hung out before going to work, despite it still being frosty. Shock – horror…well if not horror then at least a little more than slight amazement – A Painted Lady flew over the garage roof and off eastwards at gutter height down the ginnel between us an next door!!!??? I say amazement cos the thermometer on the garage wall showed 3.5ºC and the sun hadn’t yet broken through the thin cloud. It was odds on the damp washing would freeze a bit before it started to dry! Definitely one for the Autumnwatch team as requested on the show last night.

A chilly few minutes on Patch 2 before the mayhem that is a Family Fun Day began was dismal. All the scoters, what few there were, were a long way off in the shimmer – heat haze this morning? Only thing of any note was a Grey Seal lurking furtively in the shallows of the rising tide, just his eyes and nose showing; then he dived into the Goldeneye/dodgy Grebe’s black hole and wasn’t seen again.

The fun filled families hit the rockpools and we had a ball! All the usual suspects were duly netted and potted. Apart from a Beadlet Anenome which we decided to leave stuck in its rocky lair.

Anti-clockwise from the top left:- 2 Sand Gobies, Brown Shrimp and Sand Goby, Purple Laver with Sand Mason Worm tube below, Green Shore Crab, Golden Sand Star, Common Prawn (note position of eyes - on stalks - compared to the shrimp - forward facing), Edible Mussel, Banded Wedge Shell.

A close up of the crab and starfish with a bit of the beautifully named Gutweed intertwined. Below is a lump of seaweed that was brought to me for inspection right at the death. Not seen it before but I think - and correct me if I'm wrong - it is Sea Oak.

Managed to snap a roosting Turnstone at full range of the lens but shortly after missed out on two still roosting on the rocks even though the tide was well out and they were much nearer. Typical, but my excuse is I didn't see them until they flushed cos their camouflage is too good in amongst the seaweed, unlike the one I did get which was sat above the high water mark on a clean bit of the wall.

All followed by a salacious bit of gratuitous Herring Gull porn.

Where to next? Not sure if we'll get a safari tomorrow, wood chopping and attic clearing might be order of the day.

In the meantime let us know what's sneaking around in the depths of the pools in your outback.

Stop press...news hot in from wifey, who is off out gallivanting tonight...Barn Owl nearly flew into her car by the old windmill at Staining, a little village not too far east of here.

PS..just had a look on the Hilbre Bird Obs blog (see blog list on right) and noted the Slavering Grebe on there. My 'grebe' the other day was longer necked and darker about the face than this individual is showing...hmmm.

Seen more life in a tramps vest.

A bit of quiet day for the safari today.

Patch 1 – far too dark only 3 Redwings heard and brief view of the Fox as it retired for the day. Great views down to about 20 feet last night and Frank behaved himself!

Patch 2 – almost uncontainable excitement during the 10 minute morning session as a male Eider flew south and 12 others were sat on the water. Common Scoter numbers weren’t anything to write home about. The lunchtime session produced even less; no Eiders and the scoters had all moved way off shore – absolutely thrilling! Although the sun was shining and from the comfort of the desk it looked like a nice day outside the chilly northerly breeze had the safari scuttling back indoors after less than 10 minutes – what a wuss.

Had a very brief spin round the garden at work before going home and managed to collar a nice male House Sparrow - never have much luck photographing this once common and ubiquitous bird but now sadly getting increasingly scarce - I blame the modern gardening craze of fences and decking rather than good thick Privet hedges and flower beds.

It doesn't help when our 'gardeners' remove most of the cover and food either, can't believe they did that and they strimmed down the wildflower demonstration habitat zone because it 'looked untidy'!!!

A Blackbird lurked in what is left of the Tamarisk bushes - they trimmed all the flowers of these - bizarre behaviour for 'gardeners'.

With nothing photographed today you can also have a bit of gratuitous Med Gull porn from the archives for your delectation.

Where to next? Wet, wet, wet, tomorrow - nets and pots at the ready.

In the meantime let us know whose not doing the gardening in your outback.

Still got it!

The safari was in a quandary! Out on Patch 1 last night there were many fewer Redwings going over than the previous but later on during a walk along the promenade to see the Illuminations there seemed to be more than earlier and a small number of Blackbirds in the mix too. But it was very mild and likely to be misty in the morning. A morning which offered the opportunity of a twitch to see the local Long Billed Dowagers. Due to a late evening meeting today we had the morning to zoot off somewhere before hitting the desk at lunchtime – after a Patch 2 shuffy of course. Should we go or not. Out with Frank on a disappointing Patch 1 it was indeed quite misty early doors. It would be at least an hour’s drive through the stop-start commuter traffic to the Dowitchers (how many are there exactly: 2 here, 2 there, 2 somewhere else – just 2 very mobile, or more than 2? Someone enlighten me please). No, the safari couldn’t be bothered to get this tick. Always tempting to start twitching again…but then we think of all those thousands of miles travelled in the past and the price of fuel, even (comparatively) cheap biodiesel, and the mpg of the Land Rover…taps calculator…HOW MUCH???!!! No chance…stay local!
Only one thing for it, the Mere. The mist might have grounded a few migrants and there is always the chance of a bit of vis; we once had over 3000 Meadow Pipits on a misty morning, plus other good stuff including a Merlin if memory serves me correctly. So of the safari set off to blaze a two mile trail through the rush hour traffic with thoughts of Dusky-stroke-Radde’s in mind…dream on! As an aside I dipped a Dusky Warbler at Flamborough years ago because I wouldn’t let myself cross a fence with the other twitchers. It was buzzing around at the famed South Landing but being a warden at one site and telling people off daily for jumping the fences I couldn’t really do it myself could I…or should I?
Never mind we might find one this morning. Arriving on site the mist had cleared somewhat and visibility wasn’t too bad, but there was a notable absence of calls from overhead migrants. We settled down on the bench close to where the Cetti’s Warbler had recently been reported from and started ‘chitting’. Passers-by gave us a wide berth obviously thinking we weren’t quite right in the head. Nothing stirred, so after a few minutes we moved on. The reedbeds are looking good and all that work earlier in the year has got to be bob-on for a Bittern or two,

and a sack full of Bearded Tits please. If JW says they are about to erupt who are we mere mortals to contradict him. Anyone watching Autumnwatch last week will have heard Bearded Tits referred to as Moustached Babblers…will someone please grass up the researcher who has been to one of my lectures and stolen my phrase wot I have been using for years. It’s the last slide of my spiel. Slides…you remember them…don’t you?
No Bitterns just this Heron sat atop a Hawthorn bush - why?

Enough of the waffle…Water Rails were vocal at various locations, with at least six being heard squealing from the depths of the reeds. Moving round into the scrub you can see why its still hard to spot the Long Eared Owls, too much bloody Bindweed…obviously far too few Ghost Plume Moths by about a zillion.Didn’t bother to bother the owls we’ll leave them until after the leaves drop and seeing them will be so much easier.
In front of the Container Hide a movement caught the eye and a few short ‘ticks’ were heard. A bit of ‘pishing’ and ‘chitting’ brought a Wren out into the open and into range of the lens. A bit more pishing and chitting had him disappear back into the reeds again. Still no sign of the Cetti’s…or any Dusky/Radde’s for that matter.
There were fewer thrushes than expected. A small number of grounded Redwings, very flighty and easily disturbed and even fewer Blackbirds which are normally numerous on the reserve. There’s that many windfall apples the place stinks like a cider factory. Robins, however, ticked out of every bush. We would have liked to have got on to a few to check em out for greyness, ie foreigners but to no avail they were all staying deep in cover bar the ‘normal’ on at the Feeding Station.
A short diversion off piste to look for (= flush = naughty in light of comments above) Woodcock was fruitless, or at least there were no Woodcock to be seen; plenty of illegal fruit pickers trails through the scrub where they have been in stealing all the reserve’s winter food supply…swines that they are – GO TO THE SUPERMARKET you thieving numpties! We did trip over a clump of Greater Birds Foot Trefoil in flower showing its ‘Eggs and Bacon’ country name off to a tee. Been on site over an hour by now an still no vis going on! Had a blimp in the Feeding Station but nothing over exciting. Got an hour left before having to go to work so a thorough check off the gulls was in order, after all there was a Mediterranean Gull that we missed last time we were here.
First vantage point, near where our old cabin (lol) was, provides a great view down the mere and over the area the larger gulls normally use – why do think we put it there? So a stop at that point is obligatory and produced the goods! During a scan of the gulls a sharp ‘chit’ was heard…I like it!...moving closer to the reedbed it came again and with a little rattle too…we like it even more! So I whistled my poor imitation of a Cetti’s song as loud as I could…well it worked a treat in Sardinia last month so it had to be worth a try…and guess what…yep you got it - IT WORKED…a bit of subsong came straight back at me from out of the reed – Gotcha! So standing there flushed with success and dry mouthed from far too much whistling we had another scan through the gulls and came up trumps with an eclipse male Garganey! You might not believe the photo - enlarge for a giggle at my skills, or lack of digiscope equipment.Now we’re cooking on gas!!! Bring on the Slaty Backed Gull…well good things come in threes don’t they? No such luck, all gulls grilled revealed nowt special. Apart from one that wanted the Barn Owl to wake up and come out to play. Doesn’t he know it’s past owley’s bed time? The Shovelers are starting to colour up but very lively and hard to get one with its head out of the water.
Down at the Fylde Bird Club hide the Alder Buckthorns we planted some years back have a super crop of berries. They were planted to attract Brimstone butterflies as we had the tiniest of flurries of sightings back then. Since we planted them I don’t think there’s been a single record. Bumped into an old mate who I’ve not seen for yonks and while we were chatting I noticed one of the Coots had a ring…could I get on it with the camera? No chance; until someone appeared with a bag of bread for the ducks. I asked them to throw some towards it but unfortunately they threw a big lump straight at it which it got, couldn’t swallow and dashed off into the water to wet it. So photo opportunity lost. The ring says ‘Inform’…well we knew that, it was the numbers we wanted.
Skylarks started to trickle past and by the time it was time to leave they were coming through in some numbers, probably had about 30 altogether.
Had a bit of fun with the resident Mute Swans! When we first got to site there was a flock of 9 swans sat out in the middle of the mere, it would have been nice if the were Whooper Swans but they weren’t.
Time was up and we had to leave but would have dearly loved to stay all day and nailed the Radde’s/Dusky - hahahahaha.

On the way back to Base Camp we took the lanes and were disappointed to see that the farmers/highways department had trimmed all the hedges down to the wood destroying all the cover and berries. Surely in this 'enlightened' day and age they should know better - no wonder so many species are suffering.

Patch 2 for a few minutes before hitting the ‘puter – no sign of anything dodgy in the Grebe line, no sign of anything actually apart from a few scattered flocklets of Common Scoters.

Where to next? Those Dowitchers really do need ticking off. Saturday is out, but doing something at work that may be of interest to you…or not as the case may be.
In the meantime let us know what you’ve been seeing in your favourite bit of your outback.

Rs and Gs

The safari was out pre dawn on Patch 1 as usual this morning and after last night’s Redwing fest there was more of the same. Not as many going over but still a fair amount of ‘sseeepp’ing was heard in the darkness. The first part of the walk along the road is illuminated by street lights and every garden seemed to have a Robin either chittering or singing. Patch 1 proper is totally unlit and they hadn’t woken up yet, it would have been interesting to get a decent count as there sounded to be more than usual in the gardens.
Back at Base Camp just after first light we watched about 50 Redwings come out from a roost not too far away, possibly Magpie Wood. They headed off SE on their journey to wherever it is they end up…the country must be full of millions of them by now.

Grey and calm again at Patch 2. First bird seen was close inshore…a female Goldeneye, first of the winter! It dived once and must have drowned cos I never saw it again! Where on Earth did it go? A Grey Seal bottled out in the distance among a loose spread of Common Scoters, the sneaky ‘other’ Scoter is still managing to elude us. A Great Crested Grebe winged its way south, what a weird flight they have that almost defies migration. A little further to the north a Red Throated Diver was resting on the gentle swell.
We were hoping for a Harbour Porpoise as October is the only month they’ve not been seen since I’ve been keeping records for this stretch of coast. However, a dead animal was found not far to the north on the far side of the river on 4th October. I don’t know who found it so no idea of its condition. If in good condition it could have been a victim of the previous day’s ‘Leach’s Petrel storm’ thus being alive and in the area during October; if in poor condition it could easily have been floating around dead since the end of September. We need more sightings to determine if there are any seasonal patterns to their coastal distribution. A few more years’ worth of live sightings!
As for small stuff passing over – none…not a hint of any vis at all.

Back out on patch 2 at lunch time and a total grey-out in the murky drizzle. Nothing doing, two small fishing boats moored up in the gloom, barely a Scoter to be seen. The whickering of Oystercatchers was the only sound coming from the beach where a couple of dozen of the black and white beauties were forging amongst the debris left by the tide. Strangely no Sanderlings pattering up and down the water’s edge today. We gave the gulls a good grilling but again nothing stood out as outstanding, pick of the bunch was the grand total of three Lesser Black Backs.
Then, almost out of nowhere, we picked up a bird in the near-middle distance, bearing in mind its 800 yards across the beach as well, that was just a little bit ‘sus’. A smallish grebe with a longish all dark neck…hmmm very interesting. It promptly did a Goldeneye ie disappeared without trace under the waves…is there a bird black hole out there? We scanned and scanned and scanned again and then scanned some more but it didn’t show. Frustratingly I think we just missed out on potentially one of the best birds of the coast this winter; a Red Necked Grebe. Aaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggggghh If one appears in the vicinity in the next couple of days you saw it here first folks.

The Rangers popped in with a tub full of wierdos. What are these three grubs,anyone out there in blogland got any ideas? They were all found on a Hazel leaf, they might even all be the same species – help please…I’m almost certain they’re not lepidopteran but feel free to prove me wrong. Might try to grow them on and see what emerges next spring. Did that once a few years ago with a nice big pupa. Still got it in the jar in the garage…and yes I did put air holes in the lid before you ask!


Where to next? More of the same probably, nothing special planned just yet.
In the meantime let us know what’s frustrating you in your outback.

They’re back again and bumph about Mr Leach + Late edit

The safari has discovered that the big news is out. Three Long Eared Owls are present at Marton Mere nature reserve. We knew at least one was present on our visit last Sunday but didn’t go round to check it out as it was apparently very well hidden. Also, we didn’t want to draw attention to it as they are easily disturbed when they first arrive and there is a risk that if frightened out of their roost site shortly after they return from wherever it is they go they will move away to another roost site and maybe not come back. Anyone wanting to see them should contact the Rangers for the latest info on where to look from and which bush to look in. The Rangers will also be giving guided walks especially to see them on most weekends and occasional weekdays between now and early spring. Again contact the Rangers for full details.

You might have seen this pic before its from the archives and started life as a slide.If anyone hasn’t yet seen the best Leach’s Petrel picture ever I suggest you have a look at CB’s beyond-stunning in-flight portrait – Don’t anyone ever say they’re only little grey jobs!

From that infinitely useful site Wiki…

William Elford Leach FRS (2 February 1790 – 26 August 1836) was an English zoologist and marine biologist. (It seems he was almost my twin – just missed by a coupla days)
Leach was born in Plymouth, the son of a solicitor. At the age of twelve he went to school in Exeter, studying anatomy and chemistry. By this time he was already collecting marine samples from Plymouth Sound and along the Devon coast. At seventeen he began studying medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital in London, finishing his qualification at the University of Edinburgh and the University of St Andrews.
In 1813 Leach returned to his zoological interests and was employed as assistant librarian in the Zoological Department at the British Museum. He set himself to sorting out the collections, many of which had been neglected since they had been left to the museum by Hans Sloane. During his time there he was made assistant keeper of the natural history department and became an expert on crustaceans and molluscs. He also worked on insects, mammals and birds.
Leach's nomenclature was a little eccentric - he named twenty-seven species after his friend John Cranch, who had collected the species in Africa and later died on HMS Congo. In 1818 he named nine genera after Caroline or anagrams of that name, possibly after his mistress.
In 1821 he suffered a nervous breakdown due to overwork and resigned from the museum in March 1822. His elder sister took him to continental Europe to convalesce, and they travelled through France, Italy and Greece. He died of cholera in the Palazzo San Sebastiano, near Tortona, north of Genoa.
The Leach's Storm-petrel was named after him by Coenraad Jacob Temminck (of quite a number of species’ fame, including a very-horribly-dipped Stint, Calidris temminkii, on my previous local patch & I used to keep Kissing gouramis Helostoma temminckii) in 1820, without him being aware that it had previously been described by Vieillot.(Never heard of this guy or anything named after him – French?) A specimen of this bird had been purchased by Leach on behalf of the British Museum for £5 15s in the sale of the collection of William Bullock in 1819. At the same sale he also bought a Great Auk and an egg for just over £16.
The Blue-winged Kookaburra Dacelo leachii was also named for him. (Well I never knew that - not been quite far enough north in WA to see one)

Nothing much doing at Patch 1, excitement almost knew no bounds yesterday when about 16 Long Tailed Tits bounced along the hedgerow accompanied as usual by a much smaller number of Blue and Great Tits. The late stroll round Patch 1 before retiring gave us a single Redwing ‘seeeep’. No Foxes this time. Saw two the other morning and Frank had a ‘moment’ when he dashed across the main road in hot pursuit of one he flushed from the roadside bushes. He’ll be totally restrained during the hours of darkness from now on, poor mutt!
An impromptu lie-in negated any chance of a morning visit which was unfortunate as a thin veil of cloud had covered last night’s starry sky before first light giving the possibility of dropping some migrants or at least providing some low level vis. To find out what we missed have a gander at news from Fleetwood Birder and Heysham Bird Observatory just to the north of us, assuming of course that there was something for them to see.
Sadly no chance to look at Patch 2 today either. As is often the case when we can’t get out conditions for viewing are better than ideal! Flat calm and a perfect ‘no-shadow’ grey.
Where to next? Anywhere will do at the moment – beginning to go stir k’razy and only had 2 days in doors…aaaaarrrrgggghhhh.
In the meantime let us know what the dogs are chasing in your outback.

But be warned anyone deliberately or recklessly letting their dogs disturb birds in certain designated conservation areas you are breaking the law…please desist forthwith you geeks. Even in none declared areas people shouldn’t be encouraging their dogs to disturb any birds, or even doing it themselves. Sadly many do – they think it’s ‘fun’! At this time of the year as day-length shortens and temperatures drop our feathered friends often need to eat their own body weight every day just to survive until the following morning. Anything that prevents them feeding or forces them to waste their energy is potentially life threatening.

Late edit- How many Redwings? Out for the final constitutional and counted over 100 passing fairly low overhead in quarter of an hour...and no Fox.

The safari was on Frank sitting duty this arvo so only one thing for it in the warm sunshine - dash out with the bins dog in tow. But where to go, again it was a bit breezy from the west so a sheltered-ish choice was our local nature reserve; Marton Mere, where a Cetti's Warbler had been heard earlier in the week.

Arriving on site it was a tad windier than we expected, the reeds dancing more than the crowd at a Robbie Williams gig and probably no chance of the Cetti's popping up out of the reeds. Still we had a listen every few yards. The wind was keeping most stuff quiet. A small flock of mixed tits, mostly Long Tails and Great Tits with a few Blue Tits but nothing more unusual like a Chiffchaff or a Goldcrest with them.

Moving round to the Container hide there were well over a hundred Teal in the scrape but again nothing more unusual so seeing a good sized flock of gulls in the distance it was time to high-tail it back round to the Fylde Bird Club hide where the sun would be better. A mix of Black Headed Gulls and Common Gulls but no chance of stringing any in to a Mediterranean Gull or Ring Billed Gull. Although we did find out later had been got there a bit earlier would would have had a 1st winter Med.

After the excitement of the safaris first Redwing the other night we had a flock of 5 fly over but as they got closer they turned into Song Thrushes, which is possibly more unusual. While we were grilling those a Red Admiral butterfly wobbled past on the stiff breeze.

half way down the mere the West Planting gave a patch of sunny, warm shelter and there were three male Migrant Hawkers battling for the best position, not particularly easy to photograph in full flight. Not sure how this one has managed to get airborne - it's only got three wings!

In fact I totally missed this one, even missed the tree, which incidentally is a White Poplar.

The sky was worth photographing anyway - look at that colour, I'm almost tempted to join Skywatch Friday with that one! But in the end I did get something that nearly resembled a half decent flight shot.

Further round I managed to get a sort of better perched up shot.

Moorhens are always good value, this one is wrestling with a particularly viscious strand of waterweed. It won unlike a Great Crested Grebe which was fighting with an Eel, at one stage it wasn't entirely clear who was going to eat who. The final result score draw and both lived to fight another day. As the battle came to an end two Water Rails squealed blue murder at each other from deep within the reeds. Spotted Crake would be nice, don't think the site has had one, or at least a twitchable one for few years now. A female Kestrel flew past and a distant Buzzard hovered over the fields in the distance putting up a shed load of mixed pigeons but they were too far away to pull out any Stock Doves.

Out on the water there were about a dozen Gadwall, we came across a pair of Shovelers and we didn't count the Tufted Ducks, but only saw two Pochards. One of the Cormorants was ringed but unreadable without scope, probably from North Wales - they usually are. Chatting to the other birders on site we were told earlier in the morning a flock of nearly thirty Snow Geese had flown over a little to the north. Now we all know that all Snow Geese are escapes don't we...even though we had a humdinger of a blow last weekend...be nice to think they could be real Canadian ones, but its very unlikely...go on let me in to a secret where has a flock of 30 Snow Geese been hiding all summer?

The feeding station was busy with common birds.

Chaffinch, aka jailbird! Greenfinch, Dunnock, Robin, and a pair of Pheasants brightened up proceedings, the male in particular exceptionally striking and shiny bright. A fine set of tail feathers

A Great Spotted Woodpecker briefly attacked the peanut feeder with gusto. All chance of finding much more was brought to an abrupt end when a male Sparrowhawk zapped through at about a million miles an hour. It didn't frighten the Rabbits.The young Fox that has been hanging around didn't come out for his photocall. I don't think the Rabbits would have been so relaxed if he hard been in the vicinity.Other stuff included a Reed Bunting or two dropping in to the reeds from on high, part of the recent/current movement? Two Pied wagtails were also seen going over, they used to breed locally but the old tumbledown sheds on the mushroom farm have been replaced by a neatly manicured housing estate so no nest sites and no insects anymore = no breeding wagtails.

Not a bad few hours out in the field despite missing the pick of the bunch. A good birdy chinwag with some old friends and best of all no rain today.

Where to next? Some reasonable migration weather forecast - if the forecast is right...hahahaha lol.

In the meantime let us know what's been wrestling eels in your outback.

In the footsteps of the Pilling Pig

The safari has suffered some spooky coincidences this week, it's been a bit weird at work. Then before putting finger to keyboard this evening I was having a browse through my usual favourite blogs and noticed that Fleetwoodbirder had to stay in to wait for a parcel and missed out on an early start - more spookyness so did I. Although I was out on Patch 1 at 06.00, just too early by a whole hour. Nothing doing somewhat obviously. Back at Base Camp a Skylark went over - at last a bit of vis, maybe I should have high-tailed it to the Prom, it was seriously misty though so seawatching would have been a bit difficult. Later, after posty had got his signature for the parcel, the safari set out eastwards for a meander along a long disused railwayline. At Pilling the old tank engine, very reminiscent of Thomas, but maroon instead of blue, is on display on the side of the road - the Pilling Pig! We were at the start of the line near Garstang Castle. What a lot of Rabbits. Not a lot of birds, a few Chaffinches and the odd Blackbird. On the parapet of an old crumbling bridge we found this little snail - no idea with molluscs I'm afraid.

A bridge across the current railwayline had loads of this snotty looking chap - Nostoc, in the corners of the treads. Nice and slimey after the recent rains. It really is one of my favourites...why? It's not particularly pleasant - but at least it doesn't smell.

A large patch of flowering Ivy was attracting a huge number of insects in the warm sunshine - yes summer has returned! Not to clever getting too close 'cos of the immense number of Common Wasps but a nearby fence post acted as a warming area when the sun went in. There were a number of these rather dapper Hoverflies - species name on a post card please - just look at those bright orange trainers he's wearing.

Jays have been passing down the west coast recently, being recorded at a number of coastal sites where they are not regular visitors. These photos are by our Extreme Photographer, Raf. - Many thanks.He likes peanuts, if you look at his crop it's chocka; we reckon he's eaten about 50 of them!Not often they pose for a portait.

The nuts were also attracting a few Nutchatches - crackin little chaps - I love em,wish we got em in the garden.

Not sure I like these in the garden though. But they do look cute, maybe the safari should dash out to the (fairly) local Red Squirrels.

Our main target was to suss out a mammal site for later. What species were we after. I'll give you a clue; at the site we saw a couple of Dippers, a Grey Wagtail. Speaking to a local we asked about the local wildlife and she said she'd seen the Dippers and the 'Cranes' (Herons) but she'd never seen our quarry and only one Kingfisher in 22 years of walking the riverbank. Not sure how hard she's been looking cos one flew past as we were chatting, she missed it. But we'll always settle for a nice Roe Deer. This one is obviously crossing a stream, but was doing it ever so cautiously step by step making sure there was a safe foothold. Not only that behind it lurking in the streamside bushes were another two or three waiting to see if the coast was clear.

Then it heard it heard something behind us. A few seconds later we heard it too. A freaking dog walker was throwing stones in the stream for his mutt, is nowhere safe from them, can't stand them the dough-brained oiks - and I'm one myself - hope I'm a bit more responsible than most when out with Frank.
No chance of getting a pic of the whole herd crossing as our lead deer did an about turn and legged it back the way it came. A lot less carefully this time.
Patch 1 had a flyover Cormorant on the second visit of the day, quite a rarity going over despite the fact patch 1 is less than a mile from the sea. Only one visit to go...the foxy one.

Where to next? Choices, choices, decisions, decisions...wonder if the weather forecast will be anything near accurate for a change they've been a bit hit and wildly miss recently.

In the meantime let us know what's crossing the streams in your outback.