Osprey stops us jay walking for a ruff

The Safari was hoping to put the moth trap on last night but multiple weather forecasts suggested there would be showers through the first half of the night so we decided not to bring it out and set it up. A seemingly bad move as when we got up this morning the yard was bone dry, not a drop of rain had fallen overnight. Ahh well...with no moths to work through that gave us time to head out to the nature reserve. 

We pulled up by the gate to the wetland just as ST and her lovely new(ish) dog Max were leaving so we had to have a chat and a tickle of Max's ears. After chatting about doggies, holidays and the ridiculous planning application of yet more caravans this time actually ON the nature reserve we parted company, Max and S to their breakfasts us to the reserve. We'd not gone far when we looked for yesterday's probably-long-gone-by-now dead Common Shrew finding and moving a Brown Lipped Banded Snail (yellow background, one band) off the path before it got trodden on. Only a few steps further on we got a call from LR asking where we were. We told him we'd just come on site and he told us to look up and across to the nature reserve where an Osprey had just hovered over the water and got the gulls up. It didn't take long to pick out the bigger bird from the throng of gulls (MMLNR #98). Had we not met S we'd very likely have been much closer and the Osprey may well have been in range of the big lens we had with us, having said that it was lovely to have a stroke of Max's super-soft fluffy coat.

LR met up with us at the 'vis-mig' gate but by then the Osprey was long gone. From there we mooched down to the viewing platform where the early morning sunshine was dreadful to look into. Next we walked down to the scrape passing not a great lot on the way, a couple of Blackcaps and Dunnocks and a Lesser Whitethroat but compared to the flock-fest yesterday it was very very quiet.

At the scrape there was a small flock of Lapwings but nothing else other than a few Mallards. LR went off home and we went to have a look round the corner for a look at the scrape from a different angle to see if anything was lurking out of sight - there wasn't but we did hear a couple of Cetti's Warblers on our walk round.

Another look at the scrape on our return to get a count of the Lapwings revealed we'd missed a Ruff (MMLNR #99) earlier, or it dropped in unnoticed while we were walking round to the second viepoint. Either way it was a good find they're few and far between on the ground here.

The walk back to tour old cabins was uneventful apart from the large flock of Goldfinches we saw yesterday although today they were on the opposite side of the path.

The Elder bush at the cabin was empty of ripe berries and therefore birds too. The Rowan has plenty of berries but it was now we realised we'd been on site for well over an hour and not seen a Blackbird yet. There wasn't even one feasting on the jewel red berries the other side of the fence today. A Jay flew past us though landing in the willows at the western end of  the reserve, just the second we've seen here this year.

By now we were getting in dire need a brew and some breakfast so it was back to the car we went, no sign of the Ring Necked Parakeet this time.

A quiet but oddly productive early morning out.

Where to next? Back to Patch 2 tomorrow, wonder what'll be out there.

In the meantime let us know who dropped unannounced in to your outback.

Green but not green enough

The Safari was out early on the nature reserve this morning. We were hoping the overnight thunderstorm might have dropped some good stuff in.

Thankfully the horrendous rain had stopped and the paths were actually quite dry. We've been getting reports over the last 10 days or so of numbers of shrews from our mate LR. He's seen lots of them lying dead on several of the paths but seemingly uninjured. Today we hadn't got far through the gate from the car when we spotted one, probably caught out in the rain last night and got chilled. With their super-fast metabolic rate it doesn't take long for them to snuff ti if they can't find sufficient food very quickly.

The short bald tail tells us it's a Common Shrew

The wetland and rough fields were devoid of birdlife, our chances of picking up a Whinchat for our year-list challenge with Monika are looking slim now.

While looking for any hint of movement in the long vegetation our eye caught sight of something much nearer. The Hedge Bindweed is in flower, we used to be frightened of it but have learned it's not all bad and provides useful late summer feeding opportunities for a whole host of insects especially bees and moths. This one flower was looking out over the fields, most off the others were facing the path. It's not often you see them photod from the 'wrong side'. The raindrops add a little extra dimension too.

Wandering dowm the path we found our favourite Elder bush just about empty of birds. A few minutes standing there waiting for the action to happen gave us only a Blackcap, a Whitethroat and a Blackbird, the latter in the Rowan rather than the Elder. We didn't know it yet but all the action would be found further down the track.

We had a look at the water but the light was awful, good enough to count roughly 100 Coots though. A wisp of six Snipe flew round but didn't appear to land in the scrape. From there we went to the next hide and it was on the track down to it that the action happened, there was a huge mixed flock of birds flitting here there and everywhere. Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, even a couple of Dunnocks had joined the party. We checked through the throng carefully for any Garden Warblers failing miserably but did find at least two Lesser Whitethroats. 

At the scrape there was no sign of the Garganey today nor any Green Sandpipers, one of which had been seen yesterday. No Wood Sandpipers either, in fact no waders of any description at all.

Heading back a dog walker told us he'd seen a big green parrot "at the far end"...interesting, we'd heard there was a Ring Necked Parakeet seen not long since. Passing the wildflower paddock area a superb flock of about 40 Goldfinches feeding on the Knapweed seedheads. Most of them were juveniles indicating a good end to their breeding season after an iffy start when bad weather seemed to knobble many of their first broods.

Back at the viewpoint overlooking the mere we flushed a moth from the pathside vegetation. We spotted where it landed and fired off a few shots through the vegetation - a lovely Green Carpet.

A heavy squall blew through and once it was over a big flock of Lapwings went over the fields at the far end, about 130 or more, with them were four smaller waders probably Ruff rather than Golden Plovers.

No sign of the parrot yet but as we nearer the path to the car we heard it squawk loudly, do they ever squawk quietly? And then we saw a shape disappear over the hedge so no chance of a pic. Hey-ho but still Ring Necked Parakeet (171, MMLNR #97) made it on to our year list without the need for a trip to their usual cemetery haunt.

To end our trip a nice big female Sparrowhawk flew past us chased by another little flock of Goldfinches.

Back at Base Camp we had chores to do but once done we sat out in the garden enjoying the sunshine when we heard a high Curlew going over.
Where to next? Bank holiday tomorrow so we could be out somewhere or other.
In the meantime let us know who's squawking loudly in your outback.

Mixed fortunes on the beach

The Safari has had three days of groups on the beach on the trot which is good. Yesterday we were out early before work on the nature reserve again. The signs promised a good session and we were thrilled to see the Elder bush by our old cabin full of birds again. The, or most likely a different, Garden Warbler was feasting away with Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, Woodpigeons, Blackbirds and a couple of Chaffinches, but strangely we only saw one Blackcap.

It all went quickly down hill once we left there though with very little else seen until we got to the scrape where the Garganey was still in residence and still too far away for a pic. Today there were three Teal with her. Behind us in the trees both Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs sang and we heard Long Tailed Tits conversing with one another but didn't see them. A Cetti's Warbler sub-songed from the reeds in front of us.

We couldn't see any waders on the scrape but the water level was up a bit after Monday's torrential rain, so we walked round the corner to get the other angle. From there we couldn't see any either. Walking back we passed another Elder bush full of ripening fruit and this one too had a Garden Warbler in it, that's the first time we've ever had two on site in one day! The rest of our visit was very quiet and even the Elder bush by the cabins had now been stripped of its ripe berries and the bids departed.

The sun got up and it got hot, just right for exploring the beach. but our group today was thwarted by the doldrum-like calm weather which had left the 'rockpools' full of debris washed off the marshes and lowest sand dunes by the recent spring tides. We looked and looked but couldn't find much in comparison to the day before...the normally super-abundant Brown Shrimps, Common Prawns and Green Shore Crabs were hard to find, even the shells on the beach weren't particularly inspiring; thank goodness for the Blennies and Sand Gobies...How different can two days be!

Today was totally different again. There was lots to find. The Sand Gobies and Blennies were still about in good numbers but so were the shrimps and prawns. As for the Green Shore Crabs, loads were potted, some really big ones too. It was an altogether different day. A wanderr along a bit of a strand-line looking for shells to show the group had us finding this little beauty. An Oyster Drill shell, we've only ever found one or two of these before so were really chuffed to show it to the children even if they weren't over impressed by its diminutive size.

Other goodies we spotted down there were a very old worn piece of Native Oyster shell and a large piece of broken Iceland Cyprine, the gang didn't believe Oysters used to be the fast food of the day and didn't think a shell could live for several hundred years.
Sadly once again our hands were too wet and sandy to get the camera out so we only have the saved Oyster Drill shell to show you - that's going in our collection to take to schools and events.
Our marine life is jam-packed with fascinating facts to learn so get a net and get out there exploring.

Where to next? We've got a long weekend so an early start on the nature reserve is looking likely tomorrow morning.

In the meantime let us know who's just lying there waiting to be discovered in your outback.

The robin twitters his autumn song

The Safari was home late from work today and as we opened the car door we heard the distinctive twitterings of a Robin from the back garden. It was the autumn song in a 'minor key' we heard rather than the 'major key' of the spring song. The night's are drawing in and migrants are in the air.

Yesterday morning we got an early call from AB saying the weekend's Purple Sandpiper that had been found on Patch 2 was still there. We were on our way out anyway and soon found AB looking at the bird below us on the beach. As we made our way to the steps to join him a Peregrine flew over our head, only our second on Patch 2 this year. Down on the beach we had a quick look at the Purple Sandpiper (169, P2 #71) which walked along the bottom of the wall with about a dozen Turnstones and then promptly went to sleep. Sadly we were short of time and the office was beckoning so we couldn't stay out much longer and had to 'tick n run'.

Just as well as the rain started and by eck did it come down, flood warnings were issued on some of the local rivers. Fortunately it eased by our late lunchtime and we were able out get out again but by now the tide was high and the sea fairly rough so the Turnstones and Purple Sandpipers had gone elsewhere to roost.

Passing us going south in dribs and drabs were about 30 Sandwich Terns. In the distance the gulls were mooching around off shore. We spotted a couple of more distant birds swirling around which turned out to be a couple of Arctic Skuas. After a few circuits of the gulls and not finding anything to steal from them they drifted out to sea away from us.

Today we had another look for the Purple Sandpiper but wasn't able to find it. It may have gone or been elsewhere along the wall but we had a group coming so didn't have time to go searching further afield. Some Turnstones were on the rocks as usual.

But far more unusual were three Common Sandpipers that were mooching around at the edge of one of the runnels close to the bottom of the wall. They wouldn't keep still nor would they allow close approach.
Our group arrived and we were soon on our way back on the beach with pots and nets. As we walked down the slipway what we presume was a fourth Common Sandpiper flew past us. We're pretty sure it was a different one as the others had moved way down the beach together when we left earlier and we think any further disturbance would probably have pushed them even further south on their journey to the tropics.
The children soon had some super finds to show us including two tiny Common Starfish neither more than half an inch across. Soon plenty of juvenile Blennies were in the pots as were good numbers of Common Prawns but all small juveniles, we didn't find any big adults today. There were also some small Green Shore Crabs but it wasn't until almost the end of the session that we found a large one to show the children. 

Right at the end of the session we overhead a dog walker pulling her mutt away from something on the beach, at first we thought she said "jellyfish" but she had actually said "dogfish". As the group were getting ready to leave we went to investigate - it was indeed a dead dogfish,  - or at least a Lesser Spotted Catshark, a victim of manhandling by an angler. That was great as earlier we'd found a Mermaid's Purse from one. The little ones all had a stoke of its smooth skin and then felt the difference when they tried to stoke it the wrong way...Great fun was had by all. A proper dose of both Vitamin N and Vitamin Sea. 

With sandy and wet hands we couldn't get the camera out so sadly haven't got any pics of their finds to show you.

Where to next? We've got a late start tomorrow so a visit to the nature reserve is on the cards. 

In the meantime let us know who snuck out of your outback without so much as a by your leave.

A late start but a good finish

The Safari wanted to be out earlier today but had to wait until almost lunchtime. We weren't sure where to go, the nature reserve would be pretty rubbish after yesterday's gale force westerlies and heavy rain so we headed to the local estuary and the chance of a year bird. Things were looking good when we met SD in the car park, he was coming back from his walk and told us that he'd seen a Curlew Sandpiper and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls 'at the far end'. That meant a wander past the boat yard and decks.

One of the hulks has been there a few years now

Here's what the Good Hope looked like in 2009.

Across the river a lone tree stood sentinel on the top of the knoll.

We walked on towards the corner where we could see tiny dots scurrying across the the mud. Getting nearer we found a gap between the boats and scanned the flock. It took a while but eventually we found a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper (168) among the three or four hundred Dunlins and 100 or more Ringed Plovers. We couldn't find the Mediterranean Gulls but as the tide was rising quickly we'd spent most of the time looking at the waders while the gulls had shifted off to roost on higher ground much further up the river so we'd probably missed them passing by.

With the tide just about to cover the mud we turned back passing some tall Sow Thistles on the way. One one of the flowers was a very bedraggled bee. Is it just a Common Carder Bee looking worse for wear?

A Marmalade Hoverfly joined it for a while.

A Painted Lady scooted low across the saltmarsh, our first of the year. A good hour or so out. With the day still young(ish) where to next?

We decided to take a gamble on the nature reserve. Would it be a good move? The walk in was very quiet, there was nothing flying at all and nothing flitting through the bushes. Getting in to the nature reserve our fears were confirmed - it was mayhem with people ransacking the bushes for fruit, there'll be none left for the migrant thrushes in a few weeks time at this rate - dogs were running and barking all over the place and the hides were full of scrotes up to no good with drink and strange smelling ciggies. A quick look from the bench across the mere didn't give us much so we wandered on down towards the bridge passing the scrape which was empty except for a juvenile Moorhen.

Approaching the bridge we saw that tracks had been cut through the long grass around the new ponds, of we went for a look. Well worth the detour, there was less wind down below the embankment and it was considerably warmer. On the top of the embankment another Painted Lady had sped past us but we didn't see where it went. Down in the calmer conditions there were several butterflies, mostly bright Small Tortoiseshells but there were two Painted Ladies as well.

Two pics of the same individual

However, the dragonflies were what we were more interested in. There were Common Darters everywhere, the new pond must be perfect for them. There were a few Brown Hawkers down there too.

No it's not chewing a brick!

None of them would keep still long enough for a flight shot, it was still a bit gusty down there even though the wind was much less strong than up on the top. Above us a flock of about 250 Lapwings came in from the fields and settled briefly on the old scrape before lifting off and returning to the recently cropped field. A really good sized flock for here, just need it to stay all autumn and bring down some Golden Plovers now.

We retraced our steps past the mayhem of numpties feeling good from the ponds experience but depressed from the hammer the reserve was getting - what happened to the old adage "Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints"? As for dog walkers actually reading a sign - - can they actually read???

Passing the scrape again we saw a pair of Moorhens and a Teal, they weren't  there earlier. And then we saw another teal swim in to view. Something about it didn't look right but the light was shocking. We fired off a few shaky shots and back at Base Camp were able to lighten them up a bit. Doesn't half look like a Garganey (169; MMLNR #96) now and several of our Twitter chums thankfully confirmed it.

Oh that it was a bit nearer and less windy...and the light was with us - excuses excuses!

From there there wasn't much at all so it was back to the car where we swapped cameras and headed off in the opposite direction with a plan in mind.

The sunny glades along the path held lots of Speckled Wood butterflies.

Again it wasn't butterflies we wanted to find. There were more Common Darters too but it wasn't dragonflies we wanted either. We arrived at the appointed place and lo and behold there were two of our hoped for/wanted little beauties. Both females.

Lovely painted toenails!

Two Great Crested Newts - result

So not a bad day in the end, just a few too many infuriating humans to make it a perfect day.
Where to next? Back to a wet Patch 2, what will we find...we've got a list of impossibles!
In the meantime let us know who dropped in unexpectedly in your outback.

They're taking the p*ss and sticking two fingers up at us

The Safari was, like many others, shocked and very disappointed to learn that yet another satellite tagged Hen Harrier had suddenly 'disappeared' off the radar. how can this be when a long dead Osprey was recovered via it's transmitter in the middle of the Sahara desert? When you look at the land management where the last transmission came from it doesn't require a lot of nouce to wonder what might have befallen it. The tag can only realistically been shot in flight, destroyed on the ground, burned or buried to make it disappear - now who do you imagine would do such a despicable thing?

Despite, or perhaps because of, all the negative publicity they've decided to continue as before safe in the knowledge evidence of the crimes is extremely hard to get and even if there is a prosecution they are mostly 'untouchable' by means of their connections and 'friends in high places'. basically they are telling us the/our law doesn't apply to them, they believe they are well and truly above it! And don't forget the 'owner' of any of these estates are companies registered in off-shore tax havens so the economic benefit they often claim (along with our tax subsidies to the tune of £56/ha from CAP) goes out of the country and into their pockets rather than the local communities.

If you haven't yet signed the Ban Driven Grouse Shooting petition please do now and if you can write, with pen and paper snail mail preferably to your MP asking them to attend the debate and point out some of the issues to them so they are aware why you are asking them to attend. Remember they work for you. Let's start the ball rolling to a more sustainable future for our uplands, ecologically, socially and economically.

Anyway enough of the politics what have we seen?

At work we had a bit of a shock when a grandma and her grandson pointed out a young Lesser Black Backed Gull swimming in our pond. In fact she didn't realise it was a young gull as she asked what happens to the baby gulls as she 'didn't see any'. By the time we'd had a chat about gulls in general and then got our camera out the gull had hopped out of the pond and was resting on the wooden surround.

So what's so unusual about that? Actually it's the first gull we've seen in our pond in the 12 years we've worked here yet it's only about 100 yards from the beach.

The last few mornings we've had a late start at work and have been heading out from Base Camp at the normal time but doing a couple of hours at the nature reserve. Yesterday was busy with birds especially by our old cabin (reserve centre) where we saw a Lesser Whitethroat with the several Blackcaps and Whitethroats feasting on the ripe Elderberries. Also spotted after a bit of hard looking to make sure was a mostly partially hidden Garden Warbler (MMLNR #95). Done on the scrape the Redshank was still there but no sign of the Greenshank and no rarer waders like Little Stints or Wood Sandpipers either.

The walk back to the car saw us watching another Blackcap this time getting a bellyful of Blackberries.

Back at the Elderberry bush a Willow Warbler was in song.

We also saw the biggest flock of Cormorants we've ever seen in flight over the mere, 24 of them. They didn't land but flew round having a look before gaining height and leaving to the east.

There's only 21 here, the other three were well ahead to the left

It was a pretty good morning.

Today was a little different. The easterly wind had continued and bore much promise but all was very quite compared to yesterday. We struggled to see anything of note, we struggled to see anything at all everything was keeping low in the stiff breeze. 

Best we could get wit the camera was this Snipe at about 1000 feet up, probably was nowhere near that high but it wasn't much more than a dot to the naked eye.

It was just about the only thing that showed all morning. Even the now regular Redshank on the scrape had done a bunk. Disappointingly there were no Spotted Crakes or Garganeys to replace it either.

The gulls got up off the mere in a panic looking round we couldn't see anything obvious so thought it must have been the big juvenile Great Black Backed Gull that was on the water earlier flying around upsetting them. The we saw two very high Buzzards that might well have been the culprits, not an Osprey this time - as usual!

This afternoon we had a family group pond dipping at work - no gulls but shed loads of 3-spined Sticklebacks, Water Boatmen, and Greater Pond Snails but nothing more exciting.

Where to next? Might not get out much tomorrow til after work by then it might have rained and something might have been dropped.

In the meantime let is know who' your hoping is going to drop in in your outback.

100000 and counting

The Safari has been a bit busy of late but we have been out n about.

The big news is 110,000 would like to see their Hen Harriers be 'allowed' to return to the uplands, can we make 200,000 by 6th September? That's the day the parliamentary committee sits to decide if and when there will be a debate. At the present time it's looking likely there will be a debate and it may well be held in October.

There are some things about grouse shooting we really don't like - We have a lot of Blackbirds (a wild bird) visiting our garden we wonder if we could get a licence from Natural England to catch them at night and dose them to protect them from Strongyle worms like the moorland brigade are allowed to do to Red Grouse (another wild bird)? Surely what's good for one species of wild bird must be good for another?

Beefy Botham (a former hero) claimed an unnamed moor had huge numbers of Lapwings and Curlews nesting citing a BTO survey which turned out to be poppy-cock. We'd like to ask Beefy why he/they didn't name the moor if it was that good! Then again they always come out with grouse shooting is good for waders. We'd be quite happy with a trade off of species, maybe fewer Hen Harriers and waders for more of lots of other things like trees, mosses, lichens, beetles, Stonechat, Whinchats, Stoats, Weasels, Adders and much much more.Anything has to better than a mono-culture of Heather and an over-population of Red Grouse with very little else,  apart from those waders of course which are benefiting not from any real conservation work but from the total purge on predators large and small, legally and illegally.

They also go on about the 'conservation' of Grey Partridges. We think that would be easier if they didn't introduce about 6 million Red Legged Partridges without so much as a by your leave to out compete them and then got their mates not to do this sort of stuff to the hedgerows.

Not alot of cover or food for any type of partridge in those, they'd be better for partridges if allowed to growth a bit thicker and wider like this one with a bit of rough grass at the base too.

It's not rocket science!

Rant over on to the good stuff.

On Saturday the moth trap had a couple of nice specimens in it.

Common Rustic - pale form

Large Yellow Underwing

The following day we had family duties but managed to stop off at the new reserve near ma n da's. We didn't have long there and were looking fora Little Stint that had been reported over the previous couple of days. We looked first at the small Lapwing flock in the water towards the corner and ignored the gulls on the bank which was a mistake as we were told by another birder there was a Mediterranean Gull ( a lifer for Wifey and #107 on her year list) among the Black Headed Gulls.

Best bird in the book

We didn't see the Little Stint but found two Dunlins instead. We were also told that there were a couple of Hobbies in the area...dohhh.

On the way back the warm sun had brought out a nice selection of butterflies. Wifey saw her first Holly Blue along with the more familiar Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks.

Peacock

Red Admiral

The local farmers were in action too making the most if the dry weatrher as they have to at this time of year.

Strange as it may seem we've never driven a combined harvester.

At ma n da's we saw a couple of Swifts passing over the garden and another Holly Blue flitting around the shrubbery. Holly Blue is a species we'd never have expected to see in the garden all those years ago, it wasn't found round those parts.

Yesterday we didn't see much other than a shed load of Sandwich Terns moving south, three (probably four) Grey Seals and two Turnstones.  Back at Base Camp there was a hatch of flying ants which attracted a huge flock of gulls.

Later we went to the coast for an evening wander with Wifey.

Interesting new rocks - hidey holes of all manner of creatures

Old sea defence blocks

This morning we went to the nature reserve before work. We missed the shot of the day when we saw a mother Rabbit and one of her offspring silhouetted on the track not far in front of us, we failed to get the camera out before they got wind of us and hopped off into the undergrowth.

We did see a Rabbit later on in the dark under the trees.

On a nearby tree we spotted some graffiti we'd not seen before.

We didn't know Patch 2 had ever met Patch 1 but if they have a thing going on that's OK with us.

On the way out from the viewing platform we saw the Rabbit again, this time something other than us had caught its attention. We hoped a Stoat or a Weasel would appear but nothing did.

The scrub was pretty quiet, Blackcaps chacked, Whitethroats churred, Willow Warblers/Chiffchaffs hweeted and Robins ticked but we saw none of them. A pair of Greenfinches were almost posing.

A little later we heard then saw a Greenshank (MMLNR #94) flying around trying to land on the extensive Yellow Water Lily pads . There was also a Redshank on the scrape - we've never had that shank combo there before.

And if you think if there's no grouse shooting and no Heather management the uplands will just turn into an impenetrable Bramble thicket here's something to think about, a Scycamore tree poking its head out of an impenetrable Bramble thicket, it takes time but the trees will show through the scrub in the end.

And finally a little baby from Pembrokeshire from our Extreme Photographer.

Where to next? A bug hunt with some families tomorrow afternoon.
In the meantime let us know who needs culling in your outback.