Warren Villas NR

David Barnes' photo of the Otter at Priory Country Park has featured on this blog before, and I've included it again because it's the only photo of a Bedfordshire Otter that I've got, and because I want to celebrate finally catching up with an Otter this evening!!!

Over the past few months I've chalked up hours and hours of field-time, trying to record Otter, mainly focusing on dawn watches at Stewartby Lake. As Richard Lawrence, our Mammal Recorder, said at the Bedfordshire Natural History Society AGM last night, "There are a lot of Otters around and they're in all the watercourses!", but seeing one is not quite so straightforward!

Having found a spot where Otter(s) cross from the Nature Reserve to the River Ivel this morning, I stationed myself about 25m downwind and waited. This was just after 6.30pm which was pretty late: having done some last minute shopping, got caught in heavy traffic, and having trekked once again from Biggleswade! But, within 10 minutes, I looked up to find an Otter standing on the path right in front of me. It must have known that I was there but, after a few seconds, it sauntered down the steep bank and, presumably, into the River Ivel, though I never did see it again. What I'll always remember is that amazing tail which looks so long close up! I had planned to do my very best to catch up with Otter & Water Vole during this holiday week, and I've managed to see both - Wonderful!

Sandy area & Maulden Heath

I woke up at 4.30am this morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (especially after 2 bowls of Frosties!), and so decided to get up and make the best of the morning. By 5.45am I was walking along the River Ivel between Biggleswade & Sandy, hoping to catch sight of an Otter. There were plenty of signs - slides, runs, spraint etc., but no Otters to be seen. It was great to hear the Skylarks singing out over Biggleswade Common, and I had great views of Grey Wagtail and an electric blue Kingfisher that whizzed past me at a rate of knots, whistling loudly.

Later, I decided to try to catch up with Water Vole. Roy Langford and I spent last Saturday morning surveying likely locations. By now it was really the wrong time of day for chance views, so I decided that a sit and wait policy was the best option, choosing a wooden footbridge across a likely stream. Mid-morning yesterday, I had 3 Muntjac and a Red Fox in the adjoining field, though there were none present this morning. But just before 11am I spotted a Water Vole ploughing down the middle of the stream. There's something magical about swimming Water Voles - I'd forgotten just how big these are, and I love their chocolate-brown colour. I followed this beastie down the stream for about 75 metres before it disappeared into the emergent vegetation on the left-hand bank of the photo.

This afternoon, with the sun shining, my son Mark and I went up to Maulden Heath to see if we could see any adders. We came across these three:


The last and worst photo (taken by me - Mark took the other two!) was the most significant find because this specimen was very small and further evidence of successful breeding in past years.

On the way home, this Common Lizard was flattening itself out on a fence-post spar, enjoying the sunshine...the tail indicates that it has probably had a close escape from a predator at some point in the past. (Photo by Mark)

Chandos Road, Ampthill

The moth season is getting underway, and I was really pleased to find this beauty in the trap this morning...appropriately named the Oak Beauty (Biston strataria). It's my 182nd species for this little patch.

I'm on holiday this week and hoping to catch up with a few more mammal species, the main target being Otter. I've even borrowed a tent this morning so that I can camp out at a likely spot....watch this space!

The Lodge, Sandy

Today I faced up to the fact that I will never make the grade as a wildlife cameraman. In the back of my mind I’ve always pondered some of the brilliant footage that I would have been able to wow the nation with, having witnessed some amazing wildlife experiences over the years….but today those dreams crashed and burned.

I arrived at the RSPB’s HQ – The Lodge – this morning, and made my way over to Jack’s Pond where, following a sighting reported earlier in the week, I was hoping to repeat some of the brilliant views of Water Shrew that I’ve had there in the past. Water Shrews have alternating bursts of activity and periods of recuperation, so I'd come prepared and brought a book, particularly in light of the fact that Water Shrew activity generally peaks just before dawn. I sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the light rain that was falling.

At 11.20am I looked up to see a Water Shrew powering across the centre of the pond....fantastic! I made my way round to a point above a patch of brambles that overhung the water, and into which it had disappeared. Seconds later it made its way over to the other side of the pond, intermittently plunging below the water's surface, and I was able to get a bit of poor video-footage. Over the next 5 minutes or so I followed it as it made its way around the edge of the pond before losing it in the midst of some of the thicker vegetation.

Then, a few minutes later, it suddenly appeared just in front of my feet, and spent the next 10 minutes diving and feeding right in front of me while I was able to get some absolutely brilliant footage on the video camera. After this things went quiet and the Shrew didn’t reappear…a sure sign that it had gone back to its burrow for an hour or two’s kip. So I thought it was safe to view my exciting footage on the video camera screen. I looked down in breathless anticipation….only to discover that I’d forgotten to press the ‘record’ button…….

……you can imagine my frustration! But I don’t want that to take away from a brilliant 20 minutes, and the chalking up of my 18th Bedfordshire mammal species of the year after finding Bank Vole and American Mink in the last week or so, both at Stewartby Lake. If you’re local, and can find the time, it’s well worth popping over to the Lodge and waiting to catch a glimpse of this special creature. There’s another Water Shrew that’s taken up residence in the big ornamental pond in front of the main house, too, and it’s been the star of the show for the staff every lunchtime!

Incidentally, once my son shows me how to download…and then upload videos, I’ll put the little bit of poor footage that I did obtain on here, but don’t hold your breath! (I dropped and wrecked my camera's telephoto lens last week, which has really inhibited my photo capability for this blog...and further underlines my unsuitability to be the BBC's next cameraman supreme!)

Ampthill Park - Westminster Pond & Bedfordshire Mammals [Updates]

February has come to an end and, after two months, I have managed to see 15 separate mammal species, including the unidentified Pipistrelle. This is the full list:

1) Rabbit (1st January – Kempston Hardwick verges).
2) Chinese Water Deer (1st January – Flying Horse Farm).
3) Grey Squirrel (2nd January – Millbrook Plantation).
4) Muntjac (2nd January – Millbrook Plantation).
5) Red Fox (4th January – Brogborough Lake).
6) Brown Hare (7th January – Ampthill area).
7) Brown Long-eared Bat (13th February).
8) Natterer’s Bat (13th February).
9) Pipistrelle Bat sp (13th February).
10) Barbastelle Bat (13th February).
11) Daubenton’s Bat (13th February).
12) Common Shrew (17th February – Ampthill Park).
13) Pygmy Shrew (18th February – Ampthill Park).
14) Wood Mouse (18th February – Ampthill Park).
15) Stoat (24th February – Ampthill Park).

Many thanks to Trevor Dix who sent a number of photos and updated me this morning regarding the Ampthill Angling Club's transfer of fish from Westminster Pond to Marston Pit. Following my visit yesterday morning, the Club repaired the net and had another go, this time catching even more fish and removing 79 Common & Mirror Carp, and 60lbs of 'silver fish'. They also caught an amazing 10 Catfish, including what appears to me to be the grand-daddy of them all looking at Trevor's photos below. You can see all of the photos and more on the Ampthill Angling Club website here.

Maulden Heath

After an unsuccessful hunt for Bank Voles at Duck End Nature Reserve, and with the sun shining, I decided to pop over to Maulden Heath for my first visit of the year in the hope of catching up with an early Adder. Steve Cham had spotted one earlier in the week. I was really pleased to find this large male - he doesn't look much at the moment, especially covered in mud but, when he sloughs in a few weeks time, he'll be a very striking black and white individual. Later I met Roy, who had earlier found two more male Adders at the other end of the Heath, but with clouds now filling the skies and a cold wind blowing, they had gone by the time I arrived!

Ampthill Park - Westminster Pond

This morning I joined a bunch of members from the Ampthill Angling Club as they netted an over-stocked Westminster Pond in order to catch and transfer a number of Mirror Carp and Common Carp to Marston Pit, near Lidlington. It was fascinating to watch the operation taking place.

It was difficult to get any decent photos, though I'll try to put some video footage up here sometime soon. Unfortunately, the net snagged and ripped in several places which allowed a number of fish to escape, but there was still a good haul: Roach, Rudd, Tench, Bream, Perch (my favourite fish), Catfish, and several Carp species: Ghost Carp, Mirror Carp, Common Carp and Crucian Carp. 28 Common & Mirror Carp were caught and removed. But the highlight for me were two Wels Catfish, which I've never seen before. There is reputed to be a specimen in the pond that approaches 30lbs. The individual below is smaller - probably 15-20lbs - but it's still a pretty impressive beast!