Teal

Whenever you visit the Freshwater Estuary you can’t help but notice a constant background noise that sounds like something out of the old ‘Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’ programmes (Remember them?). It’s the pinging sonar-like call of the Teal. This male Teal was on the Western Yar River today (together with my first Green Sandpiper of the year). Look at those amazing patterns of colour, and the vermiculations along the flanks are stunning! As Teal go, this one was amazingly confiding. I’m assuming this is also the individual who didn’t mind a red light disturbing his sleep when I visited late at night a few evenings ago. Most Teal would take off well before I got this close…and the near vertical nature of this flight into the air gives rise to the collective name of ‘a spring of Teal’.

In another sense the Teal is the vertically challenged member of the duck family being pretty titchy as ducks go, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a table delicacy. Indeed, in 1465 a certain Mr George Neville threw a bash at which 4000 Teal and Mallard were on the menu. Bear in mind that they also used to be imported in large numbers from the Continent and it’s no wonder they’re so jumpy!

Result! Encouraging Foxes & Badgers into the back garden (Part 3).

One of the advantages of spending the night working at my desk is the opportunity to catch up with the Badger who has been regularly consuming the nuts I've thrown onto the lawn each evening. He arrived just before 3.30am!! The moth trap was literally a wash-out in the fog and I put it away just before midnight. In the early evening a Water Vole plopped into the water of the Western Yar but all I saw were the ripples radiating out from the bank! The fog horns are blowing their insistent note this morning.

Getting the moth trap out of moth balls!

With Spring definitely in the air, I put out the moth trap yesterday evening for the first time this year. I’ve still very much got my ‘L’ plates on when it comes to moths, so I’m going to need some help over the season. I think I’m ok with last night’s catch – just 4 species: The moths, in order, were Hebrew Character, Light Brown Apple Moth, Double-striped Pug and Emmelina monodactyla.

The Light Brown Apple Moth – or LBAM – has a fascinating history. It’s quite a pest in Australia and is reckoned to have been accidentally introduced to Britain in the 1930s. It was first found breeding in Cornwall in 1936 but has spread dramatically since then! If you put LBAM into your search engine you will discover how it has not only spread to Britain but also to New Zealand, Hawaii & the United States, leading to a lot of concern about the effect it might have on the fruit industry! Interestingly, we lost 62 resident moth species here in Britain in the 20th Century…..but gained 89 species!

Red Squirrel Ringworm?

This is a video-grab of 'Scratch' which shows the sore on the top of his head. In another dairy-farming life many moons ago I used to treat cattle infected with Ringworm, and I wonder if that might be what Scratch is suffering from. Ringworm is found in Red Squirrels though Jessica Holm, in her book, describes the symptoms as being characterized by crusty and flaking ears. ---------------------------------- Update: Helen Butler of the Wight Squirrel Project notes that Red Squirrels can get dermatitis, mites and also bumps & grazes. It would take close examination and a squab to determine what is causing this 'sore' area. I'm going to keep an eye on 'Scratch' to see how it progresses.

More Water Vole evidence

I visited Afton Marsh again first thing this morning and wandered along the Western Yar river. A Kingfisher hurtled down the ditch alongside the Freshwater Coop and a Cetti's Warbler was practising its song in the reeds close to the Freshwater Causeway.

I noticed that something had been enjoying the apple that I had placed alongside the river yesterday. Carole saw the blog and was shocked when she realised that I was using her expensive posh 'something-or-other' apples, so she's going to buy some cheap ones instead! I think the Water Voles deserve the best.....

....and I can now confirm that it is, indeed, a Water Vole that has been enjoying the apple. The apple's over-exposed on this close-up view so you can't see the tooth marks very well...but there are half-a-dozen or so fresh Water Vole droppings! Now I just need some better views, which will probably mean getting up even earlier at the moment!

Red Squirrel nuts, Water Vole apples & Badger calling cards!

All 3 Red Squirrels were feeding in the Western Yar woodland earlier today. This is a bit of video footage of 'Scratch'. I was amazed how close he came to me. He enjoyed a few of the peanuts I'd placed around, but he also spent time digging up a few caches of acorns that he devoured with relish!

I couldn't resist this video-capture!

Apples are to Water Voles what chocolates are to me...a real treat! I attached this apple to a Water Vole latrine area with a six inch nail!! My first Isle of Wight Marsh Harrier flew over the marsh...I assume they eat unwary Water Voles?

A few hours later I came back to find this!! I can't guarantee that it was a Water Vole but there must be a good chance (though I only viewed it from the opposite bank and there are not any obvious toothscrapes)! I was wondering why I haven't found any well-used latrines on this stretch of water. As I sat watching the apple, I suddenly realised that it was gradually disappearing beneath the water:

*Light bulb moment* Ah...this stretch of the Western Yar is tidal and so all of the latrines close to the water must get washed clean a few times a day! The Water Voles must realise this so I need to look higher up the bank for signs. And, talking of latrines, I went into the back garden to find this first thing this morning:

Our local Badger had left a calling card! Thank goodness he didn't dig a hole to put it in!! :-)

A Red Squirrel contemplates the meaning of life!

The Red Squirrels were very active again late this morning. I think that the Squirrel on this video makes for a fascinating subject!