Sanderling

I was really pleased to come across this juvenile Sanderling at Yarmouth Harbour this afternoon. It's the first one I've seen on this side of the island, though the beach at Ryde attracts lots of them!

It really is a beauty with that dramatic black & white plumage, and those dark feather centres with 'the three spears' as the Collins' Guide puts it! It may be a juvenile but it's already travelled a long way having been raised in the high Arctic!

Here's a short video clip:

Juvenile Blackbird

I came across this Juvenile Blackbird yesterday alongside the ditch by the Mill Copse Scrape. It looks like it's just had a bath. The spot that it has chosen to dry out is a real sun-trap, and I think that the bird is really enjoying the warmth. I saw it in exactly the same spot earlier this week!

If you look closely, you'll notice that the central toe of the right foot is swollen compared to that on the other side. Chaffinches are particularly susceptible to a disease called viral papilloma which causes swelling and deformed feet but I'm not sure whether that is what is causing this. Maybe it's the result of an injury.

In the video sequence below you can see the Blackbird beginning to preen as it dries. Feather-care is obviously very important in birds, and you can see the way it aligns some of the wing feather barbs, beginning at the base and working towards the tip.

More rainbows!

I thought it would be a while before I bettered my rainbow experience yesterday....but that was before today! Late this afternoon at Yarmouth, following a heavy shower of rain, the double rainbow above suddenly materialised in The Solent. My camera's not good enough to pick up the intensity of the colours....all I can say is that it was pretty amazing!!


There are 2 sequences on this video...the first one is the best but, because of the rain I'm shielding the lens...not realising that my thumb is in view!! Still, it gives some idea of the scene!

This Little Egret was foraging in one of the side channels. On the video below you can see it shaking its legs. I would be interested to know whether it is stirring up the mud, or else waving its bright yellow feet in the water to attract/disturb fish and other prey?

Swallows & Amaz....ing Rainbows!

I cycled along the Western Yar estuary first thing this morning and got caught in some pretty impressive rain showers. But it was worth it to see the rainbows in the following sunshine:

I loved this double rainbow. There was a flock of 50 Lapwings flying around, too - it's a shame that they are just out of shot in this photo.

And this is a rainbow looking the other way that was present this evening. I can't remember having seen a rainbow to the west in the morning, and a rainbow to the east in the evening from about the same place on the same day!

The other treat of the day was the hundreds (thousands?) of migrating hirundines feeding over a stubble field. I tried to get a bit of video which can't begin to do justice to this incredible sight:


The vast majority were Swallows, but there were also a number of Sand Martins and I glimpsed at least one House Martin.

And now for something completely different! A False Widow Spider (Steatoda nobilis) that John found on our kitchen sponge this evening! It has the potential of giving a nasty bite with the reputation of being the UK's most venomous spider.....but I haven't told Carole that!

Freshwater Bay & Western Yar Valley - week beginning 24th September 2012

 After a fortnight in France, it's been great to get back to the local patch though I shall miss the flora & fauna of the Loire!

Monday - rain first thing; very strong winds; sunshine later.
Tuesday - Heavy showers & sunny intervals.
Wednesday - Heavy showers & sunny intervals. 
Thursday - Sunny & warm when not cloudy & cool! :)
Friday - Overcast with warm sunny intervals later on.

Mute Swan - (Family of 2 adults & 5 juveniles at Yarmouth)

Canada Goose
Eurasian Wigeon (3 males) (7) (10 at Kingfisher Bridge)
Eurasian Teal (148)
Mallard (73: 43 males & 30 females)
*Tufted Duck (4 females on Station Pool - NEW RECORD FOR LIST)

Pheasant (27)
Little Grebe (8: 2 on Station Pool; 6 together on estuary)
Grey Heron
Little Egret
Northern Gannet (3 at Freshwater Bay)
Cormorant
Sparrowhawk (Female soaring low over Estuary and putting up various birds)
Buzzard (3)
Kestrel

Peregrine Falcon (Large individual in dead oak opposite Kingfisher Bridge) (1 on yacht yard-arm)

Moorhen
Coot
Oystercatcher (2) (4)
Ringed Plover (11) (15) (15)

Grey Plover (2)
Northern Lapwing (50) (25) (31)

Dunlin (2)
* Sanderling (Yarmouth Harbour - NEW RECORD FOR LIST) 
Common Snipe (Flying across Station Pool)

Black-tailed Godwit (122) (100) (107)
Eurasian Curlew (10) (17) (10)
Common Sandpiper
Common Redshank (40)

Greenshank
Turnstone (25) (2)
Black-headed Gull (404 in evening roost in Yarmouth Mill Pool)
Mediterranean Gull (4 with Black-headed Gulls) 
Great Black-backed Gull (3)
Herring Gull

Sandwich Tern (2 roosting with Black-headed Gulls) (1)
* Guillemot (On water off Norton Spit - NEW RECORD FOR LIST)

Rock Dove
Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Kingfisher (Mill Copse scrape)
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker 
Magpie
Jay
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin (Significant numbers in Estuary)
Long-tailed Tit
Common Chiffchaff (singing in Mill Copse)
Sedge Warbler
Blackcap
Goldcrest 
Treecreeper

Starling

Blackbird
Robin
Wheatear (Norton Spit)
House Sparrow

Pied Wagtail
Meadow Pipit (2)
Rock Pipit (2 at Freshwater Bay)

Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet 

71 species.

Other:

Mammals - Common Shrew; Rabbit.
Dragonflies - Migrant Hawker; Common Darter.
Butterflies - Red Admiral; Small White; Comma.
Hoverflies - Helophilus pendulus; Helophilus trivittatus.

Mole

Well, we're back home and I'm watching the rain lashing against the window as I write....!!

I thought I'd share one more animal memory of our last few weeks in France. I came across this lively little mole early one morning a few days ago on my way to the bridge at Beaumont to pick up the Trailcam. It looks quite small next to my size 11s! I was trying to stop it crossing the road and getting squished by a lorry, but it was determined to go as you can see from the video:



Home was obviously in the verge on the other side of the road. The fact that moles regularly turn up in Owl pellets & outside Fox dens seems to suggest that they're around on the surface more than we probably realise, but I feel it's a real privilege to catch up with one, especially during the day!

Badger

We're off back to the UK in an hour or so - just time to post a few clips of a Badger from yesterday evening. I set up the camera on a Badger path in a field next to the bridge at Beaumont:


You can see that he, or she, is quite shy of the light.

At this spot over the last few days I've recorded Wood Mouse, Brown Rat, Water Vole, Coypu, Beech Marten, Brown Hare & Badger. Not bad....but I still can't believe that I've not come across a Red Fox right through the holiday!