Monday 24 June 2013

New year ticks

Monday 24 June 2013

Dorchester WeBS count - just 425 water birds of 14 Species. Most noteworthy was probably a pair of Wigeon. This has happened before at Dorchester and last time one of the pair had a damaged wing and it was assumed the other stayed behind instead of migrating. Didn't get a look at the state of the wings but could be the same again? Kingfisher was my first of the year but I don't get out much. Also very good to hear the purring of a Turtle Dove and a singing Willow Warbler, both near Wally Corner.

Saturday 22 June 2013

Moth & Butterfly

Friday 21 June 2013

At last my first Common Blue Butterfly of the year at The Ewelme Watercress Beds and a rather nice Scalloped hazel moth in Benson.


Friday 21 June 2013

Hedgehogs again

Friday 21 June 2013

How do hedgehogs mate - very carefully. The old ones are the best.

Monday 17 June 2013

Hedgehogs at play?

Monday 17 June 2013

Ever wondered what hedgehogs get up to after their release back into the wild?


Sunday 16 June 2013

Moths

15 June 2013

A great moth trapping session with expert Marc Botham from CEH identifying the catch. Two traps set out on friday evening and Saturday morning spent releasing and identifying them. A total of 158 moths of about 50 species which, for this miserable year including rain during the night, was quite remarkable.






Guides and Brownies

Thursday 13 June 2013

A visit by the Guides and Brownies who pond dipped, made and raced boats and helped feed and water the Hedgehogs. A good evening by all and nice to show off the ewelme site to youngsters.

Hedgehogs

Wednesday 12 June 2013

An array (apparently the collective noun) of hedgehogs were collected from Tiggywinkles and released at Ewelme. Plenty of slugs and snails around so all 13 should do well but will supply with cat food (non-fish) and dried mealworms for a week or so to get them started. Hope to get some video off the infra red camera in the next day or two.

Monday 3 June 2013

Shrew activity

Monday 3 June 2013

Some great views of a Water Shrew hunting for food. Not had the opportunity to study at any length before but it was diving down to the bed of the pond and continued into the silt, completely disappearing at times. No idea what it was feeding on but there are freshwater shrimps and some tadpoles in the pond that I am aware of.
Best photo I could manage as it only seemed to be on the water surface when in shadow.

Photographing the buzzard was somewhat easier!