Heron

No picture again for the heron but we saw one perched on the top of a tall conifer at 8am yesterday. I have never seen a perched heron before. It has been cold for a few days now and much of the water around is frozen. I guess maybe he was looking for some unfrozen water. the only other species of note recently is the tawny owl who has been with us for months now. Hopefully he will nest on site.

It's Tawny Owl time again

For the last ten days or so it has been owl night every night. This the male hooting sound rather than the shriller female cry. It is the autumn territorial process rather than breeding. I tried to spot an owl I could hear calling from high up in one of the trees along our drive but he seemed to go silent as I got nearer so no luck tonight.

Property viewing or singles holiday?

We have seen few mallards in the last few months but yesterday a group of seven turned up, four drakes and three ducks. They swam round in a group checking out the moat as if they were viewing to check suitability for nesting. As the day wore on there was a distinct pairing off with one pair starting to separate themselves and the others swimming male and female together (except for the duck that had two drakes in tow).

TWO KINGFISHERS!!!

For the first time in a few months I saw a kingfisher this afternoon and it surprised me by staying on a lilac branch overhanging the moat despite the fact I was only about twenty feet away (without my camera of course). I stood motionless and watch for maybe a minute or so when to my astonishment a second kingfisher joined it on the branch. This is a first for me. They were facing opposite directions so I was able to see the unique blue of the back of the first bird next to the orangy red of the breast of the second. All at once they set off low over the water at speed - two brilliant blue flashes against the murky brown of the moat.

Dragonfly snippet

I was watching the male Common Darters chase each other as they vied for apparently important stretches of water when a much larger Southern Hawker came by. Immediately a Common Darter took on the Hawker. It hadn't occurred to me that they would be aggressive to other species. As usual no picture achieved of the dragonfly dogfights but a Comma alighted on a nearby thistle so that's all I can offer.

New Species - Barn Owl

It is good to record a new bird species - even if I only heard it rather than saw it. I have seen barn owls before in the area but this was the first one at the Moat House for me. I heard it from inside and went out to look. I had narrowed it down to the Norway Spruce just the other side of the moat but a couple of minutes later some idiot helicopter arrived noisily right above us and the owl was gone.

Common Darter common

Loads of Common Darters around in the last few days. Yesterday I was watching two males arguing about territory. There were a lot of 180 turns on the spot which is some feat I reckon. Today I saw a pair copulating which is even more of a feat seeing as they can fly while locked in their embrace. The effect is of slightly wonky wheel in flight. Unfortunately the picture is of neither event - whilst I had my camera the best pose I got was a male just resting on the ground.

New Species - Holly Blue

Yet another species added to the butterfly list in what is becoming another good butterfly year. I saw a couple of Holly Blues although I do not have a plausible picture to show as I couldn't get close enough and ID was done through binoculars. There were also more Small Coppers about as there have been over the last week. Previous to that I had only seen them once in prior years.

By way of compensation for the lack of a butterfly photo I show a picture of a female Common Darter dragonfly that happened by while I was attemting to photograph the butterfly.

Large Yellow Underwing

I found a moth carcass in the kitchen this morning so I got the chance to do a formal ID. It is the common Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) which I have seen before.

Kingfisher sighting

Caught a brief glimpse of a kingfisher yesterday - my first sighting for many months. I also found myself in the midst of a group of long-tailed tits one of whom was studying me intently. Again I haven't seen them around for a while. I also managed to formally identify the dragonflies that have been around in the last few days as Southern Hawkers. I was pretty sure that was what they were but eventually one perched conveniently close and I could ID it.

New species - Elephant Hawk Moth

I have not yet explored the moth species here - at some point I am going to get the equipment to trap them at night and see what's around. However it was good to spot a monster caterpillar and be able to identify it as Elephant Hawk Moth (Deilephila elpenor). The picture shows just the front section of this huge caterpillar which I estimate to be about 100mm long. I have left a lot of Willowherb around this year and perhaps this is my reward as the larva feeds on Willowherbs. I hope to see the adult version as it has a stunning pink and olive green design.

14 Spot Ladybird

In a summer where I have seen lots of Ladybirds but they have all been 7-Spot Ladybirds apart from a few 2-Spot Ladybirds, it is worth reporting a 14-Spot version. Pictured on the French Beans....

Butterfly update

There were swarms of Peacocks out today - I have never seen so many. I could certainly see twenty at a time swirling around the buddleia. While watching them I saw a couple of Painted Ladies (pictured) which is a new species for me at the Moat House. I also saw a Small Copper in the field ( also pictured) which is a species I think I have only seen once before here. The Small Copper is photographed from underneath just in case the picture seems confusing. All in all not a bad year for butterflies with loads of Peacocks and Whites, plenty of Tortoiseshells and Red Admirals. The only butterfly I would expect that I have not seen this year, so far at least, is the Small Skipper.

Violence on the lawn

We have been enjoying watching the Moorhens out on the lawn over the last couple of weeks with various combinations of adults, juveniles and new chicks. This picture was taken a couple of days ago. We were watching one of the juveniles this afternoon in charge of three chicks today when tragedy struck - or at least we are pretty sure it struck. The weird thing was that we were just discussing the vulnerability of the chicks as they became more separated on the lawn. I had just finished saying that I thought the only response of the juvenile if danger threatened would be flight rather than fight. We were thinking of cats really. Suddenly the juvenile, followed immediately be the chicks, ran for its life. Swooping down at high speed was a bird of prey and it seemed to reach the moorhen family right on the banks of the moat. I assume it got one of the birds but I was already heading downstairs and out the back door so I didn't see the bird take off again.
I wasn't sure whether the bird was a buzzard or a sparrowhawk or indeed something else but it came down at high speed. If pressed I would say it was a buzzard. It was a traumatic and brutal moment and although it is perfectly natural it was also upsetting.

Shaggy Ink Cap

Not a new species but a fine example of the Shaggy Ink Cap. As before when I have found them I was a little too late to eat it as it had started deliquescing.

Ducks in the sink

The mallards who this summer are spending a lot of time sleeping on our back lawn have started waddling up to the sink outside our back door and feeding from it. I guess it provides a concentrated source of duckweed, or at least did until they ate most of it. It is comical to see them waddling single file and then getting in each others' way as they try and access the weed in the sink which can only accommodate one duck actually in it at a time. The picture is distorted as it was taken through old glass.

Wild Flowers

I find that flower identification is a lot easier than fungi or even insects. At least you can hold the speciment in your hands and measure stuff and get the hand lens on the smaller bits. Today I was identifying a flower from the daisy family I didn't recognise, though it turned out to be a very common flower - Yarrow (also known as Milfoil). I was also sorting out which of the Mayweeds/Chamomiles I had growing in the field and I established that both Scentless Mayweed and Scented Mayweed are present. I find the 'Wild Flowers' book by Blamey, Fitter and Fitter invaluable in the final diagnosis. However I also use Phillips which gives photographs arranged chronologically based on flowering time, and Keble Martin which groups flowers by colour and form useful to get an initial lead. The pictured flower is Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

The family unit in Moorhens

It is interesting to see the different ways that the two waterbird species we have, moorhens and mallards, operate in raising their young. With mallards it is 100% down to the mother who has to raise up to maybe fifteen ducklings all on her own. With moorhens both adults are involved in raising typically two to four chicks - but it is not just the adults - the juveniles from a previous brood are also on duty. We have had two moorhen pairs this year and both are on their second brood. You often see a juvenile either looking after a chick on their own or accompanying one of the adults with a chick. The picture shows a juvenile on duty with a chick. Like teenagers everywhere they are not always as reliable a babysitter as an adult sometimes heading off when disturbed leaving the chick paddling frantically to catch up.

Fungi

Large numbers of fungi have appeared in the lawn following the recent wet weather. I usually struggle with fungi identification but I am pretty sure the fungi appearing in their hundreds are panaeolus sp - possibly panaeolus fimicola - a common species found in lawns.

Ladybirds

Mixed news as regards ladybirds so far this year. There seem to be quite a few but they seem to be largely 7-spot (pictured) with some 2-spot. I haven't yet seen other types. On the positive front I haven't seen any of the invasive asian Harlequin ladybirds recently.

Chicks and Ducklings update

The moorhens have not been prolific in the spring and early summer with apparently only three juveniles raised successfully so far but two days ago that changed with six new moorhen chicks spotted. Although they look the same age there appear to be two broods - one of four and one of two. I spotted them when I saw an adult moorhen chasing one of the juveniles to the extent that it escaped underwater. I was wondering why when I saw the newly hatched chicks. The picture is one of the new moorhen arrivals.

The mallards have also had a restrained season - the numbers, behaviours and outcomes seem to vary wildly each year. This season we had a nest destroyed early on by a fox and then two broods of ducklings hatched in late April/early May with around 22 ducklings in total. Of these one brood seemed to be reduced to just two ducklings when we were on holiday in April but they have continued to live and feed on the moat albeit the mother has been (understandably) cautious and protective of the two remaining ducklings. The ducklings were very obedient and kept close to her but they are nearly full grown now. A second group of five ducklings plus mother has also been spending a lot of time here but whether they are the remains of the second brood I cannot be certain. They are again pretty much grown and I have not seen them as a group much of six much in the last couple of weeks. A variable group of between five and ten almost-grown mallards are now spending time most days sleeping on the lawn but whether this is one brood or just a group of 'teenagers' hanging out - again I am not sure.

Butterfly update

After a period when there hasn't seemed to be many butterflies around, the hot weather has brought them out. Lots and lots of Meadow Browns (pictured) and plenty of Tortoiseshells, Large Whites and Commas as well as the occasional Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.

Heron at close quarters

I don't know who was more surprised but I disturbed a heron actually in the moat and it flew up almost brushing my face with its wings. This is the first time I have seen a heron in the moat and comes just two weeks after I saw one on the ground for the first time. The size of this bird close up is stunning. Its presence may be related to the appearance of hundreds of fish in the moat - I had not seen any fish in the moat before this year. I am assuming they are minnows but I haven't netted one yet to check.

New species - Broad-bodied chaser

The dragonflies I typically see here such as Southern Hawkers and Common Darters have been scarce over the last couple of years so it was great to have a new species hunting over the water yesterday. The picture is of the brightly coloured male.

Friendly robin

A robin and I have evolved a symbiotic relationship - I feed the compost heap on its territory with new piles of vegetation and it poses for photographs. It is getting very friendly - to the extent of sitting on the wheelbarrow less than a metre away or even perching on my wellies whilst I am sitting down

Corvid wars extreme

The corvids are always causing disturbances or arguing about something or other. The resident crows consider themselves top of the chain and they chase off buzzards or other corvids when they stray onto their territory. For a week or so the crows have been chasing and in turn been chased by a jackdaw, who I am guessing was intending to nest here. The noise was pretty incessant. At one point the jackdaw seemed to be joined by a whole crowd of jackdaws but they didn't stay very long. Yesterday it went quiet and it wasn't long before I found the jackdaw's corpse.

Heron on the lawn

It didn't stay long enough for a photo but at half past seven this evening a heron was stood on our front lawn. Out of the water and close up you can see just how huge these birds are. Apparently they are not averse to eating moorhen chicks but hopefully the young moorhens on the moat currently are a little bit too big.

'New' species - Dogwood

I finally got round to identifying a small tree growing next to the Old Carp Pond. It is a Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea).

Favourite flower

Today I saw that the Yellow Flag was in bloom - definitely my favourite wildflower on the site.

New species - wood mouse

A fresh carcass in the woods gives another chance to make a positive small mammal ID - this time it is wood mouse. They are larger than the house mouse and with a longer tail and there are colouring differences as well.

New species - water shrew

I suppose it was always inevitable that there would be water shrews on site but I hadn't actually identified one until today. I found a corpse outside and measurements and colouring show it to be a water shrew rather than a common shrew. They are larger and blacker than common shrews and also have white hairs around the ears and under the tail. It seems that they don't taste very good (to cats) so it is probably a cat's victim that was left in disgust.

Green Dock Beetle - back again

I am pleased to say that my biological dock control mechanism is back. I have seen eggs and adults (pictured) and we should shortly have voracious larvae (pictured last year). It seems that they manage three cycles in a year so I am looking forward to some serious dock destruction......

Lots of butterflies

The sunshine has brought the butterflies out - orange tips, brimstones, speckled woods, small tortoiseshells and peacocks (pictured). Also some unidentified whites.

First grass snake photo - just about

I was out checking the ducklings camera in hand when a grass snake rushed across the moat with it's head out of the water followed by a moorhen. I am not sure whether the bird was chasing the snake or they were both just trying to get away from my presence. I took an instant photo but it was a long lens and it didn't focus in time so its pretty much the worst photo of a grass snake ever unless you are happy with impressionist-style wildlife photos....

The snake is in the centre of the picture about two thirds up from the bottom - honest

First ducklings of the season

After last week's destruction it is great to see twelve brand new mallard ducklings out on the water for the first time yesterday. The mother is quite relaxed except when seeing off drakes that she doesn't want near the brood. Two drakes did get into some argy bargy as if in a paternity dispute but a small physical confrontation sorted the matter. I love the way ducklings seem to eat anything and everything they can see even stretching up to pick flies out of the air.

Fox getting bolder?

I went out this morning to find fox droppings right outside the back door. This must be a territorial marker and I am not quite sure how to challenge back in a hygenic way................

Mystery resolved - unfortunately

The question of what destroyed the duck eggs is resolved as I found the corpse of a female mallard. It was definitely the work of a fox. I was misled by the appearance of just a few feathers at the scene of the eggshells and by the continued presence of the pair of mallards on the moat. Of course I now realise that the dead duck was sitting on her eggs and was in fact a second pair of mallards aiming to raise a brood on the moat this year.
Red in tooth and claw........

Duck egg mystery

I found six broken mallard eggs on the lawn and a few feathers around a couple of the broken eggs. I am a bit clueless as to the culprit. The duck and drake seem perfectly OK - they are not behaving any differently. I guess a fox would be a possibility but it would be surprising if a confrontation between a fox and a duck would leave just a few feathers. I suppose the local crows could have done it -assuming they can fit duck eggs in their beaks. Maybe rats could be the perps. I assume it would not be part of the love triangle currently playing out on the moat with a jealous drake responsible? It seems far fetched but I can't rule it out until someone who has some expertise in this area can enlighten me.

Diving mallard

There is just one female on site so far this breeding season (pictured). As discussed in previous blog entries she has been the subject of heavy competition between two drakes although that particular situation seems to have calmed down over the last week or so. However she has a peculiarity that I have not previously observed with adults mallards - she spends a lot of time diving for food. All mallards dabble - that's when they stick their heads under the water and use their feet to keep themselves facing vertically down. Also the ducklings go through an entertaining phase when they dive under water and then bob up like corks. However she has been regularly diving for food whilst her accompanying drake continues to dabble. It seems that this behaviour is seldom seen with mallards. My theory is that she was brought up on the moat ( I have always assumed that the ducks that breed here are from the ones previously raised here) and learned the behaviour from the Tufted ducks that were here last year which are proper diving ducks.

Frogs spawning

There seem to be more frogs than ever spawning in the moat. Given the predators that await the tadpoles it is pleasing to see that numbers of adults returning to spawn seem to be increased this year. The increase if depth of water in the moat has meant that one of the two sites where the frogs spawn is now just an area of water whereas the other is shallower and amongst reeds. In the former the spawning takes place under water and the spawn is resting on the bottom whereas in the reedy area it is all at the surface (pictured). It seems as if the frogs are programmed to return to the areas they spawn in rather than the particular conditions pertaining.

The wagtail has a mate

Yesterday a female wagtail joined the male that has been hanging around for the last few days. She has a grey back compared with the black back of the male (pictured). As I tend not to see pied wagtails outside spring I doubt that they have a nest site very close so maybe our lawn is just an attractive open site for choosing a mate??

Spring activity

There are lots of signs of Spring. There is some serious contention on the mallard mating front for one thing. A pair of mallard have been hanging around together for a few weeks but a second male is trying to move in and it's starting to get physical. The battle takes place on the water, on land and in the air. It has degenerated into violence but the duck is very clear about her preference. When she is with her chosen drake she swims closely behind him darting her head diagonally and making a murmuring sort of noise. The frogs are back spawning for another thing. You can hear them purring - it sounds just like a cat.... Tawny owls have also been around in the last few days although I am not sure whether that is a feature of Spring. There has also been a pied wagtail around - they do seem to appear in March and April but are not often seen here at other times. There has also been some frequent buzzard visits in the last week but the resident crows generally escort them from the area pretty quickly.

Fox tracks

The snow has afforded the opportunity to detect a fox foraging very close to the house last night. The footprints were a bit indistinct as the snow had become a bit slushy but they seem to correspond to the features of a fox rather than a cat. I was surprised to learn that a fox adopts a different gait in snow. On a firm surface it trots with a diagonal gait so that the fore and hind footprints are obliquely next to each other. In snow it adopts a straight position and the footprints are found in a straight line.

Goldcrest seen locally

Just a couple of days after the Garden Birdwatch I was walking across farmland less than a mile away when I had a close encounter with a Goldcrest - a species that I have yet to record on Moat House land. It seemed happy to be foraging on a tree less than a couple of metres away from me. These are not uncommon and I have seen them a couple of times before in the village but not for the last four or five years.

Great Garden Birdwatch 2009

The January 2009 birdwatch recorded 14 species (cf 2008 - 10 species, 2007 - 11 species). Three species -Greenfinch, Blue Tit and Great Tit- made an entrance together just two minutes before the end of the watch. Once again mallards made their first entrance of the year on Garden Birdwatch day. I also recorded moorhens, crows, rooks, magpies, blackbirds, wrens, wood pigeons, collared doves, starlings and chaffinches.
The next morning I glanced out the window and I could see robins, dunnocks, goldfinches and a pheasant but too late to be counted.
The Garden Watch is a brilliant scheme which is valuable both scientifically, from a communications perspective and in just involving people in birdwatching. The thing that it brings home to me is the lack of sparrows. I haven't recorded any in the last three years.

Goshawkor Sparrowhawk?

A friend who lives a few hundred metres away has had a Goshawk in the field next to their house and has seen it taking pigeons. I have often seen Sparrowhawks in the village and have seen one at close quarters eating a pigeon it had killed. I also reported on a 'Sparrowhawk' that took a pigeon from the lawn here in September 2007. I only caught a fleeting glance of the kill and I am now wondering whether it could have been a Goshawk. I have also come across a couple of piles of pigeon feathers (see blog August 2008), which I again thought might be from a Sparrowhawk kill, but again it is conceivable they could be from a Goshawk. Alternatively something else could have taken the pigeon such as a fox. The only point here is that the feathers have been in rough piles whereas when I used to come across pigeons that I knew had been taken by Sparrowhawks, the feathers were in more of a doughnut pattern. All in all I am out of my depth on this one and need some more evidence.........