1 January. Partying kept me from the field till afternoon, and only Rabbits and Roe Deer (which are almost impossible to miss locally) kicked off the Mammals for the New Year.
2 January. Off to Kent with Clare, first of all for the delightful West Hythe Night Heron then a waltz round Dungeness: an abortive look at Rye Harbour and a few waders at Winchelsea to pass the time to dusk. Oh yes, the first of the 2009 Boar trips! Unfortunately three hours in the gloaming and dark got us only nearby twig snapping, leaf rustling and heavy-duty grunting but as is well known I quite happily year-tick on call. If you are the BFer grubbing about on hands and knees in the Beckley darkness making loud grunts then I was wrong and you can have a laugh at my expense.
3 January. First tree-rat of the year, can't avoid them indefinitely I suppose. Also Bank Voles and a Brown Hare at Greywell but no mustelids.
4 January. No new mammals (quite a few Roe Deer though) but the birds struggled up to 100.
5 January. Back at work. Boo hiss.
John
Started my year off well - before any birds, saw first three mammal species - Racoon Dog at about 4.00 a.m. on the 1st, then Brown Hare, followed by Roe Deer. Added Wild Boar in the evening. Four Foxes on the 2nd and 3rd.
First bird Middle Spotted Wodpecker, number 4 Hawfinch, number 5 White-tailed Eagle, Pine Grosbeak in first ten.
I’m happy you’re taking the mammal listing thread into 2009 John. So far this year I’ve only managed Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Brown Hare and Roe Deer so nothing unusual. I’m doing better with birds as I’ve already seen Hawfinch, RL Buzzard and a stunning male Hen Harrier.
This year I hope to improve my UK mammal list with Hazel Dormouse, Wild Boar and a few more bats. I should get the Dormouse at a nest box checking session with the Yorkshire Mammal Society, and several more ticks with the PTES vouchers I got for Christmas.