Fourth of January and back in the office after three days of perfect weather for getting out.
I'd have seen more if I hadn't managed a double dip on the Brown Shrike, but as things stand I have seen 8 species of mammals so far and 75 birds.
By the time I felt alive enough to get out on 1st, the local Great Grey Shrike was on the pager and in fact was showing well when I arrived. Three Common Crossbills also showed well - a good local bird. I year-ticked Steve Davis at the site then picked up Clare to try for two shrikes in a day - without success. We did have a splendid late afternoon photo-session with a bunch of Ring-necked Parakeets in Hithermoor Road, the first point-blank targets for the Canon 500mm F4 IS USM that Santa brought me. Oh what a joy to use! The only mammal of the daylight hours was a Grey Squirrel, but Tansy (my Mum's German Shepherd now permanently resident with me) found me three Red Foxes during her early evening walk.
Saturday 2 Jan saw me out early trying for pix of the New Forest Red Deer. I saw about 20 but they were all on the far side of the common and too far for me to walk. The Fallow Deer I saw spooked before I could get the camera on them so it was two year-ticks and no photos. Two Ravens added to the quality of the morning as did brief car-borne views of two Bramblings shooting up off a verge, and some more Common Crossbills.
I then returned to the local area, picked up Steve and we went for my second dip on the Brown Shrike. It certainly seems to be a morning bird. We did get views of some Water Pipits (very flighty, that took some effort) and more parakeets. A female Kestrel sitting on a bush stayed put till I got close enough for some nice pix. Moving to Wraysbury we found three Smew on Sunnymead (two redheads and a drake) then I dropped Steve back home and nipped down the M3 to Greywell for a few farmland bits and pieces.
Yesterday Marion and I went shopping in Guildford but I got out in the afternoon. Sandhurst sewage farm had several wintering Chiffchaffs and hordes of Pied Wags with a few Greys and - for the first time in years - a Water Pipit! Good local bird. A Brown Rat was creeping through the brambles on the far side of the river Blackwater and my first Roe Deer of the year was in the meadows beyond the filter beds.
From there I reached Moor Green late afternoon and had excellent views of Little Owl and my first Rabbits of the year, one of which actually crossed the ice in the corner of the lake, just too quickly for my camera.
I finished the "day" - the sun was down before I left Moor Green - down by the canal, where I had counted on calling Tawny Owl (no show) and hoped a Badger might pop out (one did so and gave me a great view, but dived down at the first flash of the camera).
John
Happy New Year
Since I had tea with you on the 28th I have been laid up with swine flu, my only ticks Grey Squirrel and Brown rat both garden residents, back in the land of the living now so hope to have a few more at the weekend.
I saw John's new toys and looking forward to some cracking photos this year.
Mark
Happy New Year and I look forward to another 12 months of your mammal exploits
I’ve only managed Grey Seal, Grey Squirrel and Brown Hare so far, although I was only metres away from a Water Vole yesterday. I could hear it gnawing on reeds in the only unfrozen part of a pond, although a thick blanket of snow prevented a view.
I also found fresh Otter tracks at another site, leading from the river and over an adjacent, frozen oxbow pond.