As an ideal alternative to Olympic fever, herewith the next year's mammals thread.
I have had a slow mammal start to the year with only Rabbits and Grey Squirrels today. This was in part because I set out to see 100 bird species in a day, along with Clare, Steve and Barry. We failed by seven species as the weather went absolutely horrible in the afternoon.
Nevertheless 93 species in a day is good value and we had some good birds among the full tale, including Jack Snipe, Goosander, Marsh Tit, Whimbrel (in Pagham Harbour), several Med Gulls and a Merlin.
Happy New Year everybody!
John
Only 7 house mice mammal wise but I did manage to visit a good Pied Wagtail roost.
Mark
Mammal business still slow on Day 2, as I was unwilling to let the list moulder below the century.
After checking out the duck at Cutt Mill (hybrid. Yuck.) but adding Mandarin and Kingfisher, I went across to Thursley, where the wind was keeping everything low and mostly invisible. Certainly the shrike had done a runner for the day. I did manage a couple of Green Woodpeckers, a Meadow Pipit and a Crossbill calling overhead and a Stonechat. Two Roe Deer were feeding along a line of gorse out on the bog. 99.
Late afternoon I went out again, to Papercourt water meadows, figuring I would have Short-eared Owl for number 100. The best laid plans of mice and men.... the place was stuffed with Ring-necked Parakeets. Eventually the owls came out, hunting mammals rather more assiduously than me: one Short-eared Owl and one Barn Owl. I watched them till the light went then made my way home. 102: and relax.
John