So, here's a selection of photographs of a fairly distant Accipiter spp watched yesterday in Surrey. The old Goshawk verses Sparrowhawk conundrum raised its head. I think one species, and everyone else in the car thought the other species. Rather than influence, what do you think?
Phew! 86.5% of respondents agreed with my thoughts - a Sparrowhawk (rather unsurprisingly IMHO).
A nice trip out with Max to the Surrey woods was a nice opportunity to catch up with a lovely singing Marsh Tit. Max found a smart Two-banded Longhorn Beetle (we think) and also the first Frog spawn of our year. A pile of poo seemed to be Roe Deer...
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| Marsh Tit |
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| Two-banded Longhorn Beetle |
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| Roe Deer poo - though Muntjac poo not eliminated from enquiries... |
A late afternoon visit to Oare Marshes KWT today produced a nice selection of the usual suspects in the slightly chilly (OK, bloody cold) conditions. Pintail and Teal put on a nice 'close-up' view while the Marsh Harriers and waders were a little more distant.
On our visit to the Dunge area with Max, for amphibians and bryophytes, he called two Glossy Ibis as they flew round in front of the Hanson Hide (ARC pit). We entered the empty hide and had the two birds to ourselves for 15minutes before Max thought he saw a second group of two birds fly in to the reeds across the water - likely he saw all four birds in the area (and I wouldn't have seen any on this trip without him!).
I confess, I really like Glossy Ibis and since my first UK record at Stodmarsh (with my late father) back in ancient times...I've tried to see a few further birds. Success hasn't always headed in my direction and I have too many naff pictures of birds seen from miles away - consequently, todays experience was a little bit special.
My closest Glossy Ibis experience was a couple of summers ago, when I happened to be in the Stephen Sussex hide on St Marys, Scilly, when one was gathered up and gleaned of its baked-on mud.
Did a little pond-checking whilst at Dunge. Max found all three stars including a fabulous Emperor Dragonfly larvae, a Common Water Measurer and gazillions of Daphnia getting going in the warming water.
Had a brief visit to Elmley this afternoon with Max - some nice close views of Marsh Harriers, Snipe, Kestrel, etc, but the Black-tailed Godwits put on the best performance - feeding up and a few of them beginning their moult in to breeding plumage.
Enjoyed a trip out with Max (son) today to see 4+ Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers doing their thing in the late winter gloom... Been a while since I've clapped eyes on a Lesser Pecker!
Spent an hour at Godmersham this afternoon enjoying the Hawfinches that are putting on a fine show for visitors!
