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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

John's Mammals 2018 (1 Viewer)

Later than I hoped, but here is a side view of Big Whitey sauntering past while sniffing out his chicken leg. The jaunty upturn of his tail is characteristic.

John
 

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Out for my first batting of the year, hibernation count with Sussex Bat Group, today. Over 100 bats of five species in the tunnels searched by the group I was attached to: Natterer's (the majority), Daubenton's, Whiskered, Brown Long-eared and a very exciting Greater Horseshoe Bat. Apart from the Brown Long-ear I got pictures of all of them: first time I've got shots of a GHB hung up, very nice! All of them year-ticks of course.

On the way home I had a Muntjac in the headlights near Dunsfold, also my first of the year.

Other wildlife included Herald Moths and Cave Spiders.

I'll put photos up here in due course.

John
 
Looking forward to the bat photographs John.

Another example of our tame Foxes here in London, with this individual checking us out for any food today, at the Little Bunting twitch at Walthamstow Reservoirs.

Phil
 

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Nice otter earlier in the week, not sure he should be eating Snickers though!

Mark
 

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Looking forward to the bat photographs John.

Another example of our tame Foxes here in London, with this individual checking us out for any food today, at the Little Bunting twitch at Walthamstow Reservoirs.

Phil

Well....! Our gang are pretty special but in broad daylight and with presumably unfamiliar humans that is flat out amazing! :eek!:

John
 
We suspected the foxes at Walthamstow were being fed by the fishermen.

If I understand things correctly, the reservoirs have recently been converted to an 'open to all' extension of the Lee Valley Country Park and I hope they still do ok with the sudden rise in visitor numbers. Fingers crossed the foxes are (allowed to be) good ambassadors for themselves. I don't see why not, but we know how irrational some people are - perhaps another example being Mark's recent rat experience.

Love the Otter pictures by the way. Phil
 
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Latest pix of White Tip, taken Thursday night. I don't normally put pix of domestics on, and perhaps least of all cats given the sensitivities on BF, but the one pictured occasionally gets the nerve up to contest ownership of chicken legs - and loses every time to the foxes in a hissing and snarling stand-off - and also slinks up on Maz so often that she's got the wind up about it and refers to it as her stalker. So its a regular part of our mammal-watching scene at home.

John
 

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And now some bats. A bit of occasional bat conservation work such as hibernation counting or participation in surveys involving harp traps, mist nets or whatever in the summer gives something back to mammal conservation but also gives me prime opportunities to practice my bat ID in and out of the hand, get the year-list up and be aware of quite a bit of information that simmers below our sight-line otherwise, as well as get the odd photo. Someone was telling me yesterday about watching Greater Horseshoe Bats at the entrance to the Cheddar Gorge caves, feeding around streetlights - in January. Hadn't heard that before....

Plus most of the people are friendly - though they don't all "get" listing - and some of them are even birders.

The first pic shows a Whiskered Bat hanging free by its feet. Most Myotis bats crawl into crevices or cling onto surfaces with all four limbs, but the odd one doesn't. With my massive five years of occasional experience I am quite happy to remark that Whiskereds seem to hang free more frequently than others - but quite apart from my limited perspective we're also talking about any of three species (Whiskered, Alcathoe, Brandt's) indistinguishable in hibernation count conditions! So a large pinch of salt for my wild generalisation and a heavy caveat on the ID.

Natterer's Bat also hanging free. Told you I was generalising from too little data....

Natterer's Bat clinging on properly. Good view of the quite long, curvy ears and a bit of very white belly fur in this shot.

And Natterer's again, this time a bat covered in heavy condensation which probably doesn't penetrate the fur to any extent while it sleeps.
 

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Greater Horseshoe Bats are in general confined to South-west Britain so one wintering in Sussex is exciting news for the bat group. Its the first time I've seen one hung up let alone photographed it so I too was pretty excited.

GHB of course routinely swing from the ceiling by their hind feet, wrapping themselves in their wings - the classic cartoon bat.

John
 

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Finally, another Whiskered (or WAB) this time clutching onto the ceiling with hind- and forelimbs: and a condensation-coated Daubenton's Bat to finish off.

John
 

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Some wild boar from the Forest of Dean

Mark

Cracking pix Mark!

Had a visit from White Tip the other night and noticed from a couple of pix I took that she's had a bite on her right ear. It looks more or less healed, but it certainly offers a new distinctive feature.

John
 
White Tip showing off her nipped ear:
 

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Modest efforts I know, but a few pictures of the 'not so Wild Boar' at Speech House yesterday. I was a bit worried that people still let their dogs off the lead near them, despite the recent incident reported in the papers.
 

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Modest efforts I know, but a few pictures of the 'not so Wild Boar' at Speech House yesterday. I was a bit worried that people still let their dogs off the lead near them, despite the recent incident reported in the papers.

Nice - I'll have some from yesterday to put up soon as well. The four are completely habituated and can be approached/will approach to within a couple of feet. Flash photography revealed traces of humbug stripes still present on the youngest, so they are no more than yearlings and probably less.

From the boars' point of view the biggest risk is probably them being edged towards the road by incautious approaches - please be careful of this if you go. I understand one has already been wiped out by a passing car.

That apart they are recommended if you haven't had a close boar encounter yet.

John
 
Out again this evening while the weather holds, this time the canal Badgers mating supplied the interest. Three together - two in action, the other keeping close escort, one has to wonder if this was a Badger gang-bang in progress. Not-too-explicit photos in due course. ;)

John
 
Time for some pictures:

Penduline Tit (all right, its not a mammal but it was on the way)

Wild Boar not at Speech House
 

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And the Speech House gang (they use at least three different car parks so check all: if they aren't there, come back later.)

John

Wild Boar X 5: Note proximity of main road.
 

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Now a couple of Badger shots from in the week. The second one is mating behaviour: there is a good deal of holding on with the teeth, as well as a second male close by wanting to have a go as well, so Badger sex is a bit rough, in fact it's as rough as .... well I can't think of anything just now ;)

Courtesy of Winterwatch I understand Badger females come into season right after giving birth (but delay implantation till Autumn), so with a bit of luck I should be seeing little Badgers bounding around later in the Spring.

John
 

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