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John's mammals 2007 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Farnboro John
- Start date
Farnboro John
Well-known member
MarkHows said:
29
Additions:
Noctule Bat at home 5/4
Red Deer P
Natterer's Bat
(Presumed) Common Pipistrelle
Bottlenose Dolphin
Red Squirrel P
Water Shrew
I shall be concentrating on picking up some more local stuff for a while, still need Common Shrew and Wood Mouse among other options: also trying to get rather better pix of some things that are strictly "record shot" only so far this year such as Roe Deer and photographing things I haven't at all this year e.g. Red Fox.
If anyone has near dead cert Weasels in S England I would be interested, especially if they are photographable.
Incidentally I have now seen a copy of the new Where to Watch Mammals book and would be quite doubtful about buying it. Some of the info is good but lets face it the key is the detail on the difficult species and this has been just padded to make something of nothing e.g. including a site for Wildcat on the basis of one sighting in 1995 and fresh droppings the following year. There are also proof errors galore: a cursory inspection gave the interesting fact that Wildcat tracks include four paws and a central pad! Presumably paws should read toes. My advice is try before buy and check site info for sites you know against your own experience.
The other thing is that the book seems to be unwarrantably optimistic. Mammal spotting is a lot harder work than straight birding and statements to the effect that Pine Martens are certain on spotlighting trips along the Loch Sunart coast road are plain wrong: there are no guarantees and I have done plenty of night drives there for no result. Mind you I am not doing down the road itself, on a good night it can be very productive.
Being positive, Red Deer completed ungulates for the year. I have a proper 2 week Scottish holiday with the wife in summer so should get some of the misses back.
John
James Blake
chasing the shadow of a lowskimming gull
Had a quick look at the Where to Watch Mammals book today and agree that it looks over-optimistic, at least in parts.
For instance it has Fowlmere in Cambs as a site for Otter and Water Shrew. I've been there many times and never seen either, despite actively looking for Water Shrews on a number of occasions. Water Shrews are resident but hard to see, while Otters just pass through.
However I think any keen mammal watcher will pick up at least a few tips from the book. For instance it mentions some horseshoe bat roosts in the south-west that I'm going to check out sometime.
James
For instance it has Fowlmere in Cambs as a site for Otter and Water Shrew. I've been there many times and never seen either, despite actively looking for Water Shrews on a number of occasions. Water Shrews are resident but hard to see, while Otters just pass through.
However I think any keen mammal watcher will pick up at least a few tips from the book. For instance it mentions some horseshoe bat roosts in the south-west that I'm going to check out sometime.
James
Farnboro John
Well-known member
James Blake said:
Now I have seen Water Shrew there, so would tend to recommend it for that species. It was fishing from the edge of rushes next to the boardwalk at the pond-dipping area, last June I think it was. I didn't get a picture but i did get reasonable bins views through the rushes.
The Western border of the reserve, walking down from the visitor centre, was outstanding for prolonged views of Common Shrews in the open and they were sufficiently accommodating to be photographed.
A friend of mine also photographed Muntjac point-blank from the hide, nicking bird feed from the square feeding table just off the ground at the hide nearest the visitor centre, and various people there told me of Stoat sightings near the Spring hide. With Fallow Deer regular and an array of more difficult small mammals I reckon Fowlmere is an excellent place to spend a day.
John
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Went Badger watching last night along the canal: a different sett from where I got pictures a couple of weeks ago. I had a bunch of Common Shrews (No. 30 on year list) that hurtled about the undergrowth too fast for photos, a load of Bank Voles, they seem to be bouncing back in a big way this year, 3+ Badgers, some on each side of the canal, and some indeterminate medium sized bats working up and down the canal under trees.
John
John
James Blake
chasing the shadow of a lowskimming gull
Hi John
Agree Fowlmere is good for a range of mammals. Glad you got to see a Water Shrew there - I shall continue trying!
Best of luck with your year of mammal watching. I've just booked for a bat walk at Wimpole - will hopefully see Barbastelle for the first time.
James
Agree Fowlmere is good for a range of mammals. Glad you got to see a Water Shrew there - I shall continue trying!
Best of luck with your year of mammal watching. I've just booked for a bat walk at Wimpole - will hopefully see Barbastelle for the first time.
James
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Out along the canal again last night, armed with a bit of bacon and some scissors to try to bait shrews into staying in one place for a few seconds. Unfortunately the little horrors weren't working the fairly open area they had been in a couple of nights ago and although I saw one (and a whole bunch of Bank Voles) the ploy failed.
The evening was completely saved by finding two Tawny Owlets sitting on the ground with an adult in overwatch. A few pix and I stood well away from the young birds, kept walkers and more particularly their dogs away till dusk and then hooted the adult into a tree next to me and photographed that as well.
On the way back I had at least four Badgers across the canal.
John
The evening was completely saved by finding two Tawny Owlets sitting on the ground with an adult in overwatch. A few pix and I stood well away from the young birds, kept walkers and more particularly their dogs away till dusk and then hooted the adult into a tree next to me and photographed that as well.
On the way back I had at least four Badgers across the canal.
John
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Saturday started with a diversion into reptiles, knocking off Sand Lizard for the year with a pair photographed on Hankley Common. The male was in full breeding condition, the brightest I've ever seen. Cuckoo was a year tick and a male redstart was nice as well.
I then nipped over to Bramshill for Adder. It was nearly midday by the time I was there, but a number of Common Lizards on the walk in suggested that some reptiles might still be basking. Almost treading on a Slow-worm as thick as my thumb reinforced the point (it shot off before I could deploy my camera, not least because the peripheral view of a wriggle at my feet sent me several feet straight up in the air).
One Adder, a cream and black male I didn't recognise from previous years, was still basking and I got a few pictures before it poured itself along the bank for five yards and then disappeared over the lip.
For the afternoon I returned to the canal and while the shrews continued to elude me I did get increasingly good views and pix of Bank Vole, eventually managing a full frame shot of one of the many scurrying about.
On Sunday 22nd I went to Yorkshire with Steve and Karen after Water Shrew at a new site. Steve got good pix but I was not quick enough and had to be satisfied with two excellent eyeball and bins views of an individual with a nice line in vanishing tricks.
After six hours with the Water Shrew (the wood also contained Willow Tits posing for pictures, hordes of Bank Voles and a lot of totally manic Common Shrews) we moved to Kedleston Hall, home of the "Stately Stoats". Be warned - the film was made on the private family part of the estate and even the National Trust staff admitted we had little or no chance of seeing them. Mind you, they took our money first.
John
I then nipped over to Bramshill for Adder. It was nearly midday by the time I was there, but a number of Common Lizards on the walk in suggested that some reptiles might still be basking. Almost treading on a Slow-worm as thick as my thumb reinforced the point (it shot off before I could deploy my camera, not least because the peripheral view of a wriggle at my feet sent me several feet straight up in the air).
One Adder, a cream and black male I didn't recognise from previous years, was still basking and I got a few pictures before it poured itself along the bank for five yards and then disappeared over the lip.
For the afternoon I returned to the canal and while the shrews continued to elude me I did get increasingly good views and pix of Bank Vole, eventually managing a full frame shot of one of the many scurrying about.
On Sunday 22nd I went to Yorkshire with Steve and Karen after Water Shrew at a new site. Steve got good pix but I was not quick enough and had to be satisfied with two excellent eyeball and bins views of an individual with a nice line in vanishing tricks.
After six hours with the Water Shrew (the wood also contained Willow Tits posing for pictures, hordes of Bank Voles and a lot of totally manic Common Shrews) we moved to Kedleston Hall, home of the "Stately Stoats". Be warned - the film was made on the private family part of the estate and even the National Trust staff admitted we had little or no chance of seeing them. Mind you, they took our money first.
John
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Had a Badger watch by the canal last night. I decided to stake out a different hole in the hope of getting shots of them emerging but they came out where I would have been had I stuck to my usual spot. On the plus side I saw this year's youngsters for the first time, leaping and bounding about and bouncing off the adults. Good stuff.
Hordes of Bank Voles were scuffling in the undergrowth but I didn't connect with a Wood Mouse. I know they're out there, I just haven't fallen over one yet this year.
Woodcock roding overhead is always good value as well.
John
Hordes of Bank Voles were scuffling in the undergrowth but I didn't connect with a Wood Mouse. I know they're out there, I just haven't fallen over one yet this year.
Woodcock roding overhead is always good value as well.
John
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Running through the woods just outside Sandhurst during my lunch break as part of preparing for a sprint triathlon, I notched up at least 30 Grey Squirrels and startled a Muntjac.
In the evening I tried a return match with the Badgers but they outsmarted me again, staying almost completely out of sight. One did trundle along the top of the bank and I heard "noises off" of a big badger barney about 300 yards to my right.
A Red Fox trotting through the sett, Rabbits feeding in the field edge, a pair of Roe Deer enjoying the lush grass in another field further along the towpath and the usual hordes of Bank Voles interspersed with a few Common Shrews made up a respectable mammal list for a working day.
I also found a tree with a young Tawny Owl in it, calling constantly but invisible in the ivy at dusk.
John
In the evening I tried a return match with the Badgers but they outsmarted me again, staying almost completely out of sight. One did trundle along the top of the bank and I heard "noises off" of a big badger barney about 300 yards to my right.
A Red Fox trotting through the sett, Rabbits feeding in the field edge, a pair of Roe Deer enjoying the lush grass in another field further along the towpath and the usual hordes of Bank Voles interspersed with a few Common Shrews made up a respectable mammal list for a working day.
I also found a tree with a young Tawny Owl in it, calling constantly but invisible in the ivy at dusk.
John
blimey John, you have been busy. I'm impressed by your ability to see badgers and in particular, water shrews. I've only ever seen 3 of the former (though have only ever tried sett watching once) and one of the latter (in the hand during a mammal trapping session.) What's your secret? Patience and optimism?
Fowlmere is now my closest birding (/mammaling) spot being just 5 or 6 miles away. I've probably visited it on at least thirty occasions though admitedly few of these have been early morning... and a fine day at the weekend draws visitors in force, diminishing the chances of seeing many mammals. I have never seen water shrew or otter there - otter is reported only a dozen or so times a year. On the other hand I've seen 2 mink - the only ones I've seen in Britain. Muntjack are plentiful and fallow deer pretty much guaranteed at the far end of the reserve. There are no CWD to my knowledge. I once found a family of baby wood mice, one of which gave me a playful nip when I tried to pick it up, and I also saw a dead mole there once.
If you're up in the fen area apparently Woodwalton Fen is good for CWD (I've haven't yet been but will try soon) and on a recent visit to Wicken/ Bakers Fen (where Bruce Martin watched a black kite overhead last night) I saw no less than 33 roe deer (some of which posed for photos) and an ad muntjack with fawn which also posed for the camera. If you have any gen from this area would be glad to hear it, as I'm doing far more photography now but still missing many species.
I can confirm too that Wimpole is good for Barbestelle. Had one in the hand a few years ago after we mist-netted one there. The other guys fitted it with a tiny transmitter and chased it round all night!
Haven't seen much myself recently - photographed a fox at my local hospital a few days ago, red squirrels posed nicely at Loch Garten and muntjacks at Minsmere and I found a bank vole under some carpet in my Mum's garden a couple of miles from my flat. Evidently the grass snakes which normally live there haven't turned up yet. Off work now for 5 weeks so finally have some time to get out in the field!
Fowlmere is now my closest birding (/mammaling) spot being just 5 or 6 miles away. I've probably visited it on at least thirty occasions though admitedly few of these have been early morning... and a fine day at the weekend draws visitors in force, diminishing the chances of seeing many mammals. I have never seen water shrew or otter there - otter is reported only a dozen or so times a year. On the other hand I've seen 2 mink - the only ones I've seen in Britain. Muntjack are plentiful and fallow deer pretty much guaranteed at the far end of the reserve. There are no CWD to my knowledge. I once found a family of baby wood mice, one of which gave me a playful nip when I tried to pick it up, and I also saw a dead mole there once.
If you're up in the fen area apparently Woodwalton Fen is good for CWD (I've haven't yet been but will try soon) and on a recent visit to Wicken/ Bakers Fen (where Bruce Martin watched a black kite overhead last night) I saw no less than 33 roe deer (some of which posed for photos) and an ad muntjack with fawn which also posed for the camera. If you have any gen from this area would be glad to hear it, as I'm doing far more photography now but still missing many species.
I can confirm too that Wimpole is good for Barbestelle. Had one in the hand a few years ago after we mist-netted one there. The other guys fitted it with a tiny transmitter and chased it round all night!
Haven't seen much myself recently - photographed a fox at my local hospital a few days ago, red squirrels posed nicely at Loch Garten and muntjacks at Minsmere and I found a bank vole under some carpet in my Mum's garden a couple of miles from my flat. Evidently the grass snakes which normally live there haven't turned up yet. Off work now for 5 weeks so finally have some time to get out in the field!
Farnboro John
Well-known member
I'm lucky with badgers, they are common hereabouts and there are several setts along the Basingstoke Canal (at one a local told me there were 30 people with deckchairs one evening last summer!) where they can be watched with normal care and quietness. Perhaps the fact that the towpath is in regular use by walkers and cyclists well into late evening habituates them to passing humans.
As for Water Shrews, some of it is luck, some timing, some patience, some sheer quantity of effort. If I am after small mammals it can take me an hour to cover a hundred yards in a busy area. But for each sighting there may be several days of wandering about likely places seeing nothing.
I found the Garten Red Squirrels fantastic over Easter, very approachable and very red as well: most of the ones I have seen recently in the Lakes have been quite grizzled or dark.
John
Farnboro John
Well-known member
I have a Canon 350D with (usually) a Sigma 170-500 APO on the front, but I often find that for shrews, voles and mice in undergrowth my Canon 35-80 and a bit of stealth to get in very close is better.
My wife is experimenting with digiscoping using her Canon Ixus 55 and got some good stuff on the Hayle White-billed Diver while I was still trying to work out the quickest way to get over to where everyone else had it point-blank.
I took a couple of days off at the start of this week to celebrate Marion's birthday, won't spoil the effect by telling you which one. One present was an Iberian Chiffchaff (380 for her) but I'm not sure she really appreciated it....
Not much to report on the mammal front apart from finally nailing Wood Mouse over the weekend along yet another stretch of Basingstoke Canal at Claycart Bottom. I've since seen another near Dogmersfield but no pix yet. I nearly photographed a Common Shrew but a couple came along and wanted to tell me all about the heron round the next corner.
List at end April stands at 31, the April additions being Noctule, Natterer's and Common Pipistrelle Bat, Red Deer P, Bottlenose Dolphin, Red Squirrel P, Water Shrew, Common Shrew, Wood Mouse. Total photographed is now 21.
My brother reported a small fox cub in his back garden the other afternoon, so a stakeout there is a likely near future activity.
John
My wife is experimenting with digiscoping using her Canon Ixus 55 and got some good stuff on the Hayle White-billed Diver while I was still trying to work out the quickest way to get over to where everyone else had it point-blank.
I took a couple of days off at the start of this week to celebrate Marion's birthday, won't spoil the effect by telling you which one. One present was an Iberian Chiffchaff (380 for her) but I'm not sure she really appreciated it....
Not much to report on the mammal front apart from finally nailing Wood Mouse over the weekend along yet another stretch of Basingstoke Canal at Claycart Bottom. I've since seen another near Dogmersfield but no pix yet. I nearly photographed a Common Shrew but a couple came along and wanted to tell me all about the heron round the next corner.
List at end April stands at 31, the April additions being Noctule, Natterer's and Common Pipistrelle Bat, Red Deer P, Bottlenose Dolphin, Red Squirrel P, Water Shrew, Common Shrew, Wood Mouse. Total photographed is now 21.
My brother reported a small fox cub in his back garden the other afternoon, so a stakeout there is a likely near future activity.
John
How about a few pictures going with this report? 
Farnboro John
Well-known member
I'd love to but remember who I work for, there are rules and things!
I will try to get friends to help me shove some stuff onto Surfbirds cos I find it as frustrating as anyone, obviously there will be a note on here as soon as I do.
John
I will try to get friends to help me shove some stuff onto Surfbirds cos I find it as frustrating as anyone, obviously there will be a note on here as soon as I do.
John
MI5 ?
Farnboro John
Well-known member
No, but a bunch who are resistant to having unclean software put onto the system. Since I find myself increasingly fond of my pension arrangements with each passing year I prefer not to upset them unnecessarily. I remain right in favour of upsetting them when it is necessary.
John
John
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