Minsmere and our first Cuckoo of the season

We spent Bank Holiday Monday afternoon at RSPB Minsmere, under brooding skies. The photo above shows the scene looking up to the coastguard cottages on Dunwich Heath.

All of a sudden we heard the unmistakable call of the Cuckoo, our first Cuckoo of 2019. What a thrill!

Strangely, it was also the day on which I found my first Cuckoo Flower.



It was lovely to find some sand on the beach...

 

... and I was surprised that there were so few other people about.

There were still Bluebells in the woods.

This plump Chaffinch eyed us up as we sat out, drinking cups of tea. 

All of a sudden he flew off in a flutter of feathers. It was time to see what was about on Island Mere.

There were some large does skirting the woodland path...

... and a small Muntjac, munching away, seemingly unperturbed by our presence. 

We passed small clumps of this tiny pink flower. Is it a kind of Cranesbill, I wonder? (Update... no, it is a Common Storksbill: please see Comments). I have a hunch it likes sandy soils as we have also seen it as NT Sutton Hoo.

This beautiful iridescent Long-horn (moth) was making its way along a stinging nettle, which it shared...

...with this weevil.

There were 'chittering' sounds as we walked up the ramp to the Island Mere hide, but I didn't see any Bearded tits or Reed buntings. We did, however, spot two Marsh Harriers in the distance.



The mere was a swarm of activity: the Cormorant seemed to be watching very hungry migrants (?Swifts) who had recently arrived in vast numbers.

We retraced our steps along the Adder Trail...

...where there were quite a few rabbits (and no snakes in sight - probably too cold for them!).

I don't suppose the Bluebells will still be there on our next visit, but they have been a joy to see.

Mystery pawprints left by the Beast from the East

Although we live in a suburban area, we have seen (largely Muntjac) deer on occasions making their way across the roads or down the footpaths. We have never seen a deer in our garden.

I peered outside on Saturday and saw these strange prints. Reason tells me they belong to visiting cats, but they have a distinctive hoof print feel about them with that rim around the edge. However, when I looked up deer tracks, they did not seem to match. If they are feline paw prints, I guess the snow must have melted in a particular kind of way. I wonder what you think...

My First Water Vole sighting of the year

A prominent ripple was the first clue to animal activity at RSPB Minsmere ...

 ... We were delighted when the ripple was followed by a Water Vole, swimming in front of us.

The creature tucked itself into a niche under the footbridge ...

... and began chewing a reed.

Just look at the difference in size between the front claws and the back ones! The front paws leave a star-shaped print in the mud.

I rotated the two photos above by 90 degrees to allow for an easier view. Water Voles always remind me of Ratty in The Wind in the Willows, who had his own rowing boat.

These beautiful animals are a protected species in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. They are also listed as a Priority Species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Water Voles declined drastically in the 20th century, initially on account of invasive farming practices and then as a result of the spread of American Mink.

I have logged the sighting on the Wildlife Trusts' sightings form.

It was a good afternoon for mammals. There were large quantities of rabbits and their young out in the sunshine.

They were hopping about and sitting peacefully when there was sudden pandemonium in the ranks. David (who has posted his own Water Vole photo) watched a stoat chasing one of their number into the thicket of bramble and gorse. I missed the stoat, but saw white tails bobbing in all directions.   

There were plenty of red deer about. I have only just noticed the rabbit to the left. 

The BBC Springwatch team will be back here before long.

2015 Scottish Odyssey (1) Mammals

We had a wonderful 'summer' holiday in Scotland. The weather was particularly mixed this year; but despite the cool temperatures, we had not expected to find spring primroses and bluebells and quite so much snow around in mid-June. It might even have been good weather for penguins!

Sign on the lovely Scottish island of Gigha

Snow around Kintail

Heading north through Glencoe

Insects were rather thin on the ground this time, but we saw quite a few birds (like the Arctic Terns in the photo below) and an interesting selection of animals.

Dunvegan, Skye      © David Gill 2015

I shall begin with my 2015 mammal list:

• Bottlenose Dolphin (from the ferry to Lochranza on Arran)
• Common/Harbour Seal (largely at Dunvegan on Skye)
• Grey Squirrel (Culzean)
• Hare (particularly at Kilmartin and on the way to the Mull of Kintyre)
• Otter (Skye and Argyll)
• Pine Marten (sadly no photograph, but a first for us)
• Rabbit (Skye)
• Red Deer (several locations)
• Red Squirrel (just one ... adjacent to Loch Awe)
• Roe Deer (several locations)
• Shrew (a nest, Attadale) 

Sadly we failed to see any of the Knapdale Beavers (the weather was particularly deluge-like that day), but we enjoyed looking. Their watery realm was straight out of a fairytale!

Beavers may have eluded us in 2015, but (despite a week on Mull last year), we had our best Otter sightings ever ...

First view: was it an Otter?

Definitely!

 

Last view before it disappeared into the water ...

Bluebells (and Primroses) on Midsummer's Day

Seasonal Splash ~ RSPB Minsmere

Wintry Reflections

The devastating storm was the focus of my last Minsmere post, and I promised to post something more cheerful this time. We returned to the reserve a few days ago to find glorious winter sunshine and a glowing sunset. 

Sunset comes to the Reedbeds

Swan at sunset, Island Mere

My favourite trees, bordering the reserve

Reedmace (right) among the reeds

Sunset glow

Deer ... and signs of mole!

A final glow

Marsh Harrier at dusk

Swans again

Sunset 1

Sunset 2 (birds, but not the murmuration I read about ...)

Frost in the dells

Ice patterns on a leaf

Jay, looking for acorns

A rabbit turns tail

Who will get the acorns ... the Grey Squirrel or the Jay?