Dolphins and Puffins

This week i headed for Snowdonia with my daughter and i had booked on a dolphin and puffin watching cruise out of Phwelli on the Shearwater.

We were put off from Wednesday and realised that it had not sailed for 2 weeks because of the weather but we were in luck today and wow what a cruise.

We saw a small pod of dolphins that were feeding rather than wanting to play. But we did get really close.

It is fantastic to see them up so close and give you a real sense of enjoyment. They are fun and enjoying themselves and really want you to be part of that - a great emotional experience really.

Well yes and it didn't disapoint on the puffins either. We chased a large flock around trying to take some photos and this was the best i could get. You would think that was enough but the bird life on the cliffs was fantastic too.

There were Guillemots, Black guillemots, kittewakes, fulmers, shags, cormerants, gannets, shearwaters, all the gulls, rock pipits.....

...Oh and seals too!

What a fantastic day and with a view like this out of the back of the boat i can't wait for my next trip!

Lizard watch

It was supposed to be Hoverwatch this weekend at Old Sulehay reserve but the weather was rough and the hoverflies not showing. However as we were in the ride this Lizard popped out perhaps also asking, where are the insects? It has been a while since I have seen a Lizard this close up and they are fascinating creatures. They are an extemely alert predator and almost something from the Dinosaur era.

Amphibians training

Brushing up on the amphibians id this weekend. Toads and frogs out in force and great crested newts too!



What a difference it makes when you go to the right place at the right time.

Big birds and small beetles

A late day off work and thought i would have a walk around the Nene Washes and see if the whooper swans were still about. It started great as i piulled into the car park at the end of Eldernell lane there were two Marsh harriers hawking the field in front of and i sat in the car with a great view.

The whooper swans were there in force and a decent flock of over 100 in the fields. It is great to see such a majestic large bird. While on the subject of big birds as I scanned the fields there were 4 Cranes in the field in front of decoy wood, what a sight!

They were a good half a mile away and in the photo you can just make them out however when you get the bins and telescope out you get a great view. They were just in front of a few herons and they looked perhaps 3 times the size. This is the first time i have seen Cranes in this country and it is great to see them returning and a very memorable experience.

While i was there i took the opportunity for some water beetling and while at the other end of the scale it was really rewarding too.

Hydaticus transversalis is a great rare water beetle and very striking. The Nene Valley is one of the few places in the country that you can find this beetle and from our surveying we have now added Nene washes to the site list of Titchmarsh, Higham ferrars and Summey leys where this can be found.

On the subject of rare water beetles this Agabus undulatus also is uniquely marked and as a flightless fenland relic it is at home here but not expanding its territory.

There are not too many invertebrates about at the moment but while i had my camera out this Water ladybird and myself had our eyes on each other.

A Grey Day

For two reasons really. Firstly it was grey cloudy, overcast and very windy day at Titchwell nature reserve on the east coast today and secondly i saw my first un mistakable Grey Plover! It was only a few yards away and pointed out by a volunteer warden. Must be right.

Waders have never been my strong point especially as i am partially colour blind but there were good numbers around today and it was really good practice. Knot, Dunlin, Common Sandpipers, black tailed godwits, avocets, redshank, ruff, ringed plover, lapwings and Bar tailed godwits were around. For me seeing a male and female bar tailed godwit together as in the picture and a pair of black tailed godwits just to the side of them gave me a great understanding of colours and size.

It a great compact reserve and the new hides were brilliant. Well one was as the other had to be closed because the wind was so strong and making the doors unsafe.

A redpoll and Velvet scoter were the highs for me. The redpoll was feeding on the path by the visitor centre and we got some great views. There were two velvet scoters on the sea but they were a little way off but you could still see quite clearly the flashes of white as they flapped their wings keeping up right on the waves. Phil however enjoyed it all but it was the Pintails he was hoping to see and they didn't disappoint.

Hygrotus nigrolineatus

Today we had a detailed Water Beetle training session with richard Chadd and I took along a few of the species I needed to confirm and also a batch of Hydroporus I needed to get a bit more familiar with.

I managed to confirm 3 specimens as Hygrotus nigrolineatus which is a Nationally Scarce A beetle. The specimens I took were from Upton and Wilsons Pit, but John also mentioned he may also have taken one from Titchmarsh.

The species was first found in Kent in 2003 but since this time has spread across England but is more often found in the Midlands. It is associated with recently created still waters with minimal vegetation. The Upton sample was taken from an ephemeral pond over mud and at Wilsons Pit on the recent scrape.

They are an extremely distinctive and pretty beetle although there are a few in the family they can be confused with. For me they looked flat rather than globose and therefore went down the wrong side of the key but after using a micrometer in the microscope it was confirmed.

Nice to know a recent visitor to Britain is at home in the Nene Valley and not causing any adverse effects.

Rutland wander

After a weekend of working thought i would use the day off to go for a wander around rutland Nature reserve.



It was a very pleasant day as the rain kept off although it was getting colder. Had some lovely sights and it was great when this Little Egret flew in to just in front of the hide. They look majestic all in white with the black beak.


Had sme great views of some red head smew, Pintail, Curlew, Shelduck, Golden Plover, Gooseander and this is the only place I see Egyptian Geese. Apparently there is a breeding colony of around 30.

I also managed to get a great view of a pair of scaup amongst a flock of Tufted Ducks. Usually I am looking at females or youngsters but this was a distictive pair and there is no mistaking the white patch on the beak and grey back of this male.

Owls everywhere

I managed to find Blueberry farm at last to see what all the fuss was about. I had really only had half hearted attempts although on bank holiday Tuesday i did make it as far as the lake on the way there but with so much traffic on the single lane road I couldn't bring myself to go any further.

But today - WOW - I had only just got out of the car to put my boots on and there was one quartering in the field. Effortlessly floating above the ground and gracefully turning on a sixpence. occasionally diving onto the ground. The pictures are not great i am afraid as they were either a little far away or i was watching too much to take photos.
There must have been 3 or 4 in each field we visited and were hypnotic. It was really surprising how big they were and the face and eyes so was so large that you thought they were just looking at you until they nonchalantly looked away and changed direction.

If they weren't on the wing they were in a tree or more likely resting on the ground. in all we saw 15 in a short walk an experience i perhaps will never have again.