The Otter Beavers can stay!

The well-established Beaver colony (fifteen plus families) on Devon's River Otter have been officially granted Government protected status: terrific news!

Unlike the colonies in Kent, Cornwall and (soon) North Norfolk, these Beavers have been around for years and started with a nucleus of five animals that were discovered in 2015. No-one knows where they came from, but blood tests revealed they were European Beavers (so not North American zoo escapes) and were disease and parasite free. Their continued existence was under threat for some time and the exact location of their lodges and dams were kept secret: Linda and I were lucky enough to be invited for a look some years back. They are absolutely charming creatures (but look at the female's teeth!) and a lot bigger than you expect. Right! Let's have a full release of Pine Martens in the Brecks and White-tailed Eagles on the Hickling estate now!

Sungazing! Linda and I treat ourselves.

Today our latest extravagance arrived: a Coronado H-α solar telescope. This clever device enables you to look directly at the Sun - great for eclipses, transits, sunspots, filaments and prominences. Of these, only a very wispy example of the latter was available today 😕

However, the Sun is moving away from a solar minimum, so fingers crossed for some activity in the near future.

Brian and I enjoy a chat or two at Winterton

Stonechat, that is! We'd met early and walked out on the Nelson Head track, hoping to find some migrant flickers (or better!) On the way out to the dunes we came across a few Hares and a confiding pair of Muntjacs, but little in the way of birds. We walked east to the plantation, with just a few juvenile Stonechats to point the cameras at. Buzzards, Kestrels and a dashing Sparrowhawk were interesting, as were Grayling and Gatekeeper butterflies and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

We met a birder who'd walked along from Winterton: he had nothing to report, so we turned back for a 'reverse grill' of the dunes. Just more 'chats, until we finally found some evidence of migration in the form of three Wheatears.

It was still early, so we drove home via Hickling. A walk around the reserve gave us distant views of Cranes and Great White Egrets, and slightly better ones of a Green Sandpiper by the new scrape.

Hemblington churchyard wildlife survey

Peter, Sue, Linda and I met at the church for this month's biodiversity survey: not too many plant species to record, because the two 'meadow areas' have recently been scythed. The usual selection of breeding bird species were in and around, including Buzzards, Long-tailed Tits and Greenfinches, but the number and variety of insects was most gratifying: Common & Ruddy Darters, Southern, Brown and Migrant Hawkers and plenty of butterflies, including Wall, Gatekeeper and Comma.

Later, enjoying a cup of tea in the garden, all four of us were delighted to be visited by a second Painted Lady and a somewhat flighty Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

Gull-billed dip!

I put off going down to Alton Water for the long-staying Gull-billed Tern until I could check whether any of my birding buddies wanted to come: they didn't! Given the heavy overnight rain, the early morning fog and the bird's moult, I set off at 6.00am in a buoyant mood. Six hours later I retreated to Norfolk having dipped on what I'd been sure was a banker!

An enjoyable morning, nonetheless: great to meet John Pringle and swap stories of giant fish and rare birds and also two charming guys from West London, with whom the discussion moved to LGRE and cricket!

A few interesting birds passed through: an adult and young Peregrine, three Common Sandpipers, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits and a few Buzzards...

Back garden Buzzard

Always a pleasure to look from the office window and see the female of our local Buzzard pair perched on top of an Oak. Thanks to Peter for the heads-up and the use of his back garden!