Back on the lakes...

Embarressed to say I haven't updated this for some time..
The good news (for me) is that I am now living back in  Rooksbury, next to the Nature Reserve that was the catalyst for this blog.
The chance to move back to an amazing house came up and very surprisingly I could afford too.. That might not be true, but I'm here, and 'its only money' right?

The lakes are very different to the last time I lived here. Anyone who has suffered this blog will know that I have revisited regularly and been lucky to snap a few pics of the Otters, but other than that, In my opinion the lakes are a bit sparse of bird life. No Coots, Gadwall, and only the occasional Tufties. Not seen an Egret or heard a Cetti's in the 3 months I've been back, but pleasingly a Little Grebe is occasionally on the small lake and juv GC Grebe was on the Mill Lake at the early part of this week. Hopefully the birds stay and bring friends.
Why so void? Good question. My personal thoughts is that the Otter that still visit maybe raid the nests of the smaller eggs? Who knows...

Anyhoo.  After 3 months (and lots of looking) I was yet to see the Otter since my return. One or two had been spotted, mostly a lone one, but then this Sunday things changed.  And how!!

An early morning walk around the lakes to blow away one of the regular hangovers and I noticed some movement in the water on the river that runs past the main lake. (River Anton).  The cause of this movement wasd no Moorhen, which have seemed to have done very well this year.
It was an Otter...  family!
Yep, Mum had decided that she was going to bring this year's offspring down to the Lakes.

So back to Sunday..  I crouched down and watched 4 otter swim down stream. Lots of squeaking to each other, constant communication.
They stayed in the river for around 15 minutes and at one point they got separated. It was at this point mum went upstream to collect its youngster.
They then all went in to the undergrowth under a fallen tree and weren't seen again in the time I was there. Probably sleeping off the journey.

I posted on the Facebook page that I had seen 3 otter pups. This got a few people ringing each other and a few faces joined us on the lakes.  And then, at around 11 am. I seriously needed some breakfast so headed home.

The first sighting, pups moving downstream. 

 And all four together.. Look at the eyes to see how they differ in size.

 I was at most, 10 metres away? Not bothered.

 A quick trip upstream to collect a calling otterlet..

And back to the temporary holt.

So what ya gonna do? Sit inside and watch crap on tv, or walk around your local nature reserve when you've been watching otters..  No brainer..

An afternoon walk and one otter was on the main lake.  A long way off but caught a nice eel for lunch.

A quick sprint across the lake, a chat with the fisherman who it swam in front of but I couldn't locate it again. In Rooksbury there are a lot of channels, inlets and outlets on the lakes, perfect to lose yourself in - if you are an Otter.

Back home and another itching to get out on the lakes. Met with a friend for a lap but no Otter. Making my way home and I see movement in the Stew Ponds..  (Rooksbury used to be a Trout Farm)  and then an Otter swims under my feet through a tunnel to Barlows Lake.   So cool and just a tinsy bit scary.  I could almost touch it! I managed to locate it as it left the tunnel and it was swimming off to the other side of the lake.  A quick 'squeak' by me and it looked around and checked me out.  Snap. Snap. Snap!

Couldn't get much better. Could it?

The next morning and another stroll around the lakes in the sunshine and something is sitting on a fallen tree, on the edge of the lake and probably about 5 metres away..  Duck.  Got to be.. Almost too complacent to look, but my fellow photographer who is down for the weekend and strolling around the lakes with me does look.. Otter!!!

Garden catch up..

Haven't updated for a while..  I know no-one reads this, but it keeps me off the streets ;o)

So, the garden..  With the very cold and grey Winter, it took a while, but then - BOOM.... so many fledglings..  Blue, Coal and Great Tits, House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Robins and my fave garden visitors - Great Spotted Woodies..
And then,  a juvenile Green Woody showed up !!
Even the regularly visiting mouse could steal the limelight.

Feeding was easier in the Nest Box.

These guys recognise a novice when they see one.

The first of 2 successful Robin batches.. Am embarrassed to say they have been nesting very closed to the patio doors..  Reckon we're good neighbours.

Had 7 of these at my last place..  (a lot to be said for feeding all year round) 

This year, at least 2 juvs.

A garden would be boring without them.

 Of course, there are always scraps under the bird feeders.

And those visits always keep Kea (the cat) enthralled.

 And then.... jackpot...  A juv Green Woody.. Been hearing it for more than a week.. 

 Then decided to try and snap it..  Very pleased with the results.

Cheeky Nutkins!!

Last year I kept my bird feeders up all Summer and it cost me a fortune.
In the new place, apart from the greedy pigeons, numbers are lower so food lasts longer., so I will probably feed through the Summer again.
This is good news if your name is Cheeky Nutkins - the pole dancing squirrel.

Bluebells

Spring has taken a month longer to arrive this year?

Bluebell woods are normally seen in April, but this year I didn't see my first bluebell until the beginning of May! Even this time last week - there was hardly any locally. Then everything changed, seemingly overnight.

Bowdown Woods in Greenham has exploded in bluebells and smells amazing too. Definitely worth a look if you are local.

I was there pretty early in the morning. In hindsight I think a trip when the sun is higher will prove worthwhile.

Mad March Hares.

A quick check of the local fields around Kintbury today in the hope of snapping some boxing Hares.

I've seen them here regularly, but nature rarely plays by the rules and to be honest, I don't really know anything about Hares

The first field near Kintbury had 6 Hare sat in the middle of. I watched them for a while but they didn't move, not even to eat. The field was massive and they were a very long way off. The chance of getting any decent pictures was very remote, bordering on the side of impossible. Guessing that the lack of activity was because the ladies weren't in season, I got bored of watching and tried somewhere else. 

A mile or so up the road and 4 more were sat in a different field, again not doing very much at all.

I spent some more time watching and they moved a bit. A very brief bit of boxing but more a case of chasing each other off. A female was anchored herself down in a form and was being heavily guarded by a male. The 2 others in the area were also males and were just waiting....  patiently in the distance.

I'm sure it wont be long before there is some more action, but seeing this weekend's weather forecast - I think I'll pass.

A stand off.

Followed by a bit of chasing around.

She settles back in her form.

Guarding his lady, cleaning his feet.

He has all day, no rush.

Not an Otter Spotter....

Today was Spring-like..  Days like these should not be wasted!

I'm coming to the end of a 2 week period of annual leave from work and although I have completed a lot of tasks in the new house, plus run and cycled a few times, I haven't had any days out with the camera - apart from a morning in Romsey and the New Forest last Monday.

The weather has been 'temperamental', but in previous years I would have at least been to the coast or Blashford once or twice in these two weeks..  The lack of outings probably has a large amount to dp with the fact I'm not Year-Listing this year. It shouldn't do, (and I'm not sure I should admit this publically) but when year-listing  there is a slight addiction to spot birds either before they leave us after their winter stay, AS SOON as they arrive for the WHOLE of Summer, or spot stuff that gets a bit lost in their journey from A to B, where ever A and B may be..
Any way the wind blows - as Freddie once said.

A tick is a tick after all - and they all add up.

So, not wanting to waste any of the rare sunshine, I decided to pop down to Andover this afternoon and see if the Otters were out.. If not, I'd still be sat by a beautiful lake in the sunshine. A win / win situation.

Fortunately for the Otters, they had a very nice sleep this afternoon, but there is always something to see at Rooksbury. Perhaps in 'Ant & Dec' style -  the Otters couldn't be bothered to come out today, so sent their Little Otters...  in the form of a Water Vole. Honestly, I haven't been drinking..

So yeah, today's photographic subject were Water Voles.. One in particular who was eating along the river bank and running in an out of holes by the fast flowing river. He posed nicely a few times too.  

 

The other win was a slightly sun-burnt face, or was that wind-burn?..  Roll on Summer! (or at least Spring)

And here is a Hawfinch from last week.

Garden visitors...

Winter has arrived in Holtwood.  Twinned with Siberia. 

The bird feeders are never empty, please don't underestimate how much that costs! But considered worth it, when you can sit and watch things come and go all day..

The usual visitors still present.. GS Woodies, Nuthatch, Finches and Tits. The latter 2 being joined by other types.

A Marsh Tit, Lesser Redpoll and a few Siskins are new additions. Still waiting for a Bullfinch or two and a Blackcap would also be nice..  With 10 cm of snow predicted in the next 24 hours, who knows what will drop in??

I have food, I have fire wood (and bird food) and ain't going too far.

And, I actually think I'm gonna need a hand counting on next weekend's RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch..  

So many visitors!

 Siskins

Marsh Tit

 Lesser Redpoll

 Lesser Redpoll and Goldfinch

Mr. GS Woody

Otter Spotting...

Living on Rooksbury Lakes was the inspiration of this blog.  So much to see for a small reserve. When living there I could easily lose a couple of hours a day, wandering around, experiencing the rich and diverse sights..

Its an area that I have come close to moving back to recently, it is only the daily commute that put me off. 

Fickle?

Anyways.. As shown in previous posts, the area is now blessed to have a family of Otters calling it home. Bold as you like too!.. And on Sunday I was lucky enough to get another view - and for 90 minutes!!

After hearing of some good views and activity in the morning I headed down to meet a friend on the lake.  

We located where they were living, from the sounds made by the new youngsters and set up, waiting for them to come out.  Sadly the youngsters didn't, but Mummy Otter was present in the main lake for well over 90 minutes.. It was getting dark, cold and I had to leave, but it was very very hard to tear myself away from watching her fish the main lake.  

I wasn't alone too. Word had got out and a large crowd were present, enjoying the free show of one of nature's greatest events.. For many it was their first sighting of a wild Otter. 

A very good day.. and so pleased its all happening at Rooksbury. A fantastic place.