A day to remember, all day long.

An advantage of not cycling so much any more is all the extra free time.
I have yet to fully utilise this, but yesterday morning, before my late shift at work I went for a walk over Bransbury Common.

Bransbury is a large open plain of grassland, bordered on both sides by the River Test. A vast expanse that could possibly be described as a large island? You decide.

  

Previous visits have led to great views of Barn and Short Eared Owls.  One of the best (luckiest) shots I've ever taken was of a Barn Owl at Bransbury.. A Barn Owl flying off with a vole, over a deer's head. (right)


So, speaking of luck, yesterday offered a couple of 'firsts' for me.

The first part of Bransbury, as I walked from the road out to the grass Savannah was quiet.. A few Bullfinch (my nemesis), Blackcap and my first Whitethroat of the year were well hidden in treetops and bushes. A Green Woodpecker could be heard in the distance, as could a Cuckoo somewhere towards the Wherwell to Longparish road.  I was walking in to a strong headwind, so I had hoped to get quite close to whatever was on the common.

Pretty empty! Couldn't even see a Stonechat on the bushes. It was a cloudy day so the pictures wouldn't have been great, but where were they? The winter hasn't been too harsh!

Sat on a stile next to the river, scanning the grass land for anything - I notice that the old shed where the Barn Owl used to cache food has now been replaced with a new one, with doors.  Disappointing as I had hoped to hook up a camera there and snap the owl as it flew in with its catch.
Out the corner of my eye I see a brown flash of something next to the river. Not a clue what it was, but definitely worth investigating. I couldn't exactly creep up on it, walking on dead grass, and the noise was enough for whatever it was to hear me.

A STOAT lifts its head and looks at me. Today's first 'first'!
I've seen a couple of stoats, or weasels in my time (very hard to tell the difference) but never this close and actually having a camera!!  How many times do we say 'if only I had a camera' in every day life...

Happy with that! 

I decided to continue walking on the common and managed to snap a Whitethroat but it was way off.. Even with the best crop it still looked like a blob in a tree.

A couple of Buzzards being mobbed by some crows next to the river and then a Sedge Warbler thinking about singing in the reed beds. I got an ok shot from the other side of the river, and then it rained which stopped both of us. Me trying to keep the bins and camera dry as I didn't wear a coat.

Walking back to the car I saw a male and female Sparrowhawk separately flying low over the grassland and a Green Woodpecker from close quarters as it flew off.  No deer on today's visit.


Home to get ready for work.




At work and another Sparrowhawk encounter. In The Nightingales I hear some Starlings going mad overhead and notice them mobbing the bird as it cruised over the estate. #birdingwhilstworking
Anything can almost pop up anywhere, so much nature on the doorstep - I've even seen Waxwing on that estate in the winter.

I had a plan for the evening but whilst we were waiting for dusk we checked the Bird Hide at Lower Farm. Another first was a Swift that was flying over the hide. A year tick and very pleased to see them back. They nest in Curling Way and I love the sound of them as they scream over the estate.
It was hard to see what was on the lake due to the low sun, but it did provide an excellent photo opportunity. Only on my camera phone now, but even they are pretty good these days.



And then on to a woodland in Cold Ash.
One large badger sett here has seen a lot of use recently, judging by the amount of earth that is being moved. I wondered if we were gonna get lucky and see one. We were working so didn't have time to do it properly (arrive early before dusk and settle down, down wind and be quiet etc.)
To our surprise the woods were stunning.. So many bluebells, a true carpet of blue! The light conditions weren't great so a return trip will happen next week.


The wood was a real network of tracks, badger, so we knew they were in one of the two setts. We made our way to the number of entrances and decided to lean against a tree and see if there was any activity. Not a cat in hells chance, we thought.. There must be at least a dozen entrances amongst the trees and bushes on the hillside.

Wrong..

With no exaggeration, not 10 minutes had passed and all of a sudden one, then two and a third nose came out from one of the holes. No more that 10 metres from us!!

At this point the hairs on the back of my neck stood up..
1, because it was badgers!!
2, because the tracks I've described were about 2 foot away from our feet!!
What if they walked past, didn't see us and panicked!

Thankfully they just decided to sniff the air, listen to the noises coming from the nearby estate, and have a good scratch. This lasted a few minutes then the noise got too loud and they disappeared back in to the sett.  They appeared under a tree / bush and it was pretty dusky, but we managed to snap them with our phones.

And some videos 

Goosebumps! 

Both my work colleague Jim and I just looked at each other with open mouths. That was AMAZING! A first for him too!

We're definitely going back soon!

Wildlife at work.

Ok, so I am one to boast...
I'm very lucky in my job, I get to explore a lot of countryside and see it change on a daily basis. What ever the weather - there is always something to see and more importantly, appreciate.

Gravel pits, woodland, heathland, rivers and streams. I am paid to walk or cycle around it all. That said, even the estates have there own special moments. I've seen Waxwings in The Nightingales, Kingfisher on the River Lambourn, Woodpecker nests in Pigeons Farm and Swifts nest in a house in Turnpike. Only a month until we hear them screaming around the estates again. Can't wait!

There are multiple Badger setts in Greenham, Cold Ash and Speen.
Muntjac and some urban Roe deer are common sight in and around West wood, Greenham.
On one walk in Greenham we saw three different foxes before 9 a.m.
And then there is the Red Kite. So common are they here, that it's hard to believe they haven't spread to the whole of the UK yet. They can be a rare sight in places as close as Southampton.

I could probably retire if I had a pound for every time we said 'if only we had a camera'. Usually after a Red Kite had drifted over our heads or a badger scuttled past on a night time patrol. Us, not the badger.

So, today, I decided I'd take my camera with me. The weather was stunning and migration is in full swing. Yesterday we heard the first cuckoo and reed warbler of the year at Lower Farm trout lake.. So a return visit was made today.

First up was a Reed Warbler and a Cetti's. Singing in the reedbed, too covered to snap.
A Green Woodpecker then flew off in front of us and disappeared down the track. Yesterday two of them gave better views, but that's how it goes!

The trees are full of Chiffchaff and Blackcap at the moment. Last week it was the Nuthatch that were in full voice. The leaves are about to burst open, so for a little while longer it is possible to get good views. If they stay still long enough.

A nice male in the sprouting willow.

Lower Farm trout lake is the place where first Heron and now Cormorant nest. The trees look like a scene from City of Angels, with all the black shapes in them. But then white with all the poop that gets 'ejected' over the side.
They are a bit of a way off, so the pictures are considerably cropped, but you get the idea.
It seems most of the young are already fully grown. Surprising considering one pair of our swans are only just thinking about nest building.

And the heron looked almost ready to fledge too.

A female Gadwall with 10 ducklings, only a few days old. No sign of the pair of Shelduck today.

Orange tip butterflys were out in good numbers today. Both at the GP and in Speen. Wouldn't stay still long enough for a good pic though.

Next stop was Nalderhill Lane in Speen Parish. Target - Red Kite.
This area, on the hill side and next to a busy road is always good for Kite. All that road kill from the B4000 or A4, and so many fields to scour over. The skies are always full.
Except today.

We saw a few, in the distance, being mobbed by crows, but quite quiet otherwise.
To be fair we didn't stay too long, work to be done and all that.

The sheep were happy in the sunshine and some male pheasants were scrapping nearby.

Nipping down Rookwood we saw a female Kestrel on the telegraph wire. We did notice that a large field in the distance had been recently 'topped'. Could explain why the Kites were elsewhere. making the most of all the recently disturbed small mammals?

Snake Lane and Bagnor were surprisingly quite. Little Egret elsewhere it seems today. A bit of a flying visit, so maybe next time.

Rookwood Kestrel.

Blimey! One year on...

I used to update this fairly regularly with day trips and local sightings, but its all gone a bit Pete Tong.
Having moved back to the lakes last year, i thought this blog would be updated regularly, but truth is, it ain't happened.
The lakes have offered a few sights, but generally have been very quiet.. There are a few theories about this, but as much as anything I haven't been around the lakes much as I've finally got my arse back on the bike this year. It's not been easy, getting used to doing 10 hrs a week on the bike - the result is a lot less free time to stroll around the countryside.

Anyway, this weekend I'm moving again. Away from the lakes and on to a new estate! Zoiks! So maybe that will lead to a few more days out, back down to Lymington or to see Joe at Portland.. From seeing the sea at least once a month during the previous winters and migrations, I've only been to the coast once this year!

We'll see..  In the meantime, here are a few snaps from my year on the lakes..  I got lucky once or twice :o)

 These pics were taken through the slats of one of the wooden footbridges. A perfect hide.. 

Spent 30 minutes watching this otter search the river for food. Turning every stone for small invertebrates?

And then, as it moved downstream and being in wellies, I got in the river and hid in the river bank foliage.. The otter kept coming closer and closer. Down to around 5 metres, then I got scared and ran...

Been lucky with a few water vole shots too.. Most of the pics I've shared on twitter or facebook, but with wi-fi in the new house, I do need to start this up again.

Water Voles in good numbers at Rooksbury.. 

The water levels got high in the Spring floods, but pleased to see they did well.

Every now and then you take a picture that you are really proud of..  Finally a sharp picture from my camera.

And a Kestrel below.

A few foggy morning shots..

More when I have wi-fi. Mobile broadband takes too long.

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.