MSQ again....

A visit to this excellent reserve again today for a few hours while Trace was at work resulted in some pretty good sightings over the four hrs i was on site.
 Birdwise,the highlights included a brief Wood Sandpiper as it flew from the islands at the bottom of the main lake onto the sheep fields and maybe the same bird as was seen last weekend by Craig and Keith.New birds in included at least 4 Garden Warbler's,which gave great views and 51 Swift,both new birds for the year for me.The Swift's where watched feeding over the main lake with a mixed flock of House and Sand Martins,making for a great spectacle.The Marsh Harrier's are still in evidence and there was an increase in numbers of Reed Warbler to at least 11 birds and 4 Common Tern.
 Insects are starting to build up in great numbers now with me recording several firsts for the year,with my first Harlequin Ladybird and Four-spot Chaser and i managed to find a new species of Micro moth for my list with me seeing a single Eriocrania subpurpurella(see below image),a lovely metallic gold moth which mines the leaves of Oak's.Other insects included a single male Large-red Damselfly,10 Green-veined White,male Orange Tip and a single Speckled Wood.
 Mammal sightings today comprised of another encounter with one of the Otter's which showed brilliantly again on Grebe lake and a single Stoat.

  A great few hours out today despite the shower's and colder temperature.

MSQ.

Another visit to this great reserve from dawn up to 3pm paid dividends with the early start as i arrived with M&M to watch an Otter near to the tern raft on Grebe lake showing brilliantly it was then joined by a second and we watched as they fished and played together,superb stuff!!.I am now pretty certain after todays views,that this a female and well grown cub,as 1 animal is bigger than the other and when you watch them the individual i think is the cub watches while its parent dives to catch something,as if the adult is teaching the cub to fish.There is also some size differance in the 2 animals and the above idea would also tie-in with the species usually solitary behaviour.
 Bird wise today,the main highlights where 2 male Cuckoo,2 Barn Owl,1 Common Tern(My first of the year)and the resident Marsh Harriers.
 The numbers of insect's are also growing slowly with today's highlights being my first Large-red Damselfly's of the year,male Orange Tip and 2 species of moth,Ruby Tiger and Powdered Quaker.We also managed a new species of Fungi today,the impressive looking Sarcosypha austriaca(Scarlet-elf Cup).
 Another cracking day out on this brilliant reserve!.

Webs Count and MSQ.

An early morning start today to complete my webs count for April saw few highlights being seen,the best of which was a adult male Marsh Harrier west at Barrow Haven,with my first Reed Warbler of the year nearby at Fairfield Pit and between Goxhill and New Holland the best bird was a single Barn Owl with me also getting some lovely views of a Sedge Warbler,my favourite Warbler species!.
 After this i decided to go to Messingham as the weather was gorgeous today and things were slightly better.The best bird was my first Cuckoo of the year and i also enjoyed brilliant views of the now resident Marsh Harriers and Avocets.
 Insect sightings here today included several Bee-Fly's,a recent coloniser to the reserve and my first Green-veined White's of the year,with 4 being seen.
 The only other highlight was a single Common Lizard.

Some lovely weather today,a great spring day.

Risby Warren and MSQ....

Another trip out today with Dave had us starting at Risby Warren,with us seeing 2 lovely Barn Owls along the approach road as we drove in,a nice start and always a joy to see.
 After a quick drink and getting the gear together,we walked around most of this superb site.The best of the sightings were a couple of male Wheatears our first of the year,and a singing and displaying male Woodlark.
 Non-bird sightings included a couple of Brown Hare and a buck Roe Deer.
So on to Messingham again for more views of the Otter's and after a 30 minute wait we were treated to more superb views of a single animal today which put on a great show and it was watched catching and eating what looked like freshwater snails.The Otter was watched on and off for at least 2 hours before disappearing to no doubt rest after all the feeding and swimming.
 After this everything seemed a disappointment as it is such a treat to watch such a fantastic animal,but we made the best of it and it was a bonus with the great spring weather.
 Bird highlights on the reserve today included a single Green Sandpiper,moulting male Ruff,1 Sedge Warbler,12 Willow Warbler,4 Blackcap,9 Chiffchaff and a single Pink-footed Goose.
 Insect highlights around the reserve included some decent numbers of butterflies with 17 Peacock,7 Small Tort,9 male Brimstone and a single Comma.Another couple of examples of the Micro moth Diurnia fagella where found again by myself today and a new species of Shieldbug for the year a solitary Parent Bug.Amphibians where well represented today with several Common Frogs and Toads and at least 10 Smooth Newt.

 Another excellent day in the sun.

Messingham re-visited....

A few hours to spare this morning,so i decided to have another look for the Otter's.I was watching for about 30 minutes before i spotted them at the bottom left hand corner of Grebe lake and they showed for about 5 minutes before disappearing and i didn't see them again today.
 Other sightings of note included my first Sedge Warbler of the year and a 3rd calendar year male Marsh Harrier,with a few Willow Warblers,Blackcap and Chiffies again.
 Insect sightings today comprised of a new species of Micro moth for me,Diurnia fagella,with me finding both the male and female of the species on two seperate Oak's,several Gorse-shield Bugs again and 4 species of butterfly(Comma,Peacock,Small Tort and Brimstone).
 A nice few hours in the sunshine again.

Adders and Otters....

A trip out today with Dave to Laughton Forest and Messingham had us both enjoying a fantastic days wildlife watching and birding,with me seeing at last one of my most wanted animals and unbelievably 8 miles from home!.

 We first started at Owlet plantation where we unfortunately had to compete with far too many dogs,with some irresponsible owners to boot.The best birds here where all 3 Woodpecker species,a single singing male Woodlark over the woodland,2 Willow Warbler and a lovely Fox,with a Roe Deer barking in the background.

 After this it was onto Tuetoes to look for Adder's with us getting superb views of this stunning reptile and enjoying our first female's of the year,with 2 being seen along with 4 male's.Bird wise,we had at least 4 Willow Warbler and a couple of Chiffie's and a superb male Woodlark singing and displaying like the earlier bird at Owlet.A first of the year for me here was a single Common Groundhopper,see below photo.

 The final place we spent the remainder of the day at was wonderfull Messingham,which really did come up trumps today with me seeing my first Otter's ever!.They were watched catching fish,playing and porpoising on the Grebe lake and put on a fantastic show and where watched down to a range of 30 metres,stunning!.I have wanted too see this animal for a long time,but to see 2 together locally was a dream come true,i can't comprehend how happy i was.Other interesting observations today included a male Marsh Harrier,7 Avocet,2 male Blackcap and 3 Willow Warbler,with 4 species of butterfly being seen also,which included Peacock,Comma,(both firsts for the year for me),Small Tortoiseshell and several Brimstone.What a brilliant day out and a big thanks to Dave for picking me up.

Accipiter gentilis.....

With a fairly decent forecast today,i organised to meet up with Colin and Sheila at one of my favourite areas in North Yorkshire to see if we could see any Gos's.I decided to set off early and meet up with them about 9.30 and this paid off,with me getting my best and closest views of Goshawk to date.
 I arrived at 06.45 at the usual parking place beside the River Derwent and was greeted by the sight and sound of a lovely singing male Dipper which showed at fairly close range,perched on a wooden post beside the river,a great start!.So off i went to my usual standing place,hearing at least 1 Gos calling in the forest nearby,a fantastic sound and it got the pulse going as i reached my spot on the hillside,i then began scanning this fantastic forest and valley area.After about 45 minutes the first bird came into view from behind me and at pretty close range,close enough to make out the duller head pattern on this female and she was huge,she was then mobbed briefly by a minute male Sparrowhawk,at least he looked minute when compared to this beauty!.I carried on watching her as she made her way along the valley,suddenly gaining speed and zooming low over a grass meadow as she scattered a flock of Wood Pigeons,making a half hearted attempt at catching one of them,she then carried on over the valley and was lost to view as she disappeared into the forest.It was then about another 30 minutes before i saw a second bird,this time a male displaying over the valley at fairly close range,giving great views again,with those deliberate,slow stiff flaps,with his undertail coverts all fluffed out,he then dove down into the forest,scattering Wood Pigeons in all directions and i managed to keep tabs on him as he flew up into a Pine and i then watched him preening and perched,albeit at some distance away.The above blurred image is of the male sat in the afore mentioned pine.So after all this action and excitement it was time to go and meet my friends and i made my way back to the car.
 Colin and Sheila arrived on cue and we had a drink and something to eat before walking back to where i had been stood,over the next 3 or so hours we saw the same male again,which put on a great show and a further 2 birds more distantly,with at least one of these being an immature,so at least 4 birds today,not bad and fantastic views to boot.Other birds seen apart from the afore-mentioned included 2 Dipper in total,4 Common Buzzard,2 Crossbill,several Siskin,3 Swallow,14 Chiffies and 3 Grey Wagtail.Another visit to this priceless part of Yorkshire to see these magnificent raptors!!.
    

Messingham Area....

A visit to this great area today resulted in plenty of spring bird action with my first Swallows,Willow Warbler,House and Sand Martins,White Wagtail and Blackcaps of the year,with the latter showing very well at MSQ,with one particuler male showing brilliantly in the open while he sung his little head off.There was also lots of displaying and mating behaviour amongst the local wader population,with the resident Redshank and Lapwings putting on a great show.Other goodies enjoyed today included a singing and displaying male Woodlark,10 Avocet and an adult female Marsh Harrier,which all showed well,with at least 5 Common Buzzard also.
 At last there was also some insect action in the brief spells of sunshine with me seeing a single male Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell and several Gorse-shield Bugs and Seven-spot Ladybirds,huddling out of the cold wind in the now glowing Gorse bushes.I also managed to see my first Common Lizard and Smooth Newts of the year and also a couple of Common Frogs.Mammal interest was provided today by at least 15 Brown Hare.

 A good day despite the cocked up weather forecast again!.