Peter Jones Wildlife blog

A hot sunny day, so I went to Beaulieu Heath in search of Reptiles, hoping very optimistically to find a snake, but not today. I did see a couple of Common Lizards, and plenty of Dragonflies.. Southern Damselfly being the highlight. Others included Broad-bodied Chaser, Large Red Damsel, Beautiful Demoiselle, and a Southern Hawker

A short trip to Dorset this morning in search of Sand Lizard at a known site. Weather wasn't brilliant but the sun broke through long enough for two Lizards to come out and bask on some discarded roof tiles. Also, some video of the male, not really doing much! https://youtu.be/JlcOXRn8toA

Headed to Fishlake meadows after lunch for the best of the sunshine. For once the area was quite alive with insects, and I recorded several dragonflies and Damsels. A Hairy Hawker was the highlight, seen pretty well weaving through reeds. Other species included: Banded Demoiselle and Beautiful Demoiselle; Blue-tailed, Azure, Common Blue, and Large Red Damsels, plus probable 4-spotted Chaser. Ladybirds included 24 spot, 7 Spot and Harlequin. Best of the birds were Hobby, and Cuckoo, plus another Cetti's sighting. These birds seem easier to see when I am not looking for birds, i.e. at a slower pace!

Field Vole recorded in the last week.. Originally shared by Peter Jones Short-tailed Vole the highlight of the latest Mammal cam. This time deliberately set well away from woodland, although the triggers were still dominated by Wood Mouse. Elsewhere, the dormouse tubes are all empty, but a Firecrest is still holding territory in local Woodland. A couple of walks round Fishlake haven't added any interesting insects.. Just Azure, and Large Red Damsels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXGNU0gdY9g&feature=share

Short-tailed Vole the highlight of the latest Mammal cam. This time deliberately set well away from woodland, although the triggers were still dominated by Wood Mouse. Elsewhere, the dormouse tubes are all empty, but a Firecrest is still holding territory in local Woodland. A couple of walks round Fishlake haven't added any interesting insects.. Just Azure, and Large Red Damsels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXGNU0gdY9g&feature=share

Hairy Hawker gets 2016 finally up and running! Whilst Bank Vole and Wood Mouse continue to be recorded pretty much everywhere I set the mammal cam. Originally shared by Peter Jones A tiring day seawatching at Hurst beach, then searching for stuff at Keyhaven. Seawatching seemed pretty slow, but I did see Great Skua, plus Arctic Tern, Common Scoter and Little Tern. Keyhaven was good with a roosting Spoonbill, plus Little Tern and Two separate sightings of Cetti's Warbler. My main reason for visiting was to hopefully catch up with a Hairy Dragonfly.. I eventually saw one, but with awful views. Only identified by virtue of the fact that the Hairy is the only hawker/Dragonfly on the wing! Still it is a start! Mammal cam has been deployed in a few locations around the village now, with the same results at each venue: Bank Vole, Wood Mouse, and the occasional Brown Rat. I've set it in a totally different habitat this week, but still the Wood Mouse persist! https://youtu.be/1s-F5AZZT

A tiring day seawatching at Hurst beach, then searching for stuff at Keyhaven. Seawatching seemed pretty slow, but I did see Great Skua, plus Arctic Tern, Common Scoter and Little Tern. Keyhaven was good with a roosting Spoonbill, plus Little Tern and Two separate sightings of Cetti's Warbler. My main reason for visiting was to hopefully catch up with a Hairy Dragonfly.. I eventually saw one, but with awful views. Only identified by virtue of the fact that the Hairy is the only hawker/Dragonfly on the wing! Still it is a start! Mammal cam has been deployed in a few locations around the village now, with the same results at each venue: Bank Vole, Wood Mouse, and the occasional Brown Rat. I've set it in a totally different habitat this week, but still the Wood Mouse persist! https://youtu.be/1s-F5AZZTZE