Peter Jones Wildlife blog

Noticed this very bright tree in a wild hedgerow in Chalk downs near Stockbridge. Certainly stood out with it's bright fruits in the otherwise bare December countryside. Thanks to the excellent "British Trees" android app, I have identified it as Spindle, often found in Chalk soils

A wish list for 2017.. 2016 exceeded my expectations, for finding small mammals and insects, thanks in no small part to the family holiday in the French Alps. 2017, I can be more selective in my target species.. top of the list has to be finding a UK Adder. I have seen one in Finland, but the UK Adders strangely elude me. Also, quite a few small mammals still elude me: Water Shrew, Dormouse, Harvest Mouse, spring to mind. It would be quite difficult to add any UK Bats to my list, armed only with a Bat detector, but I hope to maybe find scarce species closer to home. Leisler's Bat being perhaps the most likely. Also plenty of scope for some interesting species if I make it onto the continent for a holiday. As for Insects - must try harder! Dragonflies, and Damsels, and indeed Butterflies all involve travel if I'm to see new species... Brilliant Emerald, Norfolk Hawker, Variable Damselfly, Common Clubtail and the Fritillary restricted to Dartmoor (Heath Fritillary?) being the obv

So 2017 got off to a typically quiet start for me. However, a stunning Firecrest on a dog walk thru Toothill was a good start to the year. No winter Thrushes today, but a few Goldcrests in the hedges, and a Grey Wagtail outside the house completed a nice walk.