Peter Jones Wildlife blog

Hopefully some good news about this amazingly good site in the Algarve http://birding-in-portugal.com/news/?p=1622

Spent late afternoon up until dusk in the North Downs between Hungerford, Marlborough and Andover. So much quality countryside here with a chance of rare breeders and scarce farmland species. Found some superb areas of habitat, but had to be content with Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer, Red Kite, Meadow Pipit and Whitethroat on this occasion. Quite a bit of Young Tawny owl activity as night descended. Had considered Some bat detector time, but had forgotten to bring batteries.. Also, the church steeples that I examined all had chicken wire blocking the entrance slits, so Horseshoe bats, which would be right on the edge of their range here I guess, would be unable to make use of them. I suppose if I find a church with unblocked slits, then the chances of it being occupied would be quite good.

Nice addition to the garden wildlife list. Seen regularly most mornings, but took a few attempts to confirm as Yellow Necked. Eventually caught him in a humane trap for a quick close up look. #Mammals, #trailcam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKBY3ZSeN6c

Night safari in North Hampshire was really enjoyable with a good selection of wildlife seen before dusk including Stone Curlew, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer,Fox, Fallow Deer, and Barn Owl. After nightfall, Noctule Bat, Common Pipistrelle, and Tawny Owl also seen.

A 3 day survey on the Poole Santander Ferry in rough seas.. Plenty of birds, but a lack of Mammal sightings sadly http://www.marine-life.org.uk/poole-santander/2014/04/26-28

Portugal Just back from a family holiday in the Algarve. Nice area, and great to see some Mediterranean species that I haven't seen for some years. Around the hotel were Sardinian Warbler, Serin, Spotless Starling, Azure-Winged Magpie, Hoopoe, Waxbill, Red-Rumped Swallow, and Fan Tailed Warbler. A short drive away, the Lagoon de Los Salgados was incredible: in just an hour I had seen a whole array of wetland birds including Audouin's Gull, Greater Flamingo, Purple Gallinule, Purple Heron, Glossy ibis, White Stork, Kentish Plover, Avocet and Black-winged Stilt. I also spent a late afternoon and evening in the mountains inland from Albufeira, and had a good view of Short Toed Eagle, Golden Eagle, plus Southern Grey Shrike and a few Nightingales. Some good Mammals here as darkness fell including European Free-tailed Bat, Kuhl's Pipistrelle, Serotine and Iberian Hare. Alas, I didn't stumble across anything more exotic such as Genet which I would have given my right arm to s...

Latest Marinelife survey on the Newhaven - Dieppe route. http://www.marine-life.org.uk/newhaven-dieppe/2014/03/15#.Uyv95EhCRsc.google_plusone_share

First bat of the year has just gone past the house while I was configuring the bat detector and PC.. A Noctule. #bats   https://soundcloud.com/pjnaturesounds/noctule-16mar2014?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=googleplus

16th February, a Marinelife day survey to the Channel Islands.. http://www.marine-life.org.uk/weymouth-jersey/2014/02/16#.Uw-LutczFrM.google_plusone_share

Checked out a few local areas on Sunday afternoon. Got a surprise at Dunbridge lake as it is being used to take water from the Test.. just a huge water pump, a single Great-crested Grebe, and not a lot of island left above water! the water level is a good 5-10 metres higher than last weekend. Should be nice and muddy when they let the level drop anyway.  As the main road out of Romsey was closed due to flooding, I checked out the flooded fields near Timsbury, but for once there was very little on the water. Plenty of Gulls and 40 Wigeon overhead though. A muddy field on Hoe Lane had over 30 Stock Doves and a similar number of Pied Wagtails. So nothing of real quality, but good to see where the birds are congregating at the moment.

Spent the morning at Hurst and Pennington Marshes. Hurst Seawatching was pretty slow with just a Common Scoter, Guillemot, Peregrine. Raven, and a small number of Mediterranean Gulls. Had a very distant White-winged gull which looked may have been an Iceland, but it spent most of the time flying away from me. Adult Winter too which would have been a good bird to confirm. The lagoon and saltmarsh was much better with the Black Brant showing well, and a Knot, plus several Pintails and Red-breasted Mergansers. Pennington Marshes at high tide was full of Wildfowl and Waders. Hundreds of Wigeon, Lapwings, and Dunlin, plus a distant Ruff (probably the furthest bird on view!). Also Golden and Grey Plover.  Finished the morning witnessing an almighty row at the car park between a family and a large group of dog walkers.. not pretty! #hurst   #seawatch  

A nice male Firecrest showing well in woodland this morning. I am lucky to have at least one territory within walking distance of home, but even with regular visits and dog walks to the area, they can often go missing. Also plenty of Redwings, plus 2 or 3 Mistle Thrushes, but very few Finches about at the moment.

Worth keeping an eye on....

I spent a couple of hours in the local area on Sunday.. Best finds were: 2 Stonechats still wintering on farmland near the house, Dunbridge Lake had a single Aythya Duck which after brief excitement and a jog back to the car for my scope, turned out to be a 1st Winter Tufted Duck, Palestine / Jack's Bush area of farmland on the edge of Salisbury Plain was pretty quiet compared to typical Winter afternoon/dusk visits: No Raptors or Owls, and no Corn Buntings seen today, but a very close Grey Partridge (which I almost trod on having mistaken it for a stone), and 2 Yellowhammers, plus a decent flock of Fieldfare heading to roost. Also 1 Fox and two Roe Deer.

Great story. Would love to see a wild Snowy Owl one day http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-very-lucky-snowy-owl-and-in-owl-in.html

The first Redpolls of the Winter to visit our garden, brightened up a miserable rainy day. 2 Males and 1 Female today on the feeders, plus 4 Goldfinches.

Finished the year at Skidmore just before dusk: 1 Peregrine 1 Kestrel 1 Water Rail Plenty of Starlings in a pre-roost plus a few Redwings and a Buzzard. #dogwalk, #Skidmore

Dark-Bellied Brent Geese at Calshot. (Eos 600d, 70-300L) #Calshot, #video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvCtrGxSkNo&feature=share

An afternoon dog walk around Fishlake Meadows, on the North edge of Romsey. Plenty of wildfowl including Pintail, Pochard, and Teal. Plus a single Snipe. As darkness fell, a stakeout of the flooded path produced good views of a Water Rail. At least 6 singing Cetti's Warblers was a decent count. #Fishlake, #dogwalk

Quite a fruitful dog walk along Hoe Lane on Christmas Day: A very vocal Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was the highlight even though I couldn't pick it out. Also a Peregrine showing well, 1 Meadow Pipit and a few hundred Redwings #Toothill, #dogwalk