Peter Jones Wildlife blog

A maxi-beast today! The Beluga, first seen on the Thames on Tuesday, fortunately stayed until the weekend when I could take a look, and showed well on Saturday morning. Seemed at home in the estuary, albeit hundreds of miles south of their normal range. Managed a short clip of it surfacing, which was extremely difficult. The fast current and infrequent surfacing made it tough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-EWKCXrIvM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-EWKCXrIvM

Spent a couple of days in East Anglia. Willow Emerald Damselfly, and Water Shrew the targets. The weather took a turn for the worse before I left, which almost caused me to cancel, but I took the gamble. Saturday at Titchwell was very bleak, and it was starting to look like the Damselfly, known to have colonised part of the reserve, would not show. Luckily, late morning, the sun broke through, and after half an hour or so, the sun finally emerged into a patch of blue sky, and dragonflies suddenly appeared everywhere. A Willow Emerald soon followed, and I watched it land. Good views were had, not so good photos obtained, and it stayed on this branch all day, giving others the chance to see it. Very lucky! Sunday at RSPB Fowlmere failed to turn up a Water Shrew, but I did find Brown Trout and Signal Crayfish in the small river, and a Weasel near the car park.

A good week continues, with a nice Otter sighting locally, followed by Many Daubenten's Bats on my annual Waterways Bat survey. Daubenten's are quite distinctive in their flight style, skimming over calm waters just a few centimetres above the surface.

Took a break during my monthly Reptile survey in the New Forest, and walked to nearby Wilverley plain, which is good for Autumn Ladies Tresses, a late flowering Orchid. Took a few minutes to find one, then as often happens, you realise they are everywhere! a small number where coming into flower, some a straight, other corkscrewed. All just a couple of inches high in the short grass. Also saw Scarlet Pimpernel, and Bog Pondweed, plus Lesser Centaury, a regular flower in the New Forest it would seem. https://photos.app.goo.gl/quwk31rQLJ7Dxviw5

A quick visit to the new Wildlife trust reserve on the edge of Romsey, Fishlake Meadows. The area has always been good for wildlife, but now access is greatly improved. My highlight was an Otter, extremely close, but plenty of flowers were visible along the path. I think I have the photos correct. Also seen were Watermint, and Bittersweet. https://photos.app.goo.gl/9Eg1uWW7k4TMUjWJ6

News of Water Shrews showing well at RSPB Fowlmere had me heading there for Bank Holiday Monday. I managed to miss them first thing before I arrived, and spent most day fruitlessly waiting for them to reappear. Plenty of Dragonflies though with several Migrant Hawkers, and a Brown Hawker, plus Sparrowhawk and Hobby. Highlight of the day was a Stoat running wild outside the hide for a couple of minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8v7Crp_hss&feature=share

A week spent camping at Val de Bonnal in Eastern France. Lots of lakes and a river meant plenty of Dradgonflies, 14 or 15 species seen in the week, the best being Green-eyed Pincertail, and Goblet-marked Damselfly, both new for me, plus Scarlet Darter. Queen of Spain Fritillary and Heath Fritillary were seen well, plus a few Grasshoppers and Bush-Crickets which I think I have identified correctly. Common Wall Lizards allowed close up photos, one actually ran under the camera when it sensed danger! https://photos.app.goo.gl/GwYjkbfKt8r97gfWA

Spent a week in Eastern France at Val de Bonnal, a complex of lakes and a river. Although the immediate area was pretty intensively manicured, there were a few unkept areas with plenty of wild flowers. Hopefully most are correctly identified.. https://photos.app.goo.gl/sMSWyy5LQhCrQfbB8

No photos today, but started the day at the Most pond, Thursley Common. A renowned spot for Brilliant Emerald. Sure enough, saw three or four, high over the trees. Look like a dazzling insect, so hopefully better views one day. Also Downy Emeralds in the sky.. Slightly smaller, duller, and the elevated abdomen giving them a totally different appearance. Quite bizarre to be confidently identifying such similar species, at such long range. An Emerald was showing around the bank of the lake, but this was a Downy.

I visited Ladle Hill, which is renowned for the late flowering Burnt Orchid, but in two visits now, no joy. Will wait until next spring for the larger early flowering variant. Did however take some pics of some other flowers which I have identified on the PC, and with the Collins Wildflower guide back at home. Also popped into Greywell Moors, and saw Water Forget Me Not, and Brooklime https://photos.app.goo.gl/fAJUBkrptTzqijuT9

Very lucky living in Hampshire. We seem to have some incredible diversity for all wildlife groups. Orchids are no exception with a good selection in the county. Marsh Helleborine and Broad-leaved Helleborine seen yesterday in Wildlife Trust reserves. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6W1D2AUY6KabdZL79

Success in my search for Bog Orchid. Matley Bog is pretty dry at the moment. Stories of people going under to their waist in this bog seem hard to believe judging by this summer. In fact I struggled to find any wet boggy areas, which made the orchid hunt easier once I found water. Took about 30 minutes to see my first one, then realising there were at least double figures in the vicinity. A tiny Orchid, about 6-7cm high. I suspect in wetter summers, this particular area of the bog would be impossible to get to. https://photos.app.goo.gl/4q6V9PMwuRF6CBh47

A couple more flowers seen recently. Ladies Bedstraw at Ladle Hill, and Lesser Centaury at Baddesley Common. Both took me an age to identify!

I spent two dubiously enjoyable afternoons searching in vain for Bog Orchid. New Forest is a stronghold for this plant, but these Orchids are tiny, and in the middle of bogs, so not easy to find. I did, however, see some other cool plants typical of boggy habitats.. Sundew, Marsh St.John's Wort, Common Cottongrass, Bog Asphodel, and Bog Pimpernel https://photos.app.goo.gl/MUuAY4WDa2LbELmb9

Some very smart Green-veined Whites at Ladle Hill this week.

Plenty of Butterflies out in the New Forest. Silver Studded Blue, in good numbers on the heaths. Photo shows the "silver studs", i.e. tiny blue dots inside the black circles on the hindwing. A test of how good your eyesight is for sure. I'm also seeing Sundew, in the boggy areas, an insectivorous plant, so counts as a mini-beast!

Originally shared by Peter Jones Plenty of Orchids this week, with hundreds of Common Spotted and a few Chalk Fragrant on Pewsey Downs, and a nice assortment of Bee, Common Spotted, Pyramidal, and Greater Butterfly at Collard Hill. https://photos.app.goo.gl/PvSiS6XtFHfGPAb39

Originally shared by Peter Jones Plenty of Orchids around, a few hundred Heath Spotted in the New Forest during my Reptile Survey a week or so ago.

I've renamed this collection to include wild flowers and plants seen in Hampshire and the UK mainly. This should breathe some new life into the collection as I see a lot more flowers than fungi!

Spent a hot Sunday afternoon on a Nature reserve near Alton, which was packed with Orchids. Common Spotted and Pyramidal were most numerous, plus a small number of Fragrant Orchids. New species for me were Common Twayblade, which were in decent numbers, a Fly OPrchid which was sadly just past it's best, plus the tiny Musk Orchid, which is about 2 inches high, and the similarly diminutive Frog Orchid. Two other Orchid watchers kindly showed me the Fly and the Frog. I'd have never found them on my own! https://photos.app.goo.gl/zRZ6SVWNtNuY3GCi9