Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus L.) Portland Bill

Heavily cropped record shot of the rose-coloured starling hanging about Portland Bill at the end of May.

Unfortunately, I was to miss the black-headed bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) by a day.

Ventnor wall lizard (Podarcis muralis L.) and assorted butterflies - Ventnor, Isle of Wight

A quick visit to Ventnor this morning, in particular to the undercliff and sea wall on the eastern side of the town, produced sightings of both target species: wall lizard and Glanville fritillary (Melitaea cinxia).

The Glanvilles were very flighty only allowing a hasty record shot or two, and none were seen at roost with wings up - to be able to capture the underside in any photos. We saw Ca. 20 individuals although this could well of been higher?

Glanville fritillary

However, the wall lizards were to be the real show stoppers of the day, with several very confiding animals being recorded.

The supporting cast of butterflies were as follows: small blue (Cupido minimus), dingy skipper (Erynnis tages), Adonis blue (Polyommatus bellargus), common blue (Polyommatus icarus), peacock (Aglais io), holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), large white (Pieris brassicae).

Cirl Bunting (Embiriza cirius L.) Rosalind St Just, Cornwall

Cirl bunting

Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus L.), Horndean, Hampshire

These three hedgehogs were seen late night / early morning today, in our front garden, communing noisily under the fuchsia bush. The group comprised a single large hedgehog, and two smaller ones - so I presume a family group?

I had wondered whether we would ever see them in the garden? I had recorded them some time ago crossing the road on the main drag to the south of us. I had also noted a scat on the road verge, immediately adjacent to the house a couple of weeks prior to today's visitation, although I then forgot to record and confirm it.

I shot a small video, and whilst very little can be seen of the animals themselves, it captures well the level of noise coming from the bush, it was this that drew my attention to their presence in the first place:

Hedgehogs

Addendum

26th May 2018

A single scat was on the lawn under the front room window, and I am more confident now, that it is hedgehog poo.

Reptiles on the West Sussex chalk

Returning to a favorite chalk grassland site in West Sussex to survey the local reptile population, I was rewarded with the finding of an adder (Vipera berus) slough - just a few inches away from the spanking bright and shiny male adder from which it had recently sloughed. I was later able to collect the skin, to add to my cabinet of curiosities.

adder

slow worm (Anguis fragilis)

common lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

common lizard

adder

adder - recently sloughed

adder slough

adder slough - collected