Beltain Celebrations, Butser Hill Ancient Farm

http://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca L.) Yarner Woods, Dartmoor

♂ pied flycatcher; ♀ pied flycatcher at nest box

Yarner Wood detail; A view across the Bovey Valley Woodlands which follow the Sticklepath geological faultline.

Yarner Wood is part of the East Dartmoor NNR consisting of three adjacent sites: Yarner Wood, Trendlebere Down and Bovey Valley Woodlands. Yarner Wood and Bovey Valley Woodlands are comprised of the internationally rare Western oak woodland, and along with their rich diversity of flora and bryophytes they also support a breeding bird assemblage including pied flycatcher, redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) and lesser spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor). The latter of which we failed to connect with on the day, despite receiving valuable and detailed instructions to a known territory, that was unexpectedly given to us atop Hay Tor, from another enthusiastic walker and birder earlier in the day.

Photographs of female pied flycatcher courtesy Alison Hogan

Hay Tor, Dartmoor

 

Hay Tor; Megacrystic granite; Orthoclaise fieldspar; atop Hay Tor

duckling dash drama on the River Dart

When a ♀ goosander (Mergus merganser) and her ducklings negotiate the rapids on the River Dart, below Dartmeet, one duckling goes astray. Having secured the brood on a mid-stream rock, mother gathers the stray. The reunited family then head upstream.

Photographs courtesy Alison Hogan

Ol' fossils, Torquay

A small collection of coral, gastropod and Stromatoporoid fossils via Meadfoot Beach, Torquay

Photographs courtesy / copyright Alison Hogan

Wistman's Wood, Dartmoor

cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

For a lyrical description of Wistman's Wood take a look at:

http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/wistman.htm

Dartmeet, Dartmoor, Easter Sunday

pearl-bordered fritillary (Boloria euphrosyne); willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus)

Langstone Harbour, Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina L.)

Photographs taken from approx 350m away. So no apologies for the unashamedly poor quality of these record shots.

♂ Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis), Sparsholt College "shelterbelt"

garden birding

A minimum of 12 house sparrow (Passer domesticus) on the feeders this morning, also 1 x ♂ blackbird (Turdus merula) the local singing male, and a single collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto).

garden butterflies

at least 2 x large white (Pieris brassicae), 1 x holly blue (Calestrina argiolus) and a single unidentified small white butterfly on the wing over the back gardens this afternoon.

garden butterfly

Large white (Pieris brassicae) in strong flight over the back gardens this morning.

Mus domesticus L.

This little fella has been seen several times recently helping itself to the RSPB garden bird seed-mix from the feeder hanging in a bush at the end of the garden.

It (they?) appear to be living quite successfully under the decking, accessed from a small run in the corner of a raised bed which is utilised as compost heap, sunflower plot, and site of a recently planted hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) "hedge". This multi-functionality all within an area approx 100 x 80cm square!

Dorset heathland reptiles

 

Top to bottom: ♂ Vipera berus; ♂ Lacerta agilis # 1; ♂ Lacerta agilis # 1; ♂ Lacerta agilis # 2

Via a Dorset heathland, surveyed under Dorset amphibian and reptile conservation licence.

See: http://www.arc-trust.org/dorset/