Green-winged Orchids...

The adverse weather in the first quarter of this year certainly hasn’t harmed plants with many early species thriving. The local Green-winged Orchids are bigger than ever, many over 30 cm tall and clearly more robust than in ‘normal’ years. After a brief 10 minute visit at the weekend I went back for a better look yesterday and took two fellow orchid enthusiasts, Zoologist Nigel Marven (@Nigelmarven) and Borneo-based artist Ting (@BorneoArtBase) with me to see the extravaganza for themselves.

Green-winged Orchids, the two extremes of colour together.

Beautiful variety found in these orchids

A delicate pink variant showing the green-veined sepals

Close-up of a single flower

Nigel enjoying a close look at the orchids

Artist, Ting getting inspiration from nature.

Green-winged Orchids in abundance

Looking forward to seeing more great orchids in the coming weeks.

Orchid Season is upon us...

At last! A spell of warm weather and everything bursts into life. A walk around Whitestaunton yesterday produced a few nice Early Purple Orchids.

Early Purple Orchid

Today an early trip into Dorset with my brother, Duncan, yielded another early and controversial hybrid - the Fly x Woodcock orchid. Discovered a few years ago, the Fly x Woodcock orchid was discovered by accident on the side of the A35 between Yeovil and Dorchester. At first sight this unusual orchid could well be a Fly x Bee cross and it’s true parentage only became apparent after the plants were DNA tested. Whilst Fly Orchid is found locally across the region, Woodcock Orchid doesn’t knowingly occur in the UK.

Fly x Woodcock Orchid, Dorset

Fly x Woodcock Orchid, Dorset

The subtle beauty of the Fly X Woodcock Orchid

One thing’s for sure, it’s a subtlety beautiful little plant and worth the somewhat hazardous walk along the busy A35 to see it.

Also decided it was time to pay the local Green-winged Orchids a visit as they're now in their prime.

Green-winged Orchids

Green-winged Orchids

Common Twayblade

Wood Spurge

Osprey...

It was an unusual day yesterday. I was drinking a cup of coffee and watching the bird table when this little fella pops-up in the tree next to the feeding station. I had to do a double-take, I couldn't believe my eyes! A month since one was last seen in the garden a single, male Brambling was back.

Brambling, male, Whitestaunton: R. Harris

Brambling, male, Whitestaunton: R. Harris

Brambling, male, Whitestaunton: R. Harris

A late individual - I'm not sure I've ever had one in May in this part of the world before. Great to see in full summer plumage. It hung around for an hour picking at food on the bird table before vanishing as quickly as it had arrived.

Fast forward six hours and I'm sat in the car park of my son's school waiting to pick him up when I see a tweet from Seaton birder Phil Abbott to say he had found an Osprey, his fourth this year no less! Luckily for me my son loves to go for a walk along the front at Seaton so we were off as soon as he got in the car. A quick glance around from Coronation Corner revealed very little but then suddenly the Shelduck took to the air and then there it was. It just glided quietly (and surprisingly not harassed by gulls) down the length of the river towards the harbour before being lost to view.  I managed to fire off a quick burst of photos as it headed away.

Osprey, River Axe, Seaton: R. Harris

After waiting for 10 minutes to see if it would return, Jake and I continued to the seafront and started our usual walk. Walking back to the car 45 minutes later my attention was drawn to a commotion of gulls and corvids just off the beach by the town centre - there it was again, this time heading west towards Beer with an entourage of followers all trying to see it off.

ahead of its chasers as it flew towards Beer.

Great to see, I don't always catch up with them on the Axe but today it was a case of right time, right place.

Iceland Gull...

Having missed all of the ‘white-wingers’ on the River Axe this year, it was especially sweet to hear that Dave Helliar had found this immature Iceland Gull on his local patch close to Chard this morning. A new bird for his patch too! I was actually in Axminster at the time waiting to pick my son up from his drama club but the bird waited and I managed to catch it on the way home.

Iceland Gull: Dave Helliar

Iceland Gull: Dave Helliar

Iceland Gull: Dave Helliar

Iceland Gull: Dave Helliar

Thanks to Dave for the great photos and for finding the bird in the first place.

Reptile weather...

In the space of a week our weather has changed dramatically. Seven days ago the temperature was hovering around 8 deg. Then, two days ago a sudden burst of warmth from the south saw those temperatures rise by 18 deg! Hoping for some migrant birds (and confident of seeing some reptiles), Dave Helliar joined me for an early morning visit to Dorset.

Dorset's sandy heaths rarely disappoint and it didn't take long for us to hear our first singing Dartford Warbler, closely followed by a singing Woodlark, a sound I never tire of hearing. As the temperature started to climb it was time to start keeping our eyes open for lizards. Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara was the first to be spotted then a handsome Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis basking on the edge of the heath.

Masters of camouflage, a male Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis blending almost
perfectly with the moss and dead bracken around it.

A slightly brighter individual later that morning but the
overcast conditions didn't show it at its best.

What took us both by surprise was a young male Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca in an area we hadn't observed them before. Smooth Snakes generally stay still when discovered, hoping their camouflage will help them blend into the heath around them.

Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca, male

Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca, male

Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca, male

Our attention was then drawn to our first singing Tree Pipits of the year and a Cuckoo close by but frustratingly just out of sight. Flipping a tin we found 8 or 9 Slow Worms Anguis fragilis and suddenly the challenge of being able to see all the native British reptiles in a day was becoming a real possibility.

Slow Worm Anguis fragilis

Sadly it wasn't to be and despite extensive searching in suitable habitat we couldn't locate either Grass Snake Natrix helvetica or more worryingly, Adder Vipera berus - they are very difficult to see now. We did see a stonking male Yellowhammer feeding (and singing) on the ground as we returned to the car but as the clouds rolled in around midday the best of the viewing drew to a close.

Yellowhammer, male

Yellowhammer, male

Early, Early Spider Orchids...

A quick trip to the Dorset coast with my brother paid off at the weekend with what appears to be the first orchids seen in flower in the UK so far this year.  The furry brown and slightly weird looking Early Spider Orchids Ophrys spegodes are a scarce species that thrives along the Purbeck cliffs.

Inquisitive Roe Deer checking us out on the long path down to the cliffs

As their name suggests, they are one of the first species to flower each year, however the cold weather we've experienced in 2018 so far has knocked the flowering times of most species back by a couple of weeks - last year we saw hundreds of these orchids in flower over the Easter weekend.  Despite an extensive search, we didn't find any sign of the controversial Sawfly Orchid this year.

Early Spider Orchid - one of the first this year

And another...we just about reached double figures!

The weather was cold and damp and apart from a few Blackcaps there were no birds of note whatsoever. However we did happen across a couple of Egyptian Geese on floodwater by the minor road connecting Dorchester to Pallington Heath.

Egyptian Goose looking alert, Pallington Heath

And the second bird looking more chilled

Sadly it was too cold for reptiles as well and despite an optimistic stop-off to look for Sand Lizards, none were found.

Sparrowhawk...a different bird

Just before heading off to Cornwall for a week, I had yet another 'tame' Sparrowhawk in the garden, this time a young male. I initially walked out the back door of the house expecting it to fly off (before it could nab a Brambling, or worse the Hawfinch!).  But as with the bird a few weeks ago (see post below) this one had no intention of going anywhere. Fixated on getting into the wire cage protecting the bird feeding area, it refused to leave even when I walked up to it.

Unfortunately my Nikon P900 had already been packed and loaded into the car so I turned around, went back into the house and pulled out the only other camera I could get my hands on - my Nikon D5300 complete with 105 mm macro lens.  I returned to the garden, walked up to within a few feet of it and started snapping away. It's a shame it was raining but you can't have everything...

Sparrowhawk, male

Not at all phased by my presence

You can clearly see blood from its last meal
on its beak.

Staring me down - quite an intimidating gaze!

Sparrowhawk, male. Whitestaunton

Red-legged Partridge...

Two pairs of Red-legged Partridges have recently taken turns to visit the garden in search of food, adding a splash of colour in the process. Though not native (they were introduced from France in the 1770’s) they have become a very common sight and fill the niche left by the sad demise of our native Grey Partridge, who’s population plummeted dramatically after the large scale introduction of pesticides and loss of field borders after the Second World War. Still, I don't mind seeing them, especially as they only first appeared on the garden list last year.

Red-legged Partridge...minus the legs

Looking a bit out-of-place on the patio

Hiding in the border.

Red-legged Partridge 

Red-legged Partridge, pair, Whitestaunton

In addition to these the Hawfinch still remains and has now been in residence for 5 months also 7-8 Brambling.

The Rainforest Foundation...

The Rainforest Foundation do a fantastic job in helping to prevent the spread of Palm oil plantations around the world by raising awareness, purchasing land and giving advice on Palm oil free products and foods that we can all buy. If you’ve ever visited a rainforest to go birding or wildlife viewing, you’ll know what incredibly biodiverse habitats they are and what a tragedy it is to be loosing them forever. Please consider making a donation to help them meet their objectives and save the countless species that need the forests to survive.

Check out their work at http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/media.ashx/rf-palm-oil-guide-update-v3.pdf and follow them on Twitter @RFUK.

Pristine rain forests are the most biodiverse habitats on earth. Help protect them
and the thousands of species that depend on them.

Sparrowhawk...

Had a surprise today when this young Sparrowhawk rocked up in the garden. I saw it land on top of the bird feeding station, scattering all of the occupants. I grabbed my camera and took a few snaps through the dining room window before venturing into the back garden, expecting it to fly off as they normally do. But it didn’t. It saw me and changed position on the cage but didn’t fly off, so I walked closer. I got to within 15 ft and began snapping away again, surely it would fly any second now?

However it still didn't leave, occasionally glancing at me but otherwise trying to work out how it could get inside the cage. I walked towards it in full view and raised my camera again, still it wasn't bothered so after a couple more pictures I walked right up to it. It was just 5 ft away - it had no fear of me whatsoever, indeed it looked right at me and then down into the cage, flew closer still and I had to back off slightly so that the camera could focus!

Sparrowhawk just 5ft away

Sparrowhawk!

What a magnificent bird...hope it doesn’t get the
Hawfinch though!

Stare of death, just look at those eyes!

How do I get in here?

Never had one act like this before myself, they are usually very skittish and will fly at the slightest movement. Incredible to see one this close.

Getting up-close and personal with some of our Winter visitors...

This winter has provided unprecedented opportunities for me to film and photograph some of our more scarce winter finches right here in my own garden. Regulars like the Siskin have built in numbers since the 'Beast from the East' snowstorm last week and are now hovering around 30 birds whilst the long-staying Hawfinch continues to visit the bird table along with Brambling, which now vary from 8-14 birds daily. Filming them over the last few days have allowed magnificent views - this morning the Hawfinch was feeding just 3 ft from me (although I was well hidden). The results are below. It's not often I can see, let alone film, these beautiful birds as close as this.

The real 'Beast from the East'
Side-by-side, a Siskin stands right next to the Hawfinch
and the size difference is incredible. R. Harris

Female Brambling enjoying the seeds

Brambling and Hawfinch...

8 March

Lovely views of the Hawfinch, Brambling and Siskin at the bird table today. They'll probably disappear in the next few weeks so great to make the most of them. Not everyday you get to see our largest finch next to one of our smallest, incredible!



3 March

Some stunning birds still hitting the bird table today and no doubt will continue to do so during this spell of cold weather. Today at least 14 Brambling, the regular Hawfinch, 12 Siskin and 6 Greenfinch coming to the feeders. Watch the videos in HD on YouTube.

Venom evolution...

An interesting research paper, if you're into snakes, by Dr Bryan G Fry and his colleagues on proteomic and functional variation within black snake venoms (Elapidae: Pseudechis) can be read here. Fascinating how venom has evolved in different species for different prey types.