Novembers End

Friday 30th November brought thick frost, dense fog and a freezing temperature... beautiful. I just could not resist the urge to amble through the frozen fields, shrouded in the mist. I wasn't very optimistic of spotting very many species, however the small paserines are going to be more active now in their frantic search for food.

I took a minute on a small wooden gate at Point 3, looking back along the path to Point 2. The days proceeding the 30th had been very cold indeed but today it really hit me that my favourite time of the year has arrived and that i should make the most of it as i do every year.

During my rest a small flock of Redwing arrived and settled in the tree over my head before moving a little further down the path. They seem much more settled than they did a few weeks ago, allowing me to get some great views, the orange patch located underneath the wing standing out clearly against the white frost still clinging to the branches.

No sign of the Kingfisher today, it would have made quite the sight stood againt the monotone winter backdrop. No sign of the Deer either. There was an unexpected sighting, a male Bullfinch was calling loudly from the top of a small tree. Such a beautiful, striking bird and the first time i have seen them over Belvedere fields.

A few photos that i took on the walk:

 

 

 

 

 

In the arms of Winter.

A quick walk this afternoon produced very little in the way of wildlife. With the nights drawing in i managed to squeeze in a gentle walk around sunset (3pm-4-30pm). For me today, it was a chance to get away from the stresses and strains of life, there is something about the clear skies and low temperature of a winter day.

 

The ground is still very trecherous underfoot, many of the paths are ankle deep in mud but as the temperature drops the ground should harden as the ice takes hold. No sign of the Deer today but i did get a sighting of one of the Kingfishers at Point 6. My eye was drawn to movement on the edge of the bank as my footsteps approached, the flash of it's blue rump relflected the low light from the setting sun.

 

The usual familer fields felt quite lonely and remote today, never have they felt as remote as they did today. There was just the one dog walker and the drone from the traffic was still present, maybe it was the image of the once thriving hedgerows and foliage now rotting and disappearing.

 

A few Redwings were active in bunches of three's or four's, still no sign of any Fieldfares or the elusive Waxwings. One thing about that i have learned over the last 5 years, from my many ventures out to watch wildlife is that it really doesn't matter if i see any special wildlife. Of course it is a benefit, but personally i just enjoy being out in nature, i can spend all day over these fields, freezing cold, covered in mud and only see the odd Blackbird and Tit flock and still come home with a smile on my face and feeling much better about life in general.

Winters here

Lately i have been extremely busy setting up a Graphic Design company with 2 other designers, based in Wigan. With a recent trip down to London to discuss the future and direction of the company and to meet with a client, plus the branding and pricing of our company i have had very little time in which to visit Belvedere.

Today however, i made time to forget the business for an hour or two, and to refresh with a walk over the fields. The weather was perfect, a typical crisp winter afternoon, washed out blue sky, long shadows cast by the seting sun and just a hint of mist.

With the sun setting in the west my walk was anti clockwise around the fields so that i wasnt staring into the sun. The Redwings are as perky as ever, moving from berry bush to berry bush, occasionally starting a squabble with the Blackbirds. Still not a sighting of Fieldfare at the moment.

A lot of the smaller birds are now easier to see with the majority of foliage now lying on the floor in  piles of browns and orange. Wrens are very lively at the moment looking for food wherever they can. Another new species of bird was seen today, a Willow Tit was feeding upside down along with a few Great Tits further up the branches.

On my way home, just past the bridge at point 1 no less than 3 Roe Deer began to run away from me. They were not very far from the road and only about 20feet from where i saw them last. This is getting quite regular, i am going to take my video camera with me in future to hopefully film them.

To coincide with the arrival of the Redwings i decided to create a vector illustration of a redwing, it was finally finished a few days ago after many hours of work.

As planned, i returned today to confirm the ID of the Thrushes on the farmers fields and they were indeed large flocks of Redwing. No sign of Fieldfares as of yet, however that doesn't mean that they have not yet arrived just that myself has failed to spot them.

 

The weather was pretty much the same as yesterday except the wind has dropped right down, there is still alot of rolling cloud making the temperature quite mild. I kept a look out for Fungi today and spotted some off the track from Point 1. My journey today was concentrated around Points 2, 3 and 8.

 

Some Images from today:

 

 

Noticed this tiny hole in the tussock in the field between Points 8 and 1. The coin

next to it is a 20p to compare sizes. This would be made by a Field Vole or a Wood Mouse.               

 

 

On my walk back from Point 8, at the end of the track where it meets Point 1 (the bridge over the stream) i heard movement in the steadily rotting Butturbur. This is the area where i used to go and watch the kingfishers, it is about 5ft high in the spring, but now it's quite sparce and only perhaps knee high. I glanced into the Butterbur at the direction of the noise to see 2 Roe Deer turn and scamper away through the foliage, their white rumps dissapearing into the vegetation. This is the second time i've come across these Deer over Belvedere, both times have been in the afternoon. 

I set off around 11:30am this morning and spent around 3 hours birdwatching, this time i explored the fields east of point 5. The weather was typically overcast but surprisingly mild, the threat of rain was ever present. My aim was to see if the the winter migrants had returned to Belvedere fields, as i know they have in other parts of the area.

 

Alot of Thrushes were indeed present, unfortunatly they were over the farmers fields north of point 3, just out of range of my binoculars. I am 80% certain that they were Redwings, some larger Thrushes were mixed in aswell. A quick trip tomorrow morning is planned, the Telescope will help me get a positive ID.

 

In the fields further east of Point 5 a Great Spotted Woodpecker was making its way up a large tree beside the stream, alot of small passerines were also active around this area making up large groups of 30-40 birds. They were a mix of finch's, mostly Greenfinch with smaller numbers of Chaffinch and Goldfinch, feeding on the turned up soil of the farmers field.

 

As i walked back past the Water Treatment Plant a Sparrowhawk drifted through very low, it was instantly mobbed by approximately 20-25 Jackdaw. I bought some bird seed and wild bird fat balls yesterday, they will be placed at Point 8 tomorrow. The location is out of the way from the normal route of dog walkers, it also has coverage from surrounding tree's so the birds will not be vulnerable to predation when feeding.  

October's lust.

As the seasons change, so does the wildlife. There are no summer migrants left over Belvedere Fields, not a Swift or Swallow in sight. I have noticed a large increase in the activity of the Thrushes and Jay's in particular, as is expected at this time of year. The Thrushes will be making the most of the berry crop until the winter migrants from Scandinavia start to arrive, these being Fieldfare, Redwing and Waxwing.

The Jays are busy burying food for the winter, they depend heavily upon trees, especially Oak for their existance. They bury acorns for their winter food and also store beech-nuts, peas, potatoes, fruit and berries. Studies on how many acorns a Jay can store in just one season revealed that a single Jay can store as many as 5,000 acorns, a staggering amount. The jay can also remember where it buried most of its stock by using nearby features to help lead it to the spot, just remarkable.

My visit yesterday was during a break in the weather, however soon after i got back a thunder storm rolled in. Jays were indeed abundant on the trip, as were the Thrushes. A group of 4 or 5 Song Thrushes were present at point 3 along with a few Blackbirds. In the field behind point 3, four Mistle Thrushes were on the ground next to the pond, along with a Grey Heron standing motionless. A buzzard made a low swoop across the field, scattering the Thrushes.

Jackdaws and Magpies were making a lot of noise on the water treatment plant and further on 3 Grey Wagtails flew over in the direction of the small stream. Just before Point 5, where i am going to be placing my feeders in the next 2 weeks, a flock of 10 Yellowhammers flitted in the hedgerow, a strong group of both males and females. My favourite time to see Yellowhammers is in the winter, their yellow and chestnut plumage stands out beautifully against the backdrop of frost or snow.

In the field adjacent at Point 5 a large gathering of Rooks perched in the tree, with some feeding in the field, the number was around 20 - 30. This is the first time i've seen Rooks over Belvedere Fields, i was kinda hoping of possibly seeing a Ring Ouzel passing through on it's journey up north but alas i did not. 

I will be going more often in the next week or so, bad weather or not, i want to record the date of the arrival of the winter migrants. It shouldnt be too long now before Redwing and Fieldfare return to the area.

Holiday Images

The weather here as gone from bad to worse, with the flooding effecting areas across the whole of the UK. The fields will be pretty much out of bounds, especially the path from Point 1 to Point 2, which is ankle deep in mud on most days. Until the weather clears up i am stuck inside, mostly concentrating on Graphic design and illustrations at the moment.

 

Here are some of the images from my vacation:

 

 

 

Hermit Crab

 Flounder

 

 

                              House Spider                             

 Pill Millipede

 

Vacation

Ok so, I have been away in North Norfolk for 2 weeks with no Internet which means that I was unable to blog my trip there and it means 2 weeks have passed without a visit to Belvedere fields.

I was back in Wigan for 1 day before heading back to the east coast, this time slightly more north to a place called Grosemont, 8 miles from the gothic town of Whitby.

 

It is from Grosmont that I write this, however I still have no Internet connection so I can only put this on the blog when I return in 4 days. At least you will have something to read while I go and check the goings on over Belvedere.

 

We arrived at Grosmont yesterday afternoon, I am staying 5 days in a beautiful stone cottage overlooking the town and tranquil rolling hills of North Yorkshire. I spent the remainder of the day strolling around the gardens and immediate vicinity to see the wildlife and to get my bearings.

 

The front garden was full of butterfly's, a few Peacock butterfly's were present on a budleah bush in a quiet corner, hoverflys and bee's were in abundance as we're Garden Spiders. Swallows seem to be flying with a purpose, no doubt starting to head south to warmer winter climates.

 

The night seems to be alive with life, the hooting of distant Tawny owls echo through from the trees at the far end of the field behind our abode. Many insects appear in the darker hours of the day, I have some photos of a few including spiders, weevils and pill millipedes.

 

A visit to the beach east of Whitby proved interesting. Among the search of ammonites in the rock, much wildlife was easily discovered. The nasal panting of fulmars high on the cliff was present throughout with the occasional sighting as they swooped off the cliff, beating their stiff wings.

 

In amongst the rock pools lay shoals of small fish including a rather large Plaice that had been caught out by the outgoing tide. It was trapped beneath a large rock in a narrow gully, only just deep enough to keep its head under the quickly draining water. We moved the fish into deeper water which would not drain away.  The strain of carrying my rucksack, laden with cameras, lenses and binoculars, pretty much everyday for the last 2 and a half weeks is starting to take its toll on my neck and back, they feel extremely tight and sore.

Now, I'm back in Wigan, the weather is terrible, Autumn is making its presence known to us here. If the weather clears this week I will take a trip over the fields, at the moment I'm going to concentrate on doing some wildlife illustrations, I'll put them on here in the next few days if they are finished.

 

Sun!

wow, what a week! the UK has had some scorching weather these past few days. It's very hot and humid here, it's making the walks quite a task. However i have been trudging the fields, despite the heat and many other projects that i have at this moment.

I went yesterday (9th) and spent an hour getting a few photos of the different points on the route just to give you guys an image of the land. Not as many Hirundines as usual, plenty insects making the most of the Himalayan Balsam.

most of the time was spent around the pond at point 2, making note of some of the species around that area. Alot of small spiders on the bank along with many chirping of Common Green Grasshoppers. A Gatekeeper butterfly was also most patient and allowed me to take a quick picture

Gatekeeper Butterfly ( Pyronia Tithonus )

I got pictures of most of the points on the route except the last point, due to me having to leave early, i will get a picture next week. Also while i was sat next to the pond having a minute i looked at the grass to find the empty shell of a Dragonfly or Damselfly Larvae. I'll try to get it properly identified and a picture will be posted this week.

Hope you're making the most of your summer.

Busy

This week i have been pretty busy with other projects, projects in which i hope to earn a bit of money, so i haven't had the chance to go and get some food for the feeding station. At this time of year, a feeding station isn't that important, however when winter arrives and the ground freezes your garden feeding stations are extremely important in the survival of many birds.

Today i had some time to take a quick walk ( from 1:30pm - 3:20pm ). The weather was a dull grey overcast with spots of rain here and there. The walk from Point 1 to Point 2 was full of insects, i need to have a day of just identifying and photographing the flies and other insects, when the weather becomes abit nicer, that is the first job.

Alot of meadow Brown butterflies were present today, male and female. Also in abundance was Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars, some singular peices of Ragwort were completely covered. A few Whitethroats poked out from the scrub near the pond at Point 2. A few of the migratory species that i saw today should be ready to return to their wintering grounds at the end of the month, if they havent already started to fly south, these species include Swift, Whitethroat, Chiff Chaff, Swallow and House Martin.

I walked a little further east from point 5 today after hearing a bird of prey call, it turned out to be a pair of Buzzards that flew low over the farmers field and back west over the Belvedere fields, such graceful flyers.

On my walk today i was looking for spots for the feeding station, point 5 seemed decent, alot of bird activity today, lots of Tit flocks and charms of Goldfinch's.

Oh, i'm going to make another page on this blog for my wildlife illustrations, the photography will just be included in future blog posts. I am going to start including factual info about some of the species that i discover, especially if i can't get out over the fields, just so the blog is constantly on going.

Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars

After a scorching hot and humid week here in the North West it's finally turned wet and rainy, as expected. At the beginning of the coming week, i'm going to go get some bird feed and various nuts and feeders and set up a feeding station over the Belvedere fields. It will have to be out of the way of regular dog walkers and the ne'er-do-wells of todays youth.

Oh, if you guys should stumble upon this blog, i would love to hear your wildlife stories, close encounters or any places that you've visited that really made you feel close to wildlife.

The Beginning

So i guess this is the official beginning of the project Tuesday 24th July 2012. Now, i am facing a dilemma. Do i start a new species list and blog posts from today onwards or should i document what has happened over the weekend? Right, i've decided, the species list will start from TODAY but i will document the weekend just gone in this post.

Sunday (22nd) was one of the nicest days we have had for the past few weeks so in preperation for the project i decided to nip and see what was happening. At point 1 (see the map for point locations, it's located on the Belvedere fields guide page) just as i crossed the small bridge, 2 Kingfishers darted by. I had my suspicions that kingfishers were located around here, now i had proof. The only way further down stream is to turn right at the bridge and follow a vague path into dense Butterbur and Himalayan Balsam.

About 10feet further downstream sat on a tree branch that was lodged the width of the stream was one adult and one juvenile Kingfisher. Unfortunatly i did not get a glimpse at the adults lower mandible to identify the sex. The juvenile was darker than the adult and had a clear white tip to the end of its bill. When the adult left, the young stayed a while, diving into the water, presumably practising how to hunt. I got a few quick photos before leaving, as i left the adult was returning with an unfortunate Stickleback.

Right, so that was 2 days before the project began, which meant Kingfisher can't appear on my project species list. So today me and a friend decided, while the weather was scorching, to follow the stream that meanders all over these fields. To follow the stream it meant we had to be in it, an idea that evolved from us wanting to canoe along beautiful rivers, seeing the countryside from a different perspective.

We started at the the very top of Belvedere fields, about as far north as the Water Treatment plant. We wore wellies, but they soon became completly redundant as we were soon wading through water that was waist height. The sides of the stream rose about 6 feet above us, full of vegetation. The only noise was of the gentle trickle of the stream, i felt cut off from the outside world, it felt like a million miles away from the hustle of the surrounding urban jungle.

On one particular bend the sediment rose onto a shallow bank, impressed into the sediment were many Deer footprints, along with a few large Coot or Moorhen prints. I guess that they were Roe Deer, i saw one a few weeks back not far from that spot. Onwards we pressed, stopping to admire the insects and wildlife that flourished.

About halfway through our journey, a glimpse of blue and orange. no fewer than 4 Kingfishers flew ahead of us downstream, their electric blue rump shining in the sunlight. For me, the opportunity to follow this stream down and be so close to the wildlife was amazing. It was one of those days that was thoughly interesting and enjoyable. A few shots from today are below, including a stunning Comma butterfly.

Over the next few days i'll try and get together a species list, i need to organise it and get up to date, a few design aspects of the blog still need tweaking.

Watch This Space... A year of local wildlife documentation will soon follow.