Osprey and Beetles

While I have been down to the river since the flooding, today was the first time that I was able to pass through Blackhall Mill since Saturday. I had to go to Consett to get some shopping, and the effects of the flood are still very visible. I wanted to return to film the scene as it is now but I did not have the time. However, what is worthy of comment was during the bus journey along the Derwent valley was that at East Law, the fields were still shedding significant volumes of water. So much that the drains at that point are struggling to cope and there is still a few inches of water pooling on the road at East Law.

While the remnant of Hurricane Hanna is coming here on Thursday, the forecast is at least that it is not likely to dumping the volume of rain that happened on Saturday, but I will keep a watch out on that, as forecasts have been wrong before.

Now I do have a plea to all my American friends, while we in Britain are grateful for all the gifts you keep on sending us, we don't really want your old hurricanes when you have finished with them.

To go off at a tangent, one of the things that I love about where I live and Britain generally, is the names of the villages and hamlets around here. While I often have to obscure the exact location when I am posting observations of wildlife to protect the wildlife, where I can it delights me to mention some of these wonderful places when I can. I am trying to discover the origins of some of these names as they are rather fascinating.

As my regular reader may remember, last year I spoke about helping carry out a survey of the bat roosting sites in the local woods. When I did that, along with other work of a similar nature, my binoculars suffered from the heavy rain that day and has occurred rather regularly. So I decided to buy a new pair. I decided to get a pre loved instrument as I can not afford a new pair that is of the quality I need. So I bought a pair from a well known auction site. However, I was out when they when the parcel was first delivered. Therefore I had to get a redelivery booked. Well they arrived and this morning I took them out to test them out in the field. I love them, and while testing them out I spotted something hidden in the trees. I moved in closer and to a better position, and saw an Osprey that had been roosting over night in the trees. My guess is that it is on its migration south. What a thrill, as while they are seen from time to time, to see one roosting is rare.

Another thing that I have recent obtained is some specimen tubes for collecting insects. Part of the reason why I needed to get these is as it can be difficult to identify insects I needed to retain individuals for identification when carrying out a survey. Often when trying to work on improving a habitat it is vital to know what is there in the first place. Anyway, I also realised that I could use these to collect individual insects with the aim of photographing them. So I have been carrying a few of the collecting tubes in my pocket. This morning I spotted two beetles and collected them safely. I was then able to film them at home. One I got some film off but it did a rapid escape. The second was far more cooperative and I got some great film of it. The one that got away was just a common ground beetle, Amara aulica, but the other a weevil, Crytorhynchidius lapathi, I was able to return to the location of its collection so I am not harming the ecology in any way.

While I was doing the filming, the water engineer who is also an amateur archaeologist turned up. He was fascinated to see the beetles especially in close up, and he said that all this could be useful as he wants me to help with some environmental survey work. So it looks like my building up contacts is paying off. However, while we were talking, he did stop and ask “What did I want to do when I grow up” I told him that I don't want to grow up if it means loosing my childlike wonder at the world.

Water Voles, Bank Voles and Springwatch

Wednesday morning saw me heading out in the rain, towards the Derwent River with the aim of filming Water Voles. As Folks may not realise this star of the Wind in the Willows, (Ratty should have been called Volley) is the fastest declining mammal in Britain. However we still have a relatively healthy local population. This is mainly due to the fact that we do not have a problem with Mink.

However, before waxing lyrical about the water vole, I have to admit that I should have postponed my attempt when I saw the weather forecast. As any one with more than one brain cell working, I seem to have had only one working this morning, Heavy Rain and electrically operated cameras don't mix. While I do use covers and rain shields, I was risking getting my equipment water logged. Just as I got water logged. When I got back home I even had to wring out my boxers.

I was in the right location though as I could see the voles were active in the place I had hoped to see them. It is one of the real benefits of the loss of the heavy industry that blighted this region that the rivers are now clean enough to support a healthy biodiversity in the rivers. There was a time, only thirty odd years ago when the river was so polluted that even common weeds were killed off by the waters from this chemical cocktail of a river.

When I got back and dried off by having a bath, there is twisted logic there somewhere. I sat down to write up my notes. As I did this I watched with interest a Blue Tit that was going around the plants in my yard picking off any insects. Then he or she, started collecting flies from the spiders webs in there too. Quite remarkable behaviour and something I had not seen before.

Today, Thursday saw me dealing with other Voles. As some types of conservation work requires trapping of small mammals, under licence, I have been seeking to get the training needed. As I am financing this myself. The costs are coming out of my pocket rather than being funded by a Charity, Conservation body, or government department, one of the people providing me with the training and experience has been providing me with a lift. This morning that meant a very early start of three thirty. Therefore I was rather somnambulant this morning. It meant that while I picked up my packed lunch, I forgot my cameras.

Learning to handle any small mammal can be a painful experience, but so far I have escaped being bitten. Although everyone else has suffered bites. My mentor thinks that it could be that I have some sort of affinity... Rubbish, I am just careful as I know it would hurt.

While others suffered the indignity of getting nipped in the name of conservation, I while laying on the ground removing one of the humane live traps, suffered by having a smelly muddy dog run on to my back and grab my ponytail. For nearly a minute it refused to let go or allowed me to try to rise. When one of the other students freed me from the clutches of her mutt, I rose with my pride feeling very bruised. I felt like giving the dog an Anti-Social Behaviour Order. I did however keep the trap intact and the vole safe.

When the Vole was released, its released into a bag, I thought it was a field Vole. However, as I am not an expert, I was surprised to discover that it was a Bank Vole. This lesson made me realise that I had previously seen them in my local woods and misascribed my observations. If only school had been this interesting.

Anyway, even though I have bathed I can still smell that damn dog on me.

To go off on a tangent, my regular reader will know that I have been enthusing about the springwatch that the BBC have been doing this year. In previous years, there have been parts that were less good, this year I can not fault the programme. In part this is because the whole team have grown in confidence and have pulled out all the stops to garner some remarkable images. For example the wildlife film maker Simon King, one of the co presenters, shot some ultra slow motion video of an Osprey catching a fish. Remarkable and graceful. However, what for me will be the highlight was the footage they shot of the Scottish Wild Cat. This is an animal so rare and elusive that it was a delight to see. Having spent three weeks of my life trying to see one myself and not doing so, I know just how difficult that was. And this has only been the first week of three.

Anyway, while talking of elusive creatures, the film here is of a Jay. While not rare, and can be seen occasionally, I was chuffed to bits when I got this bit of film.

The Bank Holiday

Yesterday, Monday, was a bank holiday. But unlike a normal bank holiday we had brilliant sunshine. Well we did in the north (Self satisfied Grin), in the south it was torrential rain. So it looks as though the south got the weather we were supposed to get. As nature often does though we are paying the price today. (Drip, drip)

After having a nice long lay in today, over the last two weeks I have been surviving on just four to six hours of sleep, I indulged myself. I only really had some shopping to do, and this enabled me to follow my diet and indulge in a Coffee and Cake. I say follow my diet as I have lost three inches off my waistline so I need to put on some weight so that my clothes fit me.

Yesterday, I went out and stood watch over an area that the Kites regularly visit. However I did not see the Kites at all. It may well be because of the number of people about enjoying the sunshine. I did however, get this short clip of film of a Wall Brown Butterfly.

Early in the morning I was trying to check my mail and such like, and I saw a procession of birds visiting my yard. The prettiest of them was the Collard Dove.

Later I was able to put up my do not disturb sign and watch the start of Springwatch on the TV. I can report for my overseas reader, that the Ospreys have two chicks!

Osprey Migration

Not that far from where this mouse lives is Derwent Reservoir. As well as being an important water resource it is also important as a trout fishery and a nature reserve. It is somewhere that I want to make time to visit but that will have to wait until I have more time. However, today I was close by, I had an appointment to attend, and I was frustrated as I was not really able to take my camera with me, especially as I was seeing Herons in the air. However, while I was waiting for the bus home, I saw a bird of prey that was unusual to my eyes. It was a distance away but it looked like it might be a Buzzard, but that looked wrong. I wracked my brain, and in the end I thought that it could be an Osprey. Now I cannot say for certain that is what I saw but it does appear that the Scottish ospreys do travel via this route on their migration to Africa so all the behaviour traits fit.

If it was an Osprey, it just shows that keeping your eyes open can provide rewards.