Chris Lansdell's Birding & Nature Diary

Reydon Wood and Covehithe, 6 May 2023

As it's prime time for Bluebells Belinda wanted to visit Reydon Wood on Saturday and I'm pleased to say we hit it just right for an amazing display. One of the best nautral wonders there is. Also there were the usual small numbers of Early Purple Orchids, Wood Sedge, Early Dog Violets, Water Violets at the pond and a pleasing find of Wood Melick, a new one for me. Also along the entrance track was a Midland Hawthorn, only the 2nd time I've managed to find one.

On to Covehithe for a walk down to Benacre Broad and back. It was pretty quiet with my first Sand Martins of the year, Common Sandpiper at the seaward end of the broad, a male Marsh Harrier, a Whimbrel over and Common Whitethroat and Garden Warbler along the lane. A 22-spot Ladybird was also along the lane near the church.

Bluebells

Early Purple Orchid

Wood Sedge

Wood Melick

Midland Hawthorn

22-spot Ladybird

Petty Whin - at last! 5 May 2023

Petty Whin is very scarce in East Anglia and one I've looked for in vain for years at places it has occured in the past. Luckily Rob Yaxley found some at one such site and kindly volunteered some grid refs. As we were already going halfway there anyway Belinda and I ventured out there on a sunny Friday evening and were rewarded with some lovely flowering plants in both spots I looked. After so many failures it was fantastic to finally see it. Into the bargain I also found Heath Dog Violet, 4 Woodlarks (including 2 on a track just feet away), Stonechat, Willow Warbler and a new spider which I'd not seen before - Gorse Orbweb Spider, Agalenatea redii on it's web slung between heather plants.

Petty Whin

Heath Dog Violet

Gorse Orbweb Spider

Mammals in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh

In my haste to finish the bird element of my India trip report while it was still fresh in the mind I deliberately missed out the mammals we saw. Except Bengal Tiger of course which had to be mentioned!

So this is a catch up of the mammals.

16 species were seen with the biggest numbers and variety being in Kaziranga NP. Here, apart from the aforementioned big cat the main target is Great Indian One-horned Rhino which proved very easy to see. We must have seen c100 including a mating pair. Considering the world population is now c4000 but was down to just 200 at the start of the 20th century they are a great conservation success story. Also in the park we saw 3 species of deer - Swamp Deer, Hog Deer and Red Muntjac (aka Barking Deer), Rhesus Macaque, Wild Pig, Asian Elephant, Water Buffalo and Smooth-coated Otter.

Squirrels accounted for several of the species seen with Malay Giant Squirrel, Orange-bellied Squirrel, Himalayan Ground Squirrel and Five-striped Palm Squirrel. Primates were restricted to just 3 species - the Rhesus Macaque already mentioned plus Holok Gibbon seen distantly in the Mishmi Hills and Capped Langur seen in the Mishmi Hills and also very well at Nameri.

Capped Langur

Great Indian One-horned Rhino

Hog Deer

Malay Giant Squirrel

Red Muntjac

Rhesus Macaque

Smooth-coated Otter

Swamp Deer

Bengal Tiger

Water Buffalo

Wild Pig

On fire in Rosary Cemetery! 1 May 2023

Acting on a tip off from Jeremy I paid a bank holiday Monday visit to Rosary Cemetery in Norwich.

The reason for the visit? Firebugs! Just where he said I found c150 of these rare and stunning looking beetles. Then, at another spot nearby I found some 200 more. The place was on fire with them! After spending some time getting far too many photographs I went on a more extended wander around the old cemetery. The sun glimpsed through periodically allowing me to see Holly Blue and Orange Tip but it was other insects that really caught my eye. I found my first odonata of the year a fresh female Large Red Damselfly plus Flavous Nomad Bee, Red Mason Bee and the very attractive Rhopalus subrufus. Several patches of Meadow Saxifrage were also in very good condition and seemingly doing well.

Firebugs

Large Red Damselfly

Holly Blue

Flavous Nomad Bee

Red Mason Bee

Rhopalus subrufus

Meadow Saxifrage

Cambridge, 29-30 April 2023

We took out motorhome down to Cambridge for a night this weekend parking up and spending the night by the River Cam 20 minutes walk from the city centre.

Opposite our overnight spot was a local nature reserve Logan's Meadow where I had Common Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, Song Thrush and Stock Dove as well as some large patches of Marsh Marigold. The 'swift tower' there was unoccupied thus far. Along the Cam a Grey Wagtail showed well as we approached the Jesus Lock footbridge and the first of 2 target plants for the day - Fatsia growing almost under the bridge. After breakfast and most of the day in Cambridge I called in for the other plant - Mediterranean Nettle, this time lurking outside a pub. There were several plants along a few yards stretch of pavement.

Fast forward to Sunday morning and we relocated to Wandlebury CP just outside the city. Here we did a long walk taking in the ring fort, roman road and across the road to Gog Magog Down. Highlights were my first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, Mistle Thrush, loads of singing Skylarks and some nice arable weeds including Henbit Dead Nettle, Common Fumitory and numerous Field Violets plus Spurge Laurel, Oregon Grape and concentrations of Cowslips like I've never seen before on the downs. Holly Blue, Comma, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Peacock and Orange Tip were the butterflies noted.