21.05.2010
It’s warming up at the Mere

after sitting here for a while, squirrel number one hopped across the bridge using the handrail as it’s own little highway.
Their agility has to be admired.

later, squirrel number two turned up and had a good old sniff about.
It then scurried across the bridge, in the wake of number one, sniffing everywhere it went, .
I know it’s not exactly news, but we are surrounded by animal scents -we may well be mistaken for a squirrel by another as we probably have their scent on us . . . if we use the handrail.
I may well wear latex gloves next time I cross the bridge!

a snatch of yet another furious fight between a coot and anything else that happens to be passing.
Here it’s the moorhen couple (see previous blog entry) who eventually saw off the intruder.
If there was a passing rhino, I think the coot would have a go. . .

one of the ubiquitous collared doves leaving the feeder.
I include this as a fleeting moment, normally the wing display would be lost in a flurry of feathers.

still four in number and doing well, the mallard chicks.
And elder brother in the background.

yes, the slime is back.
Looking at last year’s blog, it was present 01.07.09.
The delightful, fragrant, blue green algal bloom.
It’ll cover the Mere in a weekend I bet.
It’s warming up at the Mere

08.04.08

it’s interesting to see the alternative uses made of the information signs by animals on the site.
Some wild, some less so.

A resident wren often perches on one post in particular,
by the main bridge, meanwhile, two more residents use them as lookout points.

a jay, busy gathering nest material.

Pippin, just one of four cats spotted this day.

an elusive, but noisy chiffchaff on the railway emankment.
No post needed, just leafy cover.

a dull, wet day at the Mere, however, lots going on all the same

a heron patrolling near the Spit, not sure what he was after, but it went down nicely.

a muntjac, seen on site several times, this time in the Pyghtle by an alert Sheila

Wildlife report
There is not much noticeable at this time of year but the bats were still in evidence in November but are probably hibernating now. The Mallard population seems to be staying at the same level (between 15 -20 birds). A Sparrowhawk is sighted regularly, along with Great Spotted Woodpeckers (who are doing a great deal of damage to one of the old pollarded willow trees). Sheila has seen a Redpoll twice but no Redwings at all this year. Still, it is early days yet. There seem to be quite a lot of cats in the area which, unfortunately will take out the bank voles, etc, but they may also help keep down the rat population, so they are a mixed blessing!

Flora
A single Marsh Marigold flowered on Xmas Eve (or was first noticed then!). This must be a record. Some of the trees are in bud – it seems as if they have only just lost their leaves.