Camera trapping at REGUA: 11-16 July

Rachel and I put the camera trap out in two locations at REGUA last week - two nights in the forest just off the trail to the São José Tower (11th/12th-12th/13th) and then three nights along a stream in the forest along an unmarked trail off the Forest Trail (13th/14th, 14th/15th and 15th/16th), baiting both sites with bananas. I messed up the positioning of the camera on the São José Tower trail so nothing worth posting from that site, but I managed to capture a few nice videos from the forest stream site (to watch in HD click on the cog icon, click on Quality and the select the highest resolution).

Forest stream

This is the same stream along which I have placed a camera trap in the past, but this time the camera was placed further upstream into the forest.

Rusty-margined Guan Penelope superciliaris, 15 July 2016. Rarely encountered around the lodge area trails just a few
years ago, today Rusty-margined Guan are occasionally seen around the wetland and up to 4 birds visit the lodge
feeders daily.

Yellow-headed Caracara Milvago chimachima, 15 July 2016

Pale-breasted Thrush Turdus leucomelas, 14 July 2016

Red-rumped Agouti Dasyprocta leporina, 14 July 2016

Capybara Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris, 14 July 2016. Capybara appear to range widely from the wetland at night.

Atlantic Forest Nectomys or South American Water Rat Nectomys squamipes, 15 July 2016

Atlantic Forest Nectomys or South American Water Rat Nectomys squamipes swimming past, 15 July 2016

A small fruitbat species attracted to the bananas, 14 July 2016

Big-eared Opossum or Brazilian Common Opossum Didelphis aurita, 15 July 2016

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 10 July

A quiet but still very good morning at the 'Waldenoor' area of the reserve, situated up valley from the tiny settlement of Estrieto. A Red-cowled Cardinal from the truck in the village of Matumbo on route got the day started, before walking the Waldenoor Trail which produced 1m Frilled Coquette and 1 Pale-browed Treehunter (both at 'Waldenoor's house'), 1 Planalto Woodcreeper, 1 Scaled Woodcreeper, 4 (1H) Star-throated Antwren, 2 (1m, 1f) Surucua Trogon, 2 Cliff Flycatcher, 2 (1m, 1f) Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, 1 Grey-hooded Attila and 1H Grey-fronted Dove.

A walk along the Lower Veludo Trail down to the now legendary 'machete shop' produced 2+m White-shouldered Fire-eye and several f Black-goggled Tanagers around an ant swarm, 1m Spot-breasted Antvireo (and 1 prob. f glimpst), 1 Streak-capped Antwren, 1 Blond-crested Woodpecker, 2-3 Yellow-green Grosbeak, 2 Sepia-capped Flycatcher, 3 (1 ad. m, 1 imm. m, 1f) Blue Manakin, 1 Green-headed Tanager, 1m Chestnut-vented Conebill, 1m Violet-capped Woodnymph, 1 Yellow-eared Woodpecker, 1 Olivaceous Woodcreeper, 1 Golden-crowned Warbler, 1H White-throated Woodcreeper, 1H Rufous-breasted Leaftosser, and 1 prob. 2 Swainson's Flycatcher were in trees by the shop.

Checked out the derelict house at Waldenoor and found 2 Black Myotis Myotis nigricans bats roosting inside and a particularly 'interesting' spider.

2 Black Myotis Myotis nigricans, derelict house at Waldenoor, REGUA, 10 July 2016

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 8 July

Spent a couple of hours this morning paddling around the wetland in the research canoe checking out the progress of the replanted Tabebuia cassinoides - a slow growing swamp-loving climax tree species that once covered many lowland areas in the Atlantic Forest. The trees are doing very well but I am a little concerned that the Cattle Egret roost has partially moved to the tabebuia, which could threaten their survival.

From the canoe had nice views of the male Sungrebe (although it was not very tolerant of the canoe and so there is no chance using it to get close to photograph it), along with 2 (1 ad and 1 imm) Rufescent Tiger-Heron, 2+ Striated Heron, 1 Snowy Egret, 1-2 Anhinga, 3 Muscovy Duck, 1 Amazon Kingfisher, 1 Ringed Kingfisher, 2 Brazilian Teal, 2 Broad-snouted Caiman, and plenty of Capybara.

In the lodge garden a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl posed nicely for photos late morning, and 3 (1m, 2f) Flame-crested Tanager, 3+ Chivi Vireo and 1m Yellow-backed Tanager showed at very close range from the lodge tower early morning.

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum, lodge grounds, REGUA, 8 July 2016

Spent a couple of hours after dark photographing at least 5-6 Bokermann's Nectar Bats Lonchophylla bokermanni that were drinking sugar water from the lodge hummingbird feeders. I'm quite pleased with these pics considering this was my first attempt.

Bokermann's Nectar Bat Lonchophylla bokermanni, lodge garden, REGUA, 8 July 2016 (taken using a torch - no flash)

Bokermann's Nectar Bat Lonchophylla bokermanni, lodge garden, REGUA, 8 July 2016 (taken using a torch - no flash)

Also found a nice Hypsiboas semilineatus tree frog hoping around on the veranda. Amazingly variable this species - compare this individual to one I had at REGUA in 2014.

Hypsiboas semilineatus, lodge garden, REGUA, 8 July 2016

Graciosa, Azores: 15-17 June

Back from a trip to the Azores. Visited three islands - São Miguel, Terceira and Graciosa - for endemics and marine life. Loved it. Shall return. Could live there.

The island of Santa Cruz da Graciosa was our base for three pelagic trips to explore the waters off the north-east coast of the island for seabirds, cetaceans and other marine animals. Here the ocean floor drops rapidly to 1,000 m just 7 km from the coast and further down to over 2,000 m a little further out, a forming a submarine trench that is a magnet for cetaceans. In addition, an area of shallower water known as the Bank of Fortune, creates an upwelling of nutrients attracting a range of seabirds.

Our main target species here was Monteiro's Storm-petrel Hydrobates monteiroi - an Azorean endemic with the total global breeding population of 250-999 mature individuals confirmed nesting on just two islets off the coast of Graciosa - Praia islet (Ilhéu da Praia) and Baixo islet (Ilhéu de Baixo).

The first boat trip, on the afternoon of the 15th, was very tough going in rough seas with a nauseating swell and a force 13 wind. Highlights were several Monteiro's Storm-petrel, lots of Cory's Shearwater (but apparently much lower numbers than expected), 3 Roseate Tern around Praia islet, 2 Common Tern, 3 Eurasian Whimbrel, 2 Cuvier's Beaked Whales together and a pod of 3+ Common Dolphin, 1 turtle sp. and 3 Portuguese Man o' War Physalia physalis.

Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis, north-east of Graciosa, Azores, 15 June 2016

Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis, north-east of Grasiosa, Azores, 15 June 2016

Cuvier's Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris, north-east of Grasiosa, Azores, 15 June 2016

On the 16th a longer trip in calmer sea conditions out to the Bank of Fortune was disappointingly quiet, with c. 10 Bulwer's Petrel, c. 20 Monteiro's Storm-petrel, c. 30 Cory's Shearwater, 1 Common Tern, a pod of c.10 Common Dolphin and around c. 15 Portuguese Man o' War Physalia physalis seen, with not a single bird at the bank itself. At the south end of Graciosa near Ponta da Restinga a sick Cory's Shearwater found floating on the sea was successfully captured and brought aboard to be taken to a rescue centre, and several jellyfish sp. and a small Common Tern colony were also noted.

Monteiro's Storm-petrel Hydrobates monteiroi, north-east of Grasiosa, Azores, 16 June 2016

Monteiro's Storm-petrels Hydrobates monteiroi, north-east of Grasiosa, Azores, 16 June 2016

Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii, north-east of Graciosa, Azores, near the Bank of Fortune, 16 June 2016

Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii, north-east of Graciosa, Azores, near the Bank of Fortune, 16 June 2016

The trip on 17th was also quiet but did produce a lot more Cory's Shearwater, with hundreds in several rafts on the water. Unfortunately another sick bird was also found, this time in Praia de São Mateus harbour. Also noted were 1 pale phase Pomarine Skua in heavy primary moult, about 40 Roseate Tern plunge diving just offshore from Praia islet along with c. 30 Common Tern, and several Yellow-legged Gull offshore.

Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii near Praia islet, Graciosa, Azores, 17 June 2016

Roseate Terns Sterna dougallii plunge diving near Praia islet, Grasiosa, Azores, 17 June 2016

Cory's Shearwater Calonectris borealis, north-east of Graciosa, Azores, 17 June 2016

Cory's Shearwater Calonectris borealis, north-east of Graciosa, Azores, 17 June 2016

Cory's Shearwater Calonectris borealis, north-east of Graciosa, Azores, 17 June 2016

Additional notebook entries from the land on Graciosa include 1 Ruddy Turnstone at Praia de São Mateus harbour on 15th, 1m and 1 juv. Grey Wagtail at Porto da Barra on 15th, several Common Starling at Porto da Barra on 15th, lots of Madeira Wall Lizard Teira dugesii at Porto da Barra on 15th. Abundant House Sparrows were seen at Porto da Barra daily and several Yellow-legged Gull were noted at Praia de São Mateus harbour on all three days of various ages including adults, 1st-S and 2nd-S.

Praia islet (Ilhéu da Praia), 17 June 2016 - one of only two sites where Monteiro's Storm-petrel has been confirmed breeding

Madeira Wall Lizard Teira dugesii, Porto da Barra, Graciosa, Azores, 15 June 2016

Thursley Common NNR: 30 May

Met up with friends and fellow ecologists Jess Smith and Nick Archibald for a late afternoon wander around Thursley Common. A couple of hours walking around the boardwalk and Shrike Hill in heavily overcast and cool conditions produced 1 Eurasian Curlew in flight over the mire (plus others heard), a flock of 5 Woodlark (Shrike Hill), 1 Common Cuckoo, 1H Tree Pipit, 4 (2m, 2f) Common Stonechat, 1 Linnet, 1m Reed Bunting, and 3 (2m, 1f) Tufted Duck (mire).

Found some Round-leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia and lots of Bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata in flower at the mire, along with a superb fresh Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata. Jess had her trusty bat detector with her (Jess doesn't leave home without it nowadays!) and managed to find us 4-5 Soprano Pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus and a couple of Common Pipistrelles Pipistrellus pipistrellus around the Moat Pond and the west end of the boardwalk. A juvenile Common Starling seen by torch light roosting beside the boardwalk was also noted. A really pleasant few hours in great company.

Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata, Thursley Common NNR, 30 May 2016 (taken with Samsung Note 4, uncropped)

Round-leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia, mire, Thursley Common NNR, 30 May 2016 (taken with Samsung Note 4)

Weather: Heavily overcast (8 oktas), windy and cool.

Poland highlights: 26 September - 3 October

Rachel and I have spent the last week in north-east Poland, visiting the ancient Białowieża Forest for a few days before heading further north to the Biebrza Marshes - one of the largest lowland wetlands remaining in Europe. Most the birds that these two localities are best known for are summer visitors and had already departed south for the winter, but this wasn't a birding trip and we spent most days hiking and exploring the ecosystems. We saw some interesting visible bird migration, and we were visiting at the prime time for fungi and found lots of beautiful and bizarre looking species. Separate blog posts on both to follow, but in the meantime here's a few of the trip highlights.

Białowieża Forest: 26 - 30 September

The undoubted highlight of the whole trip was a close encounter with a bull European Bison just before dusk on 29 September, watched feeding in the forest just 15 metres away along the Worobiowa Glade trail before crossing the trail in front of us, at which point it became aware of our presence and paused for several minutes trying to check us out before running off into the forest (and disappearing surprisingly quickly for such a large animal).

Bull European Bison Bison bonasus, Worobiowa Glade trail, Białowieża Forest, 29 September. European Bison became extinct in
Poland in 1919 and extinct in the wild in 1927, mainly due to hunting. Just 54 remained in captivity, but a successful breeding programme
allowed them to be reintroduced at Białowieża in 1952. With around 2,300 now in the wild in nine countries (and approximately 800 in
Białowieża Forest), European Bison is now categorised at Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Bull European Bison Bison bonasus, Worobiowa Glade trail, Białowieża Forest, 29 September

Other mammals seen include 1 Red Fox at Kosy Most Bridge on 28 September, 1 Red Squirrel along the Worobiowa Glade trail on 29 September, and 3 (1 stag, 2 female) Red Deer and 1-2 Roe Deer on the Bondówka trail near Teremiski on 29 September. Driving the nearby roads after dark looking for mammals produced 2 (1 ad with a juv) Wild Boar along the Białowieża to Narewka road near Kosy Most road junction on 28 September, 2f Red Deer near Pogorzelce on 28 September and another 2f Red Deer along the 689 near Batory Mount on 28 September.

Avian highlights were thin on the ground due to the time of year. 1 Middle Spotted Woodpecker at the car park on the Białowieża to Narewka road just south of the junction with the Narewkowska Road on 28 September, 4 Hawfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Kosy Most Bridge on 28 September, and an immature White-tailed Eagle over the end of the Browska Droga trail on 30 September near the Belarus border were the most notable.

Good to see some 'northern' races of common species including 1 chunky male (northern) Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula (with quite a different 'trumpet-like' call compared to the European P. p. europoea) with a large flock of Long-tailed Tits of the nominate Aegithalos caudatus caudatus at Kosy Most Bridge on 28 September.

Long-tailed Tit, Kosy Most Bridge, 28 September

Biebrza Marshes: 30 September - 3 October

Mammal sightings include 2 European Badger and 2 Red Fox beside the Czar's Road (Carska Droga) between Osowiec Twierdza and Dobarz at night on 30 September, 2 very distant Elk (Moose) from the observation tower at Bialy Grad near the village of Mścichy on 1 October, 1 Red Fox at Grzedy on 2 October, 1f Red Deer and a superb stag Roe Deer just north of Grzedy on 2 October, 1 European Badger that ran out into the road in front of the car along the Carska Droga north of Goniadz on 2 October, 1 Red Squirrel and 1 Red Fox along the Czar's Road (Carska Droga) between Osowiec Twierdza and Grobla Honczarowska on 3 October, and 1 Wild Boar and 1 Red Squirrel along the trail at Grobla Honczarowska on 3 October.

Biebrza provided the only two lifers for me on this trip - a White-backed Woodpecker at Brzeziny Kapickie on the trail to Kapice on 2 October, and 1 Grey-headed Woodpecker along the trail at Grobla Honczarowska on 3 October - neither cooperating for the camera. Other notables include 1-2 ad. White-tailed Eagle over Brzeziny Kapickie on 2 October, 2 Hawfinch at Brzeziny Kapickie on 2 October, and a Black Woodpecker over the road east of Osowiec on 2nd October.

Record of White-backed Woodpecker, Brzeziny Kapickie, 2 October

Grass Snakes were common. Many were seen along the Czar's Road (Carska Droga) between Osowiec Twierdza and Laskowiec on 2 and 3 October, some of which had been killed by traffic. Managed to save one adult that almost got squashed by a car. Also found a nice juvenile on the track just north of Wólka Piaseczna on 2 October.

Juvenile Grass Snake Natrix natrix, Wólka Piaseczna, 2 October. This individual was being very aggressive - mock striking and
flattening its neck to display the yellow patches.

Grass Snake Natrix natrix, Czar's Road, 2 October

Grass Snake Natrix natrix, Czar's Road, 2 October, playing dead after I saved it from death

Also, plenty of Clouded Yellow Colias croceus butterflies around in the Brzeziny Kapickie and Osowiec area.

Hazel Dormice: 17 May

I've now started working towards obtaining my dormouse handling licence. Carried out two nest box surveys today - one at Sheepleas and another nearby at Green Dene - an area of ancient semi-natural woodland on the North Downs in Surrey comprised largely of hazel, beech and yew. Found five Hazel Dormice - an active male and three torpid females at Sheepleas (including two females together in a nest in the same box) and a single torpid female at Green Dene. Absolutely fantastic mammals and surely strong contenders for the cutest animal on Earth?

Female Hazel Dormouse in torpor, Sheepleas

Female Hazel Dormouse, Sheepleas - cuteness at the highest level!

Female Hazel Dormouse, Green Dene

Also noted today were 2 Roe Deer and a Roman Snail Helix pomatia at Sheepleas.

Roman Snail Helix pomatia, Sheepleas

A beaver on the Otter: 16 April

In Devon this week staying with good friends Jaffa and Helen in Budleigh Salterton while on a ecological consultancy course run by Acorn Ecology. The course has been excellent - I've learn't loads and met some really nice people.

After three failed attempts earlier in the week, this evening Jaffa and I finally connected with one of the Eurasian Beavers Castor fiber that have been introduced on the River Otter in Devon at his local patch. There are apparently nine animals - two pairs and five immatures. Defra agency APHA caught five of them to test for diseases such at bovine TB and Tularaemia and to ascertain the species, and after huge public pressure, re-released them back on the Otter once they we found to be disease free.

Jaffa has become obsessed with the beavers, visiting most evenings and observing their behaviour (check out his blog). In fact, he has become so obsessed with them that he has even named the pair on his patch - Gordon (a male with green ear tags) and Patricia (a female with pink ear tags). Helen and I are more than a little concerned about the amount of time he is spending with them, and wouldn't be at all surprised if he started swimming around and eating willow himself soon.

Female Eurasian Beaver Castor fiber on the River Otter this evening, doing what beavers do - swim about and eat willow

Pat, complete with huge pink earrings

Also notable during the week were a Slow Worm Anguis fragilis and a Grass Snake Natrix natrix at the Westpoint Centre near Clyst St Mary on 14 April (with the Grass Snake again on 15th).

Slow Worm Anguis fragilis, Westpoint Centre, Devon, 14 April - the dark sides indicate this is a female

The Moroccan hamada: 12 March

An excellent day birding the hamada near the town of Boumalne Dades for stony desert specialities. A roosting Pharaoh Eagle Owl shortly after dawn provided a great start, before moving on to the Tagdilt Track which produced 10+ Thick-billed Lark, including a pair watched feeding at extremely close range (down to 3 m) for over an hour, 3 Cream-coloured Courser, 4+ Greater Hoopoe Lark, lots of Temminck's Lark, a single Lesser Short-toed Lark, 1 Bar-tailed Lark, many Desert Lark, lots of Crested Lark and Thekla Lark, 2 Skylark (looking very out of place in this desert environment), several Red-rumped Wheatear, 2m Black-eared Wheatear, 1m Northern Wheatear, many Desert Wheatear, c33 Black-bellied Sandgrouse, 2 Trumpeter Finch, 1 Tawny Pipit and 2 Long-legged Buzzard, and 3 Little Ringed Plover were on the small muddy pools.

Thick-billed Lark - what a bird!

One of two Thick-billed Larks watched for an hour or so at extremely close range feeding on insects and seeds.

Thick-billed Lark

Temminck's Lark

Temminck's Lark

Bar-tailed Lark

One of three Cream-coloured Courser seen within a few metres of our 4x4

Spot the Pharaoh Eagle Owl

Little Ringed Plover

Fat Sand Rat Psammomys obesus - Lanner fodder

The Tagdilt Track looking north-west towards the High Atlas

The Tagdilt Track, or rather, tracks

The Tagdilt Track

Tragically the Moroccan authorities see nothing wrong with dumping truck loads of plastic in the desert and allowing it to blow
around everywhere! This dump is near Boumalne Dades at the north-west end of the Tagdilt Track.

The hamada near Boumalne Dades

Just north of the Tagdilt Track beside the N10 road 2 Woodchat were noted and 1 Common Swift moved west with a couple of Pallid Swift and a Sand Martin. A late afternoon visit to a small farm beside the road to Ikniouen provided a small selection of migrants including 1m Ring Ouzel, 1 very brief Bluethroat (seen in flight), 1m Common Redstart, c4 Tree Pipit, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff and a few Barn Swallow.

Migrant Tree Pipit