REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 11 July

Rachel and I put the camera trap out today, just off the trail leading to the São José Tower and baited the area with bananas - let's see what comes in? Walked to the site via the Forest Trail and had a nice winter mixed species bird flock that included 1 Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant (yet another forest interior species moving into the area), several Black-goggled Tanager, 1 Sepia-capped Flycatcher, 1m Crested Becard, 1 Yellow-backed Tanager, 2-3 Squirrel Cuckoo, and 1f White-bearded Manakin.

On the wetland, 2 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 2 Anhinga, 8 White-faced Whistling-Duck, several Muscovy Duck, several Brazilian Teal and an adult Rufescent Tiger-Heron were logged, and over the lodge several Biscutate Swift were quite low mid afternoon.

A couple of hours walking the Wetland Trail after dark was unsurprisingly very quiet for nocturnal bird activity, producing just 1f Pauraque (down to 2 metres in torch light) and 2H Tropical Screech-Owl, along with a roosting Purple Gallinule, 2 Capybara and an incredible 41 Broad-snouted Caiman - by far my highest count here and only one short of the REGUA record!

Female Pauraque Hydropsalis albicollis, REGUA wetland, after dark 11 July 2016 (taken using a torch - no flash)

1 of 41 Broad-snouted Caiman Caiman latirostris at the REGUA wetland this evening. Amazing to think that just 11 years go the
wetland was farmland, and none of these reptiles have been introduced.

Roosting Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica, 11 July 2016

Several Neotropical Cichlid Geophagus brasiliensis were seen in the wetland by torch light - a common Atlantc Forest endemic of calm
water and species frequently kept in aquariums. Many thanks to Thiago Barros of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) for
the identification.

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

Staines Moor: 7 May

Little change from two days ago with passage migrants again almost non-existent in the fine weather, presumably passing straight through high overhead. 2 Spotted Flycatchers together at the south end of Bonehead Ditch were the highlight, and 1 Reed Warbler (in scrub at the north end of the Colne), 4 Common Swift and 8 Barn Swallow (4S, 3N, 1W) were the only birds seemingly moving through.

1 of 2 Spotted Flycatchers at the south end of Bonehead Ditch today

Migrant Reed Warbler singing in scrub along the north end of the Colne today

Summering warblers were very much in evidence today. The Grasshopper Warbler showed briefly twice, and 1m Garden Warbler (singing in the west hawthorns), and 1 Reed Warbler (bridge to Stanwell Moor), 9 (1H) Sedge Warbler, 13 (2H) Common Whitethroat, 1H Lesser Whitethroat (west hawthorns), 6 (4H) Chiffchaff, 9 (3H) Blackcap (inc. 4m, 2f), and 3 (2H) Cetti's Warbler (Butts Pond, bridge to Stanwell Moor) were also logged.

Other summer visitors noted include 3 Hobby (hunting insects over the two wooden bridges late afternoon), 1+ Common Tern (Colne), 2+ Redshank (Colne), 2 Common Shelduck E, 10 Reed Bunting (6m, 3f) and plenty of Skylark and Meadow Pipit. Found a Long-tailed Tit building a nest close to the predated nest and another pair nest buiding in a hawthorn in the NE corner, though I couldn't get close enough to find it. Also found a Carrion Crow sitting on a nest in the Bonehead woodland. Worryingly, where are our Cuckoos?

Long-tailed Tit nest in the early stages of being built in the NW corner today

Also noted were 1m Stonechat with what was probably the female, but very distant (SE corner), 2m Goldcrest (both singing in Bonehead woodland), 3+ Little Egret, 6 Red Kite, 1f Kestrel, 1-2 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 2 (1m, 1f) Pied Wagtail (Colne), 1 Coot (Colne), 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Canada Geese S, and 1 Grey Heron.

3m Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens along Bonehead Ditch were my first of the year, and butterflies seen include 1 Speckled Wood, many Orange-tip (including 1f), several m Brimstone, and 2 Peacock. Finally, found a dead Grass Snake beside the Colne at the north end today - only my second record for Staines Moor (thankfully my first record was a live one).

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.

Thursley NNR: 22 April

A really pleasant day at Thursley Common in Surrey today (I couldn't face the prospect of seeing bugger all at the patch). My main aim was to look for reptiles and early dragonflies, but a cold fresh NE from mid-morning wind was far from ideal and I only managed one species of each - lots of Common Lizards Zootoca vivipara on the wooden boardwalks (both adults and young), and just a single female Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula.

Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara - the boardwalks at Thursley Common are a great place to see them

Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara - note how this one has flattened its body to maximise surface area facing the sun

Today's female Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula. The black legs help separate from Small Red Damselfly Ceriagrion
tenellum. Note the pterostigma is yellowish and not blackish - perhaps because newly emerged?

Some good birds seen today. Summer visitors noted were 2+ Hobby (hunting insects overhead), 2 Eurasian Curlew (presumably a pair on the peat bog), 1(H) Common Whitethroat (bog), 1m Common Redstart (singing around the Moat), 1 Tree Pipit (singing) and 1m Common Cuckoo. 5 Barn Swallow (mainly NW) constituted the only vis mig overhead.

Other species logged were 2 Woodlark (pair, with a male watched singing, in display flight and feeding on the fire breaks), 1m Yellowhammer (bog), 4(3m) Stonechat, Red Kite E, 2 Common Buzzard, several Linnet (a couple seen but mainly heard), 2 Tufted Duck (pair on the bog), 2+ Kestrel, 1(H) Dartford Warbler, 1(H) Siskin, Coal Tit (H), 2 Greylag Goose N, 1 Grey Heron (Moat) and a Canada/Barnacle Goose hybrid with a Canada Goose on the Moat pond.

Also, lots of Devil's Matchstick Cladonia floerkeana lichen growing on the sandy soil amongst the heather.

Devil's Matchstick Cladonia floerkeana

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

Lepidoptera walk at 'The Fragment', REGUA, Brazil: 18 March

Another post from REGUA. Today, Helen, Rachel, Andrew 'Hhhi' Proudfoot, Pete and I teamed up with REGUA's Research Co-ordinator Jorge Bizarro for a butterfly walk along the Onofre Cunha Trail. This trail runs through an area of good quality flat lowland Atlantic Forest, a very rare habitat indeed in the Atlantic Forest nowadays, located a couple of kilometres outside of the main part of the Reserve, and known at REGUA as simply 'The Fragment'.

Jorge's knowledge of Neotropical butterflies and their lifecycles is second to none, and he found many interesting species for us during the morning, both as adults and caterpillars. For anyone visiting REGUA I highly recommend a butterfly walk with him.

Highlights include a first for Rio de Janeiro state - a Little Banner Nica flavilla flavilla - a widespread Neotropical metalmark (Riodinidae) found from Mexico south to Bolivia, and apparently rather scarce in the south-east corner of the continent, and a second for Rio de Janeiro state - a Shining Groundstreak Calycopis demonassa (Jorge photographed the first for the state only yesterday on the Forest Trail), and a new species of butterfly for REGUA.

Little Banner Nica flavilla flavilla at Onofre Cunha today - a new butterfly for REGUA and Rio de Janeiro state!

A terrible out of focus photo of today's Shining Groundstreak Calycopis demonassa, grabbed before it flew off. This is the second
record for Rio de Janeiro state, after one on the Forest Trail yesterday also found by Jorge!

Another highlight was a very fresh White Witch Moth Thysania agrippina discovered resting characteristically side-on on the side of tree. This huge Noctuid has the largest wing-span of any moth or insect in the world, with a record wing-span of 280 mm! In flight they're even more bonkers!

White Witch Moth Thysania agrippina today

Other butterflies seen include Smooth-banded Sister Adelpha cytherea, Hemon Hairstreak Theritas hemon, and several Many-banded Daggerwing Marpesia chiron marius. Many thanks to Jorge for his help with the identifications.

Smooth-banded Sister Adelpha cytherea

Hemon Hairstreak Theritas hemon - a fairly common species at REGUA

The Fragment is also an excellent site for odonata. We didn't look specifically for them today but still managed to photograph a few Argia lilacina (apparently scarce at the Fragment) and a superb male Band-winged Dragonlet Erythrodiplax umbrata (many thanks to Tom Kompier for the identifications).

Male Band-winged Dragonlet Erythrodiplax umbrata

Female Argia lilacina

Birds took a back seat this morning, but without even trying I managed to see 1 Southern Caracara, 2m and 1f White-flanked Antwren, 1 Plain-winged Woodcreeper, 1 Streaked Xenops, 2m Flame-crested Tanager, 1 Fawn-breasted Tanager, 1m and 1f Blue Dacnis, 1m Yellow-backed Tanager and 1f Violaceous Euphonia along the trail.

This morning before the walk, 3 Scaly-headed Parrot flew over the conservation centre, and I spent some time photographing more moths at the moth wall, as well as this tiny, and unusually co-operative, young Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia that even rested on my hand while I snapped it with the macro.

This Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia resting on my finger, has no doubt also been enjoying the recent moth trapping

A few Moroccan reptiles

A belated post showing a few photos of some of the reptiles seen in Morocco back in March. It was a shame we didn't have time to search for more species.

Male Atlas Day Gecko Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus, Oukaimeden, High Atlas, 10 March 2013 - a Moroccan endemic found only
in the Toubkal Massif and the High Atlas Mountains.

Female Atlas Day Gecko Quedenfeldtia trachyblepharus, Oukaimeden, High Atlas, 10 March 2013

Duméril's Fringe-fingered Lizard Acanthodactylus dumerilii, east of Erg Chebbi, 15 March 2013. This well-marked
individual is presumably a male (compare below).

Duméril's Fringe-fingered Lizard Acanthodactylus dumerilii, east of Erg Chebbi, 15 March 2013

Podarcis sp. cf. Podarcis vaucheri, Oukaimeden, High Atlas, 10 March 2013

Podarcis sp. cf. Podarcis vaucheri, Oukaimeden, High Atlas, 10 March 2013

Spanish Terrapin Mauremys leprosa, Lake Sidi Boughaba National Park, 20 March 2013

Check out the diversity of reptiles and amphibians found in Morocco on the excellent website Morocco Herps.