Tuesday 25 February 2014

Peregrine, Mergansers, Red Admiral and an Adder

Little Egret, Egretta garzetta
On Saturday a trip to Arundel WWT gave me a Peregrine perched in a tree at the top of the ridge and a Water Vole in the pond near the woodland bird feeders. 
Yesterday I visited Southwick Lock where I saw four Red-breasted Mergansers. Widewater Lagoon had a pair of them plus a Little Egret fishing by the islands. I then checked out Mill Hill for adders and saw a Red Admiral flitting round the bottom of the hill. I  found my first Violet of the year, then climbed the path and looked in a place where I usually see adders.  Bingo! - a juvenile black Adder was coiled up by the path. The sun had disappeared by this time, and the adder eventually slithered off, estimated length 50 cms.
Spring has arrived early

Greylag Goose, Anser anser
Magpie Goose, Anseranas semipalmata
Magpie Goose
Magpie Geese
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Peregrine, Falco peregrinus
Water Vole, Arvicola amphibius
Crocuses in Hove
Widewater:
Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta
Little Egret with food



swallowing a fish
female Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator



male Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator
male and female Red-breasted Mergansers

Runner duck
Violet - not sure which species
juvenile Adder, Vipera berus

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