Lovely roe deer, stonechat and smooth snakes on a local heath

Here is one of our most endangered reptiles. These snakes are so elusive and fossorial that almost nothing is known about them. They are thought to be constrictors that feed mainly on other reptiles, especially lizards. Who knows. Other snakes certainly don't seem to fear them greatly.....I wonder what you think. They are often found in the same places as stonechats and roe deer are found.

A smart white egret

These lovely white egrets are a recent colonist in Southern England and are a lovely sight. There is an all black form in West Africa and the two are often seen together hunting in the shallows. In England only the white form exists. They are found on the Pagham marshes where they dash through the water spearing fish.

What a marvellous little stone chat and a roe doe

What a beautiful little bird this is. Look out for them now, as they tap out their alarm calls over the heath.

Beautiful Grey Plovers, ringed plover, oyster catcher and redshank

I think you'll like these lovely grey plovers and friends on the shore line at Pagham harbour.

Two adders together on Crooksbury Common

I found these two gorgeous adders together yesterday on Crooksbury Common. One of them is especially beautifully marked. What a splendid snake. The female adders need lots of warmth now as they prepare to give birth so they sun themselves as much as possible. Look out for them on the edges of paths and in bracken and heather....

A smooth snake and a grass snake together

Now here is an amazing picture!! Why? Because smooth snakes (our rarest reptile) are thought to feed mainly on other reptiles. However the grass snake is safe here because the two are the same size. Lucky old grass snake! Both species are found on the Surrey heaths where they live in the heather and are rarely seen.

A beautiful male stonechat

The stonechats are tiny robin sized birds with a big personality. They are among my favourite birds and the males are especially feisty, "tapping" madly if you get too close and flickling their wings. I also think they are amazingly beautiful and their stone tapping sound is one of my favourite sounds on the heath. Look out for them now as they are nesting again after returning from Africa.

Ethereal Swans at Fleet Pond

Fleet pond was once a Royal fish pond. It is now the largest lake in Hampshire and is a good place to see birds, especially swans. In the evening light these are truly magnificent creatures and supremely graceful.

Turtle Doves in Tugley

Aren't these turtle doves beautiful.....

Sunday, 7 June 2009

Baby Blackbird

The young black birds are out and about now and looking cute. They are very vulnerable to predation by cats though so if you see one gently shoo it into a tree or if it can't fly yet (they sometimes leave the nest early), put it in the branches of a tree. Don't listen to the TV naturalists of this world who advise leaving a bird where it is to be eaten by cats (inevitably). Some birds need our help!!!!

Turtle Doves

The turtle doves are back, beautiful harbingers of spring.....

Our most endangered Blue Butterfly, The silver studded blue

This tiny member of the blue family is gravely threatened by habitat loss and occurs in tiny numbers on a few heaths in the south of England. The brown female is as delightful as the blue male and both can be seen flying together in June and July when they appear briefly before vanishing again for another year.

Gorgeous yellow hammer bunting

No words are needed to describe this lovely little relative of the canary. They are sadly becoming rare now and are on the red list of British birds so look out for them and enjoy their little voice while you can....look on the tops of gorse bushes....good luck