Review of 2019 and 2020 - Mammals

MAMMALS (MAMMALIA)

My mammal-recording efforts aren't very systemmatic as I don't record every example of common mammal that I see but here's a summary of those I encountered in 2019 and 2020.



RODENTS (RODENTIA)


Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis - One of the common species I don't record properly.  I occasionally see them in the garden and more often at the meadows.

Grey Squirrel, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 20th September 2019

Grey Squirrel, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th April 2020

Grey Squirrel, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 1st June 2020

Water Vole Arvicola amphibius - I was pretty sure that some holes along the edge of the dyke next to the railway at the bottom of the meadows belonged to Water Voles.  They looked like the animal had accessed them vertically from the water whereas I understand that Brown Rat holes would show a horizontal rat-run access from the sides.  It was over a year before I actually saw a Water Vole here, on 25th May 2019, and that was a pretty poor view.  It was initially completely hidden but I could see dead reed stems being pulled into the vegetation.  Eventually I saw the animal, albeit only very limited partial views.  Spring 2020 produced much better views as an adult and a youngster showed well on 19th and 22nd April.  The youngster showed again on 2nd May and one was seen again on several occasions up to 25th May.

Water Vole hole, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 11th January 2019

Water Voles, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 22nd April 2020

Water Vole, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 2nd May 2020

Bank Vole Myodes glareolus - Good views of one obtained at Lackford Lakes on 23rd February 2019.

Bank Vole, Lynford Lakes, 23rd February 2019

Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus - this is the most likely ID for two mice seen well, one in my garden (where it was seen scurrying up to an empty fat-feeder (intended for birds) and hiding in the hole, and one at the meadows.  Without seeing the underside of their neck I can't absolutely rule out Yellow-necked Mouse Apodemus flavicollis as the ID for either of these, however that species is apparently rare in this part of Norfolk whereas Wood Mouse is very common.

probable Wood Mouse, North Elmham, 4th July 2019

probable Wood Mouse, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 12th August 2019

Harvest Mouse Micromys minutus - None - sadly no repeat of the Harvest Mouse that graced my garden one day in 2017.


Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus - Seen twice at the Cathedral Meadows, on 22nd March and 10th May 2019.

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RABBITS (LAGOMORPHA)


Brown Hare Lepus europaeus - I'm sure I saw others but the only ones I recorded in Norfolk in 2019 were at Sennowe on 17th April.  Although I have seen the species in the North Elmham area, including at Spong Hill in April 2020, I haven't yet seen it at the Cathedral Meadows (or in the surrounding farmland viewed from there).  Also some young Hares at Fidden on Mull in June 2019.

Brown Hares, Sennowe, 17th April 2019

young Brown Hare, Fidden (Mull), 9th June 2019

Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus - Regularly seen at the meadows among other places.

Rabbit, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 14th April 2019

Rabbit, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 27th April 2020

Rabbit, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2020

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HEDGEHOGS (ERINACEOMORPHA)


Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus - None - the last one I saw alive was in my garden in 2017.

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SHREWS and MOLES (SORICOMORPHA)


Mole Talpa europaea - Plenty of evidence of their activity at the meadows but I haven't seen an actual live mole anywhere since 2013.  No Shrews recorded.

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BATS (CHIROPTERA)

I acquired an Echo Meter Touch bat detector in late October 2020 so hope to be able to record more bats in future but this was a bit late in the season to get started so not much to report yet.

Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus - One identified using Will Soar's Echo Meter at Brancaster on 2nd July 2020.  Several detected using my new Echo Meter at different points round the meadows between 30th October and 13th November.  Also a day-flying bat at Foxley Wood on 10th July which I think was either this species or Soprano Pipistrelle.

Common or Soprano Pipistrelle, Foxley Wood, 10th July 2020

Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus - Several detected with the Echo Meter at different points round the meadows between 30th October and 13th November.

Soprano Pipistrelle, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th November 2020

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CARNIVORES (CARNIVORA)


Red Fox Vulpes vulpes - 1-2 recorded at least 5 times at the meadows in each of 2019 and 2020.  One young fox was watched chasing Pheasants in one of the neighbouring fields, with great ineptitude.  It would eye up a particular Pheasant in the distance and then start running at it, apparently not noticing other Pheasants that it was running straight past, and then give up the chase before it reached the target.  Maybe it was already well-fed and just larking about, but the Pheasants didn't seem to be very worried.

Red Fox, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 19th July 2019

Red Fox, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 8th September 2019

Red Fox, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd May 2020

Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus - Common on Mull where 90 counted at Eilean an Fheoir on 11th June 2019.


Otter Lutra lutra - I didn't see any in Norfolk in 2019 or 2020 but seen on Mull in June 2019 with one near Carsaig and one at Dervaig.  I am aware that they're in the Wensum just below the Cathedral Meadows so they ought to be visible from the meadows on occasion.  I've had no sign yet though...

Otter, Carsaig, 10th June 2019

Badger Meles meles - A wonderful view of 2 Badgers at Great Wood in Borrowdale on 5th April 2019.


Stoat Mustela erminea - Seen on 2 out of just 3 visits to Burnham Overy in 2019.  None in 2020 and these were the third and fourth consecutive years that I failed to see a Weasel Mustela nivalis.

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EVEN-TOED UNGULATES (ARTIODACTYLA)


Wild Boar Sus scrofa - None seen but some were heard when I stopped between Sant Vicenc and Torrelles de Llobregat (Spain) to look for moths.


Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus - Frequently encountered at the meadows, or rather from the meadows as I don't think I saw one actually on the meadows themselves all year.  This included a family of 2 adults and 2 young - not sure I've ever seen any so young they're still spotty before.

Roe Deer family, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2019

Roe Deer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 28th October 2020

Roe Deer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 4th November 2020

Roe Deer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 23rd November 2020

Red Deer Cervus elaphus - My only records in 2019 were from Mull where they were frequently encountered.  The individual photographed was taken from the cabin where we were staying at Carsaig.  None in 2020.

Red Deer, Carsaig, 10th June 2019

Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi - Frequent at the meadows.  A calling animal on the green in North Elmham was visible from my study window one day in 2019, the first confirmed record for my house (though I'm pretty sure I've heard them on a number of occasions).

Muntjac, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 13th July 2020

Muntjac, Stiffkey, 16th October 2020

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CETACEANS (CETACEA)


Bottlenose Dolpin Tursiops truncatus - 3 lots of 3 dolphins watched from our holiday cabin at Carsaig in June 2019 were probably this species although I'm not very experienced with dolphin identification and wasn't 100% certain. 

All 3 November Moth aggregates

This Brick was new for the year on 20th October.

Brick, North Elmham, 20th October

Othe rmoths that night were Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 8 November Moths, another unidentified Epirrita sp., 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and 2 Beaded Chestnuts.

The following night produced Garden Rose Tortrix Acleris variegana, Narrow-winged Grey Eudonia angustea, 4 November Moths, 3 Feathered Thorns, Black Rustic, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Lunar Underwing.  Also a Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg.

A visit to the coast on 22nd produced this Muntjac at Brancaster and a big gathering of 30+ Harlequin Ladybirds on sycamores in Burnham Deepdale churchyard - that count wasn't a very careful one so the true figure was undoubtedly very much higher.

Muntjac, Brancaster, 22nd October

That night the moth trap at home produced 3 November Moths, another unidentified Epirrita sp., Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, 3 Green-brindled Crescents, Red-line Quaker and Yellow-line Quaker.

The following night delivered my first Sprawler of the year, along with 3 November Moths, 4 Feathered Thorns, 2 Black Rustics, 3 Green-brindled Crescents and 2 Yellow-line Quakers.

Sprawler, North Elmham, 23rd October

My first Autumnal Moth of the year appeared on 24th.  This is very much the scarcer of the 3 Epirrita species here with just 2 in 2014 and none in 2015 (cf. 95 November Moths and 26 Pale November Moths in 2014-15).

Autumnal Moth (male, gen det), North Elmham, 24th October

Also that night were 3 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 3 Black Rustics, Green-brindled Crescent, Yellow-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnut. See how similar the first of these November Moths is to the Autumnal Moth - I wonder if anyone would have been brave enough to call these without checking their abdominal features...

November Moths (males, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 24th October

25th produced 3 November Moths, Merveille du Jour and Beaded Chestnut.

Merveille du Jour, North Elmham, 25th October

This Weasel was lying dead in the middle of the coastal footpath at Stiffkey Greens on 26th.

dead Weasel, Stiffkey Greens, 26th October

Later that day I visited Wiveton Down LNR for the first time.  This leafhopper landed on my car as I got out of it - a Fagocyba sp. I think.  The options appear to be Facogyba cruenta and Fagocyba carri.  Seems that the former is commoner but mainly associated with Beech whereas the latter is associated with Oak - I recall seeing Oak there but don't remember any Beech.

Fagocyba sp., Wiveton Down LNR, 26th October

I suspected these fungi might be Sulphur Tufts, but James tells me they aren't - some kind of Rustgill Gymnopilus sp. apparently.

Rustgills sp., Wiveton Down LNR, 26th October

I finished the day at Friary Hills (Blakeney) where another mushroom initially defied identification attempts.  In the end I settled on Yellowleg Bonnet although the stem wasn't as vivid yellow as one of my books suggested. Again James has put me right - not Yellowleg Bennet (clearly quite different from the examples he photographed recently) but unfortunately not clear what it is from these photos.

unidentified mushroom, Friary Hills, Blakeney, 26th October

An Epirrita sp. was seen at Friary Hills too, but it landed too high up to reach so couldn't get a firm ID on it.  At home that night there were 4 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Chestnut and 2 Beaded Chestnuts.

2 Pale November Moths on 27th were my first of the year and it was the best night for variety for a while including a couple species that I had thought were done for the year (Shuttle-shaped Dart and 2 Snouts).  The others were Ashy Button Acleris sparsana, 6 November Moths, Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, 2 Green-brindled Crescents, Merveille du Jour, 3 Yellow-line Quakers and 3 Beaded Chestnuts.

Pale November Moth (male, 8th sternite det), North Elmham, 27th October

Also a Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea agg. and another Pinalitus cervinus.

Pinalitus cervinus, North Elmham, 27th October

The following night there were Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana, 6 November Moths, another Pale November Moth, Feathered Thorn, Green-brindled Crescent, 2 Yellow-line Quakers and Beaded Chestnut.