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.

-----------------------------------

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

-----------------------------------

HEDGEHOGS (ERINACEOMORPHA)


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

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

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

-----------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------

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

-----------------------------------

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. 

Breckland inverts

On Friday I spent the day in the Brecks and Fens.  My attention was mainly on birds, but always keeping an eye out for other wildlife of course.  And some of it was quite interesting, to me at least, although probably pretty unremarkable to an ardent pan-lister.

Rarely is it this late before I see a butterfly, but this year it wasn't until Friday that I saw my first identified butterflies (a couple of brief glimpses previously) - Small Tortoiseshells in 3 locations and 2 Brimstones at Hockwold Fen.  Hockwold Fen was also the site of my only beetle of the day, a new species for me, albeit apparently a very common one - Pea-leaf Weevil Sitona lineatus.

Pea-leaf Weevil Sitona lineatus, Hockwold Fen, 25th March

Earlier in the day at Lynford I found several slugs descending tree trunks.  I'm in the process of putting together a pan-list but haven't got to slugs yet, and so not made much attempt to identify many of them so far.  But these looked a bit different to the slugs I'm used to seeing so I decided to look them up.  Not 100% sure but I think they're Chestnut Slugs Deroceras invadens (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Chestnut Slugs Deroceras invadens (I think), Hockwold Fen, 25th March

When it comes to pan-listing plants I'm not sure how you can tell garden escapes from naturalised plants - I gather the latter are considered 'countable' while the former aren't.  I suspect if I ever want to take my pan-list seriously (which is unlikely) I will have to delete quite a few escapes from it.  Pretty sure half the flowers along the seawall at Burnham Overy are dodgy!  Spanish Bluebells and Grape Hyacinths for example.  Even assuming I've identified it correctly I doubt if I would be allowed to count this Glory of the Snow at a fly-tipping site...

Glory of the Snow (I think), near Cranwich Heath, 25th March

The next one was so abundant it must either be wild or naturalised, but for the life of me I couldn't find it in my books.  I was sure I've seen it before, and thought I'd even known what it was called once upon a time.  But I couldn't remember and asked here for help.  Big thanks to James again for coming to the rescue - it's the naturalised Oregon Grape (and I don't think I had ever known it before as it turns out).

Oregon Grape, Cranwich Heath, 25th March - thanks James for the ID

I'd hoped to find some moths or other interesting inverts at Cranwich Heath but drew a complete blank.  Walked all over and failed to find a single moth, beetle or bug.  I thought the semi-warm sunny afternoon might be good, but either it wasn't warm enough or it waas just too early in the season.  Or I wasn't looking hard enough.  At least this Fox was big and easy enough for me to see and identify it...

Red Fox, Cranwich Heath, 25th March

Cranwich Camp was hard work too.  I did find an intriguing woodlouse - on a rotting stump and spending most of its time down holes in the wood.  There are reasonably good references freely available online for woodlouse ID so I imagined I'd be able to put a name to it, but didn't succeed.  Once again James came to the rescue, keying it out as Common Rough Woodlouse Porcellio scaber.

Common Rough Woodlouse Porcelio scaber, Cranwich Camp, 25th March - thanks to James for the ID

One blossoming Sallow was attended by a number of bees, two of which I photographed.  I have vague recollections of identifiying Buff-tailed Bumble Bee in my youth but when I was going through my bee photos recently I couldn't find any of this species, so didn't add it to my pan-list.  I can now though, as I think this is a Buff-tailed Bumble Bee...

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, Cranwich Camp, 25th March

I've never been very confident in separating Honey Bees from various Andrena and Colletes species, so consequently haven't paid much attention to them, and I didn't have any photos of bees that were good enough to be able to assign as Honey Bee even when I got Steven Falk and Richard Lewington's new Bees book.  So although I had clearly seen Honey Bee - and probably been stung by one - before, I didn't have any single individual that I could definitely say was one, and so hadn't added it to my pan-list.  Unless I'm much mistaken (which is always possible) this individual sets that straight.

Honey Bee, Cranwich Camp, 25th March

Back at home the moth trap yielded 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, March Moth, Common Quaker, 9 Hebrew Characters and 3 Early Greys on Friday night.  Last night produced just Dotted Border, March Moth and 4 Hebrew Characters.