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Bits and pieces.

Firstly, congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Emerson!

A few notes from the start of August. Ashwellthorpe Wood on the 1st, no White Admirals but many Whites and Peacock. A Common Buzzard was calling and circling above the wood and a smart Kestrel was hunting on the woodland edge.
On the 2nd, I completed my first of 2 Waterways surveys for Daubenton's Bat. 15+ passes of said species were noted, an improvement on the last survey which was 8 in 2008. Considering the proximity of Marriot's Way to the city centre, I was pleasantly surprised to record 5+ Noctule, 2 Common Pip and many Soprano Pip. I have since had a Noctule fly over my house on his evening commute, what a garden tick! 
Debs and I visited Strumpshaw Fen on the 4th, enjoying the almost menacing flights of Migrant and Southern Hawker along with both Ruddy and Common Darter. 100's of Peacock Butterflies nectared in the reed beds, an amazing sight.
Due to the sparsity of notes in my book (getting lazy) I cannot put an exact date to the next sighting, but I would say it was around the 5th. I was very lucky to watch a mother and fawn Chinese Water Deer feeding amongst the newly cut grass next to Rockland Broad. I managed a few photos before mum spotted me and headed the youngster of to safety. Full of character these small Deer, and that is my second fawn this year. 

Yesterday, on route to a stag do I travelled via the Ouse Washes. I had forgotten what a desolate, windswept place this was. And the roads are a nightmare. Last time I was here, in 2011, I dipped a Blue-winged Teal. Same story this time. I didn't have much time to spare, phone calls in the hide and texts alerting me that the stag party were in a pub in Isleham informing me I needed to 'get on it' further shortened what time I had. The Teal was not on show, but I did see a good selection of common Waders. 
This morning, shaking of a heavy one, I saw a juvenile Cuckoo on a fencepost by our campsite. Tawny Owls had called throughout the night, and Common Terns were fishing the river Lark over the watershed. 





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