More Vipers

Another return visit to the local woodland this afternoon  from 3pm, I first saw a Muntjac Deer bound off to the left of the path near the start. By walking down to near the end of the track, I first spotted a coiled up Adder right out in the open but it soon slithered off. Another area near some heather eventually revealed an incredible 6 Adders all slithered away one by one and by the Christmas tree, a further 6 were seen. A further 4 were seen in between these 2 areas by heather or grass near the cover of the trees.

An incredible 17 Adders seen in total, my highest daily total (only seen in 2 hours) so far!

At the end of the track, 2 Fallow Deer boundered out briefly and hopped away in a style similar to Roe Deer. Walking back just before the clearing, an explosion of wings revealed an excellent Woodcock which flew out and away over the clear. The dead Woodcock was still by the cut through path near the clearing. Also by the clearing Chaffinches were absolutely everywhere flying out of bushes, the ground and flying past me in a very passive version somewhat reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and up into the tall pines, I counted 620 Chaffinches but that may have been a gross underestimate of their true numbers.

Small groups of Siskins flew by 2's, 3's and 4's and I estimate I saw around 20 Siskin in total.

I also came across an odd looking Beetle, on the track which walked towards me and then over to the left, which I photographed and was later able to identify as a Minotaur Beetle.

Finally, a Barn Owl was seen from the A12 sitting on a post and I was able to photograph it briefly from a bit of a distance in the fading light, it then flew hunting over the field and drop down close to the fence before it flew off continuing hunting over the far side of the field.