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.

A Nest of Vipers!

Having to use my A/L up, I had a whole day out today.

First up was yet another disappointing trip to Sotterley where, as usual I saw no sign of the Hawfinches. A Treecreeper heard near the entrance, single Nuthatches seen and heard at the Dell and near the church plus a Redwing flying across the entrance field and a calling Chiff- Chaff was the first herald of Spring amongst the common migrants, albeit rather late for my first of the year.

A female Sparrowhawk flying over the Dell caused several of the Tit species to alarm call.

Drving back first eitther a Stoat or Weasel dashed across the road from right to left and a pair of Buzzards soaring over a wood plus a female Sparrowhawk flying over.

Kessingland Sewage works was the next stop and walking down I saw my first butterflies of the year, 2 Small Tortoiseshells and 2 Peacocks near the sewage worksI saw 6 male/ 1st year male Reed Buntings and 4 Pied Wagtails on the sewage beds and an eventually showy Chiff- Chaff called from the trees further down the track. A Little Grebe was heard "winnowing" from the marsh but not seen.

A disappointing morning was followed up by an excellent afternoon of wildlife watching following a quick lunch stop at home. By 1pm I was driving down the track down to an area of local woodland. A fine Brimstone butterfly seen flying by the right hand side of the road.

Walking down the northern most track (following the power lines) I walked 2/3 of the way down and at the usual place I noted my first Comma butterfly of the year and my second Brimstone flying past east. From the area of heather I heard the slithering sound of 2 unidentified snakes plus a few metres west from here I heard yet another slithering sound and I saw a very dark looking young Grass Snake briefly and then the more usual olive-green coloured one, an adult Grass Snake with the usual yellow neck collar marking.

Dog walkers going past a few metres away then forced it to move off. I then walked futher down the track almost to the end and at an area by 2 20 foot tall "distinctive trees". I had the incredible experience of seeing 8 Adders, lying together in pairs just underneath the lower fronds of this tree. 8 Adders all contained within a 2 1/2 metre area. They allowed a close approach and I was just over a metre away from them. This group of 8 were sunbathing and they were "lying" together in pairs, 1 seeking out the other. The males of the group (around 3 seen) seemed to go on regular patrols around the edge of the tree whilst the females seemed to just lie there sunbathing! It was fascinating to see them really flatten their bodies and therefore increase the surface area, so they could soak up as much heat (essential for a cold blooded reptile) from the sunlight as possible.

I left them after taking a few pictures and then walked on to the last bit of heather just before the last pylon and saw another group of 4 Adders briefly sunbathing here too, but I spotted them too late and they all slithered off on my approach. Another Adder, my 13th of the day, was seen right at the end where I had seen some the previous year.

Several groups of Siskin flew over small groups of 4 to 15 (perhaps 60 seen in total), plus 8 chacking Fieldfares flew over here, 2 Crossbills flew over and walking back a Fallow Deer rtan off through the bracken. Near the new clearing, a further 2 Crossbills and a further 8 flew by. A Chiff- Chaff was heard calling too.

Whilst taking the track to the clearing I came across an unfortunate freshly dead Woodcock, it had obviously met its demise by having flown into something solid; a tree trunk/ or lorry maybe? As the bill was damaged half way down with the angle of the bill veering of to the right by some 15 degrees.