Review of the year - 2011

As this is probably the last post of the year, it's a chance to look back and reflect on the last 12 months  - which have consisted of 48 posts, 131 comments and 3079 photographs (fortunately, only a few of these have featured in the blog).
For what is only a small insignificant river, there have been a suprising variety of subjects - boxing hares (females fending of amorous males): http://viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/12/festive-plasmodial-slime-mould.html, hobbies chasing swifts and swallows: http://viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/06/annoying-insects.html and slime moulds living bizzare and complex lives (http://viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/12/festive-plasmodial-slime-mould.html).  
So choosing five was always going to be difficult....


Badgers at Wytham Woods: Once in a while, this blog leaves it's native territory and explorer further afield and one of the places it likes to visit is Wytham Woods to the west of Oxford.
Owned by the University of Oxford, it is famous for it's badgers and in spring, members of the public are invited to take part in the badger census (to give the researchers an idea of which setts are active).
This involves sitting silently (and uncomfortably) for several hours watching a designated badger sett: http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/05/badger-census-at-wytham-woods.html
Many don't get to see a badger, but when we did it back in May we saw several and even with a high ISO on a compact camera it is possible to get reasonable pictures.
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Bumblebees: 2011 featured several posts on bumblebees - including one on the seldom seen subject of bumblebee mating: http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/07/perils-of-bumblebee-mating.html
But the best post has to be about Tree Bumblebees:
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First discovered in the UK in 2001, they have spread northwards from the New Forest and it was something special to find one feeding on the lavender in our front garden:
http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/07/tree-bumblebees.html


Sparrowhawk: Garden birds have featured in this blog several times, whether it is under taking the RSPB Garden Birdwatch Survey (http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/01/big-garden-birdwatch.html) or documenting the arguments between Goldfinches on the feeders (http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/12/argumentative-goldfinches.html).
Attracting goldfinches, sparrows, robins and greenfinches into the garden also attracts those who like to feed on them, cats being one, but more welcome visitors are the sparrowhawks. Like this young male seen in October, eating one of the pair of dunnocks that frequented the garden (I'm convinced it was a dunnock, as we only have one visit the garden now):
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The sparrowhawk remained in the garden for 15 minutes, seemingly unconcerned about me taking pictures of it. Until there was hardly anything left of the unfortunate dunnock, but before it left, it allowed me to get my favourite action shot of the year:
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The original post was back in October: http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/09/return-of-sparrowhawk.html
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Tree Climbing Water Voles: Another frequent subject of this blog are water voles and they were one of the reasons it was started.  The past year has focused on colonies on the Ock http://viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/05/argumentative-water-voles.html) and at Radley Brook (http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/06/water-voles-of-radley-brook.html)
I have read about water voles climbing trees, but thought it was a somewhat unusual activity until I did a survey for the Wildlife Trust. During it  I was suprised to see a water vole swimming along the river, I was more surprised to see it start to climb along one of the branches of an over hanging tree, I was even more surprised as it climbed and climbed until it disappeared out of sight.
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I kept returning to this part of the river to see them climbing trees, taking two of my favourite pictures of the year providing two posts ( http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/05/water-voles-and-willow-trees.html &  http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/04/tree-climbing-water-vole.html)

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But as spring turned to summer, they kept away from the trees preferring the sedge and arrowhead that had started to grow.


Otters: Having detected signs of otters back in February 2010, they have been a semi-regular subject on this blog - whether it is finding spraints () or half eaten crayfish (another favourite subject of this blog - http://viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/08/yet-more-dead-crayfish.html).
So it is perhaps not surprising that the favourite post of this year (or any year) is the sighting of not one, but three otters back in May (http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/05/otters.html &  http://www.viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-otter-pictures.html).  
Then, during May and June, I saw the otters several times, sometimes it was the three of them (mother and two cubs) and sometimes it was a solitary otter.  All sightings were accidental, like this one, taken at 6.30 in the evening when I had gone to look for butterflies and bumblebees.
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What is interesing is most reference books describe otters and shy and nocturnal, but not only have I seen them in daylight, but they seem quite curious and they look up if they here the camera shutter 
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And on one occasion one of them swam over for a sniff was less than a metre away.
Unfortunately, my camera focused on the grass in front of it, providing me with the most disappointing picture of the year:
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It's probable that the cubs have now dispersed and it is unlikely I will see them again next year, and even if I don't, I know I have seen one of the UK's most elusive and fantastic animals and something I will treasure forever.


Many thanks to all who read the blog and especially to those who have left comments, without them it is doubtful if the blog would have lasted this long and without this blog I would never have seen the wonderful array of wildlife that is found on this small river and hopefully I have managed to convey some of these delights.


Thank you, all the best for 2012


Richard

A festive plasmodial slime mould

On a damp day just before Christmas, there were no water voles, kingfishers and certainly no otters. But there was something which in its own way is just as interesting and has a life cycle more complex and fascinating than most things that are found in the UK:

Attached to a grass stem is a Myxomycete, a plasmodial slime mould:

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Slime Moulds have featured on this blog before (back in July), but this one is different, identified as  Mucilago crustacea  - it doesn't have a common name (identified with the help of the excellent Wild About Britain forums):

This is a plasmodial slime mould, it starts life as single celled organisms (called a Myxamoeba),  which move slowly consuming fungus spores, dead matter and bacteria.

When conditions are right and two myxamoeba meet, they join to form a zygote, which continues to grow, forming a plasmodium (a multi-nucleus cell), this in turn changes into a fruiting body (sporangium), which produces spores and the life cycle repeats itself:

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This stage will only last a few days and the fruiting body have almost certainly gone during Christmas itself.

Random Stuff

Dark nights and mornings, Christmas preparations and not to say horrid winter colds has meant that getting down to the river (or elsewhere) has been virtually impossible recently.  Perhaps it's a time to go through some recent pictures which, for whatever reason, did not make it into a post:
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Buzzard: Buzzards are a frequent subject of this blog, as fortunately at least one pair has been breeding near the river. Although having one fly low overhead is somewhat unusual, especially with the lighting conditions making the patterns on their wings and bodies obvious - as this one seen in late November.
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There are four birds of prey that are often seen by the river, sparrowhawks, kestrels, red kites and buzzards.
What is somewhat interesting is red kites and buzzards share the same food - carrion, rabbits and when times are hard - worms, yet they don't seem to be territorial with each other.
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Severed Fish Head: There probably aren't too many people in Abingdon who not only get excited about finding a severed fish head, let alone stop and take a photograph of one.  But this one, seen along the Ock Valley walk back in October is probably an otter kill.
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The mother and the two cubs seen back in May would probably have now separated, with the mother driving the cubs out and she seeks to breed again.  Could this have been mother? Or one of the cubs trying to set up a territory or a dog otter, living in the nearby Thames, coming into feed and maybe seek out a receptive female?


Kingfisher: The steep banks along the river make the Ock an ideal habitat for kingfishers and it  is not uncommon to see the bright flash as one streaks past and they can sometimes be seen sat on a branch watching for fish.  But as they are easily disturbed, being able to take a picture of one is unusual. In fact in late November, whilst walking to work, presented one of the few opportunities this year to be close enough to get a picture:

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As the weather gets harsher and the river gets fuller and starts to freeze, the kingfishers may migrate to warmer parts of the country, where it is easier to find food.  Returning in spring to breed again.


Starlings:As regular readers of this blog will know, the starlings at Otmoor are a favourite subject of this blog.  It is certainly one of the sights of the county, if not the country with hundreds of thousands of starlings woshing overhead and forming mesmerising shapes.
However,  the autumn and winter of 2011 have been very disappointing with starling murmuration consisting of just several hundred, as seen in November

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There is even a sign saying the starling numbers are significantly down this year, the lack of rain through the summer has meant the reed beds have dried up, as a result predators like foxes make the reeds less secure, so naturally, the starlings have gone on to find safer roosts.

Argumentative Goldfinches

As winter sets in and the weather gets colder the number of goldfinches in the garden increases, sometimes as many of 30 can be seen competing for the sunflower hearts in the bird feeders.
Most of the times they are harmonious, seemingly not to mind being in close proximity to each other.
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However, occasionally, for apparently no reason, one can take offence at another:

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A skirmish on the feeder can then often ensue:
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The skirmish then increases as the birds start to move off the feeder

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Before taking the argument into the air
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And eventually away from the feeders.
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Any opportunist Goldfinches,  watching the argument from a branch nearby, can make the most of the situation:
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 With the two trouble makers no where to be seen and the new arrival making most of the opportunity, it seems peace has returned to the feeders, at least for a short while......
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.. That is until a collared dove turns up:
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Sunday morning wildlife

A warm sunny late November morning provided the first opportunity for a while to get down to the river and enjoy the wildlife
A nonchalant muntjac just lay by the side of the river, seemingly unconcerned with dog walkers and photographers:
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Growing out of the footbridge, turkey tail fungus:
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Winter migrant red wings have started to feed off the berries on the over hanging bushes:
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And an opportunity, to see three of the four local raptors out hunting within half an hour of each other:
A common buzzard, flying low over the hedges before moving to the field:
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The once extinct in England, but now very common (if slightly fuzzy), red kite:
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And the once common, but sadly seen less frequently , a kestrel:
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Although no good walk would be complete, without some poo, and this looks distinctly like a water vole latrine:
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Spooky afternoon at Otmoor

As low lying marshland, otmoor is often shrouded in mist and fog, making it a spooky place to visit on a Sunday afternoon.
Despite this, it was busy, with a lot of people seeking out the short-eared owls which have taken up residency and unlike most owls, they hunt in daylight.  
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The owls were easy to see, all you have to do is look in the same direction as a  group of birders:
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With it being autumn, the stars of the show are the starlings and this is what a lot of people have come to see, and once again, they put on a breathtaking display, which just can't be captured by a photograph from a compact camera:
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The Otmoor birding blog (http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/OtmoorBirding/) not only has considerably better photographs of the owls, but is an excellent guide to what can be seen at the reserve and I hope to return soon, armed with my DSLR.

Long Tailed Tits

Along the cycle path between Abingdon and Oxford the hawthorn bushes are now full of berries. Shortly they will be consumed by the redwings and fieldfares which will soon be arriving from Northern Europe.  
Until then, the native small birds are making the most of them, goldfinches, blue tits, great tits and this  flock of long tailed tits:
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More signs of autumn

The recent dark and cold evenings mean the opportunities for wildlife watching on the river get reduced by the day and the chances of seeing water vole, an otter or a kingfisher become virtually impossible (although the chances of seeing an otter are very low at the best of times). Even so, the occasional muntjac deer stumble into view - even if it requires a high ISO and slow shutter speed.
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However, autumn does provide other opportunities for the wildlife enthusiast in Oxfordshire. There are many sites which are just abundent in Fungus, including what seems to be a parasol mushroom growing at Harcourt Arboretum. 
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It's not just woods where fungus can be found, this 'Dead Man's Fingers' is growing in our garden.  It can be differentiated from the similar looking 'Dead Moll's Fingers' by bending the stem, which breaks (rather than bouncing back).
Whilst a lot of fungus only produce their fruiting bodies in autumn, this one can be found all year at the base of dead wood, but it has taken the seasonal clearance of the garden to find it.
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Over at Otmoor, the starling murmurations are just starting and although they are not yet near the vast numbers that can congregate there, it is still an impressive sight on a cold autumn evening:
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Views of Brownsea Island

Situated in Poole Harbour and owned by the National Trust, Brownsea Island, only two miles across it is home to wildlife that just can't be found in such proximity in the rest of the country.
There is a breeding population of sika deer - they have not established themselves like the more common roe & muntjac deer and can be quite hard to find on the island (apparently, they wait for the day trippers to leave and then congregate by the church).
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A completely different creature can be found on only one wall on the island and is only 5mm long. The snail Papillifera bidens (it has no common name) is common in southern europe, yet can only be found in one other location in the UK - clivedon house in Buckinghamshire   

It is believed it was accidently introduced by a previous owner who imported statues from Greece.

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Whilst the island is owned by the National Trust, half of it is leased to the Dorest Wildlife Trust who manage the lagoons, which are a haven for wading birds.  Including avocets (the symbol for the RSPB).  Once extinct in the UK as a breeding bird, it has now reestablished itself (there are now 800 breeding birds) although feeding sites are still scarce

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But the animal which Brownsea is famous for - and which most people come to see - is the red squirrel.  Extinct from the south of England and struggling elsewhere, there is a stable population of about 250 animals - helped by the lack of prediators and the absence of the grey squirrel -  and autumn is the best time to see them as the trees start to loose leaves and as they bury nuts:

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Moorhens

Moorhens are so common on the rivers in Abingdon that they are often taken for granted, yet they can be somewhat difficult to photograph, they quickly sense the slightest movement and scamper into the undergrowth.
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Even though they a favourite food of otters, it has been a good breeding year with several young moorhen now finding their independence.
Perhaps one of the reasons they have survived is when it starts to get dark they group together and slowly climb up the over hanging willow trees, safely out of the way of any passing otter.
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Maybe the moorhens shouldn't be too complacent -  apparently otters can climb trees as well: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/gloucestershire/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8468000/8468065.stm

Return of the Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawks are infrequent visitors to our garden, the previous visitor has been an adult male - with a grey back and an orange front.  But this one is different: 
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The brown back and brown front indicate it could be a young male, maybe even raised by the mature male which lasted visited the garden back in October last year (http://viewsoftheock.blogspot.com/2010/10/birds-of-prey.html).
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Judging the pile of feathers, it seems to have successfully mastered the skill of  hunting and from the remains, it seems it's victim is a house sparrow or a dunnock.
What is interesting is the complete lack of bones and internal organs, just feathers - the sparrowhawk had consumed it all.
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What is also surprising was nonchalant it appeared, occasionally looking up as it devoured it's unfortunate victim for several minutes and then giving a glimpse of some seldom seen behaviour before leaving:
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