Sunday 25th . March 2012

Didn't manage to get out today , so just a quick catch up on yesterday , when I visited a small nature reserve , where the volunteers wanted some help with hedgelaying . Well , that turned out to be a miss-noma , as the 'hedge' turned out to be a scattered line of mature Hawthorns , but I have agreed to get some form of hedge out of it next weekend . Silk purse and sow's ear comes to mind .It was an interesting visit though , and I am sure I will visit during the Summer , as the site has much potential , including a good population of great Crested Newts .Whilst I was there , small mammal trapping / recording was taking place , and although only two species were trapped , it was good to see the species close to . The split was about even between the

longer tailed , and rather more active Bank Vole / Clethrionomys glareolus , and the photogenic

Short -tailed Vole /Microtus agrestis , which was much more laid back , and was happy to be

photographed on one of the volunteer's boots , and also in the hand of the recorder , where it seemed completely relaxed . Not so relaxed was the volunteer leader , who came across an injured

Jackdaw , with what looked like a broken wing . It sat quietly held by the leader , venting it's spleen

every now and again on his finger . A cloth bag was found and the bird popped in , and taken by two of the volunteers to a Wildlife Hospital . Sadly , after examination , the break was too bad to be dealt with , and the bird was put down . Lots of Primroses all over the reserve were attracting large

numbers of insects , including the Beefly / Bombylius major , who was making use of that long proboscis to reach down into the throat of the flowers to get at the nectar . Two Brimstones , a single

Peacock and this pair of Commas were also recorded during the visit . And finally , a bit of help

please with a Bee , possibly solitary or miner species , maybe Andrena haemorrhoa , the yellow on the back legs being a good stock of pollen , an a rather unusually marked Spider , both

found on the Reserve . A bit more digging on the spider leads me to think it is a Nursery Web Spider - Pisaura mirabilis , but always ready to be corrected .