Chafford Hundred

Ingrid and I spent a lovely evening with David D-L and family, getting great views of his regular garden Badger!

Batty

Popped to Epsom Common this afternoon to look for Mandarins (of which I found five drakes and four females) and was amazed to see this bat flying around - guessing at Pipistrelle but haven't researched visual bat ID, ideas?

This drake Mandarin seemed to be dropping water or something from the water on the female's back. Female did several rushes in water, snapping at air (catching insects?) when male following her

 
Also notable, this morning as I drove from Canons Farm to college was an Egyptian Goose flying over the A217 at Banstead Downs, in loose association with another goose that was probably also an Egyptian but I didn't get an detail on this other bird.

Furry friends

Roe Deer

Apart from a gorgious female Brambling at Lunch Wood, not much was going on and the highlights today were provided by the mammals. I got two CFBW mammal ticks (both rather tartish): a Wood Mouse nibbling on my abandoned sarnie crusts and a sly nearby Stoat that wanted a nibble on the mouse. Two Roe Deer crossing Reads Rest Lane into Broad Field were also nice. I tried for Badgers with Ian the other night but dipped.

Wood Mouse

My CFBW Mammal List is on . . . 6 . . . as well as Badger I need Hedgehog and positive identification of some rodents would also bump it up. I'm looking forward to many happy evenings with my bat detector, which I've been practising on Pispistrelles in recent nights.

The first Small Tortoiseshell of the year was great to see (had a probable yesterday).