Spring is a time of abundance and hence predation.
Twelve videos here from the wildlife cameras, earlier in March, show lots of the Greenstreete wildlife taking advantage of frog spawning season, when frogs return to water bodies in great numbers and are easy prey.
A heron and otters can be seen munching, and in the polecat video you can see the bright, reflective eyes of two frogs in ‘amplexus’ towards us as the polecat makes off with another.
We can see the heron rotating the unfortunate frog or toad to orient it for swallowing but the frog or toad’s legs are stuck out which prevents this. The heron dips it in the water a few times and re-catches it. We can’t see what happens in the end.
Also the new camera location on the track has shown us a badger for the first time, and we also see the badger at the old camera locations on the crossing, and the jetty. Perhaps the badger also is out at night looking for frogs.
Last of all, the new camera on the island shows us two happy otters.
In the video of three otters, this explanation was given us by Will, the local Otter expert:
Kind regards, Will
The two otters on the bank are a mum and a nearly fully grown cub – the cub, on the right, squeaks a few times. The otter in the water is clearly unwelcome and is probably a male. It’s hard to be sure but the aggressive/alarm call is probably coming from the mum while she is partly hidden behind the jetty. The mum won’t be ready to breed again until a few months after the cub has left – the male otter is hoping that time will come sooner rather than later!
Gosh ! Marvellous. Thankyou x x
These are wonderful! How lovely to share the land with all these beautiful creatures
This has cheered me up no end! They are so cute