Away Day Part II - Out of Town - Max Bygraves

 After a sumptuous lunch and equally welcome conversation with other patrons within and a

lingering look around the equally enjoyable

ARCHITECTURE

and other
MUSEUM
An indication of the 'peat' soil beneth our feet were the recently excavated and very dark

MOLE HILLs

but far more imprtantly the first base notes of a

BOOMING

BITTERN

while this land-bound male
SHOVELER

but not a 'sniff' of the

PENDULINE TIT
despite the 'legions' looking for it - "you never get them all".
saw the last of the action here before leaving for probably our favourite view-point passing the

CHURCH on the KNOLL
in search of Yellow-billed Swans and Cattle Egret

with strange looking
Power Cable Carriers

along with a most eye-catching
Milk Churn Table
while the stop / go drive to the

View Point

produced, unusually, not a single
Bewick's or Whooper Swan but to make up the

WITHEY BEDs
were in fine colour before taking up station at the highpoint where Egrets were also out of view.

Fear not with sharp eyed Dave in gear spotting a distant cluster taking to the wing

and amounting to a count of

30 and maybe a + along with dozens of

GOLDEN PLOVER
and a number of

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT
Not alone as darkness crept in and a large muster

for the finale of the day here

the

STARLING MURMURATION

the spectacle of many, many thousands of birds

fly in from the feeding grounds to roost,

and then time to head for home but not the end of the day for us as during the drive we recorded c5

BARN OWLs,
all in similar stance to this individual, while on leaving as having dropped me at home Dave clocked a

TAWNEY OWL
before shapeing up for Weymouth - Yet Another Great Day!

Away Day - Part 1 Out of Town - Max Bygraves

 With

"white fluffy clouds in a cluster hanging on the breeze to dry"

it was certainly an option to get Out of Town and target a couple of Rare / Scarce Birds

with some beautiful scenary across Somerset and a few interesting birds en-route including

RED KITE

Farm-Steads

CORN BUNTING

in spring-like weather  it had to be a drive to the

SOMERSET LEVELs

via a mist shrouded

GLASTONBURY TOR

and the 'Welcome Notice' with more common fare being first in line such as

REED BUNTING

IRRIGATION DITCHES

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

Trees bowing under the weight of clusters of
IVY BERRYs

much to the likeing of the local
WOOD PIGEONs
before being directed to the exact spot where dabbled the first of the
Objects of Desire

a trans-Atlantic female

LESSER SCAUP
a common waterfowl in North America

along with a male for comparison but not in attendance on the day

and half decent still and video of one of the numerous

GREAT WHITE EGRET

in flight.

ASPEN

overborne with
CATKINs
but not known if of any neutricanal value?

All Around the World - Oasis Part II

 Still restricted in our ability to manoeuvre we again reach for the archive to bring you the outstanding 3 Continents.

NORTH AMERICA

GRAND CANYON

BLACK-TROATED GREEN WARBLER

THE STRIP, LAS VEGUS

ANTARCTICA

ERNEST SHACKLETON'S GRAVE

GENTOO PENGUIN

GRYTVIKEN WHALING STATION
EUROPE

LEANING TOWER of PISA

CYPRUS WARBLER

LITTLE MERMAID
Copenhagen, Denmark

Send Down a Dove - Charles McHardy

Not at all common in the garden, we don't recall ever having heard

COLLARED DOVE
as part of the dawn chorus from home base

but c2 of them were certainly at it early yesterday morning.
Oh lord above Send Down a Dove, with wings as sharp as razors.

To cut the throats of them there blokes as sells Bad Beer to Sailors!

It is unlikely that you will ever read a book quite like this about us here Submariners!

With no returnes from the Moth Trap and the Party Gate smashed off its hinges it was a no brainer to spend an hour or two on the

HEATH
where for the time invested returns were rather small but did include

what were considered to be a 'pair'

(male)

and female
STONECHAT

while from under the 16 reptile covers a most welcome

SHORT-TAILED VOLE

and a short visitation by the local

ROCKWELL COMMANDER
and while exiting the down-fallen party gate

maybe as many as half a dozen

SISKIN
an addition to the Year List and while the game ain't over til the
Fat Lady Sings

A Tale of the Unexpected with no idea of what model?

while finally a contribution from Bomber in Weymouth with his First of the Year
COLTSFOOT

Night Owl - Gerry Rafferty

 A little tardy this year maybe, as we usually record at least one during the first month, but a

TAWNEY OWL

did join in with the early morning vocals yesterday and was duely added to the
Year List. (images from the archive)

With no attention having been paid to the still prostate party gate no surprises to find some of the escapee
Old English Whites and

Belted Galloways
blocking the entrance to the Solar Panel Compound which is where the early morning luck faultered slightly with again No Moths but regenerated when scanning though the trees to the Moors River

where most obligingly stood this single

EGYPTIAN GOOSE

clear of the tree-line and seemingly just posing for the Canon and even

performing something of a quick-step with the water fowl continuing at the.
Irrigation Pond

where were found these c3 new arrival and last years juvenile

MUTE SWANS
other than that it was a case of
"HAY you've got to hide your love away"

The BEATLES