Early Grey - Not to be Confused with a Nice Cup of Tea

 Only 5 days into Spring and already we are feeling a little overwhelmed but no complaints, as 'new for the year' Moths continue to show with Birds doing well also!

EARLY GREY

as the name suggests

and likewise in numbers

MARCH MOTH
both along with the 'first'

DOR BEETLEs
Down south a few Northern Thrushes (Redwing / Fieldfare) still linger but otherwise only the

splendour of the magnificent

SALLOW

Catkins Included
More good news at the Irrigation Pond where another (presumed) pair of

LITTLE GREBE

appear to have taken up residence as those at the Gravel Pit were seen just 10 minutes later.

The passing of the
Coastguard Rescue Helicopter
seemed not to disturb anything as during the monitoring of the Heath Moth Traps both

the heavy beat of a drumming

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER
seemed almost in sync with that of the sewing machine-like taps of a

LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER

which as far as timeing was concerned was right on queue and an addition to the year.

Also there was our first 'vocal'

LINNET
but doubtful the last  along with a rather photogenic and naked

SILVER BIRCH
while

a bubbly

DEAN'S DITCH
continues to flow into the Moors River making for good copy.

Close by the

WOODLARK

are not just present but singing and displaying while a second stop at the
Irrigation Pond found this male

MALLARD
quacking and shining in the new found sunshine, but a far more lucky find was this lone

COMMON SNIPE

which flushed before we had chance to bring the video to bear and then ending with the female

KESTREL
which we hope to be able to bring more of over the nesting season?

Moth-er's Little Helper - The Rolling Stones

We'll quickly address our foible of yesterday as still cannot understand why / how we captioned the 'deer' as Muntjak?? Plainly 'Sika' but sometimes worth being a Senior Citizen just to get out of it!

Across the Solar Panel Compound

After that all too short but magical encounter with Dave over the weekend his final words still resonate in my ears, "Thank Heavens that over and don't forget to shut the breather valve on the header tank to the generator"! Comparable with the raising of Lazarus we remembered but an all too long a wait for dusk to arrive and flash up for the first time in anger!

The black cap right on the orange header tank and we'll tidy up the spaghetti later.

All shiny and ready to go the genny did kick in with a few splutters at the first time of asking and with all steaming lights burning brightly we wandered off in search of Woodcock giving it chance to prove all was OK.
As far as the Birds were concerned one

WOODCOCK
(we are yet to capture this elusive and well camouflaged bird on camera)
was heard (a most unusual sound) flying overhead while a further c3 were noted as we returned to a Darken Ship Trapping Area. A quick check around and a couple more pulls and we were in business again and loitering for anoth 30 minutes all seemed well? Returning the following morning as soon as light would allow we found more darkness and at which point rmembered we hadn't opened the same valve to allow the required air into the system - HIS fault for not telling me!! It was doubtful the engine was running for more than 30 to 40 minutes but the result was seriously astounding given the temperature!  

Quick as a Flash our Ol' Mate was back looking for a free meal

and not caring a jot about Social Distancing, that's me in the mirror!
        First out and in quick succession c3 First for Year

OAK BEAUTY

what a start, followed by a

single and again First for Year

SATELLITE

as were c4

YELLOW HORNED

and we add finally add for comparison this dark phase

HEBREW CHARACTER

along with a far more pale specimen out of the same trap.

With little time for much else, victuals and bunkers were beckoning,
there were the persitant chatterings of 2 or more

NUTHATCH
A less than enthusiastic rounds of the

Reptile Covers
particularly as Adder has been found on Portland and other County site but only to find

BROWN-LIPPED SNAIL
along with a

Rodent's Nest of a Kind

while the largest and heavyest of the corrugated covers had been wind-blown
about 100 yards across the Heath.
Continuing the 'Scrap Metal Theme' this

Airport Hulk
is now open to view after the refurbish which John tells us is a
CANADA AIR CL44 also known as a GUPPY.
The Rare Breed Goats were also allowing for a 'full crew'

in the same field of view while the passing

Skien in Silhouette
were considered to be Greylag on bill size and shape alone.
While we still have not recorded a 'true' migrant yet (early days) things out there really do seem to be perking up, so fingers crossed for days to come and you know where you will see it 'first'!

Something in the Air - Thunderclap Newman - Part II

Lock up the streets and houses,
because there's something in the air.
We've got to get together sooner or later,
because the revolution's here, and you know it's right. 

We have got to get it together,
we have got to get it together now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTZoJ01FpD8

BROWN RAT

was not the only Mammal to be represented as a small squadron of

SIKA DEER

ambled by reminding us of how they were introduced to the county in the first instance

and how they took over.
Said to have been initially released on Brownsea Island (famous for the formation of the Boy Scout Movement) year not known, they immediately swam across Poole Harbour to the mainland and the damage was done!
It was from here more a case of 'Watcher of the Skies' - Genesis rather than Thunderclap, with no signs of that, with also a steady flow of lovely people who stopped (at a safe distance) to show an interest in our activities!

COMMON BUZZARDs
were first to visit the thermals while keeping a watchful eye onthe more common and grounded fare.

YELLOWHAMMER

in full voice and along with other aviators

AIRBUS A400A ATLAS

for which we thank John once again for confirming ID while the fight for survival

continued on the ground
BULLFINCH

CHAFFINCH and YELLOWHAMMER

GREAT TIT
in strange voice while a couple of

SKYLARK

joined this

Lone Heifer
The unarguable highlight of the day followed soon after when one of maybe 2

GOSHAWK
took to the 'blue' but seen nothing like this as just to give the readership the full value of such a bird!

This was about as good as it got through camara and binnoculars

while these 2 images are again from the

archive and leading to yet another from

South Korea
which has another story of its own which if we remember will be re-lived another day.
A number of views were enjoyed punctuated by a lone

SPARROWHAWK

the occassional

CROSSBILL
and single

RED KITE
We might just as well add the residue videoes, as just as easy as deleting with

Bullfinch, Yellowhammer and Chaffinch

single YELLOWHAMMER feeding

2 YELLOWHAMMER feeding
and

3 YELLOWHAMMER + 2 CHAFFINCH feeding.
The visit ended with a fly-by

RED ADMIRAL
the first Butterfly of the year which was never going to lend itself to the Canon.

We did give our Link to a number of passers by who it is hoped are tuning in.

A pleasure to meet you all and please passs on the Link to all of your addressees!

Thank You and Take Care.