Great White Egret - Third Time Lucky

With a few recent photographs having slipped through the net, a little catch up is in order tonight.

I did promise the Dampney's 'bullied chicken' a mention, so here it is.

Back to yesterdays successful hunt for the Lapland Bunting, this was the view from the edge of the stubble field looking across the salt marsh

to the shingle bank where stands Hurst Castle and Lighthouse.

While at the White-tailed Eagle twitch, just some of the hopeful onlookers including

fellow Dorset birder Doctor George Green (far right) author of the definitive work The Birds of Dorset.

While today it was time to leave the splendid hospitality of the Dampney family and head for home. Last night we enjoyed a lovely dinner in the company of Justin & Tristram, their nephews and Justin's fiance Hannah a complete contrast from the night before when the company was from the senior generation. Justin who works for his father in the Eco business, Tristram with still a year to complete at university, but anxious to start travelling and Stock Broker Hannah brought a whole different dimension to the stimulating conversation. Thanks for your company, all of you!

This morning the farewell committee were mustered on the nut feeder outside of the kitchen window,

by way of a really smart Great Spotted Woodpecker, but with 10 hours of the car hire still in hand it was worth a try for a few more birds. Just a short drive back to the Blashford Lakes, there was a chance to add Yellow-legged Gull and Great White Egret to the year List.

My third visit in as many days saw this small group of Wigeon enter the log, along with Goosander, Goldeneye, Jay, Green Woodpecker and the best bird of the day. At the Mockbegger Lake the Great White Egret was viewable but distant and partially obscured, but a passing juvenile Mute Swan had the bird craning its neck putting identification beyond doubt.

This is the flag of Lebanon which is the latest country to join the readership of this Blog. We welcome all readers from this country and hope, if the read is enjoyable, they will pass the link on to friends and family. Lebanon is the 117th country to join an already extended band of readers.

and finally, I received a most welcome e-mail from travelling companion and good mate Billy (Crumble) Burke inviting me to spend some time with his family in Thailand. The plan would include a venture into Laos, and Billy also tells me how Nimo, his son, has become an avid reader of this Blog and loves to see photographs of his Dad included. Well Nimo, this is just for you:-

This is your Dad working harder than he ever has before, at Crooked Tree in Belize, and

here he is looking at one of the 2 central pyramids at Tikal, Guatemala.

On the same trip, when Billy and I back-packed from Mexico City through the full length of Central America to Panama City, this was the moment we entered Nicaragua.