Trains & Boats & Planes - Dionne Warwick

All in all a very quiet day today, but there was an upside that gave me the chance to return home early and start pulling a few strings together for the upcoming trip. Leaving home the sky was best part covered with rain baring cloud, while the wind remained in the westerly quarter but somewhat reduced in force from the past couple of days. In the cemetery most birds are now feeding young, with this female Blackbird looking a little worse for wear amid her toils.

It was worth stopping to look at these daisies which looked like Michaelmas but referring to the book that doesn't seem to fit. Expect John Gifford will soon be on the case?

Moving on to Radipole, and this one looks easy enough Yellow Iris plenty of this around the lake. With little more here than a bunch of Common Swifts, a Whimbrel flying over while calling

and quite a few pairs of Tufted Duck.

A pleasant enough walk along the sea-front and always a treat to see the Common Tern colony, complete with the single Arctic Tern, there was also a chance to watch the male Marsh Harrier flying above 2 Mile Copse.

A first Early Spotted Orchid along the southern pathway where yet again the RSPB have been cutting the grass. As predicted, there has been no reply from them as to why there is this compulsion, almost as if they think it's a garden and not a 'wild place', but you pay your membership so perhaps the questions would be best asked from that direction!

A further along on of 2 Common Buzzards, thought to be nesting close by, was receiving some

aggressive action from 2 Carrion Crows

which were dogged in their attack,

and at times looked to be making physical contact with the raptor.

Even though the morning was getting on time wise, the Savi's Warbler was still 'reeling' away

and while remaining at quite a distance some recognisable images were possible.

There were also a few Rabbits around as usual, this one seeming just a little more casual than the others, and all else before leaving was a single Ringed Plover in company with 7 Dunlin and a 'fly-by' Green Woodpecker.

The increasing rain clouds swayed me to an early return home, mentioned earlier, allowing me to get quite a bit done towards my travel preparations. Only 4 full days now before take off, I have included here a small sketch (which can be expanded twice with just a single right click for each increase in size) of some of the places it is intended to stop.

In addition some statistics which include 20,870 air miles (as John Down once said I'm taking care of the ozone-layer single handed) and probably more than 6,000 miles overland. There's got to be a story or two there surely?

An ideal opportunity I think for a PLUG!
It would be fantastic if every reader could pass on the link to Families and Friends in the hope that they can share the journey too!
THANK YOU