Rabbie Burns - 25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796

The Immortal Bard

"O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us, to see oursels as others see us. It wad frae mony a blunder free us, and foolish notion."

It was good to get together with a few fellow birders (Paul Harris, Dick Morris, Daragh Croxson and John Down) yesterday evening for a 'pint and a pie' as I like to call it, the latter giving me some useful information on the whereabouts of Grey Partridge and Corn Bunting. Another lovely winter's day was ideal for a run up to Martinstown, a couple of miles south west of Dorchester, to begin the search.

No joy after an hour wandering about, but at a nearby farm there was a small flock of these interesting looking sheep. I have researched them via Google without result, so if you know what they are drop me a line please.

On a roadside verge there was also this small fungus, again unidentified, will yet again have to rely on the Fungal Punk to sort it for me! Anyway, time to try elsewhere and not far down the road

there were 2 trees holding c28 Corn Buntings.

In a farmer's field, I decided to apply my often used theory that it is usually easier to get forgiveness than it is permission, so bowled on in.

The birds did allow me to get fairly close, but the light was poor (excuses, excuses) so not brilliant on the photo front. For those interested to see them, take the Martinstown road from the Monkey's Jump roundabout, Dorchester where before the T junction to the village there is a right turn into bat's Lane. Continue past the farm buildings on the right and shortly there is a metal field gate beyond which is a hill with 2 prominent trees at the crest. The Buntings were in these trees today. Unfortunately, search as I might there were no Partridge viewable to me, but a big thanks to John Down for the info.

So, with little to report it's back to the archive, Australia and the Eye Candy:-

Australian Grebe

Australian Magpie

Australian Pelican

Hardhead

Australian Magpie Lark

Maned Wood Duck

Inland Thornbird

Pacific Black Duck

and finally, Paul Harris sends me this link to an extremely rare bird that seems to have slipped through the fingers of the Birding Web Sites????

http://www.manchesterbirding.com/duskythrushdoc.htm

No Indispensable Man

Some day when you're feeling important;
Some day when your ego's in bloom
Some day when you take it for granted
You're the most important man in the room,

Sometime when you feel that your going
Would leave an unfillable hole,
Just follow these simple instructions
And see how they humble your soul;

Take a bucket and fill it with water,
Put your hand in right up to the wrist,
Pull it out and the hole that's remaining
Is a measure of how you'll be missed.

You can splash all you wish when you enter,
You may stir up the water galore,
But stop and you'll find that in no time
It looks quite the same as before.

The moral of this quaint example
Is do just the best that you can,
Be proud of yourself but remember,
There's no indispensable man.

I'm off for my Haggis & Neeps the nooo!