Cast Not A Clout

'Till May (Blossom) Is Out which it certainly is here.
Now returned to the

for just a few days before my travels continue once again.

No far flung 'Desert Islands' or 'Far Away Shores',

no, this time very much within the boundaries of England.
PARLEY POND

There has been time for a couple of sorties since my return but little reward for the miles covered. Like, it would seem, everywhere else along the South Coast uncommon birds have been uncommon while migrants, with a couple of notable exceptions, have also been in short supply.

HARBINS FARMHOUSE

A favoured 'beat' along the River Stour where Reed Bunting and

Cetti's Warbler have been found in reasonable numbers, but so far

Sedge Warbler have are still absent.

MALLARD and BLACK-HEADED GULL rest on a floating log.

On the plus side Trees and other Vegetation appear to be in

fine fettle, with no signs of disease.

OAK

WILLOW

High flying Common Buzzard,

carpets of BUTTERCUPs covering every meadow,

and a low flying PHEASANT.

Barley and Maize were sown the day before I left for  Weymouth,

just 2 weeks ago, since when both have grown 6 inches.

LAPWING

also present a game of two halves, with 2 pairs still in attendance and look to be 'sitting'. On the other hand, during spraying operations last week 2 chicks were encountered and given a wide berth only to 'fall' to a

Common Buzzard later in the day.

ASH

Always a huge bonus to meet up with Mousie the Game Keeper

when here and catch up with tales from the wild side.

He showed me the newly planted Game Crop, not intended 

exclusively for 'game' birds, bordering many of the fields and

beneficial to all other birds as well.

With that a distant

GREY PARTRIDGE

appeared, origins unknown as they don't 'put them down' here.

A small stand of ASH saplings

and HORSES CHESTNUT of about the same age.