On the Road Again - Canned Heat

Yesterday provided the long awaited lull in the foul weather, with both rain and wind abating giving a chance to get onto some serious birding. A slow start to February had, more or less, drawn a blank in additions to the various lists but at least now there was a chance of something to add. Not even having left the farm and there was a 'splash of colour' in the form of the now very confiding

 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

which did fly from the bird-table to the top of the nearby Ash Tree at my approach

 but had remained on the feeders long enough to study face pattern

and nape.

 MUTE SWAN

 along with aerobatic

 BLACK-HEADED GULL

 carrying out their 'high wire' act on the telephone lines.

 In addition the resident
KESTREL
was also taking a break from almost endless hunting,

 and a
MOORHEN
chugged across the pond before we continued to Mudeford, just a 

15 minute drive down the road.

There had been reports of both Long-tailed Duck and

 LITTLE GULL*

from that site the day before, but even after a fairly long search only the latter was seen and then at great distance. However, this was the first addition to the Year List in 11 days so no complaint while the images are the best, and closest to the bird in question, we have on file. From here it is about 20 minutes, dependant on traffic, across the Hampshire border to

 PENNINGTON

 all part of the Lymington/Keyhaven Marshes.

 A vocal ROBIN was the welcoming committee here and with a

lack of 'bird watches' it seemed it was going to be a task to find the 

target bird. The Hants web-site had reported "on the Camp Site Field"

as the latest sighting but all that could be seen there were

 c163 OYSTERCATCHERS

 along with c4 (Dark-bellied) BRENT GEESE.

As on my previous sightings of this bird there was perhaps more chance

on the main marsh, so I set off towards the

HURST POINT LIGHTHOUSE

in hope of encountering someone with some positive news.

Along the full length of the pathway to the sea runs an earth bund mainly vegetated by Gorse and Bramble (Blackberry) though unlikely territory for

 DARTFORD WARBLER

 but that low key scratchy-rasping (if that's a word????)

 betrayed their presence and with a little patience

 at least c3 closed to

 'Point Blank' (Lee Marvin) range.

It was here I met the second of only c2 'birders' for the day, but one 

with positive, but not ideal news. The

 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER*

 could be seen, but that was as far as the imagination would let it go!

In similar, if not exact, circumstances to my last visit in the Old Year

it was well tucked behind a grass tussock and had this been a 'Lifer'

would likely have remained 'off the list'.

 The images are from the archive.

 At the Coast of the Solent (the Isle of Wight in the distance) someone was having fun in their fast craft

 while the much slower

 TURNSTONE

allowed something of a shot.

This was the furthest extremity of my walk and the time selected

to let go the only rain of the day. The precipitation dampened the clothing 

but not the ardour and hey

 

 "I saw a Magpie in a RAINBOW, the rain had gone, I'm not alone

I turned to the mirror and I saw you - The Child" - 

 Marillion - Misplaced Childhood

 SHELDUCK

 overflying

 GREY HERON

brought the visit to Hants to a close, so back to the Home County.

 Looking for Egyptian Goose at the Avon Causeway, most of the

birds seem to have stayed away since their departure before my last visit.

All that could be found were a few Black-headed Gulls, Lapwings

and these GREYLAG GEESE.

 but look a Stranger in their midst

is it a BAR-HEADED GREYLAG?

                                     Year           Dorset

Tuesday 04/02/2014       173              142
Monday 10/02/2014       173              143

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France	27
Russia	24
Canada	21
Australia	11
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Finland	7

Given the latest Weather Forecast and today's wind and

rain the next of the Yanks shouldn't be too far away!