All In A Mouse's Night - Genesis

With reference to our photos of the Sea Mouse in recent days

your attentions are directed to the Dorset Echo.

Sea Mouse Link

There was a marked change in weather conditions today, a good deal cooler and overcast with the wind set into the North East at about 10 to 15 knots, but "it's an ill wind that doesn't blow some GOOD"!

RAINBOW TROUT

a gift from a grateful customer, the top fish weighed in at
about 6lb.
Little by way of Moths in the 3 traps overnight buy a few
WEIRD and WONDERFULS

This tiny creature is thought to be a

WINTER MOTH CATERPILLAR

DEVIL'S COACH HORSE BEETLE

22 SPOT LADYBIRD
(smaller than a Garden Pea)

MIDGE NYMPH

Tegeneria Sp SPIDER

Theridion tinctum SPIDER
 
Unidentified FLY
Groceries for the above.
Now how did they get in there?
THANKS go to my friend John Gifford for help with Identifications.
The only alert today was of a pair of

 MANDARIN
 (archive photo)

on the MERLEY HOUSE LAKE a site I have always thought inaccessible?

MERLEY MEWS

Many years ago now, along with my then lady-friend, we tried to find the same species on the same watercourse with little by way of success. Having climbed the steep roadside embankment and cleared the barbed wire fence, we then crawled on hands and knees to gain no more than a partial glimpse of the pool. Today, with far more determination, I drove onto the property, did a short reci before approaching residence of the caravan park to find a way in. The fence, fortunately, was already broken down and with no-one else about it seemed a clear case of "Free Gangway Is Now Open". I may well not have bothered, except to know the lie of the land next time, as the Ducks were not to be seen. There were however some beautiful 

OAK TREEs

plus flowering
GROUNDSELL

and LESSER CELANDINE

It was the overcast skies that drove me on towards the Avon Causeway, knowing full well that with no glare from the sun along with a clear atmosphere bird viewing there would be at its best. Key to this, once again, was the (American) Green-winged Teal which unfortunately was not seen. With the waters now rapidly receding, all of the birds were that little bit further away but no matter with the aid of the telescope. Photographs too were not possible but the line up was impressive:- Eurasian Teal numbers seem to have been overtaken by Pintail (about 30 pairs), a couple dozen of Shoveler and Wigeon, a few Canada and Greylag Geese, singles of Gadwall and Goosander but it was Waders that were the highlight. Still about 300 Black-tailed Godwit sporting the full spectrum of plumage phase from winter to 'full bloom' breeding - what a sight! Additionally, a Redshank had joined the throng while the c2 Ruff remain on site and a little unexpectedly joined by c2 Dunlin. It was this 90 minutes that made my day. From there it is a very short drive to

 on the cusp of Bournemouth International Airport

and a small lake formed by recent aggregate extraction. This has been eye-balled, in passing, on many occasions but seemingly sterile never holding any birds. Hugh and I have discussed the possibilities of such a site on more than one occasion so was thought worth a stop to see what was there.

 Just looking to the Eastern End of the pool it looked to be crying out for a

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (archive)
(note the yellow eye ring)
They will soon be returning from their winter quarters and
I'll be keeping an eye open!

 In these images, but not discernible due to distance were

 found the following.

 10 x Greylag Geese, 5 x Canada Geese, 50+ Black-headed Gulls, 12 x Herring Gull, 22 x Lapwing, most displaying both in flight and on the ground, 6 x Mute Swan, 10 x Jackdaw, bathing in the shallows, 2 x Carrion Crow, a few Goldfinch and a single Shelduck. Not bad thought I for a 'sterile pool', I'll be making frequent visits from now on. The North Easterly breeze had now picked up to 10 knots or more, making for uncomfortable walking around the Longham Lakes. Not a lot to report from there except an increase in numbers of

 LITTLE EGRET
c10 in this image alone, with another perched in a tree just to the right.

 This very pale female

 MALLARD
has featured in these pages before. there was a single

 CHIFFCHAFF

likely one of the c3 that have over-wintered here rather than a
newly arrived migrant, and yes all the

 WILLOW SAPLINGS
have been cut down along the central bund

 with the remains being 'mulched' today and producing a
fantastic scent with the wind in the right direction.

Fortuitously, arriving back at the car I met Ian Heyward the Water Bailiff who told me that the reason for cutting the Willows is that it is 'unlawful' to grow any trees on the banks of a domestic water supply, so that solved that mystery.

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