Bad Motor Sco(o)ter - Montrose

Bad Motor Scooter Link 

Featuring the irrepressible Sammy Hagar on vocals

and the sadly lamented Ronnie Montrose, Lead Guitar.

Two of the 'finest' ROCKERS to come out of the USA!

Once again being a day or two behind pays dividends as the air here is full of that light rain that gets you soaking wet in seconds so not at all fit for wandering around. In addition, British Telecom have been up to their tricks again and this time there is no knowing when we might see the Internet back on line. There was a promise of them being here this morning, but not prepared to rely on that one iota I have again availed myself of the Dampney Ltd Office. If that were not enough the Traps also let us down, another wait for the magic 'three figures', as just 23 Moths was today's collective total. Moan, Moan, Moan now over! From yesterdays haul comes the delightful

 PINE BEAUTY

 c2 in fact which is a new species for the Farm while

 DARK CHESTNUT
has featured before.

 This looked to be a monster when recovered from the trap,

 

 QUEEN COMMON WASP

and the reed-bed dwelling

SEDGE GRANNON

something I'd never heard of before!
Thank Heavens for John Gifford that's what I say!

 On Parley Pond the first appearance of

 MALLARD DUCKLINGS
with a similar hatch over at Longham Lakes where the following
were also found.

 BROWN GARDEN SNAIL

which was in fact moved from the main pathway in an attempt

to preserve its life.

 

 PIED WAGTAIL

through the eye of the small Canon camera.

 COLTSFOOT

in flower

 with some, although the year is not that old yet,

which has already 'gone over'.

 The BLACK SWAN is still on the Hampreston Meadows

with at least 2
BLACKCAP
singing from the hedgerows.

 Looks like they have the 

CANADA GEESE

running on rails over there now!

 WREN

 SMALL TORTOISESHELL BUTTERFLY

and 
WILLOW WARBLER
also becoming more numerous as the days go by.
In addition there were c7 Sand Martins but we still haven't seen a
Swallow yet.

 MILITARY HELICOPTER

surely someone will write to say which?
I knew someone would and should have accounted for a quick reaction
from regular reader Roy Norris who took just 39 minutes. From the 'Comments' box.
  Yes Paul. Its a Merlin Helicopter, all of which the RAF have had removed from their grasp to hand to the Senior Service's Air Arm so they can transport Her Majesty's Royal Marine Commandos around.
Over the Chain Link Ferry at Sandbanks for a look around the
Heath and Poole Harbour in hope of another look at the Surf Scoter.

 RABBIT

 REINDEER LICHEN

 WAVY-HAIR GRASS

 another colour variation of

WHITE-LIPPED SNAIL
and then there it was!

 SURF SCOTER

a vagrant from the Americas which by rights should be inside the
Arctic Circle by now?

The images, the first I have captured in Dorset are thought OK

but had I been a lot more diligent the outcome could have been

STUNNING.

This bird was first reported from Brands Bay last year and though always distant did add to the February and March list making it good value for myself. Last month it moved to Newtons Bay a little further west, but still in Poole Harbour, with access being far more difficult but nonetheless allowing 100% sightings on each of my 6 visits. Now back in Brands there was a good chance of seeing it for April but wrongly presuming it was going to be at its former favoured spot at the other side of the harbour I just bumbled onto Gerry's Point. Taking a quick scan c2 noisy Canada Geese were noted along with c2 Shelduck 'on the beach' and while erecting the tripod noticed the latter taking to the water. Some moments later a 'dark blob' was noted swimming between the Ducks which turned out to be the Surf Scoter, what a surprise! It probably goes without saying (given recent events at Oak Hill) that once again I had left the big camera in the car, so was left fumbling with tripod, telescope and small camera but which time all 3 were some way off.

The price of the afore mentioned Lack of Diligence
was just average photos, but photos were secured with
me being a little chuffed to say the least.

Back at Harbins another, far more diligent Wild-Lifer, had been at work
and had found this

 WOOD MOUSE

'Eagle Eyed' Janet rarely misses a trick during her perambulations
around the farm and in my absence whet to replenish the bird-feeder
and found this little fella steeling some of the seed.

It was not worried one jot about our presence even when tickling
its chin with a piece of straw to get a better shot of head and face.
In addition to the above, other Mammals seen included Stoat,
Grey Squirrel, Roe Deer, Badger and Fox.
We'll end today on a whimsical note from a few days ago when
going out to dinner with Lesley, she noticed

this car

sporting this sign!

Entry	Pageviews
United States	1002    The USA once again sprint into the lead!
United Kingdom	833
Canada	197
Germany	121
France	44
Estonia	31
Russia	28
Ukraine	13
Argentina	8
New Zealand	8  and how nice to see the Kiwis back!