It's Been A Longtime Coming - Beverley Knight

OK, we did have Winter Moth in January but they were net caught not like those found at the Moth Trap on Thursday morning. The temperature at 22:00 the night before, as I hit the hammock, was a balmy 10°C so expectations were high for what might be called the realistic inaugural 2015 capture. Returning at 06:30 a single Insect was clinging to the outside of the trap which was not only the 'first' but also 'new' for Parley Court Farm a

 PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY
next up, also on the exterior, was recognisable as the 199th species
for the property caught in 2014 a

 OAK BEAUTY
while on the lawn, and even more familiar, was an example of
the 'first' Species ever take here an

ANGLE SHADES
looking a little on the 'dark' side.

The rest of that day was a washout with continuous moderate to heavy rain, aided and abetted by a fairly brisk breeze. Back to the memoirs! Otherwise, when weather conditions allowed it was back to patrolling The Patch in the relentless search for more excitement. The pair of Gadwall and c4 Coot remain on Parley Pond where they have now been joined by a squadron of about 50

BLACK-HEADED GULL
this one almost back in summer plumage and these 2 which feature a

'second winter' (fore) and a 'winter plumage' adult.

a vocal
BLUE TIT
heralded my arrival at the Merritown Heath Gate but was soon dismissed
for what looked like a far more interesting sight flying along the course
of the Moors River to the south east. It proved to be a male

 GOOSANDER

an addition to the Parley Court Bird List.

 A 'close cousin' the Red-breasted Merganser, considered the fastest flying Duck on the British Bird List (and maybe the World), and as such it would be difficult for me to capture an image even if one were stood still right before me! Therefore we have re-visited the archive for these 2 images by way of illustration. Our bird didn't stop, but considered

 It's Been A Longtime Coming - (alternative title) - Beverley Knight

SOUL is a genre I have never immersed myself in, and one that is considered to have been on a slippery downward slope ever since its inception. I have a none too complimentary description that seems to neatly fit most of the modern day female Soul Singers at least, who are collectively referred to by myself as 'Squealing Bints'! However, like all things in life there are exceptions to the rule. Yes, the correct title of this beautiful song is  

A Change is Gonna' Come from the pen of the 'LEGENDARY' Sam Cooke, 

but that wouldn't quite have fitted in with the sighting of the Goosander. Click both LINKS for the comparison, and if Ms Knight don't do it for you, then you might as well Roll Away the Stone!

At the north end of the property a couple of
Sand Traps
have been laid, with first of all an unwanted guest
One Man and his Dog, but having little idea of such
things one is nominated Fox?

This might be a small Roe Deer although not seemingly 'cloven'??
Confirmation is left to You!

Also yesterday, what was once thought to be a possible nest-site of
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
in this Silver Birch

had been snapped off at the mid-point

by high overnight wind.

A single
GREY WAGTAIL

the first for a while, was at the Sewerage Works while

T6B
had turned up again but without his Pen or usual 4 Juveniles.

What appears to be 'another' male

KESTREL
has also turned up there playing havoc with many of the small birds.

Such as this collage of

LINNET

seemingly doing well around the Solar Panel Farm
along with a single

REED BUNTING

The New

GOLF COURSE

in as yet an

EMBRYONIC STATE

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A Day in the Life - The Beatles

Almost confined, by choice, these days to what has become through custom, practise and the kind permission of the owners, My Local Patch, yesterday followed a familiar track but not with altogether the same findings. Usually alternating, on a daily basis, my wanderings between both North and South Sections of Parley Court Farm (divided by Bournemoth International Airport BIA) yesterday's experiences were at the former which are shared with you now. From Harbins it would take a full hour to reach the main body of that section, so on such occasions the 'spade work' is done by car. After slaking my early morning addiction for coffee and having yet another

HARLEQUIN LADYBIRD
drop from its Wintering Quarters onto the table, it was off to the North.

On Parley Pond the 'pair' of

GADWALL
(along with what are now c4 Coot and a Little Egret)

were noted once again, feeding on or from the abundance of dead
Parrot Feather Pond Weed.

What a delight if they decided to stay and breed!

There was also some early morning activity at
HARBINS FARM HOUSE

as the new Internet is installed.

I am running a 'sweepstake' on just how long that
CARBUNCLE

remains when the 'real' Boss arrives back from Hawaii on Saturday.

Up there was found to be an inordinate amount of
Human Activity taking place which made me feel

 I had been a little hasty in slagging off the Spanish Contractors who

undertook Parley Phase I of the Solar Panel Farm and then seemingly

cut and ran. Their competitors on Phase II, the German company Goldbeck,

had left a legacy of hundreds of metres of hedgerows, Owl and Bat Boxes 

along with a couple of Reptile Hibernaculas.

 Now it is being shown that Phase I are doing similarly

 by planting no less than 3,000 (yes 3,000) metres of Hedgerows.

I have spoken at length to all involved, from the Head Sherang to the

Planters themselves, including JACOB here, from the Czech Republic, who

is on a 'gap year' from his University in Prague gaining 'hands on' experience

and honing his already accomplished command of the English language.
The Boss has invited me to visit his office tomorrow to view the full plans.

On the subject of Goldbeck in partnership with Silverstone (Green Energy), who have taken over Maintenance of the sites, great interest is still being shown in compiling an 'Archive of Solar Panel Wildlife', which most (if not all) has fallen to me. With no prerequisites as to quality, quantity or distance all that is require of each image is that they show the subject and some part of the complex. I am assured that all will be considered of useful in the long run including these that follow.

CARRION CROW

The first COOT

recorded on the Irrigation Pond and

 Ditto

LITTLE GREBE

As if the sap is not already rising enough the 'bursting' of

SALLOW CATKINS
brings the Moth Trapping Season ever closer.

Just one of the 10 or more

CHIFFCHAFF

that have so far successfully 'overwintered' here.

 EURASIAN TEAL
at the Gravel Pit
absent while Gravel Extraction has been taking place over the past 2 weeks

 but back yesterday c26 strong.
 At the boundary hedge between PCF and the Sewerage Works
uncountable numbers of

CHAFFINCH

are now being recorded

on each visit, while a concerted count of

GREENFICH

produced a total of 35 mostly vocal and all healthy individuals.
Back to the car and around the largest of the Solar Fields which
runs parallel with the Moors River. There were found a further 50+
Teal, c7 more Gadwall, dozens of Mallard along with c2 each of

GREYLAG GOOSE

(with Mallard) and

CANADA GOOSE
Far more unlikely and only the second of the Winter a lone

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL

for whatever reason a

'scarce' bird here.

It is rarely that the car is taken onto Merritown Heath, although

unrestricted access is available, but today was the exception.

Quietly as possible pulling onto a hard standing, close to Bournemouth

International Airport this

 ROBIN

 remained sat there at touching distance

 (these images remain un-cropped)

and singing away for all it was worth. Not an opportunity to be missed!

The Heath has recently been least by BIA to Dorset County Council

for 10 years and under their Stewardship is undergoing some 

 major clearance work.

 On arrival, someone in a florescent jacket was seen at the far side

 who approached me while photographing the Robin.

 Great to meet

Tony Harris

who is 'overseer' for the ongoing works which are grubbing out

 good numbers of invasive Pine and Silver Birch Trees along with

80% of the rapidly expanding Gorse.

This should be of excellent benefit to the habitat and I guess the

Firewood will come in handy??
and finally...... we hark back to Sunday and a sumptuous Roast Dinner
in the company of John and Joyce, Janet's Dad and Mum.
Country People who are always on the lookout for such things,
they directed me to my 'second' Butterfly of the year a

 RED ADMIRAL
left in the barn to continue its hibernation.

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