Kites - Simon Dupree and the Big Sound

Later to become the sensational
GENTLE GIANT
 The Brothers 'Shulman' - Kites - Link
While there were precious few Moths in the traps, there were another

couple of items of interest which we had to send to our friend

John Gifford

for confirmation of identity.

 BUFF-TAILED BUMBLEBEE

 have already been abundant across our area but this

 ICHNEUMON WASP

OPHION OBSCURATUS

is a First for the Year.

Just because there had been a deficit of Moths in the traps wasn't to say that

there were to be no Moths at all, but we will come to that later.

Time to catch up on the Daily Rounds, which was also by and large deplete,

but we did receive a call from Dave Foot to say he might be in our area later in the day.

 GADWALL

(male)

 are still occupying the Gravel Pit

(male preening and cavorting)

 and looking splendid in the process

 (female)

The 'pair' with Moorhen.

so we live in hope of a First Breeding Record this year??

Other Common Fare included this fine specimen of a male

STONECHAT

commuting between the Heath

and Solar Panel Compound fence

and seemingly finding no difficulty in catching a breakfast delicousy or two.

Singing male

CHAFFINCH

hunting

SONG THRUSH

 HERRING GULL

with interloping

Black-headed Gull
in Eco, 

(which can now only be viewed from the top of the bund due to

a far higher volumn of traffic across the whole area)

 A View from the Top

of just part of the

Solar Panel Farm

and for the very first time from our

Recording Area

some modest footage of foraging

LESSER REDPOLL

A short stop at the

Bournemouth International Airport

perimeter fence gave a chance to watch the 'in house'

FIREFIGHTERS

going through their drills.

The Fire is Set and the Alarm Sounded

Followed by a Rapid Response.

It was at this point we could have chucked a couple of SPUDS into the blaze,
but it was quickly extinguished.

Return to Base.
A reminder of my Oil Rig days when each crew member would
have to attend such a Fire Fighting Course - no exceptions!

To give myself credit, my predictions of where and when Dave might arrive

were both spot on as he was located close to the tributary.

There he is!

Always a great pleasure to be in his company but a little galling (only joking) after spending
the whole morning looking for New Wildlife Arrivals to meet with this sequence of events!
Before even getting out of the Strange Rover he was pointing and shouting

"COMMON HEATH"

a 'daytime flying' and new Moth for the year and having had my fill

he grabs me by the collar, directing my gaze upwards, and indicating an overflying

 RED KITE

 which was our First for Dorset

 and the Recording Area this year as we had seen them earlier on our

 Norfolk Trip.

As if that were not enough, and being a man who loves his hat-tricks,

he goes on to find and capture a specimin of

ORANGE UNDERWING

which you may remember as having a modicum of doubt as to posative
identification associated with our first sighting some days ago.

This is not the first to be recorded here, but certainly the first to be photographed!

ALONG WITH DAVE WE CAN ALSO ANNOUNCE THAT
WE ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON AN
'OUT OF DORSET ADVENTURE' BUT WILL KEEP OUR DESTINATION
UNDER WRAPS UNTIL OUR FIRST POST FROM THERE!

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