You Scratch Mine - I'll Scratch Yours

 Still something of a struggle despite a few hours of sunshine but, to make matters worse again the Heath becomes a No Go Area due to high water and mud levels!

First up was a better view in better light

than our previous go at the 'bird on a wire' the local male

KESTREL
Nothing of note until arriving at the Irrigation Pond where there were 2 surprises in as many seconds. The first would have to be proven but potentially a new

LITTLE GREBE

a bit coy but

with the second a certainty as the first ever December record here of a

COOT
not at all obliging or active

but with hopes that it might remain into 2021.
Good news from next door as all c3 of the winter resident Grebes were in attendace, confirming the previous as a 4th, along with an

overdue pair of

MALLARD

with She

and

already making those suggestive nodding gestures to each other.
About to leave when this obliging

BLUE TIT

started feeding

no more than a yard from the car.
On the way to the Sewerage Works there was something of a Genesis moment
All in a Mouses Night

I can't see you but I know you're there

got to get beside you 'cause it's really cold out here.

in this instance the Mouse being replaced by a Coal Tit.

Followed in quick succession by

2 to 3 dozen

MEADOW PIPIT

preening in this favoured Oak.
All to be found at that destination were a few

preening

BLACK-HEADED GULLs

before finding yet another

BUZZARD KILL

(Wood Pigeon)

before ending our day at the gateway to the Heath and a

Moment of Mirth

Brief Encounter

Another day of persistent and heavy rain showers saw us mainly Confined to Barracks save for a lull around noon when we hightailed it down to

LONGHAM LAKES
which seemed likely to be the best option for getting something in the can, with the first sight being c19 Little Egrets on the main island. Otherwise among something of a dreary mob was this male

SHOVELER

hogging most of the footage along with a

female doing likewise and overlooked by a towering

GREAT WHITE EGRET
one of only 2 seen.

Poor group shots included a pair of Wigeon with Little Egret and

Little Egret, Shoveler, 2 x Greylags and a single Canada Geese

while this loan male WIGEON had not been as lucky as his mate above.

SHOVELER bathing and passing CANADA GOOSE
 Finally, as we thought you to have had too much excitement already, the second of the

GREAT WHITE EGRETs
on the Hampreston water meadows just before being caught in the latest shower.
Homeward Bound!

Sloe Gin - Joe Bonamassa

 We should kick off by admitting our foibles of the 25th inst as something of a minor

WATERCOCK-UP
which is in fact a White-breased Waterhen and not as published, this is in fact a

WATERCOCK
not seen in Taiwan but in Sri Lanka. The appropriate ammendment has been made so back to the business in hand.

The beautiful glow of dawn with Venus just visible above left, but with little (nothing) to keep us in the southern reaches we headed north to find something

of an influx of mostly vocal

GREENFINCH
With another blank at the Irrigation Pond it was a blessing to find a dozen

TEAL

back on the

Gravel Pit

along with

what is now being considered as

an over-wintering

GREY WAGTAIL
On the way to the Sewerage Works to continue the seemingly everlasting pursuit of
Black Redstart

this
CORMORANT
was noticed on a distant pylon. Once a favoured perch for a dozon or more this event is a
First for the Year.
More of the same of recent days but most now being far more cooperative such as

very noisy

HERRING GULLs

nothing new in that!

JACKDAWs

at a favoured perch along with this

ROBIN

finding sustenance around the puddles.
A fine end to the morning as we located on 'call'

a flock of some 20 to 30

LONG-TAILED TITs

foraging the hedgerows. 

and finally, but by no means least it was as far back as early September when new-found friends asked the whereabouts of any Blackthorn on the property and willingly gave the location. It was on the C word morning that they returned bearing this gift.

SLOE GIN

Joe Bonamassa - Royal Albet Hall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z-EfcQeifc

and it would be sacrilege not to play this in tendem with 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IctWoZmcV8g

The Ballard of John Henry

(same gig)

Joe Bonamassa - Lead Guitar / Vocals, Carmine Rojas - Bass, Anton Fig - Drums (left), Bogie Bowles - Drums and Rick Melick - Keyboards.

Rock 'n' Roll Trivia - Joe was the opening act on one of BB King's tours at the tender age of 14! 

Monday, Monday - Mamas and the Papas

 We are going to overlook Bella as just a distraction having already fallen behind somewhat, we have quite forgotten which day it was but it was cloud free (Mister Blue Skies - ELO) leading to no rain or wind and nowhere near Deep or Crisp or Even!

Apart from a
SPARROWHAWK

having nabbed yet another Moorhen at the Main Pond there was nothing else to delay us at the
Southern Sector

but up north it was immediately apparent that there had been an influx of

GREAT TIT
little beauties!
Otherwise, nothing at ether pond forced us on to the Sewerage Works Fence line for yet another bash at Black Redstart, Siberian Chiffchaff or even a Yellow-browed Warbler - but NO!

BULLFINCH
both male and

female
were a welcome sight as one of the c2

HERRING GULL
fell to earth but not a single one of the likely 100 Black-headed Gulls, but with a brace of

JACKDAWs
making for backup. Most numerous at c6 on the Heath were undoubtably

STONECHAT

female / juvenile type

nourishing

and all

most obliging while the nosy

'rare breed'
OLD ENGLISH WHITE STEER
also looked to be getting in on the act.

There were also c3

DARTFORD WARBLER

making for the most bountiful day of the month thus far!