Storm in a Teacup - The Fortunes

Another abysmal weather forecast and another warning of a ‘named’ gale predicted 

to be with us during the mid-forenoon, so whatever the decision it had to be before storm 

Dennis became a Menace!

Across our usual morning cicuit another male 

TUFTED DUCK

was found on the Gravel Pit 

while a little further on across the flooded

 Northern Horse Paddocks

 were found a host of wind-blown Gulls mostly

Black-headed (centre) Herring Top and

 LESSER BLACK-BACKED

 also among these were c2 winter plumaged

 MEDITERRANEAN GULLS

which simply would not lend themselves to the Canon

but nevertheless an addition to the RA Year List

a decent number of 

PIED WAGTAIL

there too but what wasn't anticipated was this

TREECREEPER

flying directly into the

Viewfinder

Gone mid-morning and still little sign of

Dennis

 the sensible choices were between heading back to barracks or acting on

information recieved from our Broadwey correspondant of a worthwhile

bird just a 30 minute drive away and in the heart of the 

New Forest

is a much favoured location in the Forest but on the day seems the public

had chossen my abandonded option, with no one there at all,

but the object of our desire was, a fine looking

male

 GOOSANDER

 and after a full hour alone with this beauty

 and the cessation of

Flying Stations

 It can be seen by comparisson of the stills and heard via the

sound tracks that

DENNIS 

had struck