Kites - Simon Dupree and the Big Sound

Portsmouth Band later to re-brand as the sensational

 GENTLE GIANT
 Nearing the end of 1970 a number of us crew members of the
Experimental Trials Vessel - Whimbrel
took to the 'Mucky Duck' (White Swan) on Commercial Road, Portsmouth
for a gallon or 2 prior to visiting one of our heros, Tony (Top Strat) McPhee who was
headling under the guise of
GROUNDHOGS
at the time and playing the cities Guildhall that evening 
As ever the conversation in the pub among us like-minded muso's was wall to wall
Rock 'n' Roll
 with little thought, or care, as to who the supporting band/s might be
First up were a Glasgow outfit 'Train' who were not out of place on that lorded stage but mediocre
 Next, producing a wall of sound churrned from Moogs, Stratocasters, Marshals et al, which it was doubted many present had heard before, they simply took over the whole show promoting their first and eponymous album
We all readily agreed that Groundhogs had surely made a huge mistake
allowing the 'GIANTS' to take the stage first and I for one have been a huge fan ever since!
 Take a listern to
Gentle Giant - Gentle Giant
on You Tube 
A little 'heavy handed' with the 'Zeros' yesterday a typo which has now been corrected 
We open today's Post proper with an omission from the last as soon after the

PEREGRINE

disappeared it was quickly followed by a 

RED KITE

certainly increasing in numbers across Dorset and elsewhere!

Given the numbers on the gauge at dawn were only showing

+4°C

expectations at the trap were not exactly high,

but fear not as among the 18 Moths of 10 species, a rather higher tally than expected,

there lurked the rather eye-catching

BRIMSTONE MOTH 

and the only slightly less attractive

SHUTTLE-SHAPED DART

both additions to the Year List 

 Mid-evening the day before a new

CUCKOO

arrived seemingly singing from a perch just beyond the 

River Stour

and at times in our 'own backyard'

However, that was not the best of it as this determined male sang right through the night,

only to 'knock it on the head' at dawn and not to be heard all day

Maybe He Got Lucky?

 Since that a deal of head-scratching has been going on as to whether we have come across this before, and it feel like it has!

By way of change, as good as a rest, we turned our rounds in the opposite direction to the norm, firstly heading off to what is believed to be an old

 Royal Airforce Base

 deep in the dense Bramble shrouded wood andour own small stronghold for

 HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY

 which is always on the Ivy

 so presumed to be a Christmas lover

At the southern side of this patch lies 

Bournemouth International Airport and a fairy triving Industrial Estate

both of which stand silett as a grave!

Otherwise on the Heath

MEADOW PIPIT 

 was striking something of a Birthday Card pose as

 MISTLE THRUSH

just a short clip, it didn't hang around too long

 feeding young

 Free Ranging
CHAROLAIS
looking contented of the forced confinement of winter
and at precisely 16:20

 this 
Impressive Beast
fell to earth as once David Bowie did!

Royal Airforce also likely doing their bit
BOEING C17A GLOBEMASTER III
fresh in from Brize Norton

THANKS for PASSING on the LINK
and stay Safe and Well