Passing Strangers - Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughn

With Dennis (the Menace) continuing to be relentless, yesterday 
was another when it was decided to be as dogged as he!
Not to be put off by continuous heavy rain, somewhat subdued 
winds and a number of local roads flooded and impassable along with my
vivacious and enthusiastic adult apprentice

CHLOE

we set about a mini rounds of the local area, without success, before heading off again for

EYEWORTH POND

It was felt sure, given the prevailing conditions, that the Goosander

would have stayed put but in the event that also was not to be!

However, a hearty late morning breakfast redressed the ballance after which we went our seperate ways leaving me to knock up yet another

'All Our Yesterdays Post'

More additions to the Recording Area List

included not one but 2

WATER RAIL

during the month of October 2017 the first, having been 'heard only',
along our beat of the River Stour did not qualify for list inclussion, but

just one week later

12/11/2017 
 a second was seen and heard in the proximity of the
Irrigation Pond Feeding Station

On our usual Sunday wander to the far south west corner of the
Recording Area 
in a search for Geese on 
10/12/2017
 what met the eye was far from
 Goose-like with this rather dull looking

HAWFINCH
 standing out like a sour thumb against a clear blue sky.
It remains still the only record from our patch.

What could not even have been envisage in our wildest of dreams

appeared on the Heath on

12/12/2017

As looking through the residue of local Stonechats and Dartford Warblers
this very 'hoary' bird appeared perched directly in front of the
Strange Rover

 2 Strangers then on that early winter's day.

 As experienced on a couple of other occassions the immortal words from 
the flysheet of one of my old bird books flashed before me
 "and then like all rare things, it was gone"!

 Luckily, it did stay but then there was the task of noting all the fieldmarks 
of such a rare bird which was done to my satisfaction.

With a little help in confirming such a beauty

it was, later in the day, considered to be

a pukka

SIBERIAN STONECHAT
We are hopeful that the weather today (Monday) will clear up
as more (younger) appretices should be on their way.