After that magical ramble around Poole Harbour on Sunday with Chloe
it was thought that the rest of the week would be an anticlimax!
Not far short but "every cloud has at least a couple of new Moths".
Monday night was the first when the new
Light Emiting Diode (strip) Moth Trap
was flashed up in anger, outside of Slight Return, and among the c3 Insects within was a
'first for year'
DOTTED BORDER
plus this rather nifty little
CLEARWING
with the other Moth being a rather dark
HEBREW CHARACTER
The upshot of course was the fact that it was at least working.
Otherwise, during daylight hours all the rest of what might be called action was centred on the Heath
to where the
RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE
do very occassionally stray.
Not unexpectedly there were also a 'pair' of most obliging
STONECHAT
which quite honestly we could sit and
Click / Vid
all day long.
Finally, and while the rain was holding off an attempt was made to see the
Garganey mostly hiding just a couple of miles away at
Cowards Marsh
and that is where it stayed - hidden!
TUESDAY
started with a bit of a bang as the LED Trap held not one but two 'firsts for the year'
and not
one but two
YELLOW HORNED
which completely evaded us last year.
the second being a
SMALL QUAKER
and with news from elsewhere in the county of
REPTILES
starting to show their hand it was thought to be a good idea
to turn the Herps covers also for the first time this year.
No Snakes or Lizards but any small Mammal is just as welcome as this
COMMON SHREW
A bit nippy and almost as fast as me at times,
so lucky to get a 'still' never mind a 'clip'!
The first signs of nest building were also witnessed as the Magpies return to exactly the same spot as last year, using what remains of the last nest as a foundation, while the Irrigation Pond Coots are feverishly dragging lengths of Common Reed to the desired platform.
Not quite that far into the game
CHAFFINCH
have become far more numerous
as well as
vocal
while at the second time of asking the
GARGANEY
was seen but nowhere close to what these archive images depict.
So sculking, had this been a NEW bird to me it would have been difficult,
if not down ringht impossible to add it to any list.
However,
the 2 pairs of
GOOSANDER
(male)
(female)
performed a good deal better, with the day closing with a
'Wintery Shower'
Heavy, persistant rain was forecast from 06:00 onwards for Wednesday
but did hold off until both traps were cleared, but with nothing to report.
However, there was something of a 'mega rarity' awaiting as there stood on the pan was a
VIRGIN
you don't see many of them in the Bournemouth area!
With little on the ground during daylight hours it was left to the
Dusk Double Header
to provide the entertainment.
With the new LED Moth Trap still in an embrionic stage and with 'light sensor' attatched it would have been foolish not to check the function on Wednesday evening.
This in turn, having to visit the Heath, brought up the hopes of a
WOODCOCK
Dusk Double Header
to provide the entertainment.
With the new LED Moth Trap still in an embrionic stage and with 'light sensor' attatched it would have been foolish not to check the function on Wednesday evening.
This in turn, having to visit the Heath, brought up the hopes of a
or two. In the event this enigmatic nocturnal feeder showed as just a single and as we have never been lucky to get that close we have 'borrowed an image from you know where!
Quickly on to the Thursday report and then even more quickly OFF,
the heavy rain started at 04:30 and persisted throughout all daylight hours.
We didn't move from the
Sanctuary of Slight Return!
the heavy rain started at 04:30 and persisted throughout all daylight hours.
We didn't move from the
Sanctuary of Slight Return!
FRIDAY, and after the perpetual and heavy rain of the previous day bright sunshine, little wind and a chance to get out. Good job really as would have been champing at the bit with the new Canon Power Shot SX 70 HS all ready to go! Here are just a few snaps and Vids from the first day's play. Something of a surprise in the first instance as c2
GREYLAG GEESE
were found on the Gravel Pit
not a site where they have been recorded before,
but soon departed at my approach
CANADA GOOSE
on the Gravel Pit
Teal
female on the Moors River with several others
before joining the male bird for a preen
A small party of recently arrived
LINNET
was added to the County List and by definition the Recording area before zooming off to
Longham Lakes
Some decent if not common fare to try the New Toy out on not least
of which were the ever photogentic
POCHARD
(seen here with a female Tufted Duck above)
before being videoed whilst preening
Next up was a persistantly vocal male
REED BUNTING
doubtlesly
trying to attract
The Female of the Species - Space
a few more
TUFTED DUCKs
floated by before our final and luckiest encounter as the diving
GREAT CRESTED GREBE
surfaced with a Fish
considered to be a
ROACH
SATIATED
and finally Saturday which didn't turn out to be a too shabby end to the week,
although it did begin with just a single
Hebrew Character
in the traps.
It was extrodinary to see how far the
COOT'S
had got with nest building as it was only a couple of days ago that we noticed
what looked like the first blade of dead reed being put into place,
now there's this great hillock about 4 Coots high.
Again most of the day's action was confined to the Heath where both
COAL TIT
and
MISTLE THRUSH
had noticably increased in numbers and were letting the world know about it vocally.
When you ply the same track day after day you do tend to notice even the smallest
of changes which was the way as we returned to base.
A small blob of white some distance away on the far bank of the
Moors River
was enough to investigate further which, employing the telescope,
turned out to be a good call indeed!
COMMON SANDPIPER
sewed the week up perfectly!
and finally Saturday which didn't turn out to be a too shabby end to the week,
although it did begin with just a single
Hebrew Character
in the traps.
It was extrodinary to see how far the
had got with nest building as it was only a couple of days ago that we noticed
what looked like the first blade of dead reed being put into place,
now there's this great hillock about 4 Coots high.
Again most of the day's action was confined to the Heath where both
and
had noticably increased in numbers and were letting the world know about it vocally.
When you ply the same track day after day you do tend to notice even the smallest
of changes which was the way as we returned to base.
Moors River
was enough to investigate further which, employing the telescope,
turned out to be a good call indeed!
A first of the Year
COMMON SANDPIPER
