Once we get out of step it always seems to be one hell of a game to
Catch Up
but we doubt any of our dedicated readership are too worried about that!
A little like the
Curates Egg
the appaling weather of Thursday was more than enough to spoil our chances of a visit to
Portland Bill but allows us to catch up with Wednestday! Again with low returns from the traps and nothing at all of note we were 'out in the field' a little earlier than usual which might have been the same for our return except for meeting up with Ian, the trusty Green Keepr at the
Golf Club
Having already had a decent bit of luck at the Gravel Pit with our
'first of the year'
REED WARBLER
REED WARBLER
we continued on to the Heath to find even more
SISKIN
a fact that we have been remiss in bringing to you before now,
but armed with the perfect reason / excuss of
Senility
fortuneately we have that plausable and cast iron excusse, feeling
we will get away with it scot free?
Yes, there have been far, far more than we have ever recorded before,
mostly on the Heath, of this neat little Finch and feel sure
by now that nesting has taken place. We hope for moe concrete evidence
when/if the nippers emerge
Common fare thus far, agreed, but no less pleasing to the ear and eye as
this trend continued but taking up far more of our attention.
The
WOODLARK
can hardly be considered 'eye-catching' but the nuances of this small bird,
with hardy a crest, broad/pale supercillium (eyebrow), orangy/brown cheek patch and all too short a tail make it worth far more than just a casual glance
Since the cropping of the Heather, to stimulate new growth, across this particular patch
WOODLARK
have re-colonised, not seen at all in the winter,
and are now seen on a daily basis.
Surely feeding young their hunting never stops
and nor does the constant 'calling'
which may be heard on these clips
Captivating as well as having sat there in the
Mobile Bird Hide
watching them for a full 90 minutes
Time for a bit of a spruce up and time for us to get underway,
"start up main engines Chief"
By recent standards it had already been an excellent day but encountering the afore mentioned
Ian the Green Keep
he had more news for me in the shape of 2
YELLOW WAGTAIL
on the practice tee and on the
River Stour
(male)
beyond the weir a pair of
GOOSANDER
(female)
