'Sheep' - The Housemartins

 Joy of Joy's and an absolute delight to have the 'chittering' of

SWALLOWs
now joining the dawn chorus at first light but less so at the home-bound Moth Traps where were found few Insects all of a very common nature. It would seem we have given you something of a bum steer as not having seen the

CANADA GOOSE
sitting at the Main Pondside for 10 days or more but as the image shows

and the clip endorses they are still incubating so time to keep a sharp eye for the new Goslings!         

With a chill +3°C on the Heath all indications seem to point to a similar result as previous, but          "ye of little faith” never caught the ‘biggy’!Clinging to the kitchen foil which lines the funnel was another

LUNAR MARBLED BROWN

with not far behind a rather worn and ragged but nevertheless 'first for year'

LEAD-COLOURED DRAB
not only a First for the Year but the First we have ever clapped eyes on - "YES"!
Highly unlikely that was going to be upstaged on the day, but there were still things of interest to be found such as the resurected vocals of the 'early nesting'

WOODLARK

which looked every bit as if feeding young which we hope are destined for the Canon.
Next, but somewhat more distantly, there seemed to be overtures being made

to attract a

MATE

and as we know from past experiences once the

MISTLE THRUSH

flashes up there will be
No Quarter........
As if appearing overnight the 2 already active giant cranes have been joined by this

JIB CRANE
at the Airport while far more delicate and sedate the first

PRIMROSE

are now in full bloom.
On our way back it was noted that the

SHEEP

were back in the Main Compound as was this hunting

STONECHAT

looking rather like a 'juvenile' but surely not yet?
A wander down south, the usual stronghold of the Lesser Whitethroat here, bore no fruit

but it certainly looks like the 'standards' in the Manor car park will,
the same as this winter when Fieldfare and Redwing alike were able to gorge themselves.
While talking of 'arborials' the local

HORSE CHESTNUTs
are also showing signs of their 'candle-like' flowers along a very healthy looking hedge

leading to the most westerly part of our range.
At the extent we met not only the
River Stour

but maybe as many as 50

HOUSE MARTINs

a further addition to the
Bird Year List which now stands at 106 for the Recording Area.

the first signs of

Oil Seed Rape
will doubtlessly also be adornring extensive Dorset hillsides while our final find

seemed rather strange when finding this
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
just sitting alone in the middle of a recently harrowed and seeded 20-acre field through a

Heat Haze

before being joined by a second

but with no signs of feeding!
Here's Hoping for More to Come.