Back in the Groove

Apologies for the 'No Show' yesterday with no idea what caused the abcence. Some chance of it haveing been yet another Power Failure but my own theory would be Gross Incompetence!!

Now firmly ensconced back in the reality of 2022 like the 'readership' the numbers of Bird Species are dropping like flies!! With overnight temperatures now seemingly settled in 'highish single figures figures' the Moth Traps have not yet been stowed away but rather Moth (no pun intended) Balled in wait of another warmish blast from the south, but things didn't start in a Wildlife vein at all. Talk about "Hoist by Your own Petard" 

this image, Strange Rover 'n' all,

was found on the E-mail of me trying to surupticiously leave a gift at a friends house without being spotted. Otherwise, first to show was this

MINOTAUR BEETLE
scurrying through the grass before a wander along the banks of the

RIVER STOUR
looking west and to the tune of c2

GREYLAG GEESE

Effluent on the Stour

looking east

convieniently landing on the South Bank.
With nothing else there to delay us it was off up north just in time to watch a male

MERLIN
(we have never aspired to taking such an image of Europes smallest bird of prey and likely never will?) flying on a reciprocal course along the lenght of the bridleway, a most welcome addition!

With nothing to delay us at the Irrigation Pond it was next door on the Gravel Pit that we found a fine trio of presumed returning Waterfowl

TEAL
(male)

female

the long staying and occassionally hiding
COOT

a brief punctuation with the spotting of another Mammal for the year a couple of

RABBITs
both looking myxo free and followed by a pair of

GADWALL
female

male

then from above a

GREY HERON

dropped in.
A Spring-like day, a few Birds plus a Mammal sent us home content.
More we hope Tomorrow!