The Bagsy Blog

Monday, 11 January 2016

Sunshine of Your Love - Cream

Stormy Weather replaced by Sunshine of Your Love.

We can only blame the weather in as much as yesterday we were able to get out and be rewarded with decent views for a change. Although it was a little chillier, gone was the rain (albeit temporarily) with no wind and apart from the glare of the Sun (no, you can't please everyone) it was perfect for Birding and Walking alike. The first bird of interest and a Year Tick to boot, betrayed its presence by a short series of rasping croaks which had me scampering from Slight II in the half light to find a

RAVEN

flying overhead.

With neither Coot or Moorhen detectable at the Irrigation Pond
it was quickly on to the Gravel Pit where a flash of blue caught my eye

but at great distance. A scan with the bins found a

KINGFISHER
(only the 'second' ever recorded at this site)
perched at the far end of the watercourse, with the clip above giving
some idea of just how far away it was!
This was followed by a lean half hour as we made our way to the
Sewerage Works where all of the hedges and that lovely big muddy puddle
were also devoid of bird life. Because of the hedges and other fencing, this
is a difficult area to view but with first a

SPARROWHAWK
and then the most vocal

GREEN SANDPIPER
on Earth flying in things were looking up.
Down at the 'flood plain' which now masks the
Moors River
there was a bit more in the way of Wildfowl action although
nothing different and everything also at great distance.

TEAL
numbers of which are now in excess of 3-figures with

Male birds seemingly outnumbering

Females 3 to 1.

GADWALL

are creeping towards double figure with 8 counted there today,

while

WIGEON

is still represented by the lone male.

Male WIGEON

through the trees

and in company with female TEAL.
The most unusual, in fact unique, sight along that beat was of c3

COMMON GULL
which are 'rare' in our Recording Area anyway but to our knowledge
have never been seen before at this particular site, nor in such numbers.
There were also c2

LITTLE EGRET
and the same number of

GREY SQUIRREL
but that number increased by one on arrival at Eco where c3

COMMON SNIPE
were flushed.
Being something of an 'Old Pirate' any item of flotsam or jetsam is
noteworthy and always considered as an addition to the
'Cum in Handy Locker'.

Such was the small green bucket, complete with handle found on the marsh once the Snipe had disappeared from view, and was laid aside for later collection. Following that, it was only ideal curiosity that had me investigating one of the Pheasant Feeding Bins, which had also lost its lid, but still ⅓ filled with Wheat. Thrusting my hand into the bin, to test just how wet the grain was, it was removed 10 times quicker as this small Rodent appeared. Taking a good look all round, it was impossible to fathom just how this hapless and satiated creature had managed to get there in the first place, but it certainly couldn't get out!

WOOD MOUSE
(thanks to John Gifford)

There you are, the story is no more than a minute old and already there is a use for the 'little green bucket'! Decanting the Mouse from the bin to the bucket, which made a fine base for both images and footage, after which it was given a new found freedom.

Despite the slight trauma note, this tiny creature was still feeding.
Cutting along to what has been a deafeningly quiet Merritown Heath
so far this year, we first heard and then saw our first

DARTFORD WARBLER

since mid-December and while stood in that particular vicinity

it was thought worth turning the biggest sheet of corrugated metal

we have laid there to find a

FIELD VOLE

still in residence.

Further on and within the Main Solar Panel Compound

the place was alive with birds, with these images doing no justice

to actual numbers.

On these panels alone were Wood Pigeon, the largest flock of

Starling seen here so far this year, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Fieldfare.

The latter were somewhat more confiding than usual,

and from the cover of the Strange Rover

We were able to secure these photographs.

Also there was a single

ROE DEER

and our second

RAVEN

for the morning. We say morning as at precisely noon, that is when

the heavens decided to open again and 'rain on our parade'.

However, there was one final Mammal noted as a

FOX

decided to cross our track on the way back to

Slight Return II and the Memoirs.

Entry	Pageviews
United Kingdom	311
United States	214
Germany	188
Russia	74
France	33
Estonia	19
Canada	16
China	9
India	8
New Zealand	7

Saturday, 9 January 2016

Stormy Weather - Billie Holliday

When (if) the rain stops, then the sun comes out to blind you and add to the mix winds of varying gale force and direction, none of which makes for best birding conditions. Having said that, it is 'WINTER' and we're still wandering around in T-shirts! Additions to the Year List haven't exactly been queueing up but there have been a few of the more common species showing from time to time over the past couple of days.

COLLARED DOVE

eventually put in an appearance, but it took a little longer

for us to get to grips with the half dozen

BULLFINCH

on the property.

CHIFFCHAFF

were also not as easy as expected but once we found one

at the Sewerage Works, there proved to be at least c10.

It was only a very slow drive along our course of the now flooded

Moors River that brought

WIGEON

(a lone male)

along with a pair of

GADWALL

to book, while across the whole of the Northern Sector there

were also a good number (not counted) of

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL

Only a short report, but we can only bring you what we have.

KEEP TUNING IN FOR MORE!

Other local news includes the completion of both Phases III and IV which are now connected to the grid, just leaving me to negotiate access with the overseers. Otherwise, up at the airport balancing they are still shifting soil and gravel from one side of the site to the other (just cannot work that one out) while some is being taken away in lorries.

Entry	Pageviews
United Kingdom	321
United States	199
Germany	196
Russia	53
France	30
Estonia	22
Canada	11
China	11
India	7
Poland	6

Thursday, 7 January 2016

I Can See Clearly Now Lorraine Has Gone

Since our last Post we have recorded nothing more than

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

locally as an addition to the Year List.

However, Sunday 3rd January 2016, which now seems a light year away, was for me the day of an unexpected treat. Bernard, my daughter Lisa and the rest of the York family are due to return to Australia mid-month (YES that's 3 years gone in a flash) with our final farewell date having been set for the 5th inst. However, enter stage left my former Lady Friend Lorraine inviting us all to lunch at her house in West Sussex last Sunday. A day of torrential rain, which wasn't going to make one iota of difference to our get together, but even then a detour via

was thought likely to produce at least a couple of additions to the

Bird Year List.

Residents here include Mandarin Duck and Marsh Tit but neither

were stupid enough to be out in such weather!

All that could be mustered were a lone

MUSCOVY DUCK

(which wouldn't quite make the cut)

and a similarly single

NUTHATCH

(grand total for the year now stands at 48)

Lorraine and I had chance to catch up and reminisce

(some of the BEST years of my life without a doubt)

before the York's turned up mob-handed.

LISA, BERNARD (now Captain Bernard York Royal Australian Navy).

Elizabeth and Alexander.

Benjamin, Alex and

Frederick,

while

Lorraine and Lisa took to the kitchen.

(dare not put my thoughts)

DADDIES GIRL?

I certainly don't do Christmas, and don't have one clue what to buy

young children at any other time, including birthdays, but did have one

thing to give which as far as material things go is about the closest to my heart.

Of my limited number of achievements in life, becoming a

SUBMARINER

and being part of that Service for a number of years was about as

good as it got (including my Mate and Master's qualifications) so it

was decided to bestow, on each of the Grandchildren, the 'eternal gift'
and distinction of becoming

An insignia worn with the greatest of pride

throughout the rest of my 38 year career at sea.
(note the additional becket which one day will hold a memory stick
complete with the Bagsy Memoir)

It will take them a while to get the knack of pinning them to their chests

but that won't concern a

Most Proud

Grandpa Bagsy

Entry	Pageviews
United Kingdom	336
Germany	241
United States	210
Russia	110
Estonia	26
France	22
Ukraine	13
China	10
Canada	8
Poland	7

Tuesday, 5 January 2016

Yesterday - The Beatles

A LATE POST THAT HAD BEEN LOST IN THE MACHINE

and REFERS TO DECEMBER PAST!

Well, we did succumb to dragging one of the Moth Traps back into operation just before Christmas but way too late to capitalise on the 'purple patch' which preceded our efforts. During that short period of south westerly and balmy airflow such unexpected 'goodies' to be found around the County and elsewhere included

CRIMSON SPECKLED (Wiki for illustration)

STRIPED HAWK-MOTH

MECIDEA

(image from a fellow Moth'er)

an Insect from Africa which is a FIRST for Great Britain.

Other stuff seen or heard in our Recording area before Christmas included

CURLEW

DUNNOCK

KESTREL
still successfully hunting Merritown Heath.

Plenty of
CHAFFINCH

GOLDFINCH and LINNET

and just the odd
GREY WAGTAIL

COMMON BUZZARD

Closer shots of

GOLDFINCH
and

LINNET
and we feel sure we are wandering around here with our eyes shut.

Since the report some weeks ago now ref the unusual sighting of a
BMI BABY
our sharp-eyed reader and helper John Gifford noted that it has no engines.
There is a long winded story about this but too long to relate right now.

Anyroad, on closed inspection it was found that the other 5 aircraft,
which have been on the pan long before my arrival are also engine-less.
Yes, we do know that the likes of Rolls Royce only 'hire' their engines.

KESTREL
(perched)