Wild Goose Chase

 Another bright start to a day which brought good fortune with it

Sooner rather than Later

For starters from above came the gaggling of a skien of c27

GREYLAG GEESE
which just continued on purposefully to the east and

this image for your pleasure.

With all traps flashed up and conditions continuing perfect considering the time of year with

 DOUBLE-STRIPED PUG

being little more than a taster as soon followed by a First for the Year

THE STREAK

which the book tells us is common and widespread but of which we hear very little of across
Dorset.
The 390 Macro species for us across the season which adds further hope of reaching the magical  400

From there the trend plummeted somewhat as we discovered the second pile of

Fly Tipping
what is the mentality of these oafs?? Onward and just around the corner the Moors River, now having become something of a Water Meadow, was hosting 2 species of Geese but no prizes for guessing which. Ever aggressive

EGYPTIAN GEESE

were already at it

while the more sedate

CANADA GEESE
got on with far more pleasurable grazing with one from
All Our Yesterdays when we rescued this

GOSLING
last year.

Otherwise we are getting a little closer to capturing a 'side-on shot of this
Red-tailed AIRBUS

now back in opperation, A few more Fungi popping up here and there

CEP
(PENNY BUN)

CRIMSON ELF CAP
along with a

COLLARED EARTH STAR

Noticeable increase in the numbers of both
PIED WAGTAIL
and

HOUSE SPARROW
(just love 'em)

while annoyingly this 'chopper' has been flying back and forth most of the morning
but not detracting from the beauty of this fine clump of

REINDEER LICHEN
which brought another worthwhile wander to an end!

Airport - The Motors

 Another night that proved to be ideal as far as your average Moth’er and the time of year were concerned, with a temperature of +14°C, not a raindrop or even light zephyr in sight and all the cloud cover you could wish for! The result showed a 'first for year'

DECEMBER MOTH

bringing the 2020 total of Macro Species to 389.

ANGLE SHADES

another
LARGE WAINSCOT

along with our 56th, and pointing towards a healthy colony of
MERVILLE du JOUR and a

Fine Pair as Pink Floyd might say of 

FEATHERED THORN. 

In addition to that we have often pondered just how many of you must have sat there day after day wondering what a 'gaggle' of c17

MINATOR and DOR BEETLEs in a Glass Pudding Basin must look like?

We are Only Here to Please and knew we would capture your imagination one way or the other!
During the process of clearing the 2 homeward traps we caught the chirruping of c2 in flight

TREE SPARROWs

which made for the 'wildlife' scarcity of the day!
The common denominators as far as this welcome visitor here is concerned is that they have been recorded annually, always in the Autumn and in c2's and have yet to be capture on film here.
Images c2018 Loch of Strathbeg, Aberdeenshire.

SLIPSTREAM
With very little else in the Wildlife department to catch the imagination we spent some time staring into

Bournemouth International Airport Territory

where, on the day, it seemed more like Heathrow!

Managing to get a slightly better profile of the now very active

AIRBUS

While there has been a shift around of the 'laid-up' aircraft on the pan

Cargo Carrying

continues

apace!

DIAMOND STAR

(Pilot Training Aircraft)
followed by a good look at the

undercarrage of the

COASTGUARD HELICOPTER

A Catchy Pop Song We Think   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SU5buMgojTo

Much Binding in the Marsh - 1940’s / 50’s Radio Show

 The Weather Forecaster’s, who are usually in the region of 75% accurate these days, had predicted a 45% chance of rain in our neck of the woods so thought decent enough odds to take another wander off-piste! Had there been similar traffic warning we most certainly would not have set off but the decision had been made. Only a 25 minutes drive from base on familiar roads

STANPIT MARSH 

is usually no problem but getting nearer every road appeared to barriered with diversions in place - off-putting to say the least! The main thrust here was a single rare bird and an opportunity to view a few common species which are either infrequent visitors to our 'patch' or have never been recorded there and some never likely to be. We did however kick off with the familiar as it seemed almost mandatory to click the

 LITTLE EGRET

as some sort of right of passage onto the reserve.

Hardly through the kissing gate, next came a decent number of

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT
a species that has been recorded just on a single, spotted by the keen-eyed Dave Foot as a small

flock in flight during one of his Mothing visits.

It is very much hoped that we see more of Both in the very near future!
(don't look likely do it?)

 By the caccophony of shrill and loud whistles coming from seaward the many dozens of

WIGEON

were making no attempt to keep their prescence a secret mixed among small numbers of

BRENT GEESE

another species, looking at it sensibly, that will not reach the Record Book locally.

Worthy of more time, the foreshore also produced

OYSTERCATCHER

GREY PLOVER

and

DUNLIN

another trio that have not been known from our own air-space.
Back on the Salt Marsh both

CURLEW

and

REDSHANK

were eating their fill while

redressing the ballance slightly as

occassional visitors to our own neck of the woods!

Passing the Visitor's Centre
where the sign clearly states
"Closed for the Immediate Future"
things looked bright but a further look to the west across the

MARSH
and onward to

CHRISTCHURCH PRIORY
a whole different picture was being painted, the 45% was sureley on its way!

Stopping to Click a couple of the fine looking Ponies a glance was made towards

HENGISTBURY HEAD
where the picture looked just as bleak - we were being surrounded, so time to step it out!
By no means brilliant views or for that matter Canon conditions,
as can be seen from the image above, we were lucky even to see the

GLOSSY IBIS

let alone commit it to celuloid

 but nonetheless a most enjoyable morning!

FOOTNOTE:- While there was a little dip in the newfound and numerous hits, things seem to have leveled out at the higher standard. This, by defenition, means new Readers whom we very much welcome, but also politely request to pass our LINK on to all your addressees and others! Thanking you in anticipation - Bagsy.