Just What I (We) Needed - The Cars

 The full album Cars - Cars well worth a listen if unfamiliar!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvy2yqUHLLg

Moths Ahoy

with c4 Insects as we found one clinging onto Slight Return, a second clinging to the woodwork and bringing up the 

Hat Trick another 2 in a Trap and all, maybe not surprisingly, Firsts for the Year.

CHESTNUT

x 2

DOTTED BORDER

along with

POWDERED QUAKER
Another damp and dreary start with the light rain quickly giving way and the
Dawn Chorus
becoming more raucous as the days go on with

SONG THRUSH
and

WREN
being prime contributers.

As the Sun rose so the drizzle diminished and while venturing south came across c2

LAPWING

considered straggles as the main flock disappeared days ago, but with the cold maybe yet not over there is still time for a returen.
Up north and through the returning drizzle this

COLLARED DOVE

only just 'made the cut' while at the Gravel Pit c7

CANADA GEESE
had dropped in including the

Fool on the Hill
along with it's

pal with an

abraded / pale

face and head.
That is when the drizzle set in again

but still we persisted to find this

GREAT TIT

looking likely to be prospecting a nest site in this hole in a metal fence post??
By the time we reached the Solar Panel Compound the weather had become close to prohibitive

but still managed to spot a

COMMON BUZZARD in company with a MAGPIE
atop one of the accumulators along with the first sign of

Panel Cleaning
and

Grass Mowing

Operations.
The Owner of the Company always alerts me to such works and ideal to have a distanced catch-up!
The day concluded at

Parley Pond

was engaged in a 

Bath and Dhobie as us Seafarers put it!
You Can't go on, Thinking Nothings Wrong oh No

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuZA6qiJVfU

Who's Gonna 'Drive' You Home Tonight?

Short and (please add a word of your choice)

Now leaning heavily on the fact that Spring is less than a week away, again the weather spoilt what might have been a decent day. Never mind, little we can do about that, but take joy from the fact that the Hit Counter broke the 2,000 barrier. Many, Many THANKS All Round and keep advertising -Cheers!

With the ascendancy of overnight air temperatures we agian turned to the Moth Traps, but with persistant heavy rain accompanied by a stiff breeze hopes are not high!

Additionally, the day was also dull, but lean heavily on the fact that Spring is but a week away, in the hope that weather and appearances may start to buck up?

Red Sky in the Morning
"you know very well what follows"

Among the few were c3 distincly seperate

COMMON BUZZARD
one close to home with another overflying the

Gravel Pit
followed by the last atop a Solar Panels.

Once agian a few Starling and the odd Fieldfare held station, while there was an unconfirmed suspicion of another Hawfinch but that aside it was left to just a single

JAY

at one of the feeding stations while this

PIED WAGTAIL
simply made up the numbers!
We're still at it and endeavouring to buck our ideas up!

Going to My Hometown - Rory Gallager Part II

It’s still raining, the wind has dropped away and the overnight temperature still clings to a +10°C but still no Moths. That is not the case further inland with some decent catches, while Wales has seen a first Wheatear and there was a Swallow at Wyke Regis, Weymouth yesterday!

 Crossing the B3073 and along the Airport perimeter fence we find ourselves at the

Gateway to the Eco Recycling Works
and a little further on the

Bridleway Looking North

with at either side and beyond what was at its inception

the largest
Solar Panel Farm in Europe
we do not know its status now but safe to say we are lucky enough to have access to all areas.
Once covered by turf production the

Irrigation Pond
served as the name suggests with this small

Spur-Pond
acting as winter sanctuary for at least a single

WATER RAIL
Again it's in the name as next door stands the now redundant

Gravel Pit
where who knows what might drop in, for example as in the past

GARGANEY
and

GREATER SCAUP
Turning west we soon arrive at

Gibbets Firs
where in days gone by many a convicted prisoner from Winchester Prison spent there last hour, while beyond there stands one of 2

Late Bronze Age Tumuli
(both obscured by Bramble)

More

Solar Panels
before arriving at the northern extremity where

Chiffchaff Alley continues north as part of the

Sewerage Works Fenceline
where in the past have been found such scarcities as

BLACK REDSTART

SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF
and

YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER

The Works with a bountiful supply of Insects throughout the year,
is without doubt the most productive part of the whole
Recording Area!
The day ended with a real delight, at the relict section of the Heath, as we met the new

Alaska Digger Driver Mandy

far more pleasing to the eye than her male predecessor!