Communication Breakdown - Led Zeppelin

Appologies for the late arrival of today's Post, internet issues, maybe due to the continuing heavy rain?

On the face of it the return of fine weather yesterday might have brought with it more than it did, so while struggling we simply clicked what we could. A great start nonetheless as we plucked a 

DEWICK'S PLUSIA
from one of the traps close to home which sent the memory racing back to the early 70's!

Having been inspired by a very young Martin Cade, now Warden of the Portland Bird Observatory, my Mothing days were very new but within a matter of weeks did secure only the 16th of this Insect to have been recorded in Great Britain. Another enthusiast and occassional visitor to my then home in Wyke Regis, Weymouth, Norman Hall, coincided with the capture, threw a couple of cartwheels and shipped it off to the Royal Entomological Society to show the Hierarchy. It has become a little more common and more frequent in the meantime but still a welcome addition.
Clicking started with the

juvenile

BLACKBIRD's

on the lawn

and a search, without success, for the newly hatched
WOOD PIGEONs.

The MUTE SWAN family

were found to be

All Present and Correct
but a strange find clining to pond weed was this

POPLAR GREY MOTH

Nothing new from the traps on the Heath but from the

New Division

these juvenile

LINNETs

along with a single

MEADOW PIPIT

haven't been in the

World for Long.
Another 'free flyer' was an

ELEPHANT HAWK-MOTH
followed by a bunch of

THISTLES
we haven't sussed yet.

Finally, and still Best in Show the still lone

LITTLE GREBE

seems to have found sanctuary safely secured to the
Dockyard Wall.

A Walk in the New Forest - Horst Jankowskie's Plagiarist Pal!

 The only good to come from the heavy and persidtant rain of Friday night was that once again the Forecasters got it correct, to the very second, and the drama of the Sheet Lightning.

With some let-up before dawn and a glimps of sunshine, we were determined to get out and give it a go even if only in the name of our Loyal Followers, so here you go. Priority, given those conditions, were to the

LITTLE GREBE
on the Gravel Pit but scanning the nest sight for a full 10 minutes bore no fruit. About to leave there at the lee end of the pond sat the incubating bird havind been driven by the wind to a sheltered spot

and we would say

FORTUNATE

as these nests are built to

FLOAT!
Even if we had to fill the page with the most common of Wildlife this Post was coming your way but having captured maybe the most common 2 birds

GOLDFINCH
and

MAGPIE
it was thought heading 'off-piste' would be far more rewarding?

VINTAGE

while the road at Stoney Cross is about the highest point across the Forest
and on the day day the most foggy - a "Misty Mountain Hop" - Led Zeppelin.
Not unusual to find at first the

Stars of the Show

NEW FOREST PONIES

followed by what were considered to be
ABERDEEN ANGUS?

a couple of
PIEBALD'S
along with even more free-ranging

CATTLE
before encountering these 2 charming young ladies who had no worries of allowing

a photograph

or two with their own steed and so pleased to meet you!

Fritham, via the

ROYAL OAK
takes us to my favourite spot across the park at

where Birds are always guarunteed but not always 'the Specials'.

Those that were showing were more or less all juveniles such as this
BLUE TIT

while

MARSH TIT
ranged from almost there

to very scruffy looking

juveniles

the

LILYPAD
before drifting into view just a single

of

female

and male
MANDARIN DUCK

magnificent

TREES

a few juvenile

MALLARD
and a final appearance of a juvenile

GREAT TIT
On the way back the

INKY-PINKY-PONKY'S
were posing as we passed by a few properties

so cheap

you wouldn't even need a

MORTGAGE!
Hope this little wander has pleased - tell yer pals please.