Strange Phenomena - Kate Bush

The predicted Heralds of Winter became nothing more than a damp squib as the 40 - 45 knots of nor'westerlies showed as no more than a light zephyr, a 10 minute cloud burst at 03:00 substituted for the so called continuous overnight rain as the temperature hung on doggedly to double figures, +12°C, to be precise.

13% Waning Crescent

Soon it will be the phase of the moon when people tune in.
Every girl knows about the punctual blues,
but who's to know the power behind our moves?

A day of coincidence with the radio,
and a word that won't go away.
We know what they're all gonna say,
"G arrives, funny, had a feeling he was on his way"

  We need not have worried about being short changed by the lack of inclement weather as it arrived, wind, rain and all, at dawn depriving us of visiting the Moth Traps, early doors, in hopes of confirming the capture of at least one Insect across every month of the year? However, the wait was not all doom and gloom as roundly entertained by an

unusually large and vocal flock of

HOUSE SPARROWs
here's one we caught some time ago.

First of the Month, First of the Winter, from the First Trap on the First egg tray a brace of

DECEMBER MOTHs

RED-LINE QUAKER
and quite unexpectedly, but well within season

only our second ever

SPRAWLER
nicely contributing to having caught one or more Moths in each month of 2021.
Among the furor and excitement of all that enough on show across our plot

to pad out another Post with the likes of

GREEN WOODPECKER

Some 3 to 400

WOOD PIGEONs
still capitalising on the Maize stubble.

There were also familiar yelps from above

of maybe a 10 - 12 strong tribe of

MEDITERRANEAN GULLs
flying inland, with images from the archive, while a

TREECREEPER

busied itself among the Oaks

along with the first sighting here ever of a most rowdy

WATER RAIL
Considering we had seen the best of the day we returned to Base where we found the game was not yet quite over with a

WHITE-TAILED BUMBLEBEE
still creeping around inside one of the Moth Traps along with a most compelling text from Ian the Green Keeper which we will save for another day after we have proven and/or sorted the matter out.

You hear your sister calling for you, but you don't know where from.
You know there's something wrong,
but you don't want to believe in a premonition!

We raise our hats to the Strange Phenomena,
Soul-birds of a feather flock together!

We raise out hats to the hand a-moulding us, sure ‘nuff,

He has the answer, He has the answer - Om Mani Padme

 There is a rather ribald or risqué term in the Royal Naval Dictionary to describe our LOVE for Kate Bush, the finest and most sensual female singer / songwriter in the world, but maybe not for this tome? My only ‘brief encounter’ with that wonderfully talented lady was at the Royal Festival Hall - South Bank when David Gilmour, Pink Floyd was promoting his latest album ‘On An Island’. Stepping up to the microphone part way through he announced that the next number would be little known to almost all of the audience, also admitting that his singing voice was getting a little croaky so asked us all to welcome Kate Bush to the stage to perform ‘Comfortably Numb’, uncontrollable, and just wished we had shares in Kleenex!  

Bye Baby Bunting - Nursery Rhyme

 

When we made the polite request to alert your Friends and Families to our humble Daily Ditty's, we did so a little tongue in cheek as feeling that most, if not all, had alreday done so. Seems not as Tuesday's MAGICAL 2,769 hits were blown right out of the water by this mornings UNBELIEVABLE count of 9,101. Whoever you are, we thank you wholeheartedly while the Pimms and Pint at the Red Lion Bristol have been replaced by a bottle of 2001 Chateau 'd Yquem! Keep up the Good Work Please and Thanks again. 

While overnight temperatures have, by and large, been low it hasn’t all been

frost and ice in fact we logged a balmy +6°C across one period of darkness bringing with it a couple of most welcome ‘migrants’.

WHITE-SPECK

along with

the usually far more numerous

DARK SWORD-GRASS
As if that were not fillip enough we headed north to find a full trio of

GREEN SANDPIPER

at the Gravel Pit

which more or less immediately

took to the wing with only this single returning for a

Photo Shoot

while the hour on the Heath found not a single grounded bird

but a bonus look at the irreststable

bare
ASPENs and BIRCHs

ESCAPEE BELTED GALLOWAYs
which it would seem, after a few weeks now, the Herdsman has not missed and the now moth-balled

Moth Monitoring Station.
Considered fortuitous, as we wouldn't usually cover the same ground twice,

a return to the
Gravel Pit

turned up this

REED BUNTING
which most unusually is the first, and likely last, of the rapidly disappearing
AUTUMN!

Away Day - Part II

Well, it's patently obvious that someone has been 'spilling the beans' as this morning's 'hit count' rocketed to 2,769!! No need to hide whoever you are, we will not be meeting out any punishment, in fact there is a pint of fine ale, or a Pimms Number One standing on the bar within the Red Lion, Bristol to be enjoyed at you convenience with Our Hearty Thanks and all other valued readers please feel at liberty to follow suit!

The second part of the adventure covered a mish-mash of locations, names mostly forgotten, but did start at an almost devoid

SILVER LAKEs

where the wind had taken its toll on the new bird-hide, now on its side, and very little Wildlife was seen, and while we are not usually given to publishing those that we missed the absent

GOOSANDER
images are surely worthy of an airing?

lake part 2

female

male
On our way to Wareham Forest this presumed

Vintage Car
caught our eye not knowing the identity but looking more modern than first considered?

Within the wooded area

there were signs of fire damage soon overlooked

by movement within this
HOLLY BUSH

which proved to be my fist proven
REDWING

for this end of the year

stimulating hopes that we will record one, or more, on our 'own patch' soon.

Leaving the Forest we encountered one of the most beautiful, vivaceous and exciting ladies it has ever been our pleasure to meet who we did chat to for a full 20 minutes - WOW! but in Genesis jargon,
It's one o'clock and time for lunch (hum de dum de dum)
When the sun beats down and I lie on the bench, you can always hear them talk.
Cus me, I'm just a lawnmower, you can tell me by the way I walk!

I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe - Genesis

and roundly agreed that the

FRAMPTON ARMS - MORTON
would fit the bill bringing back memories of a fairly recent visit with an ex-ladyfriend, and frequent visits back in the '60 when Weymouth friends had an old clapped ou Buick 6. In those days 'Dusty' Miller was the landlord who always had a freezer full of 'road-kill' for the more discerning!
Even more Nice people, Best Quality Food along with Professional Service!

All to short we ended our jaunt at the
Bere Regis Watercress Beds
where the wind had become even more fierce but seeing both

GREY WAGTAIL
and

LITTLE EGRET
before the parting of the ways - GREAT to see you my Friend.