Digging for Victory

A new species of Moth for the New Year

was a most welcome start to yet another damp day, the migrant

PEARLY UNDERWING
but little besides until we stumbled across our

Old Favourite

in just about the same spot as it spent the last days of 2022 the lone

RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE
posing as ever with this couple of irresistible

HERRING GULLs
perched on the Solar Panels added simply for our love of the whole family group!
Next came as something of a surprise to find that the 'unseen'

BADGERs

had been putting in a 'night shift' re-excavating their Sett on the

BRONZE-AGE TUMULI

while we watched and listened to the clatter of this most welcome

AIRBUS A340
out of Bournemouth International passing directly overhead.

Seems
MR MOLE

had been in on the act as well.
All that was found down south was this friendly gathering

of those about to be involved in the laying of a new
Bridleway this being just one third of the total representatives!
While finally a quick shot, by way of an update, of the juvenile

MUTE SWANs
of last year looking to be doing very well, gone it would seem the Flying Angel feathers!

Angel of the Morning (Juice Newton) - Part II

 In line with the last Post of 2022 we follow up with the final few birds at

MAQUIPUCUNA LODGE, EQUADOR

 before we moved on to the

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY
with young.

TOUCAN BARBET

CRIMSON-RUMPED TOUCANET

MOUSTACHED ANT PITTA

SQUIRREL CUCKOO

COLLARED TROGON

PEURTO LOPEZ STREET SCENE

PACIFIC PARROTLET

ROYAL TERN

BLUE-WINGED MOUNTAIN TANAGER

SHINING SUNBEAM

ANDEAN COCK-of-the-ROCK
(female)

RUFOUS MOTMOT

PALE MANDIBLED ARACARI
and finally a most delicate

TRANSPARENT BUTTERFLY

CUCKOO COCOON - GENESIS

 While continuing to monitor the Moth Traps in the eye of yet another gale and to the tune of

Same Old - Same Old

WINTER MOTH
and

MOTTLED UMBER
(we won't post them again)

the minor miracle of nurturing the eggs of

GOLDEN TWIN-SPOT

continues under the watchful eye of Dave, our much valued friend in Weymouth, with the

LARVAE

emerging before the turn of the year and now just waiting for the

COCOON / CRYSALIS
to pop and allow the adult

GOLDEN TWIN-SPOT
to take to the wing.
Otherwise, on the day, just a few additions to the Bird Year List amounting to

CANADA GEESE

CHAFFINCH

(again publishing the nest safely built in the Spring

under the eves of the Golf Club entrance) 

and continuing with a prial of 

CORVIDs

JACKDAW

MAGPIE 

at perch, or is it a Red-Billed Oxpecker?

ROOK

SONG THRUSH
and finally a lone male

PHEASANT

Don't Give Up on Us - David Soul

 The continuation of the Year List was hampered by a very poor day both weather-wise and lack of participents and not a shot being fired, but included

one of the local
KESTREL's

in its favoured tree.

MALLARD

and

MOORHEN
on the Main Pond and with

DUNNOCK
and

CHIFFCHAFF
at the Sewerage Works Fence and bringing the New Year total to just c17, gone being the days we would retun from a County Bird Twitch with 60 - 70 - or even more species!