Tot Time Special

Strange happenings last evening as I awaited 'parkers' arriving at Harbins. Janet had briefed me that one of her customers had flown to Spain forgetting to shut the car windows, which Hugh duly covered with a tarpaulin. Arriving under cover of dark I bade a welcome to the taxi occupants to hear a rather unexpected answer, "hey Bagsy wot you doin' here you Old Pirate"? I might have guessed that the incompetent was a Matelot, but not my Shipmate Jim Holt (and wife Jackie)

The last time I saw Jim was at the Corner House Pub at Easton, Portland on 31 July 2010

when a bunch of us Ol' Salts gathered to lament the cessation of the Royal Navy Rum Ration. The Rum Bo'sun and Ticker Off prepare the Grog!

Jim and Shipmate Arthur Copus get stuck into a couple of pints before Tot Time.

"Up Spirits, Hands of Messes for Rum, Stand-Fast the Holy Ghost". Another journey to the past, this time 1994, which was the last time I set a Moth Trap. Having recorded Moth movements for 20 years at Wyke Regig, when I moved to the 'concrete jungle' of Westham, Weymouth I quickly found there were few, if any, insects to be caught. I have to admit to missing the 'hobby', but gain great satisfaction trawling through the catch at the Portland Bird Observatory. Well, being out here in the country, I cleaned up what was once a dustbin (skillfully converted) and switched on.

A clear and slightly chilly night produced a small but welcome catch which included

ANGLE SHADES,

BEADED CHESTNUT,

BEAUTIFUL GOTHIC,

SETACEOUS HEBREW CHARACTER along with the 'one that got away', Smoky Wainscot - or so I thought?

Today has been mostly sunny with a fresh breeze and in part given over to the animals plus a Car Boot Sale. Profitable to say the least, and at last much of the 'junk' collected over the past 20 years has gone to 'good' new homes.



Heard also from the Dampney's who have arrived safely the Rockies side of Canada, but in their first couple of days have struggled to find much in the way of wildlife. On past performance, it won't be long before they find some but for now it presumed Canada Geese 'cutting' a full moon.

Still Waters Run Deep - The Bee Gees

This novel and amusing photograph was taken by Vicky Cheng my friend in Taiwan while undertaking training as a wildlife guide in China and is now canvassing for votes on the image. Not quite sure what it is all about, buy having told her I would try and recruit some of our readers, it will take just a matter of seconds and feel it will please Vicky no end. Please take those few moments, follow the instructions and make someone happy - Thank You!

1. click the following link:

https://offerpop.com/Contest.psp?c=101848&u=6348&a=100142423390621&p=30687473482&rest=0&v=Entry&id=540115

2. click "vote" on the right side (five beautiful women doing yoga pose on a big rock)

3. final click "share" if you could help me more!

thank you so much

Vicky

Once again not the best of days weather-wise but with a promise of a few bright patches and 4 hours free before the next airport pick up I set myself a small challenge. Having heard from one of our reader earlier in the week that a group of 'birders' had set their sights on recording 50 species in one morning I decided to do the same. Heard only (but counted) are marked *.

Not surprisingly Robin was first on the list as Black-headed and Herring Gulls flew inland, Mallard, Mute Swan, Coot along with Moorhen were on the pond and this most obliging KESTEL landed in the tree as I drove through the gates. Time to abandon the camera and bins for the 10 minute drive across the border into Hampshire to visit

formally areas of Aggregate extraction surrounded by woodland and now sympathetically turned over to wildlife. With no additions on the way, it looked as though the day was going to be something of a disaster before it had ever started, all gates to the reserve were locked with Hides Closed notices posted???? Driving to the east end, which is always accessible, I thought of 'flooding', or was it simply they don't open up until later - it would be a matter of wait and see! Not surprisingly 'ticks' came thick and fast as I first headed for the Lapwing Hide (where there were no Lapwings) scoring Wren*, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Mistle Thrush, Dunnock, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Jay (very handy), Canada Goose, Cormorant, Chaffinch, Goldcrest, both large Woodpeckers and an even luckier 'calling' Redpoll sp. likely Lesser? Just outside the hide are a stand of Silver Birch tree in which were a number of birds, the first of which was this

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER a species I had not thus far caught up with this year, a nice addition.

It maintained its distance, so for a better view I visited the archive. Several Chiffchaff were also in the trees along with at least one Willow Warbler, in full song, making it easy to distinguish it from the rest.







Excellent views across a large expanse of water soon saw Pochard, Magpie, Tufted Duck, Reed Bunting, Little Egret, Kingfisher plus Great Crested





LITTLE GREBE in the log. The Geese beyond the spit were good contenders for Egyptian, but confirmation would have to wait until a closer view was had.

There is also a fine Sand Martin nesting wall close by where, in the season, the birds can be seen at point blank range going about their breeding cycle. Onward to the Goosander Hide (where there were no Goosander) with the first new bird seen was, yes you got it Lapwing.

Along the way, 600m so the sign said, there was a lone REED WARBLER, latish but welcome, and there on the foreshore were a couple of much closer



EGYPTIAN GEESE. The day saw c15 in total so being this close to the Dorset boundary it may well be we will see more of this infrequent visitor in years to come?

Time to peruse the view to the north of the lake, but not for long as this

STONECHAT took up perch and lingered for the duration of my stay, as the

2 Geese swam south passing a Little Grebe on the way.

Returning to the main reserve and the Visitor's Centre, the gates were still locked but as I searched out a car park to wander through the wood, the Warden turned up and did the business. For those who anticipate a visit here the place opens at 09:00 but there is plenty to do (see) should you arrive early.

There are 3 hides at Ivy Lake, but rather than distinguish which birds were where, suffice to say these were in that area. Some interesting



FUNGI along the pathways which I nothing about!

Alone in the first hide and immediately picking up on a tapping sound, turned to find this

cock PHEASANT trying to gain entry.

The feeders attract many birds which today included

NUTHATCH,

SISKIN,

Siskins along with 2 GOLDFINCHs (right)

male Siskin,

female Siskin,

GREAT TIT,

BLUE TIT

and LESSER REDPOLL, maybe the one from earlier in the day?

Final port of call was the Tern Hide (again there were no Terns) where several small skeins of





GREYLAG GEESE were coming in to land. Had there not been demolition works going on at the Hansford site I may have clinched Bullfinch too but with an acceptable 63 for the morning, some may not have been mentioned, I returned to Doggy and Airport Duties having enjoyed a brilliant morning.

IF THE DAMPNEY'S ARE TUNING IN, ALL IS WELL ON THE RANCH, SHOOFTY, BOMBER and MINNIE SAY "DON'T HURRY BACK", THE CHOOKS ARE FINE AS ARE THE GOATS, HORSES ET AL



It's Only A Hobby!

A little late in the day yesterday to drum up any words on the death of (Mega) Andy Williams, and there won't be too many today. Suffice to say, at the soul of every Rocker (Punk, Prog or otherwise) there lies a 'crooner', for me this was he! For a man who certainly CAN he made a great success of saying CAN'T and in so doing bringing me a great deal of pleasure. "Can't Get Used to Losing You" 1963 was a fantastic start but when in '67 he recorded "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" he surely surpassed that? Never say never, but it is highly unlikely you'll ever hear me say again that an artist outshone 'The King' on a particular track, but Williams rendition of "Can't Help Falling In Love" 1969 leaves even Presley standing, is there an end to any other recording that hit so hard below the heart, try it! 

 C.H.F.I.L. - Andy Williams
OK having put the Kleenex away!

My first run to the airport today so a little driving practise was thought in order mainly as I am not a frequent driver in a basic car let alone a 'state of the art' Range Rover. To the end of the farmyard was thought sufficient but I wasn't ready for the sight of a large raptor flying high above distant fields. Still underway, the bins were deployed and it looked at first glance that the bird either had a yellow bill or carrying something yellow. Neither was true

it was its 'crown' that was glowing in the (then) bright sunlight, making it a MARSH HARRIER. In the Parley Court Bird Survey 2007 -08 I simply noted, "uncommon passage migrant, thought likely to occur" as none of the family or work-force recalled ever seeing one, that has now been rectified!

 

My duties completed, for now at least, it was off to LONGHAM LAKES for a couple of hours, just a couple of miles from here, but there sky looked ever threatening and the westerly breeze was forcing more our way. Starting in a westerly direction along the northern path, it quickly became obvious that the number of Robins were not confined to Parley as once again every bush seemed to have a visitor. In all 23 were counted during the wander.

TUFTED DUCK were also numerous, but numbers will definitely increase during the coming months,

while CHIFFCHAFF (along with just the odd Willow Warbler) where in similar shape.

Turning sharp left, I always imagine something good turning up in the western meadows but today the scene was more akin to John Constable or George Stubbs rather than Peter Scott. One or two things caught my eye, with c3

GADWALL,

a single LITTLE EGRET and a 'springing' Common Snipe, so fast out of the blocks there was little time to raise the binoculars let alone the camera.

A CETTI'S WARBLER betrayed its presence with one of those familiar 'short but sweet' bursts of song, while a Falcon of sorts was now dashing post haste across the fields. Surely this was going to be a Hobby, reported here in recent days which would be an addition to the Year List, but no even at that distance the bulky profile suggested a

PEREGRINE. Both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers fell to the log, and in quick succession many others including Reed Bunting, Swallow, House and Sand Martins, Kestrel, Common Buzzard plus an early adult Common Gull. I had now reached the south west corner of the water-course, where some way off and high, but heading my way was this Swift shaped bird

 

seemingly 'hawking' insects.

Already identified as a HOBBY, it deftly picked off a Dragonfly also on the wing

which it dispatched and devoured without missing a wing beat

It did get fairly close but not for long, but lingered distantly allowing prolonged viewing. Trivia:- The table football game Subuteo linked 'birdwatchers' with 'football fans' when its inventor Peter Adolf  (1916 -1994) was not granted a 'trademark' to call the name Hobby, so opted for the next best thing the Latin name for the bird which is Falco subuteo!

I had been fairly lucky with the weather so far, only having one light dousing, but looking back from whence I had come it looked as though much more was on its way (don't let the 'blue' fool you) so headed for the car park.

On the way back this male MALLARD didn't have the same concerns,

and nor did this CORMORANT as it came in to land.

My final 'find' of the day was catching up once again with IAN HAYWARD the local Water Bailiff who has become quite well known to me during the relatively short time I have been visiting this site. Good to see you again Ian!