Out In The Fields - Gary Moore

A fairly extensive coverage of Parley Court Farm resulted in recording 61 species of bird (including 2 additions to the Year List), c5 mammals along with a couple of unexpected finds. Always a treat to be able to wander the banks of the

RIVER STOUR
unhampered by anyone else

and enjoy, particularly at this time of season, the open Meadows,

 mature Hedgerows,

Stables and

Mighty Oaks.

I wandered lonely as a cloud 
that floats on high o'er vales and hills.
 When all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils.
 William Wordsworth
Yeah, OK they are DANDELIONS but we're all entitled to
a little Poetic Licence!

Another most welcome Year Tick as this is the sole survivor
of what were originally 13 FARMYARD GEESE

A regular visitor to the Cornucopia just outside the kitchen window
through which this image was taken.

Having walked the western perimeter fence of Bournemouth International Airport you arrive at the latch-gate leading to Palmer's Ford and the entrance to the northern half of Parley Court Farm. The path is more like a woodland ride and despite the continuous rumble of lorries and other vehicles is a haven for an abundance of wildlife. Archers were already practising their sport as a small white Butterfly was spotted and nearly passed off for a Small White. Closer inspection revealed it to be a

GREEN-VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY

never reported from the property prior to this which is more likely to have been overlooked, which was nearly the case today, than not seen.

RED ADMIRAL

SPECKLED WOOD

along with a 'ROOKERY' which I have never noticed before.

WREN

Thought (by me) to be synonymous with Autumn,
there seem to be a lot of
CRANEFLIES (or Daddy Long-legs)
around now in the Spring?? as was the case today.

BRIMSTONE
probably the most numerous Butterfly on the wing today.
Others included Peacock, Orange-tip, Small Tortoishell and Holly Blue

PARLEY LAKES
maintained for the exclusive use of the
Ringwood Angling Society.
 

and finally, this HURCULES TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

was of some interest especially when I learnt from a reliable source

that it is used for Special Boat Service (SBS)

parachute training.

Feels Like Heaven - Fiction Factory

This link from my dear friend Andy Lindsay
suggests I may have taken the wrong cruise?
Cruise to the Edge

Anyway, yesterday had been set for returning to my beloved Dorset and what better place to start than

A warm welcome awaited at
HARBINS FARMHOUSE

where the whole family had mustered to share one of those wonderful

Roast Dinners usually associated with Sunday's.

Apart from mine hosts Hugh and Janet (either side of the table) there were a further 9 family members and Moi. I could smell the roasting Lamb before getting out of the car and add to that such treats as mint 'jelly', roast parsnips, steamed pudding and 'home made' custard the application for an extension of stay has already been submitted.

Still a little heady from the Ducru Beaucaillou and only a short time here, the plan was to spend the whole day on the property which as far as I'm concerned means a day in Heaven.

Presumed last year's pair of KESTREL are back at the nest site

in the garden and already feeding young. Other species either nesting or prospecting there include Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, House Sparrow, Swallow, Moorhen, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail and Wren to name but a few.The day was blessed with a cacophony of bird-song not least

SONG THRUSH
which seemed to be all over the place

but outnumbered 10 to 1 by
BLACKBIRD.

If all that singing results in breeding then it looks set to be a bumper year for both of these Thrushes.

PIED WAGTAIL

A resident pair of
COMMON BUZZARD,

and at last a Year Tick

WHEATEAR
taking advantage of the dung-heap.
 
One of the newly sown Barley fields

where at least c8 LAPWING have continued residence and have been noted displaying. Hugh is certain to keep an eye out here for signs of breeding.

MAYFLY

There are more images from today's fairly long walk which will be published at a later date, but for now I'll leave you with one of what was a large 'hatch' of these nifty but short-lived insects.

'Till the Cows Come Home????

With ideas for the future being thin on the ground and the insentive to think of any it was decided to continue 'birding' with a fairly productive sending the Year List to 101. The story of one Dorset birder keeps whiring around my head when thinking of which direction I should take on the day I found the Fan-tailed Warbler at Portland Bill. On his 'first' family holiday and about 60 miles to the east of his home in Weymouth he received my text and returned much quicker than the outward journey. On arrival at the Obs, with his completely unchuffed wife and 2 bewildered daughters, I asked what had happened to the holiday? Dashing through the gate at breakneck speed to twitch the Warbler he turned and shouted "there are far more important things in life than f'in family holidays"! Yes, a leaf out of the same book is certainly my direction at the moment, so guess I could be 'birding' till the cows come home! 

ROBIN

 COMMON SANDPIPER

 SPARROWHAWK

 CHAFFINCH

MAGPIE

COMMON TERN

DUNLIN

GREY WAGTAIL

SANDWICH TERN

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER

 

MARSH TIT

SAND MARTIN
The Year List stands at 101.