Play Me Old King 'Coal' that I may join with you! - Genesis

A chance to catch up with a few birds to add to both Year and Dorset lists in the Christchurch, Dorset area today. A brief stop at Mudeford Quay was profitable only for the view across to the Isle of Wight and

THE NEEDLES (Lighthouse)

A little further on the car park was 'eventually' found, only to be greeted by a COAL TIT which was an addition to both lists before wandering down to

 where both RABBITs

 and JACKDAW were seen in good numbers.

 CHRISTCHURCH PRIORY

as ever looked magnificent in the morning sunshine

 as did the grazing PONIES out on the Salt Flats.

 There were also probably as many as 100

 

 SAND MARTINs

new for the County

 and even more distantly a group of Waders

 deserving of closer scrutiny.

 First to be identified was

 REDSHANK (Dorset)

 followed by the first SANDERLING of the year for me.

They were in the company of both Dunlin and Oystercatchers.

 The views and sky were quite dramatic

back towards MUDEFORD,

 the OPEN SEA and

 HENGISTBURY HEAD.

 A few

SANDWICH TERNs were also recorded and added to the 

Dorset List which was the last of the day.

Totals stand at Year = 109, County = 85

 A shadow of a man, a face through a window
Crying in the night, the night goes into
Morning, just another day

Mandy - Barry Manilow

Parakeet - R.E.M.

LATE UPDATE
Omitted from the Wembley day report, the sighting of a single in-flight

 RING-NECKED PARAKEET

 as Andy and I waited for Hugh at the bottom of Wembley Hill Road. 

A Year Tick!

No transport today, but with Hugh having business to attend to in Ringwood he was only too happy to drop me off at

and collect me later in the day.

Since my visit last week, much has changed there particularly the new road and path to the Visitor's Centre (almost complete) and 'plant life' now mostly in leaf or flower. Of these plants

 WILD ARUM

is particularly abundant which is also known by a variety of optional names such as Lords and Ladies, Devils and Angels, Cows and Bulls, Cuckoo-Pint, Adam and Eve, Bobbins, Naked Boys, Starch-Root and Wake Robin.

 
 The winter berries are also familiar to many
(photos Wiki)

VIOLET is also plentiful and attracting dozens of

ORANGE-TIP (female) BUTTERFLIES
Down at Ivy Lake and nearby bird hides it was a case of
Species as Usual but none the less interesting or beautiful
for all that!

GOLDFINCH

Male
  

and Female CHAFFINCH

and at very 'close quarters' an untroubled

Cock PHEASANT

NUTHATCH

SISKIN with GOLDFINCH

Male SISKIN

and GREY SQUIRREL
to name but a few.

PRIMROSES
lined the path on the walk to the other side of the Reserve
and the Lapwing Hide where first on show was
 
LITTLE GREBE

and a species you don't often get this close to.
 
LAPWING
simply got closer and closer

and on its occasional turns, stern to wind,

presented and even better picture

with crest and feathers ruffled.

Common Terns now abound at the site along with Tufted Duck
and just c2 Dunlin but as I turned to leave

c9 EGYPTIAN GEESE flew in ending the visit with a Year Tick

and a pretty Flower
COMMON STORKSBILL.
Totals
Year = 107
Dorset = 80