Boris the Spider - The Who

Not surprisingly, given the time of year, there's lots happening in the

Wild World.

Our Post today features mostly items from the last couple of days,

but also some of those we are still attempting to catch up on.

 PUSS MOTH

(by no means the biggest, but a sizable beast)

 like all others shown here is a new species for the year.

 WAVED UMBER

 Our 5th Prominent of 2017

 IRON PROMINENT

 RUSTIC SHOULDER-KNOT

and so the arachnids don't dip-out one of the

STONE SPIDER's

MALLARD DUCKLING

are now starting to appear in certain areas while

MOORHEN

maybe maligned

and sometimes overlooked

but 'little beauties' to say the least!

As migrant Birds continue to stream in elsewhere, there was always

chance of us here at Parley Court Farm, enjoying one or two crumbs

falling from the table and of these the best so far have been:-

 SWALLOW

 prospecting the Farm House garage

 as is their 'annual want' and even some already

 Gathering Mud.

 The first

 LESSER WHITETHROAT

 arrived on 27/04/2017

 which was the same date last year.

 Cast not a Clout 'til May is out!

(HAWTHORN or MAY BLOSSOM)

it is so start 'casting'!

Across the whole of our Recording Area

WHEATEAR

have been so numerous as to

outstrip the 'total number' recorded

since counts began back in

2005

Of the more incidental sightings

HERRING GULL

are once again nesting on the hanger roofs at

Bournemouth International Airport

(viewable from a vantage point on the Heath) 

and also turning up, more frequently, at the Gravel Pit to

 bathe and preen.

 The Heath is also where this handsome chap was found, a 'free crawling'

 MINOTAUR BEETLE

 which, given my increasingly failing eye-sight, was a bonus indeed.

Despite only having found one here before this is one, if not THE, 

favourite Insect here of yours truly!

After something of a DISASTER, needing to be addressed in the future,

LAPWING

 are now back prospecting both the

Gravel Pit

and the

Solar Panel Compounds

(the continuing buzzzzzing noise is emitted by the accumulators)

 While we would agree that you have been burdened with maybe 'enough'

LITTLE GREBE

footage, we are so chuffed at finally 'proving' breeding here

we should publish at least a few updates.

If it's 08:15, or thereabouts, then it's time to

Change Watch.

While there is always some activity such as 'egg-turning'

or sprucing up the nest.

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Lady of the Lake - Rainbow

Lady of the Lake - Rainbow

Certainly not one of my favourites, but it fits!

Since our return and among our daily sorties, have been a couple of visits to Longham Lakes no more than a 10 minutes drive from Slight Return II. It is rewarding to be able to report that the combined visits produced a decent amount of success along with a few interesting encounters, but not before your 'daily dose' of Firsts for the Year Moths and other Insects!

 NUT-TREE TUSSOCK

FROSTED GREEN

 PALE PROMINENT

RED-GREEN CARPET

 CRANE FLY

(or Daddy Long-Legs)

HONEY BEE

No sooner through the kissing gate, there was

an immediate addition to the Year List in the form of

not just one, but c3

COMMON SANDPIPER

 initially perched on the pipework at the main

 Pumping Station

before completely disappearing, who knows where?

It is always worth the time to 'stop and stare' at the sedate pastime that is the

 Remotely Controlled

MODEL YACHTS

somehow most therapeutic.

Since our departure the 

 GREAT CRESTED GREBE

have taken on their 'summer garb'

and we consider our self very lucky (whatever happened to 'skill'?)

to catch just a snatch of this one with prey.

Musing to myself that

"I'll be with you in Apple Blossom Time"

 (don't panic, not really but if there is a Christmas Dinner going later in the year??)

while watch a pair of

COMMON BUZZARD

building a nest without allowing a shot of themselves, there was a familiar 

but all too long absent 'gentle grating song' coming from a nearby bush

 which could only have been a 

COMMON WHITETHROAT

 another expected, and most welcome, addition to the

(nice to have a gale blowing!)

Year List

and since added to our own 

Recording area List.

The next manifestation arrived silently and on the wing

Out of the Blue (ELO)

another member of the

Radio Controlled Brigade

again worth breaking from my pursuits to take it all in.

This was the moment a

GREY HERON

was spotted, stalking the reed beds which on another day may not have been worthy of inclusion.

However, taking to the wing and alighting in a nearby

OAK TREE

it was only this that brought to my attention a

 GREAT WHITE EGRET

 only a matter of feet away in the same tree.

This bird along with its c2 Oppo's, what should be described as

RARE VISITOR'S to DORSET,

 have served the Bird Watching Fraternity

very well right across all of the Winter Months

and like myself have seen many, many faces returning time and again

to Longham to take full advantage of these magnificent Herons!

Finally, among the Gulls were this

 juvenile

HERRING GULL

a bevy of

MEDITERRANEAN GULLs

with a

COMMON GULL

and later a few perched

COMMON GULL

In fact Rainbow were considered, by myself, to be a last drastic attempt

to squeeze the remaining 'living daylights' out of

Deep Purple.

It didn't work, though there are those who would vehemently disagree,

save for the classic

 Since You've Been Gone

 feat. the irrepressible vocals of Graham Bonnet along with the

great privilege to resurrect Cozy Powell (drums).

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