Tyred of Waiting - The Kinks

 Again, and despite the inclement weather, there were returns from the 2

Moth Traps

yet another
CHESTNUT

a tiny
SLUG

along with what has become the usual assortment of Flies.

Apart from the continuously feeding

GUINEAFOWL

which have now become irresitable there was locally just a snap

which may assist our Readers when refering to the homestead that is Slight Return II,

The Strange Rover

the Bund, just beyond the Lime and Holm and the more distant Stables and Ash trees.

The only surprise a little further on was the appearance of our first
DAFFODILS
close to a Staddle Stone and just a single male

BLACKBIRD
at the Pondside.
Otherwise, we had to lean heavily on the returning squadron of

TUFTED DUCK

which had now reach c6 but quickly decamped to the

Gravel Pit

to join a

a 7th Bird

with this pair of sleepy

MALLARD
making up the numbers.
We strongly suggest you cling onto something soild before pressing play for fear of you getting
Over Excited!
Talking of which, and with the Heath almost inaccessible due to floodwater, yet another example of

FLY-TIPPING
We are hopeing to buck our ideas up but you can only present that which is there!
STAY SAFE!

Hearts of Oak - William Boyce

 Over the years it has become less and less likely to hear the single peeping of a

KINGFISHER
but strange happenings yesterday morning when a single bird was perched on the

garden pond fence and stratigically placed branch peeping away like billy-o?
Again another quiet day with its share of rain once again with all to report from the south being maybe 200 Wood Pigeons and 50 or 60 Chaffinch making the most of the horse paddocks plus a

RAINBOW
to cheer things up a bit.

Further north the absence of

TUFTED DUCK
had proved short lived as a

pair

female

us

had returned to the Irrigation Pond while further on

male

everything is looking Ship Shape on the Heath

now that mowing opperations have been completed.
Don't know what all that is about but like local Councils mowing the roadside verges
(one day a Monet painting the next the Gobi) it seems like everything has to be neat and tidy in Nature?

On our return to base it was also found that the

LIME and HOLM OAK

next door had been pruned but fortunately not too drastically as the Oak is undoubtedly
the only breeding site we have found here that supporsts the all too scarce

OAK RUSTIC
now annual, while the

COPPER CHOPPER

 keeps a weather-eye on us All!

Hearts of Oak are our Ships, Jolly Tars are our Men we always are ready - steady boys steady!

Bird's of a Feather - S.A.O.

 OK, we did state that we had ‘finalised’ the Southeast Asia Odyssey but with all that persistent precipitation continuing to rattle down on the deck-head there was little, or no chance, of getting out into the field. Not wishing to disappoint the ‘faithful’, we will add a few Birds seen across the 2 countries concerned.

Only c6 new species were added to the World List across Vietnam and will alternate the Countries as we proceed down the list.

STRIPE-THROATED BULBUL (V)

GREY-HEADED FISH EAGLE (C)

CHESTNUT-EARED BUNTING

GREEN-BILLED MALKOHA

BLACK BULBUL

LESSER ADJUTANT

PALE BLUE FLYCATCHER

RUFOUS-CAPPED BABBLER

SPOT-BILLED PELICAN

GREY BUSHCHAT

RED-BREASTED PARAKEET

ASHY DRONGO
MANANA!

January - Pilot

WELCOME TO FEBRUARY - NO RAIN SO FAR!

 Like any other Fanatic or Addict, for surely that is what we are, we Wildlifers have to get our fix, but then it’s true to say “the more you see the more you want to”! Additionally, and it is doubtful I’m alone in this, there are those moment when no matter how much you have recorded there is often that little moan which occasionally manifests itself through these pages.

As we arrived at the final day of the first month of 2021 it seemed little had happened until we took time to sit down and flick through the Log showing just a few of the Best thus far.

EGYPTIAN GOOSE 

 is no longer a fore-gone in this area between the Hampshire Avon and the Dorset Moors Rivers once 'the' Hot Spot for such a bird but seemingly no more? With 73 species in total throughout the month we have excelled, as during the years since records began here (2013) we have got nowhere near that number which is also well past the 'half way mark' of last years combined total. Sticking with the Waterfowl

TEAL
are well behind Mallard in abundance during these early weeks while

COOT
is certainly hit or miss and even more so

POCHARD
on the Main Pond of all places is a new one on us! Also something of a surprise

TUFTED DUCK
could fall under the heading of numerous as often daily so far theis year with a max of c7 together.

GREEN SANDPIPER
is a usual but sometime sporadic winter visitor, which always finds its way onto the January list but this year as only a 'fluke' heard on the video footage of an aircraft in flight.

KINGFISHER
is always hit or miss but always finds its way onto the early list, in fact we recorded a second, or revisit, on Saturday.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
only nest here with them being absent throughout the other months. However, not hard and fast as when the restrictions were moderated slightly, early month, our only visit inside the Airport turned one up which was only the second ever for a January.

If ever there were a 'right time, right place species the
TREE SPARROW 

is it as was proven on the 16th of the month.

CETTI'S WARBLER
appears to be totally dependant on water levels here, so with little or no rain in the early days of the month they were among the early risers and part of the 'dawn chorus'.

RAVEN
on the otherhand has been far less noticable but occasionally present while

WOODLARK
remain consigned to just the c9 individuals reported here a few days ago!

Add to that

WINTER MOTH

DECEMBER MOTH

EARLY MOTH
'first for the Recording Area' and

CHESTNUT
We promise NO complaints until tomorrow!
ATTENTION NOW TURNS TO THE USUALLY 'LESS PRODUCTIVE' FEBRUARY!