Wreck - Radiohead

 Not at all a day for Birds, with not a Northern Thrush to be seen, or any other representative of the Wild World but still we soldier on! That didn't mean 'no action' as there were things to be seen in other directions starting with the now almost mandatory clatter of a

MERLIN HELICOPER
at first light cutting across a clear blue sky.

More to keep the finger-tips warm rather than to bring you outlandish birdlife

did we click and vid these 4
MALLARD
at the Main Pond. We do get the odd single now and again at the same location but c4

CANADA GEESE
made for a record breaker - but time to head north. en-route we spotted a new

Eddie Stobart Lady

(it is understood that 'anyone' can apply to have their monica [female only] tattooed on a lorry)

Only a matter of a few yards further on we found more

strimming activity on what might be called a relict part of the main heathland,
seperated by the building of the Eco Recycling Works which is surely a minor national asset?

Why the strimming is going on is not known but, over a year ago we were informed that Rare Breed Cattle were to be introduced to this valuable sight. Given the addition of a new water trough (above) the idea may have been regurgitated?

Given the marshy conditions throughout the year this area is little watched, but
Lapwing have been recorded nesting here while the Stewards did succumb to our idea of forming

HIBERNACULUMS
out of the felled Scots Pines rather than sending them all to the sawmill.
Birdlife was represented opposite the aforementioned Eco gate by just a single

PIED WAGTAIL
along with the smallest 'charm' of

GOLDFINCH

we have recorded this year.
Publishing images of frozen watercourses is unlikely to be the most exciting thing you will see today, but to highlight the point may also have the advantage of introducing a little more of our Recording Area
to our
Valued and Most Welcome New Readers.

IRRIGATION POND
once used to water a huge acreage of Turf, but now given over to Solar Panels, and where          Little Grebe, Coot, Mute Swan, Reed Bunting et al have bred while seperated from the

SUBSIDUARY POND
by a narrow bund of earth the winter residence of Water Rail which at the time of writing seems to have abandoned due to the freeze?

GRAVEL PIT 

 is the largest of our lakes and who knows what might drop in here?

Finally and as usual we ended up on the Heath with all of note being the activity at

Bouremouth International Aiport
where the in house Fire Brigade were employed overseenibg the

demolision of an ancient Herald pasenger carrying aircraft which had been a

landmark here long, long before my arrival but was an annual nest sight for
Stock Dove, Starling, Kestrel and even a pair of Swallow on a single occassion.
Additionally, they had also resited the 'hulk' that is used for the regular

Sunday Fire Drills

while the AIRBUSs stand in line awaiting their next flight to the Far East.
Always having a song on my case we end with these poignant lyrics from the sensational
Kate Bush

I've pulled down my lace and the chintz
Oh, do you know you have the face of a genius?
I'll send your love to Zeus
Oh, by the time you read this
I'll be well in touch

I'm giving it all in a moment or two
I'm giving it all in a moment, for you!

Tired of Waiting (For You) - The Flock

  Worth a Listen if only for the Virtuoso Violin of Jerry Goodman.

With little sign of rain over the past few days and even less ‘white stuff’ no wonder the

River Stour

has returned to a more sensible level. That in turn saw the reappearance of the recently reported Water Rail and yesterday at least one

CETTI'S WARBLER

broke cover singing in both daylight and under cover of darkness.

A quick look at the female and

male BLACKBIRDs right outside the door and starting to look every bit like a 'pair'

were followed by a wander down south where,

and hopeing not to over-egg the custard,

the flock of

FIELDFARE

STARLINGs

and

REDWING

appeared to have doubled in size but blink an eye and the Northern Thrushes at least will be back in Scandinavia, "enjoy them while we can"!

Among them was the odd

GREENFINCH

but nowhere near the far more flighty but almost plague proportions of those in the

Frozen North
with very little along the Seweage Works Fence except for this

Surveyor
which endorses the rumour that the Council are going to 'waste' your hard earned
Tax Pound
on a totally unnecessary Cycle Track including the damage it will cause to Wildlife??

Met at the gateway to the Heath by 4 of the 5 irresistable 

Rare Breed Cattle
there was little to keep us save for a bit of

Demolision Activity
at what has become something of a

Redundant Aircraft Graveyard
All else was confined to the Moors River where

trying not to focus on the brances and twigs

stood c3

CORMORANTs

Now, talking about Over-Egging that Custard!!

we'er off out now!

Misty - Johnny Mathis (and too much in love)

 “Oh, Flippin’ Ek”, an expression regularly used while in the Royal Navy to highlight our displeasure of this or that! Today, it was again more directed at the ‘gloom’ in part.

A combination of Mist, Ground Frost and Wind didn't contribute to putting a Spring in the Step

but to find the

ROOKs
back in town was something of a decent beginning, but with overnight temperatures remaining in 'minus'figures there has been no further Moth Trap action.

No more than one of the local
WOOD PIGEONs

c3 of the now c11

MUTE SWANs

across the Recording Area

favouring the ditch rather than the open water of the
Main Pond

while further south the lone

PIED WAGTAIL
still finds sustinance atop the
Dung Heap.

There was sharp contrast in weather conditions further north
(looking in that direction along the main bridleway)
but little difference with the residents except for the arrival of a single

CANADA GOOSE
now joining the c3

TUFTED DUCKS

followed by something of a minor coup

as what might be considered a 'pair' of
LITTLE GREBE
hove into view just at the right moment.
Additionally, there are another considered

PAIR

in far more advanced plumage at the

Gravel Pit

could be at it before the month is out?

Our wander ended with a

Fly Past across a Clear Blue Sky of the

COASTGUARD RESCUE HELICOPER
another timely reminder of how our Emergency Services have taken care of us
across these trying timess!