Horse With No Name - America

 Having drawn a 'blank' at the Moth Traps it was

MIST
  decided, for no particular reason, to conduct our rounds in reverse order to the usual with just some of the hundreds of

STARLINGs

clinging to the overhead cables and the / a

LITTLE OWL
(unseen or heard for a while now) at a favoured perch but nothing to reort from the equally grey

Stubble Fields.
Back-tracking coincided perfectly with the latest

Equestrian Event

with the extrodinary tallents of these

YOUNG LADIES,

surely only in their early teens, shining through!
In our little world a Gull is a Gull,

so regaurdless this

HERRING GULL
at the main pond

was fare game before heading further north where at the
Eco Recycling Works
was something of a surprise as this delightful and once resident

FERAL PIGEON,
not seen throughout 2021 thus far,

had returned to base, wonder is "how long will it stay"?

Maybe unfortunately for the reader, and certainly for us, there was little change at the
Irrigation Pond save for the addition of a couple of

CANADA GEESE

among the now semi-resident Mute Swans, Mallards and male

TUFTED DUCK
During the colder months we only visit the Heath on one day a week, although we can get an idea of activity by viewing from the farm, with our rounds, under much improved conditions, producing only the expected but valued

DARTFORD WARBLER

(singular)

similarly

STONECHAT

but a winter record count of no fewer than 15

WOODLARK
would be nice to have them stay!

Spring is in the Air

 It used to be “Grease is the Word” but in these rapidly fading last few days of a decent year (not counting Covid) 'Persistence' has become the Word! With overnight temperature still hovering close to or just below ‘double digits’ we persisted by keeping the home fires burning and reaped the benefits from the Moth Traps with the candidates below.

To kick off with a

DARK CHESTNUT

a far more striking and maybe slightly late
FEATHERED THORN

and to complete the trio a
RED-LINE QUAKER

and a backup
MINOTAUR BEETLE
Seems like our luck was IN on the day with not 'rare', 'scarce' or even 'uncommon' but a stranger to these parts with only c3 previous records, a female

SHOVELER

(we have added an image of the male to show the contrast)

on the Irrigation Pond but within seconds she had taken to the wing.
All that could be found next door on the Gravel Pit was this large

Plastic Container
which has been on pond-side for weeks now and our investigation (as it did hold a small amout of blue chemical) came to naught but surely an inevitable ending? Otherwise, a return of the

Mute Swan Family
along with a clip of the male

TUFTED DUCK
in a brief but heavy downpour.
Back to base via a scace view of a couple or 3 of the Rare Breed Cattle

OLD ENGLISH WHITE

BELTED GALLOWAY
along with the other

OLD ENGLISH WHITE
Wonder was wheather the venture into the Solar Panel Compound was worth it or not

with just a small 'fall' of

MEADOW PIPITs
while within a stone-throw of the homestead and the most active part of the property

CORMORANTs

2 in number

are fishing

without concern as on our return we found the first

DARLING BUDS of WINTER

on the Lime Tree next to the Caravan - Spring has Sprung!

Panama Canal Sequel (Part Two)

 Despite all our efforts there was not a 'Birding Pal' to be found on-line in the country leaving the only option to employ a 'professional' by the name of ex-Panamanian Army Colonel

GONZALLO HORNER
a fine fella in all respects and straight away into the job in hand

with the very first Bird

BLUE-HOODED or ELEGANT EUPHONIA
being an addition to the World List in company with

BLACK-MANDIBILLED TOUCAN
A number of regions and townsips were visted across our 6 day's stay including

with its attendant

SHORT-TAILED HAWK

THRUSH-LIKE SCHIFFORNIS

before finding my own

GARTERED TROGON
A bit of travelling to do and an ovenight before reaching the river

N G SEALION
(whatever that stands for?)
with an abundance of Birds such as.

MEALY PARROT

YELLOW TYRANULET
and close cousin

PALTRY TYRANULET
before a brief visit to the

which we had viewed for all to short a while on our last trip with the 'ringers' coming up with the bland looking

ROYAL FLYCATCHER
(in the hand)

before doing this!!
Qualifying as 'Bird of the Trip'
What has been called, at one time or another, the Most Dangerous Acreage in the World was to be our final destination to this facianting land as Drug Carteles were known to use it on a regular basis

now recognised as a
National Park.

Remnants of the Past
but kicking off with the mighty

KING VULTURE

Home Sweet Home!

OLIVACEOUS WOODCREEPER

Maybe Ran Out of Petrol?

SNOWY-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD

and maybe fittingly to end this chapter

PANAMA FLYCATCHER
which despite the name is not an endemic!

PS - In addition to the Milestones already mentioned there were also other 'dreams came true' such as transiting the mighty Atlantic Ocean coast to coast for the very first time. We had ofter sailed 3 - 4 - 500 miles into this vast seaway, particularly having worked out of Funchal, Madeira on numerous occassions. Also on that trip we had time conquer ALL of the outstanding countries of the America's, including Island Nations recognised by the United nations including Antigua, Guardalope, Tobago and even Haiti and Dominican Republic. Of the mainland countries Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana were of priority before meeting up with M/V Voyager in Kingston, Jamaica for the return home. Maybe we will be able to feature some of these in days to come? Many Thanks for Tuning In!