Good Times - The Animals (1967)

 Given the relentless bad weather of the early week we were very much confined to barracks but on our next outing we firstly took a look at the swollen

 RIVER STOUR

followed by an event we could well have done without. A dog with no restraint and seemingly no attendant owner (a full search being made of the bridleway both ways) was chasing a

young

FOX

with bad intent until disuaded. 

Something of a barrier to contend with entering the Solar Panel Compound

as the path was blocked by the same escapee

CATTLE
and still no signs of the herdsman.
We found no Moths within the Traps but adding both

MEADOW PIPIT

and

STOCK DOVE
to the Year List spurred us on further

where also found were a number of

GREY SQUIRRELs

and
RABBITs

both preforming for the camera, while at the Sewerage Works this smart

GREY WAGTAIL
came to us rather than we trying to gain position on it!
A purposeful visit on our return to within Bournemouth International Airport had the desired effect of a Tick Worthy

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
while at the same location we found the

ROOKs,
early nesters, had already taken to the

BEECH TREEs
with these 2 images, only a small part of the wood, supporting 40 odd? individuals already.

CORMORANT
on the main pond was the final addition to the Year List for the day, but not the final entry.
To hear news of another, or maybe the same, lone

WALRUS
now residing on the coast-lines of

NORTHUMBERLAND

brought back extremely fond memories of the one Dave and I twitched at

Tenby in Wales back in 2021.

SLIMBRIDGE PART III

 

One of the most spectacular Meteor Showers of the year peaks this week, offering sky-gazers the chance to see dozens of ‘shooting stars’ illuminate the night sky. The Quadrantids are set to peak on 3 - 4 January 2023, but the first meteors have already begun to pepper the Earth’s atmosphere. The phenomenon is a result of the Earth passing through the debris left behind the asteroid (196256) 2003 EH1, which was first observed by Chinese astronomers more than 500 years ago. Anyone hoping to see the first major meteor shower of the year will not need any specialist equipment, however clear skies are essential. Don’t know about that as right now we cannot even see the Tennis Court 20 yards away!

WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE

at large

and others in the pen.

SNOW GOOSE

feeding.

WILLOW
last year's growth and strangely only a single

BRENT GOOSE

BUFFLEHEAD

DUCK DECOY

PINTAIL
male swimming

PINTAIL
male preening
and unfortunately close to the public on the day

the home of

and the

RIVER SEVERN CANAL
to port

and starboard.

and to continue the Local Year Birds catch-up

TUFTED DUCK
still on the Gravel Pit with the

COOT

GREAT TIT

CARRION CROW

HOUSE SPARROW

MUTE SWAN

SLIMBRIDGE - Part II

 

A GREAT HELP to the DAY

BARNACLE GEESE

GRAZING

GOLDENEYE

GOLDENEYE MALE

with a Second BUZZARD feeding.

The rather dainty,

delightful and

scarce (male)

SMEW

AMERICAN FLAMINGO's

GOLDENEYE
(male and

female at closer quarters)

CUT BACK TO THE QUICK

EMPEROR GEESE
close up with 

COOT

and a male even closer.

and in an effort not to get bogged down we will also make a great start to the 

YEAR LISTs

 with 2 x Moths on the first day of the Mothing Year and despite a single digit temperature with firstly not even in the trap a single

MOTTLED UMBER

clinging to one of the trap baffles.

WINTER MOTH
clinging to an egg tray and a fist-full of

DOR BEETLEs
Nothing new it that but a great start never the less!
While the first Bird of the Year was betrayed by its 'honking' a

GREYLAG GOOSE
seen through the gloom as transiting the River Stour to the west.

Further to that a lone

ROBIN
the only representative of what may be classed as a Dawn Chorus with

GREY HERON

and

BLACK_HEADED GULL
on the Main Pond

BLACKBIRD

and finally on the subject for now a tennis court

PIED WAGTAIL