The Hot Chestnut Man - Johnney Morris

 A welcome start to the day as taking a wander along the banks of the

River Stour

and watching this little beauty fly right before my eyes before landing on the opposite bank.
A First for the Year

LITTLE EGRET
but it didn't help to un-seize the Strange Rovers steering, but we know a man who can

and followed in quick time by a Second for the Year

REED BUNTING 

With the very kind help of the Farm Manager who aforded me a ride to at least tend the Moth Traps (a priority as we don't want any of those little beauties to loose their life on our account). 

SUCCSESS

with just a single insect but a

First for Year

CHESTNUT
while at the Irrigation Pond the distinctive squeals of a

WATER RAIL
which we have already recorded in similar circumstances but at the

 Gravel Pit

but our money would go on it having moved to the more usual location in this

CULVET
bordering the south side of the Irrigation Pond.

The final prize of the day came as a result of a call from the Green Keeper Ian who told of the

BARN OWL

still quartering the wooded margins of the

Driving Range.

All Along the Backwater

through the rushes tall, Ducks are a-dabbling up tails all.  

With the overnight temperature still holding on to a decent +10°C a few Moths continue to visit the trap but with nothing to add to the Year List with totals amounting to 3 x Pale Brindled Beauty + 6 Spring Usher. During that spell what were considered to be the same Herring Gull flock as yesterday again heading north to feed but with a much welcomed sprinkling of also vocal

MEDITERRANEAN GULLs

bringing the Annual Total to 70 and images from the archive for clarity.

As for the rest of the day most attention was paid to the 2 northerly ponds where there where we found the best gathering of Waterfowl for the year thus far starting at the Gravel Pit with

c3

PAIRS
of

(female)
GADWALL

We would suggest a 'pair' of
LITTLE GREBE

as already showing signs of display

along with this (male)

maybe also candidates for a 'pair' of WIGEON, and

(female)
and with the almost mandatory

CANADA GEESE
and

MALLARD

Moth to a Flame - Metallica

 With the overnight temperature holding onto a balmy +8°C at dawn, along with the ‘chorus’, hopes were high with

BLACKBIRDs

trying to out-sing an equal number of
SONG THRUSH

No chance of dallying in the Southern Half when Insects are in prospect and at first sight another

SPRING USHER
along with a most welcome 'First for the Year'

PALE BRINDLED BEAUTY
and a back-up cast of half a dozen

ICHNEUMON WASPs
with a back-up chorus of in flight, not as the image portrays,

HERRING GULL
heading north to the feeding grounds while joining the recently reported Dafodils and Snowdrops a handsome clump of

CROCUSES

Additionally, and back to the
CHAROLAIS
also of recent days, today we noted

CALVEs 

as well and then on no more than a whim a stroll along our bank ot the
River Stour

we fell lucky enough to add

KINGFISHER
to the Year List which immediately and most obligingly flew to the Garden Pond.

The Geese and The Ghost - Anthony Phillips

 Another day and another disappointment as far as 'HITS' were concerned, but you carn't win 'em all. While the Irrigation Pond still lies frozen some unwanted activity at the Gravel Pit had 'flushed' what few Waterfowl had been there but entering the Solar Panel Compound something of a recovery

as what were surely the c3

CANADA GEESE
as part of the above 'flush' were happily enjoying breakfast.

Additionally, it seemed the
COMMON BUZZARD and CARRION CROW
were also hitting it off but unserprisingly nothing in the Moth Trap as the very light rain took some of the Gilt off the Gingerbread.

Scanning what can be seen of the Moors River through the trees it was found that the

CHAROLAIS
are back on open pasture as were candidates for our c2

overflying EGYPTIAN GEESE of Thursday 9th inst
Pavaroti Day.

Additionally this female

PHEASANT

had an orangy glow about her when catching the now sunny conditions while the

Little Gentleman in the Velvet Waistcoat continues to excavate his lodgings.
but on exiting came the very best part of the day. Walking to open the padlocked gate there sat on the verge of the bridleway were 2 lovely ladies enjoying a breakfast of sandwiches and offering me a cup of coffee. Of close to my own vintage one was found to be Swedish and the other English with the conversation covering just about every point of the compass. Welcome any time, it would be GREAT to meet up again.
Ships That Pass in the Day!
and as a fitting ending a none to common on our patch

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
provided the final fly-over!

MADAGASCAR - Part IV

WITH JUST 77 HITS YESTERDAY AND 88 THE DAY BEFORE WE FEEL WE CAN HERE THE DEATH KNELL - WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT IN YOUR HANDS!

HOTEL RIKSHAWS

WHITE-THROATED RAIL

BLUE COUA

WHITE-FOOTED SPORTIVE LEMUR

APPET'S GREENBUL

SCALY GROUND ROLLER

TOWN CENTRE TAXI'S

MILNE-EDWARD'S SIFAKA

SPECTALED GREENBUL

BROWN LEMUR

PLANTING RICE PADDIES

SUB-DESERT BRUSH WARBLER

BLACK EGRET

SIFAKA

BLUE VANGA

Another Bus Ride

BROWN LEMUR

and finally, the most deadly and most difficult to locate 

of them all, the cat-like

FOSSA
talk about lucky, we saw 3 of them on this trip!