.. "For we're all jolly fellows that follow the plough .."

I arrived home from work today in the mid-afternoon. A simple reward for having endured a 4AM alarm call on behalf of the annual water rail survey at Burton Mill Pond. Walking between the car and the front door my attention was drawn to the high-calling over of Mediterranean gulls (Larus melanocephalus). This in itself is not unusual as I am used to regularly hearing these birds overhead - they appear to favour the A3 corridor for commuting between inland foraging areas and the coast. However, it was obvious something more was happening today - by the sheer volume and intensity of the calls.

Grabbing binoculars I took a quick look out of the patio doors towards the fields of White Dirt Farm and noted with delight a large .. LARGE! .. mixed flock of gulls spread across the acres of farmland. Along with the gulls there were four tractors in the fields .. between them ploughing, sowing and rolling.

At an upstair's window, I set up the 'scope and started to count the med gulls amongst the blackheaded, common and occasional herring gull - heading for an easy 200+ Meds - with more in the far background - the gulls flushed in unison, and the count was prematurely over.

Standing on White Dirt Lane I tried to capture the spectacle of the gulls following the plough to more or less success? Whilst I am still not convinced that my 400mm lens is working properly since it was returned from recent repairs? I am convinced that I need to learn how better to utilise the settings on my camera!

In addition to taking photographs I also recorded a couple of voice memos on the iPhone capturing the dominance of the med gulls within the soundscape.



After that shrill cacophony I will end the Blog with a youtube link to the sweeter melancholy of Kate Rusby's version of the trad. folk song The Jolly Plough Boys:

Kate Rusby "Jolly Plough Boys"

Frog's spawn, Catherington Pond

Catherington Pond is our nearest wetland - it sits on the opposite side of the road to the entrance to Catherington Down SSSI - and as importantly Ca. 100m up the road from The Farmer Inn.

A thoughtful barman at The Farmer Inn, once served me a pint of Gales H.S.B. straight from the barrel so I didn't have to wait whilst it was pulled through the pipes - a simple joy, and a memorable one.

The pond is maintained by the Horndean Parish Council Rangers. This frog (Rana temporaria) record is only my second amphibian record for the site. The first being of smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) dated 30th May 2017.

Adder (Vipera berus L.) my first sighting of the year

Enjoyed my first sighting of adder this year whilst surveying on chalk grassland in West Sussex. Three individual snakes were found basking on the day. N.B. that these record shots are taken on full zoom on the iPhone camera.