Big Dipper

Sunday October 20

Or should I say dripper.

How good is my memory? When we returned to the cottage, the WiFi wasn't working. I phoned the farm and then the mobile number. Alan and Sue were off somewhere with their horses and carriage but would phone the man who put it in, in the morning. I wrote up the day's notes on my laptop ready for copying and pasting.  

Then......my laptop died. The charger cable connection socket has failed - for the second time - and the battery is flat. 

Daile collected my laptop this morning, Sunday October 20, stating that he could fix it. 

Here goes again.

Sunday October 13 

Determined to see one new bird, we set off to find Longham Lakes, where an American Black Tern has taken up residence. The pits are new creations, 2006 and 2009, owned by the Water Board. The SatNav didn't recognise them at all, they were not marked on the map but, Google Maps on my IPhone came up trumps. The roads were flooded from the heavy overnight rain, as was the river Stour. The latter had overflowed its banks, creating water meadows in which gulls washed. 

After a few false starts, we located Green Lane in Ferndale. It was an unmade lane with houses on one side.  We splashed through the potholes, the lane becoming ever narrower, until it ended in a narrow footpath through overhanging trees. No sign of any water but plenty of 'do not park here ' notices on field gates. Pam reversed to a spot where she could turn and we left. 

I consulted the pager, maps etc so many times. We cruised the road......no sign of anything. We gave up.

Not often we are so near a UK tick, very frustrating. I did find a page  which gave an email address for someone who would issue a permit to park at the Sailing Club pit - if a regular visitor. I planned to plead age and disability but, without internet, it wasn't possible.

Abbotsbury Swannery was reasonably close and the sun appeared. Neither of us had been there before - although Pam may have done so as her in laws lived nearby. 

We were pleased to find a separate entrance for blue badge holders as the lakes are a 400m walk from the car park. We parked in a pleasant tree surrounded area overlooking meadows whilst Pam did a recce.  Whilst she was away, a Cetti's called and I enjoyed watching Jackdaws wash in a puddle.

Oh dear, another longish walk to the Swannery. Pam bravely offered to push a wheelchair but I declined.

These are her photographs.

Our entrance gate

Not a hunting relic/gamekeeper's warning. It's to show the actual size of a Mute Swan's wingspan

The Swannery was established by Benedictine Monks who built a monastery at Abbotsbury during the 1040s. The monks farmed the swans to produce food for their lavish Dorset banquets. St Peter’s monastery was destroyed in 1539, during the dissolution. Some of the ruins are still visible around St Nicolas’ Church in the village. Since that time, the Swannery has been under the stewardship of the Ilchester Estates.

The swans at Abbotsbury are all free flying: this is a sanctuary, not a zoo.