OCTOBERFEST

Since returning from Brazil I have been out and about a bit but have missed more than I`ve seen,here`s what I have managed to catch up with.

JACK SNIPE AT REST HARROW SCRAPE

BLACK REDSTART AT SAMPHIRE HOE

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70000 BRITANNIA -GOLDEN ARROW PASSING THE HOE.

DOVER LIFEBOAT ON EXERCISE AT FAN BAY

SPITFIRE AT SOUTH FORELAND

PEREGRINE ON THE CLIFFS

VULCAN BOMBER PASSING BOCKHILL WELL INLAND UNFORTUNATELY.

GOLDFINCHES IN THE GARDEN

REDPOLLS AT LANGDON HOLE

RING OUZELS ALSO AT LANGDON HOLE

THE GERMAN BARGE" SEEADLER" MAKING HER WAY PAST THE HOE.

COMMON SEALS ON THE HOVERPAD WILL SOON HAVE TO FIND A NEW HOME.

FEMALE RED BREASTED MERGANSER IN WELLINGTON DOCK

RAVENS ARE NOW REGULAR VISITORS TO SAMPHIRE HOE

AN INFLUX OF GOLDCRESTS RECENTLY - THIS ONE WAS SO TAME I PICKED IT UP

BRITAINS SMALLEST BIRD ARRIVES HERE EACH WINTER FROM NORTHERN EUROPE,IMAGINE THIS TINY CREATURE FLYING ACROSS THE NORTH SEA,AT NIGHT , NON STOP-AMAZING.

THE ORANGE/RED CREST MAKES THIS A MALE BIRD.

SWALLOWS AND HOUSE MARTINS GATHERING AT SAMPHIRE HOE BEFORE MIGRATION TO WARMER CLIMES.

ONE OF THE LAST NORTHERN WHEATEARS OF THE YEAR - THEY WILL BE BACK NEXT MARCH.

AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR WAS THIS RED BREASTED FLYCATCHER AT THE HOE,

THE DISTINCTIVE WHITE TAIL MARKINGS AS IT WAS FLUSHED BY A HIGH SPEED TRAIN.

IT STAYED STUBBORNLY THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAILWAY TRACK WHILE I WAS THERE SO APOLOGIES FOR THE POOR QUALITY PICS.

THANKS TO MARK KENNET FOR SPOTTING THIS WEE BIRD AS HE WALKED DOWN THROUGH THE ROAD TUNNEL.

 100s OF ROBINS ARRIVE EACH AUTUMN TO SPEND THE WINTER HERE.

 AN ALBINO STARLING AT NORTH DEAL

 STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD.

 THIS SHORT EARED OWL FLEW STRAIGHT AT ME OUT OF THE SUN, SO HAVE HAD TO LIGHTEN IT QUITE A BIT.

 HERE`S LOOKING AT YOU SIR.

 ONE OF A COVEY OF 25 GREY PARTRIDGE AT DICKSONS CORNER.

 MAGPIE

BLACK REDSTART- PROBABLY ONE OF THIS YEARS YOUNGSTERS.

The Red Breasted Merganser remains in the Wellington Dock,caught her having a bath this morning.

SEE YOU IN NOVEMBER..............................

IGUACU FALLS-THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

The last leg, and we are on our last legs,7 flights now out of nine down, never a dull moment,all action holiday.Our first sight of the Iguacu Falls from the Brazilian side.

I wish I had taken a video so you could experience the noise of these magnificent waterfalls.

We then crossed the border into Argentina and went to our hotel and our guides mothers garden where the humming birds were enjoying a feast at the splendidly named  JARDIN DE LOS PICAFLORES.Look it up on facebook.

 BANANAQUIT

GREEN HEADED TANAGER

PURPLE THROATED EUPHONIA

SAYACA TANAGER

GLITTERING BELLIED EMERALD

 SWALLOWTAIL HUMMINGBIRD

BLUE DACHNIS

 RED RUMPED CACIQUE

 PIRATIC FLYCATCHER

 GREAT DUSKY SWIFTS

 SNAIL KITE

 The falls from the Argentinian view point are equally if not more impressive:- but they are now the IGUAZU FALLS.

 GREAT DUSKY SWIFT LEAVING ITS NEST BEHIND THE WATERFALL!

 COATI

SWALLOWTAILS

TUFTED CAPPUCHIN

PURPLE THROATED EUPHONIA

BLACK THROATED MANGO -MALE

BLACK THROATED MANGO-FEMALE

VIOLET CAPPED WOOD NYMPH

RED RUMPED CACIQUE

RED RUMPED CACIQUE NEST COLONY

SURUCUA TROGON

BLUE MORPH

Our guide assured me that these were BLUE MORPH chrysallis cases.
I haven`t got round to identifying the butterflies yet but they were more plentiful in Argentina than Brazil.

In Argentina I found an acceptable beer to drink the first in nearly three weeks..............

PATAGONIA BOHEMIAN PILSNER.
We snuck out of Argentina in the small hours of the morning for another early morning flight back to Sao Paolo,then had a seven hour wait for our flight back to Heathrow,got home about 28 hours after leaving the hotel,cream crackered as they say.

NOT RIO, BUT THANKYOU BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA FOR YOUR SPLENDID HOSPITALITY AND FOOD,JUST GET RID OF THE SKOL LAGER!PLEASE, AND A BIG THANKYOU TO SANDWICH BIRD TOURS.