gryllosblog   Gryllo's (aka Ian Lewis') blog. All things to do with travel, wildlife especially birds, history, architecture and anything else that interests me.

Today there was hardly a breath of wind, cloud had formed during the night which should have grounded migrants. An ideal day for ringing. The problem was that I needed to get my TVs upgraded to satellite and install a digital recorder to replace the old fashioned VCR.

The man at Curry / PC World made it sound so simple. Buy the three boxes needed from them, make an appointment for it all to be fitted and Bobs your uncle.

• They agreed come this Tuesday to install it but wouldn’t say when, in spite of requesting an afternoon visit. I had to phone a premium number on Monday evening to find out. I finally got an automated answer at 2100; they were coming sometime between 0800 and midday. I then had to cancel my plans for ringing.
• When I opened one of the boxes it was empty, they had given me the box for the item on display (I know I should have realised it was lighter but I carried the three boxes in a stack) A trip to the store had to made as soon as they opened, with the grandchildren holding the fort here should the installers arrive in the interim.
• When they did arrive they told me their said they only had to install two boxes, in spite of what my receipt said.
• Then they told me they couldn’t go in the attic as it didn’t have a solid floor, couldn’t go on the roof and so couldn’t take a cable from one side of the (terraced) house to the other and couldn’t go up a ladder more than 30ft as it contravened H&S rules (in addition they said that 9 out of 10 jobs they go to have to be cancelled because the store don’t give them the correct information in advance).
• I then had to drive to the store again to get a refund.

In case you need reminding, the store that gives this ‘high level’ of service is called Currys / PC World.

Whinge over.

So it was late morning by the time I got out. I decided to go to Sherford Bridge / Mordon Bog, an excellent area of woodland, heath and lakes 15 minutes drive west of here. Local birder Aidan Brown has an excellent series of photographs of the wildlife this area on his blog http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/DD/

Oaks along the River Sherford

Spotted Flycatcher

Commercial forestry and restored heathland.

 

 

 

 

 

Stonechats are declining in Dorset so it was pleasing to see this late brood.

 

Juvenile Stonechat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I first visited this area in the early 80s Decoy Cottage was intact. It is said that the ghost of its last reclusive inhabitant still walks the forest. Indeed Trevor Squire and I whilst using an image intensifier as part of our Nightjar research saw an all white figure jogging near to there at 0200 one night..that path (from where the above photo) was taken was renamed the ‘ghost track’.

 

 

Ruins of Decoy Cottage, a good area for birding.

 

Ravens on the electricity pylon

Mordon Park Lake