Thursday 9 October 2014

Pigs (3 Different Ones) - Pink Floyd

There's Pig - In the Wall, Pig - In the Forest and on Monday evening I took Hugh and Janet to the newest of them all
 PIG - ON THE BEACH
for no other reason than they are the Very Best of Friends!
We are familiar with the Sister Establishment at Brockenhurst in the New Forest so were sure of a quality evening, but what we found was quite 'off the scale'. The majority of staff are English with just a dash of French and Spanish influence and to a sole professional in every respect. Not a cheap affair but when quality is of this magnitude, who's counting.
The establishment is the former Studland Manor and along with its fine restaurant it also remains a quality hotel. Those familiar with the area will know the vista stretches across Studland Bay taking in Bournemouth and as far as Christchuch and the Isle of Wight, while to the right the tip of the Purbeck Peninsular (Jurassic Coast) and
 OLD HARRY ROCKS
For the 6th night on the trot we have been dogged by heavy overnight 
rain, with the last 2 being accompanied by high winds. Given these conditions
not a lot has been expected from the Moth Traps but as they say in
War of the Worlds
"Still They Come".
BRICK
is an addition to the Year List while all else was simply
Pleasing to the Eye!
MERVEILLE du JOUR
MALLOW
RED-GREEN CARPET
and
 BRINDLED GREEN
 to show but a few.
A mine-field as far as I'm concerned but the
PLUME MOTHs (Sp)
are something a bit special!
and representing the 'less than usual'
RED ADMIRAL
and
NOON FLY
kindly sorted for me by John Gifford.
While both observing and clearing up the old Irrigation Pond is now taking up much of my time, over the last few days a concerted search has been made for the small colony of Marsh Tit once resident in the swampy Silver Birch Coppice's close by. Not recorded for 2 seasons now it is thought likely they are now extinct at PCF and considered a great loss. If indeed they are found again you will be first to know. On the up-side, and as a by-product of the search, it was noted that numbers of
COAL TIT
have dramatically increased , maybe reason for the recent (first)
sighting of a single in Harbins Garden 
Quietly wandering these small tracts of woodland, sometimes ankle
deep in mud and water,  this strange sight was discovered among the
trees. A Monument of sorts?? is not know but I will research it when
Hugh returns from his recent trip away.
Another good observation at the edge of
PARLEY POND,
even if only to prove that
EELS
exist there.
This one put up a decent resistance
but the ending was inevitable.
Some forward planning going on in the Harbins Garden
and beyond at the moment. Younger son Gavin takes to the rotavator
to prepare the western edge of the extensive lawn which is being
given over to
WILD FLOWERS.
Similarly, the eastern edge of Parley Pond
(Harbins Farm House in the distance)
and a small detached plot are also heading that way.
It was only a matter of moments before the local population of
MALLARD
were taking advantage of the newly uncovered invertebrates.
and on the subject of
MALLARDs
this female was the only bird on the Irrigation Pond yesterday.
Before we close, a word about Readership Numbers. Despite the figures below, which might indicated a decent interest, the number of daily 'hits' haven't been so low since the first 2 months of the Blogs inception. It is known from many mails received that there are a good number of you (all over the world) who read our modest effort daily but with readership dwindling and so many other things to do the time may have come to prioritise. For instance, my personal memoirs already 750,000 words long, and not even a quarter complete yet, need some serious attention, if they are to be finished for my Grandchildren before 'falling off my perch', while cutting back on Wildlifeing is not an option. A stimulant may be an increase in Readership Numbers, leaving you, Our Valued Readers, to 'spread the word' via all addressees on your Social Media Accounts, Facebook, Linkedin etc or simply reduce to a 'Weekly'. Food for thought - I'll let you know! 
This afternoon has been one of  Gale Force Winds,
 Torrential bouts of seriously Heavy Rain, Lightning,
Thunder and anything else those up topsides can throw at us.
So, time for a song!
 Animals - Pink Floyd 
in my humble opinion their VERY BEST offering ever!
 I won't go into detail regarding my first listening to this
MASTERPIECE
but it was 'memorable' to say the least.
That's if my memory serves me right?? 
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