Monday 10 November 2014

Johnny the Fox - Thin Lizzy

With the 2 previous days bringing almost continuous heavy rain and gale-force winds, Sunday brought a good deal of sunshine which was a blessed relief. Thursday was the last night we had a decent return from the Moth Traps which included
MOTTLED UMBER
 an addition to the Year List,
VINE'S RUSTIC
a faded
BRICK
DARK CHESTNUT
and yet another
VESTAL
I will have to busy myself counting just how many of the delicate
little beauties we have caught this year.
A single Micro that as yet has not been identified.
The
DUNGFLY
SCATHOPHAGA INQUINATA
and on that extremely damp day the farmer across the River Stour
decided to put his flock of SHEEP to pasture.
The general consensus is that these animals are a Cross Breed, but
I fell asleep while counting them but estimate about 300 in all.
As they say in Wales, "hold these 2 Sheep while I count them"!
Saturday? well perhaps the least said about Saturday the better - almost a complete washout. The saving grace were just c3 Moths of 3 species in 4 traps, a Red-line Quaker, a 
 YELLOW-LINE QUAKER
 and something of a surprise an immigrant
PEARLY UNDERWING
It may be of note to some that 
CADDISFLIES
are also still on the wing.
Oh Blessed Sunday
started with the distinctive 'chacking' of our first c3
FIELDFARE
 first seen perched high in the now leafless Ash Trees.
Despite the slight increase in overnight temperature, once again there
were only 3 Moths of 3 species in the traps, including something of a
 Landmark!
This
 DECEMBER MOTH
was our 350th species of Macro Moth recorded this Year.
That done the next destination was the Irrigation Pond where things
were exceptionally quiet. However, at the recently created 
 Gravel Pit
 this young
FOX
was enjoying this unexpected spell of warm sunshine,
as were the rest of us!
At great distance the smaller 
Canon Power Shot SX50HS
really comes into its own, with the 50x zoom bringing such things 
seemingly to touching distance.
It was about noon when I decided to head back to Slight II,
but for whatever reason a diversion was made via the 
Birch Woods close to Merritown Heath.
 MARSH TIT
 has been absent, or at least not seen or heard for over 2 years now,
so what a stroke of luck just to continue the walk rather than go home to Mum!
There were c3 individuals recorded but light conditions were poor
and not suitable for any photos.
These are from the archive.
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