Monday 27 April 2015

Carpet Crawlers - Genesis

from the album 
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
There are those who say Lightning Never Strikes in the Same Place Twice, others say the same but with a caveat relating to Parley Court Farm. On the 15th April last year we were most fortunate to capture Dorset's 'third' accepted
 BALSAM CARPET
while on Saturday we captured the 'fourth'

 from the very same trap, set in the very same position and even the Moth was clinging to the perspex collar in the same way as the last one had been found. Likewise, it was also active so you can probably imagine how Sausage Fingers felt trying to decant it to a Specimen Pot. Luckily we were successful in that! Now, we are not about to embark on claims of a 'breeding population' here but the signs are certainly right. If this is the case it would be the 'first' ever discovered in the County. We will be keeping as sharp an eye as we have, and will keep you informed!
Otherwise,
LUNAR MARBLED BROWN
was new for 2015, while
 BRINDLED PUG
'ordinaire' has been caught several time already this year.
 Not so the far less common 'melanistic' form
 or Dark Phase of the same Insect.
 GARDEN BUMBLEBEE
 
 main identification feature, the long proboscis, was provided by our friend
John Gifford.
Strangely, clinging to the side of one of the traps was a
GREEN-VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY
and as far as we can tell the first 'hatch' of
MAYFLY
on the River Stour.
While there is still no knowing where they are going to eventually settle,
for the past 5 days at least the presumed c2 'pairs' of Little Ringed Plover
have contented themselves on the banks of the Irrigation Pond.
 Having seemingly abandoned altogether this 100 x 30 metre area of
rough ground and gravel, where they were seen displaying/copulating
etc only a few days ago, this tied in very nicely with the availability of a Slew.
 During rainy weather these puddles ready hold a small supply of water
but only for short periods, but since things have become a little more arid
we have been 'topping up' from the mains, not at all ideal.
 The Third Puddle completely dried out.
Silverstone Green Energy 
having now taken over the management of the Solar Panel Farm
are eager to contribute to the well being of the wildlife here, and eventually
may finance such projects as a permanent water source. In the meantime, enter
Basil, nee Barry the Slew Driver.
(he has recently changed his monica by Deed Poll, a bit of an
'out of the frying pan' situation if you ask me).
Anyroad, he was kindly put at my disposal, when the moment was right,
by Dampney's Ltd so a quick phone call and he was there.
Turning the first Sod you might say!
Scraping the edges to a gentle slope,
and the finished article on Phase One.
Ever onward,
and Phase Two was completed in just a few minutes.
Due to the kindness of the Owners, who are also most conscious of all around them,
this has eliminated what was surely the most costly part of the whole project!
Sand, for a base and gravel, to hold the membrane may also be forthcoming
from the same source, but again the Negotiating Hat will have to be donned first.
Otherwise, not a lot out of the ordinary with
BLACKBIRD
in good numbers, a few
TULIPs
having pushed through,
there, you were warned there are plenty of
BLACKBIRDs
about but c4
SHELDUCK
came as something of a surprise!
We 'rarely' capture the wily
JAY
while
SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY
is not difficult and the resident
SWALLOWs
have already commenced nest building in the Harbins Garage
which is the norm.
It was considered far more lucky to capture both 'still' and 'video' of
SKYLARK
collecting food for presumed nearby young?
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