Monday 20 July 2015

Because They're Young - The Sequel

Wildlifing has been consigned to the back burner over the past few days, part of which was a visit to my family in Kingston upon Thames where additionally the was another birthday to celibrate as I commence my 70th year. With a little help we may be able to bring you the associated photographs but as things stand there is still a serious amount of "Communication Breakdown (it's always the same, Communication Breakdown it drives me insane") - Led Zeppelin.
A selection from the traps before we left.
 KENT BLACK ARCHES
ROUND-WINGED MUSLIN 
 DOT MOTH
DINGY FOOTMAN
 BORDERED WHITE
 and unusually a
DARK BUSH CRICKET
 What to some might be considered an equally unusual capture in a
 Moth Trap
this is the third year running we have secured 
BROWN HAWKER
in this fashion.
 First of our Feathered Friends 
 to draw our attention  was this watchful adult male
 KESTREL
Seemingly with something in his sight, it wasn't the expected
hapless rodent but at some distance it's
PRODIGY
A brief look at Parley Pond before beginning our day search in earnest
 turned up this young
 MOORHAN
thin on the ground this year but up on their close cousin the
Coot which have produced no young here thus far.
Before leaving Harbins we 'at last' caught up with some of the 
New Generation
GREEN WOODPECKER

which have enjoyed great
Breeding Success
this year.
In all there are estimated to be 4 or 5 pairs
 in the Southern Sector
 and likely more than that across

the North and Merritown Heath.

Being watched over by an attentive adult female.
Driving the perimeter fence of one of the
Solar Panel Compounds
 the whole section was alive with juvenile
 MISTLE THRUSH
 Don't know about you, but these birds in their
 'early plumage'
 really do something for me!
 Like many other species they have
 taken very well to the new found bounty that
this Natural Energy Source has brought with it!
Also abundant there
 somewhere in the region of
 20 - 30 juvenile
 PIED WAGTAIL
 having made best use of the redundant
Cable Drums
left over from the erection of the panels.
 There will be a request submitted to leave these in situ.
Just for good measure
 COMMA BUTTERFLY
and
CHICORY
Meanwhile at the Gravel Pit
 something of a 'creche' of young
 LAPWING
seem to be favouring the site with a maximum count of 28 there so far.
The day was growing long with the light fading fast
when we came across this gathering of juvenile
 SWALLOW


 Excellent value watching them react as the
 Parent Birds arrived with the groceries.



and to end on a therapeutic note
we have tried to capture the gentle rustle of
TREMBLING ASPENS
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