Sunday 26 July 2015

Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix

Someone must have forgotten to remind Friday of the old adage
"Rain before 7 dry by 11".
It was raining as we swung from the hammock at 04:30, to commence gathering the Moth Traps, with just a short lull between 09:00 and 10:30. During that short period it was off for a rendezvous with the Secret Lemonade Drinker at Bere Regis to collect my 'big' laptop which he had repaired for me 'once again'! With that reinstalled we can now let our fingers do the talking and consign the tiny travel version back to the depths of the cupboard. Thereafter, it was wall to wall heavy rain and it was 18:00 before the final trap was cleared.
BIRDS ARE STARTING TO 'RETURN'
An excellent start to the last 3-day period as an early morning 'calling'
GREENSHANK
transited the property.
Among a very healthy catch from the traps
representatives included
SCALLOPED HOOK-TIP
OAK HOOK-TIP
 DARK SPINACH
(not at all common in Dorset)
 JULY HIGHFLYER
 With little noticeable difference between
ENGRAILED
and Small Engrailed
only 'flight period' points to the former.

 Second Brood
SALLOW KITTEN
 Again, there would be conjecture between this
GREY DAGGER
and
Dark Dagger

 BORDERED SALLOW
 ROSY RUSTIC
 COMMON RUSTIC
NUTMEG
and reserving the BEST 'til LAST
an addition to the Parley Court Farm Moth List
and my own personal records.

 WEBB'S WAINSCOT
Out in the field our
CANADA GOOSE
family have forsaken the sanctuary of the Gravel Pit
to that of the recently 'refilled' Irrigation Pond
from where COOT seem to have been absent for almost 2 weeks now. A closer look at the image above will reveal that the Prodigal has returned. However, being in company with another adult and a 'none-flying' juvenile it is likely they have never left the area. Should have gone to SpecSavers? Looking up, there was an overflying
LITTLE EGRET
the first returning bird since early spring when they all likely
decamped to Poole harbour to breed?
While no great find, this
GREY HERON,
one of 2 that has been gracing the Gravel Pit daily for
the past 2 weeks,
finally fell to the camera.
Additionally, since the first returning
GREEN SANDPIPER
was found during early July it was first joined by a second, then a third
and finally 2 days ago by a forth, which was reluctant to
join the throng.
The other 3 were more than obliging
 allowing us to treat you to these short video clips.
In conjunction the harbingers of the Autumn arrival of
GREY WAGTAIL
also showed up (c3 in number)
and although a little more distant
they too performed appropriately for your Correspondent.

The said Pit is also currently 'covered' in
WHIRLIGIG BEETLE
showing examples of choreography that
Darcey Bussell
couldn't conjure up!
Whatever the calling, it was decided to return to the IP
and inspect beneath the stratigicall placed sheets of
galvenised metal to serch for Herps, out luck was in as
my first personal record of
GRASS SNAKE
was found under one.
Perhaps no need to say but this was a
'first photograph' here and
'first' video footage.
Continuing while the luck was in we high-tailed it to
Merritown Heath
where fortunes turned out to be good, and not-so-good.
Yet another
SMOOTH SNAKE
fell to the lens but a very much larger
ADDER,
also a first for me here, clicked into reverse and was to
view in the blink of the eye.
Better Luck Next Time!
Returning to the Farm House what appeared to be the first young
SWALLOW
to have fledged from the garage was perched on the Tennis Court Netting.
Given the prevailing weather conditions and some recent
Memory Jerks
there is every chance of a Bonus Post tomorrow!
Entry            Pageviews
United States
                 400    USA take the leadership once again!
United Kingdom
                 359
Germany
                 177
Russia           
                   62
Estonia
                   33
Ukraine
                   32
France
                   18
Canada
                   16
Ireland
                   13
China
                     8