Friday 19 May 2017

The Socerer's Apprentice - Part I

There can be little more rewarding to an
Old Salt and/or Senior Wildlifer
than to find a
PRODIGY
 but for lightning to strike twice in exactly the same spot is little short of a
MIRACLE!!
It had been talked about for all too many months already but finally,
last weekend, we got a grip and undertook the first of 2
Wildlife Adventures
with the grandsons of a mutual friend.
The steady and gentle approach was always considered best so the boys were
introduced to this Wonderland separately, one at a time. It was never to be a case of
age coming before beauty but it just fell that elder brother8 years old
OLIVER
was first to step up to the plate at 07:00 with our first port of call being the
Moth Traps
A degree of success there as first out of the hat was the mightily impressive
PUSS MOTH
surely guaranteed to capture a young boys attention! 
This was followed by
 PALE PROMINENT
 RUBY TIGER
and
MUSLIN MOTH
before turning our attentions to other things while immediately starting a
Day Bird List.
CARRION CROW
BLACKBIRD
BLACK-HEADED GULL
were quick to fall to the log before the short distraction of
The First
BELTED GALLOWAY
Self Found and Identified by Oliver was this
COMMON BUZZARD
while we were lucky enough to see just a glimpse of a young
COOT
with the parent birds.
Unfortunately, since then the chicks have been predated.
EGYPTIAN GEESE
BROWN-LIPPED SNAIL
GOLDFINCH
and
HOUSE SPARROW
were added before our first and only encounter with a Reptile on the day,
SLOW WORM
What is considered to be the male bird was standing sentinel at the only
 LAPWING
nest we have found this year across our
Recording Area 
this year and to eliminate any chance of disturbance we quickly moved on.
LINNET
(a resplendent male in 'summer plumage')
The Black and White
SHETLAND COW
 LITTLE GREBE
 MALLARD
MISTLE THRUSH
and the Brown and White
SHETLAND COW
were noted before moving on to find
 MUTE SWAN
 ROBIN
and
SWALLOW
Time for a breather and to introduce
OLIVER
to the
BAGOT GOATS
which seemed to please him no end.
Always hit 'n' miss we then happened upon a pair of

 TUFTED DUCK
WOOD PIGEON
The Second
BELTED GALLOWAY
before 
Closing the Gate on a most Interesting Day.
Lucky for me, he made it clear that he would like to return when convenient,
which is hoped will be 'sooner rather than later' catch them while they are young!
We hope to bring you Part II in due course.
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