Thursday 30 April 2020

When the Levee Breaks - Memphis Minnie

I was woken this morning at 02:30 by a call that 
"I would not have missed for the Whole World" but really didn't anticipate what was to follow!
A quick look outside showed 2 oktas of cloud cover, a gentle breeze, clear atmoshere and the
continuing and continuous vocals of both
Cuckoo and Tawny Owl
What is referred to as my Star Tunnel is the skylight above my bunk which at that time was crammed full of Heavenly Bodies (but enough about me) and then a satellite,
followed by another and another until the passage seemed as if it would never end. 
Plying betweed bunk and door there was also thought to be other items of
Space Junk and even, it was considered, a Shooting Star. However the best came when a far faster and brighter body arrived from the west at 04:15 and quickly disappeared to the east, 
it could only have been the
International Space Station - but will check with NASA later
Unfortunately, and on the downside, on the optimum night (the 29th) there was no sign of the
Lyra Meteor Shower!
Yer carn't have 'em all! 
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
If it keeps on rainin', levee's goin' to break
When the levee breaks I'll have no place to stay

Just how much more accurate Weather Forecasting has become in recent years is immeasurable,
so when they said 'heavy rain' for Tuesday we cut our cloth accordingly starting with just little peeks outside of Slight Return II where on the very first jaunt we clapped eyes on c3
 First For The Year
HOUSE MARTIN
which by late afternoon had increased to a swarm of about 3 dozen or more!
Good start given the conditions but we needed a lull to get among the 
Moths
There was also a decent catch from the traps which included
BLOOD-VEIN
 SHARP-ANGLED PEACOCK
and
LESSER SWALLOW PROMINENT 
(all 'firsts for the year)
and for comparison
SWALLOW PROMINANT
right showing a far less of a white triangle at the trailing edge of the wing 
before heading off to the hinterland!

Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan
It's got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home
Oh well, oh well

(many years later covered by Led Zeppelin via the album Coda)
It was there that once again we encountered more 
 SISKIN
than we have ever recorded across our Patch
and had our memory been as acute as the weather forecasts
you would have been made aware of that day's ago!

(and here by just Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Helpers)


Cryin' won't help you prayin' won't do you no good
Now cryin' won't help you prayin' won't do you no good
Cus’ when the levee breaks mama you got to move

Well huddled up in the safety and dry conditions of the 

Mobile Hide
(that is the Strange Rover)
we continued our search despite the inclement weather to find next
something of a bedraggled and not overly obliging

 JAY
in the rain before visiting the Irrigation Pond where the Coot have abandoned the building
of a second nest in favour of starting a third
which is of Angkor Wat proportions
( which remindes me of eating Giant Coot while visiting 
Lake Titicaca - a daily staple there)

All last night sat on the levee and moaned
All last night sat on the levee and moaned
Thinkin' 'bout me baby and my happy home
Going to Chicago

Sorry but I can't take you

WE ALWAYS LOOK FOREWARD TO BETTER TO COME
HERE'S HOPING!
Just checked, ISS transited over South Coast of England
04:20 Thursday 30 April 2020
YES!