Friday 19 June 2020

The Harry 'Lime' Theme - Anton Karas

writen as the soundtrack to the film 
The Third Man 
Given the current weather conditions, hammering down, probably no surprise to find 
we afforded ourself a 
Guard and Steerage
this morning, a Royal Navy expression for an extra 30 minutes in the hammock!
Having been a Seaman Mariner of some 50 years 
there are no bones made about the fact that my life revolves strictly around
SEAWATER!
Anything outside of that such as Electrickery or Whim-Whams (engines)
the catagory that then encompassing me is that of a
TECHNOPHOBE! 
 Good job then that we are still running 2 x Mercury Vapour Moth Traps 
from the mains power outside of 'Slight Return II' (my stately home) or there would be no 
Moths to report at all today. They included First's for the Year and spectacular
LIME HAWK-MOTH
 YELLOW BELLE
 ROSY FOOTMAN
and
SMALL ANGLE SHADES
before heading for the Heath.
Just a glance inside the first of the traps was enough to realise something was wrong,
and afer a long investigation, including phoneing my mentor it was discovered the
Air Inlet Valve
had been close all night - don't these infernal things run on petrol????

Anyroad, the daytime temperature has rocketed to a full +23°C,

it looks as if we are going to miss (me and my big mouth) the overnight flash floods and now anxiously waiting for 06:00 tomorrow to consolidate on our previous misfortune!
Otherwise, we have been enjoying a small rush of
 CROSSBILLs
(female)
 (male)
a particularly low flying 
 HOBBY
along with the delights of numerous, for here anyway,
 SISKIN
(female)
(male)
We feel sure you are champing at the bit for an update on the young Roe Buck
that was found a week agoalong the Solar Panel Compound fence of which

⅓ was eaten before the remainder disappeared, no doubt to a nearby lair?
Again it was left to other Insects, not including Butterflies which are noticeable by their absence, along with Plant-life to bulk up the post.

 PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE
now appearing along all watercourses including the
River Stour.
 COMMON CARDER BEE
 the invasive
ORANGE BALSAM
which appears to have brought with it the
 BALSAM CARPET
(Moth)
 of which we have already caught a single this year (24/04) from what is considered
the only breding colony in Dorset?
 It has been a while since we 'clocked' the last
COCKCHAFER
 while we found on the same day the first
WATERLILY
 BROAD-BODIED CHASER
(Dragonfly)
seem to be late appearing this year and very few in number
 while the predatory
COMMON AWL ROBBERFLY
which occur from May to October surviving on other winged insects including Butterflies.