Sunday 5 July 2020

Underneath the Arches - Flanagan and Allen

Still the dearth (that's an anagram of Dry County) of Wildlife continues here but
across the various Dorset web-sites one or two little gems continue to appear!
None more so than at the Moth Traps but unlike Saturday's complete
'BLANK'
there were a 'brace' that took our interest.
 BLACK ARCHES
is readily identifiable unlike this putative
 ENGRAILED / SMALL ENGRAILED
which can only be decided accuately under microscopic examination of the
'genetalia' - mucky business best steered clear of!
 During their capture, it was as if a switch had been throw as 
Dozens and Dozens
of
 juvenile
HOUSE SPARROWs
broke cover.
 We have been hearing them for a number of days already
but there seems to have been a reluctance to
 to show themselves.
Not to be outdone
 STARLINGs
also joined the throng
with both species likely gorging themselves on
 CRANEFLY LARVAE
 Also on the lawn, directly outside of my window, was considered to be a
 melonistic, female 
PHEASANT
but a handsome beast for all that.
Our arrival on the Heath was heralded by a fly-by

Royal Navy Helicopter
but otherwise the whole area appeared to be 
As Bare as a Badger's - Gordon Bennett there is one.
 Common and Plentiful,
to the point where they are being culled,
 they are infrequently seen, except maybe as 'road-kill,
so we took the opportunity to
Fill Our Boots
 and see no reason why you should not be invited to enjoy the same
via all of the Snaps and Clips.
 This young animal was feeding varaciously on we knew not what
 and seemingly impervious of our presence
Reaching a point where it appeared to be satiated it slowly turned
and ambled back into the woodland after which we took a look at the food supply.
It looked every bit like livestock feed so could be attributed to the Herdsman purposefully
or accidentily leaving it there??
Whatever, a nice end to the days wander!