The Bagsy Blog

Saturday, 15 November 2014

Lionheart - Kate Bush

The set of Moth photos that follow are not all from recent days. In fact some were taken as long ago as a fortnight, but are thought to represent some of the last Insect for this year. There are still the odd one or two being caught, and while it remains this mild then no reason why there shouldn't be more. However, the persistent and heavy rain is not helping - it must be ENGLAND!

Oh! England, my Lionheart!
Peter Pan steals the kids in Kensington Park
You read me Shakespeare on the rolling Thames
That old river poet that never, ever ends
Our thumping hearts hold the ravens in
And keep the tower from tumbling

One of my all time favourite Lyrics - take a listen

"Oh England My Lionheart" (Link)

GREEN BRINDLED CRESCENT

GREEN BRINDLED CRESCENT and SILVER Y

YELLOW-LINE QUAKER

CHESTNUT

DARK CHESTNUT

TURNIP MOTH

and
CADDISFLY
are still on the wing.

A lone
LAPWING
overhead as we cleared the traps and later in the day a couple of
Butterflies were found

RED ADMIRAL

CLOUDED YELLOW
Up in the northern Silver Birch woods the familiar chirruping of

SISKIN

were heard. As they foraged through the tree-tops only an estimate

of numbers could be made - 20 at the most?

A less familiar call, to me at least, was thought to be

LESSER REDPOLL
but none were seen. Back at Slight II the calls in my 'mindseye'
were checked against the Bird Song App and considered good for this species.

MERLIN
a very infrequent visitor here (the last was seen in 2006) was in a tussle
with a far larger Common Buzzard, but it isn't always size that counts!

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Wednesday, 12 November 2014

The Hunter - Free

The forecast was set fair for the shoot, with just a hint of showers, a deceptive light breeze for the hunters and (dare I say) a little too much sun on occasion! While neither 'gunner' or 'beater', there was never any intention of passing up the invitation to join this country pursuit, which would be far and away different to my usual quiet and sedate wanders around Parley Court Farm. From my point of view, if disturbance there was going to be, the opportunity would be taken to perhaps to see many more birds, and who knows what else, as a result? It was most certainly a day for a Day List!

Arriving Harbins at first light, the 'list' kicked off with the expected

(in order of sighting) Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Black-headed Gull, Rook,

Robin, Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Cormorant (in Parley Pond not usual), Mallard,

Moorhen, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove,

Pied Wagtail and Herring Gull.

Again there was a modest return from the traps,

with the highlight of just c4 species caught being this pristine

FEATHERED THORN

Overhead, and far less usual, a

LITTLE EGRET

landed on the Golf Course.

Still before the arrival of the 'guns' and 'beaters', a Song Thrush was heard in the far distance a species that has been conspicuous by its absence since the end of the breeding season, round about late August. In quick succession Greenfinch, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Great Tit, Wren, Chaffinch, Feral Pigeon and House Sparrow were added without sight or sound of Mute Swan or Coot. There had been some discussion about numbers of Starling increasing in the New Forest, but here the numbers have been small. No sooner said than over 100 were seen on power cable, with the total doubling during the afternoon. Getting down to the business in hand

MOUSEY the GAMEKEEPER

surveyed his change before allocating each 'stand'.

.One Man and his Flipper' were all ready to go

as the 'beaters' were also briefed.

A 'fly-past' as if in salute the

OIL-SPILL HERCULES

headed for Bournemouth International Airport

for its (presumed) loading and functioning testing exercises.

HENRY and Others, stationed in the Maize stubble,

anxiously wait for the first birds to rise.
The List increased with the addition of Common Buzzard, Long-tailed Tit, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Teal and Grey Wagtail as we returned to the vehicles.

A few Pheasants (including a 'live' one also added to the Day List)

and far more satisfying as far as I'm concerned, c2 Magpie,

another tick, fell to the guns before heading for the next 'peg'.

A learning curve for me, as I had no idea how to access this particular tract of boggy scrub and weed behind the Eco Recycling Plant. It was only a few days ago that I took the 45 minute walk, via Merritown Heath, to end up left of picture where the tree-line meets the Heath. This is the very spot where the Marsh Tits were found, which will be far more easily accessed on my next visit. Something of a disappointment as no Pheasants were flushed, but what did spring from the mire were c2 Common Snipe (Tick) which are not shot here.

Jules 'bags' another bird.

One of about a hundred
LAPWING
now established on the Farm.

A quick pow-wow and a Sloe Gin
before continuing the second half of the day,

Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Redwing, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Green Woodpecker,
and Stock Dove might have brought up the final tally had Jules not shouted
MUTE SWAN
the final addition to a list of 48.

Of the Bag,
13 brace of Pheasant, 10 Wood Pigeon and 2 Magpie
all of which, excepting the latter, will be eaten.

FLIPPER

The Gun-Hound

seems to have found a new vocation at his first shoot?

A very tasty repast before we went our separate ways.

It was good to see some old faces and meet a few of the new,

A HUGE 'Thank You' to Janet for a fine dinner (as ever)!

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Monday, 10 November 2014

Johnny the Fox - Thin Lizzy

With the 2 previous days bringing almost continuous heavy rain and gale-force winds, Sunday brought a good deal of sunshine which was a blessed relief. Thursday was the last night we had a decent return from the Moth Traps which included

MOTTLED UMBER

an addition to the Year List,

VINE'S RUSTIC

a faded
BRICK

DARK CHESTNUT

and yet another
VESTAL
I will have to busy myself counting just how many of the delicate
little beauties we have caught this year.

A single Micro that as yet has not been identified.

The
DUNGFLY

SCATHOPHAGA INQUINATA

and on that extremely damp day the farmer across the River Stour

decided to put his flock of SHEEP to pasture.
The general consensus is that these animals are a Cross Breed, but
I fell asleep while counting them but estimate about 300 in all.
As they say in Wales, "hold these 2 Sheep while I count them"!

Saturday? well perhaps the least said about Saturday the better - almost a complete washout. The saving grace were just c3 Moths of 3 species in 4 traps, a Red-line Quaker, a

YELLOW-LINE QUAKER

and something of a surprise an immigrant

PEARLY UNDERWING

It may be of note to some that

CADDISFLIES

are also still on the wing.

Oh Blessed Sunday

started with the distinctive 'chacking' of our first c3

FIELDFARE

first seen perched high in the now leafless Ash Trees.
Despite the slight increase in overnight temperature, once again there
were only 3 Moths of 3 species in the traps, including something of a

Landmark!
This

DECEMBER MOTH
was our 350th species of Macro Moth recorded this Year.
That done the next destination was the Irrigation Pond where things
were exceptionally quiet. However, at the recently created