Days of Future Past - Moody Blues - Part I

 What with gallivanting to the very extremities of this Sceptred Isle, waltzed with a Walrus (metaphorically speaking) and suffering a serious generator breakdown no wonder we have gotten behind with the Posts - so here’s something of a ‘catch-up’!

With this not being exactly the best image we have ever taken (while our readership as better judges)  probably believe it is, it certainly qualifies as the most emotive of the month thus far! The chestnet face and white spot at the base of the bill might help to show it as a

LITTLE GREBE
but not only that, it is sitting on a NEST while the other potential parent bird kept obbo

from close by.
There has been none of the usual singing, dashing from one end of the pond to the other in display, no sign of copulation nor that of nest building. Otherwise in Moth-Ville additions to the Year List

include the delicate looking
GREY BIRCH

the far more bulky looking

along with a

PEBBLE HOOK-TIP

while this
BLACK SLUG
 was providing breakfast for this Mossie and a

LEMON SLUG  also within

In exactly the same way as it, or another, did so last year a f.f.y.

LESSER WHITETHROAT

has been frisky while knocking out the vocals

at the root of Chapel Lane

PIED WAGTAIL

have also started building inside a

CONVERTER CABINET

in the
Solar Panel Compound
but don't know if this

almost static stance is anything to do with courtship?

While this Lamb, looking 'brown bread', is very much alive and just snoozing.
We very nearly captured these 2 (pair?) of

SISKIN

collecting nesting material but too slow on the video function but quickly redressed when this

Buck ROE DEER showed up to feed and finally, for now at least, the only

WHIMBREL
to have graced our turf this year - more tomorrow we hope!

Because They're Young - Duane Eddie

 Back to what might be considered 'normal' after the Wonders of Wales and although a

dismal looking start to the day we
  immediately found a decent haul from the Moth Traps, all Firsts for the Year.

Another of the bulky Hawks

PINE HAWK-MOTH

OAK HOOK-TIP

the particularly smart seen in the flesh

RED-GREEN CARPET
and only our 'second' ever since trapping began here in 2013

WATER CARPET
Close to home a second pod of c4, chicks but only c2 obliging

MOORHEN
before discovering another arrival of

CANADA GEESE

on the main pond.
Precisly nothing to hold our attention at either of the 2 northerly watercourses but along our beat of the Moors River a juvenile

HERRING GULL
and at last a showing of

BLOSSOM

on the
APPLE TREE

There were also at least c4

MISTLE THRUSHs

gorging themselves doubtless in an effort to sustain

recently hatched chicks.
Across the Airport there was nothing more than a pair of nesting

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLs
and a poor effort in clicking the first

TUI Passenger Carrier with hopes of improving on the image latter and followed by

a brace of
Lovely Ladies

from the Stobart Fleet which we will make the most of as they will surely soon be gone.
A splendid end to the day at Lighting up Time as this presumed male

RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE
was in fine voice bathed in the beams of the setting Sun.
It wasn't Wales but at least a Post!

Friday on My Mind - The Esybeats - Part II

 It is but a further hour to the west where we would find ourselves at the 

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park 

and another fine fella. The car park was already overflowing but, after a 10 minute chat with the Voluntary Warden he removed the cones from his own berth and allowed us in and also highlighted where might be best for what we wanted to see - a very warm welcome to start!

Having already spotted (Dave that is)

WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY
it was considered the 'good luck' might continue after passing,

complete with 'plastic Puffin', then conquering the

steep incline where the view opened up to

SAINT BRIDE'S BAY

with attendant cargo vessels at anchor to starboard

and the Islands of
SKOKHOLM

and SKOMER to port.

Via the power of Dave's telescope we were able to clearly see such creatures as

GUILLEMOT

along with most people's favourite seabird

the

PUFFIN

 a decent number of

FULMAR

a sprinkling of the Concord-like

GANNET

and even one or three

RAZORBILLs
From the Sublime to the Not Even Considered in was, yes Dave again, who pointed out c2 male

EMPOROR MOTHs
flitting across the windswept heath while swatting off a batallion of

SAINT MARKs FLIES
While expectations were in the lower levels, hopes were nonetheless high

that was the moment we simultaineously heard the first

CHOUGH

the scarcest and most sought after of all the

BRITISH CROW's

and a Devil, for me at least, to capture 'in flight'.

With the first of 2 Tourist Boats on the way to Skoma and as could be seen the

SUN 

was well past its zenith, our attentions were turned to

FLORA

with an abundance of
PROSTRATE GORSE
cascading down the cliff-face, a new one on me as

Dave examined

the tiny and delicate

SEA SQUILL
before leaving the tranquilty of the

LONE YACHTSMAN
to round the western point of Skokholm.
A Round Trip of approximately 440 miles but - OH, WHAT a DAY
which we feel sure your friends and families would love to share!

 “I am the Walrus Goo goo g'joob, goo goo goo g'joob”

(The latter reputed to be the final words of Humpty Dumpty before he fell off the wall!)

The Beatles