Play Misty for Me - Clint Eastwood

 As is usual the main thrust of the

Misty Morning 

would be to check the Moth Traps which porduced the same numbers as the previous couple of days and distributed likewise, that is to say a single Insect in each of the 3 traps:-

CHESTNUT

RED-GREEN CARPET
along with

RED-LINE QUAKER
but then there were other fish to fry. Having been keeping an eye on

BADGER GRUBBINGS
next was to find an active

SETT
which this year appeared to be cloase to the traps in the
Solar Panel Compound
and again in the

EARLY BRONZE-AGE TUMULI
a re-visit at dusk was on the cards, while from the other side of the perimeter fence a couple of

JAYs
could be heard squabling without coming into view, while continuing the mammal theme

GREY SQUIRREL's

looked to be enjoying themselves?

The Northern Perimeter Fence Looking Autumnal while

RABBITs

continue to abound while a single and uncooperative

PIED WAGTAIL
was all that was seen on the Puddle of Mud, as the

MUTE SWAN
family returned to the ancestral nest site while at dusk we were back on station where the

BADGERs

did not disappoint

with this one still looking to have something of the
CUB
about it?

Lily the Pink - Scaffold

 Although the gauge was showing +14C looking further afield

things didn't look at all promising but after yesterday's deluge anything would be acceptable and still the Moth Traps had to be attended to eventually!
On the cusp of Winter hopes were not high "oh ye of little faith" but we found among a catch of  

10 x 18

CYPRESS CARPET

DOUBLE-STRIPED PUG

THE STREAK

DARK CHESTNUT
along with an unexpected

STRAW DOT
By the time that was over things had brightened up somewhat

turning into something of a brighter day!
Not at all unexpected, in fact vertually guaranteed,

one of the ever present

COMMON BUZZARDs

Another post toppled, this time one of the Security Camera type, the 3rd in as many days,
looking like a major operation may be at hand, while we are also

recording our share of

WOOD PIGEON
passage like elsewhere along the coast, hundreds rather than dozens and similarly

a decent 'fall' of
PIED WAGTAIL's

a count of 40 in one paddock alone!

but even better

our 'first'

REDWING

for the back-end of the year across our

Recording Area
On leaving the Solar Panel Compoud we took note of the fine job

the Contractors have made of the
Hedge Strimming
but across the watercourses no more than the juvenile

MUTE SWAN
while back at base the builders continue their 'couple of days' titivating the

FARM HOUSE

Ladybird - Ladybird Nursery Rhyme

 It's an ill wind (that blows Nobody any Good) Just a couple of days refurb on the Farm House??

At least they got the Roof on before the Rain set in! 

NO HELICOPER LANDING's PLEASE!

We did eventually get to the traps, but not without getting a little damp, where within were found no more than

16-SPOT CREAM LADYBIRD

MALLOW

when half way through we found that some of the neighbours

CHAROLAIS
had escaped? but a good thing we didn't resort to a knee-jerk reaction and phone the farmer

as on closer inspection they were seen to be the
OLD ENGLISH WHITE's
on the adjoining Heath - Pheeeeww! and continuing where we left off

BLACK RUSTIC

LARGE YELLOW UNDERWING
with something we thought we had seen the last of for the year a

WASP
With little (or maybe that should be 'nothing' to add) we turned our attentions to
O.B.E's.

(Other Blokes Efforts)

From Bomber in Weymouth these spectacular
GOOSE BARNACLEs

found on Abbotsbury Beach during the week, and from his close neighbour John a second

CRIMSON SPECKLED
(while we still await our first)

and with the brain still faultering we remember not who or from where we gleaned these

extraordinary shots of a

GANNET

on a house roof, surely it had to be
PORTLAND?
Here's hoping we get back as close to NORMAL as we can by tomorrow??

Holy Diver - Dio

Band Leader, British born American Ronnie James Dio that is!  

and penned by fellow American Memphis Minnie, considered appropriate given the current conditions!!

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 a little bit adrift due to cercumstances beyond our control we decided, after monitoring the Moth Traps, to wander 'off-piste' in seach of a trio of 'Specials'! Only a single Moth out of each of the (still) 3 traps amounted to

WINTER MOTH

TURNIP
and again the delights of a

RED-GREEN CARPET

befor heading for the nearby water-courses of

LONGHAM LAKES
Met just inside the kissing-gate (none for me) by a jauty

REED BUNTING
there on the main Island stood both expected Egrets,

LITTLE EGRET
maybe as many

CORMORANTs

as we have ever seen here before, could only be seen in full from 2 different angles.
Only a few paces away the only Goose let alone

GREYLAG GOOSE
but a whole host of now dowdy looking

GREAT CRESTED GREBEs

looking nothing like they did on our last visit here.

Nothing then until reaching the end of the T-junction overlooking
HAMPRESTON WATER-MEADOWS
where this flock of

BLACK-HEADED GULLs
were fronted by yet another
Little Egret
and within a lone

BAR-TAILED GODWIT
It was 2 Lovely Ladies who directed me to the Heart of My Desire and there sure enough, but distantly, were the hoped for 'trio'! One of the c3

GREAT NORTHERN DIVERs

simply wasn't given to joining the other 2, so made the best of what we had

Two being better than a Loner

while during the walk back the
Cherry on the Cake
was provided by a single

STONECHAT
The whole event brought back fond memories of a single bird on

Poole Park Lake back in 2018
under brighter conditions and far closer to the observer, not that we were disappointed with this showing!

Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan.

Lord 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!