Waders of the Lost Arc - Revisited I

A combination of time in the field, the number of images/videos and the editing thereof, prevented us bringing you last Sunday's report on the day. To redress, we will bring that most interesting day to you in Two Parts in an attempt to catch up! From the Moth Traps we saw 2 new additions to the Year List in the shape of a most elegant

SHARK
and

only our second ever

SMALL DOTTED BUFF
also thought of interest was a

much darker than usual
WILLOW BEAUTY

2 examples of shade variation in the immigrant

GEM
before heading back to Slight Return II

and surely made it just in time. It was thought that the rain might put an

end to the day but things quickly brightened up and we were on the road again.

 We have been watching and waiting for these Plants to bloom and while

 BLACK HOREHOUND

is not that impressive

 the start of the Thistle Season should soon change that

CREEPING THISTLE

these being one of my favoured Families in the

Plant Kingdom.

On our way to the Irrigation Pond where the pair of Coot
are still trying to produce a family we at long last found proof that

STOCK DOVE (juvenile)
 do in fact breed in our Recording Area. There has never been any doubt
that they do but obtaining concrete evidence, via a group of c4 youngsters,
now firmly puts this one to bed.
 On the face of it there seemed little to keep us at the Pond but about to leave
a movement caught the eye! In the margins was spotted a feeding

 GREEN SANDPIPER
which on evidence gleaned over the past few days

 may just be one of a trio of these Waders seen at various locations.
Having had our fill and with nothing else to keep us there it was quickly on to the

Gravel Pit

where we were met with a most familiar call, that of a 

 REDSHANK

which took over 5 minutes to locate and then found to be c2.

This elegant Wader has only ever been recorded here a single time,

when in April 2014 c4 graced the very same spot. Also in line with

those previous visitors, these 2 also quickly took to the wing and seemingly

headed purposefully south, so we continued our search.

At the Sewerage Works there was still no sign of a returning Grey Wagtail
but we did find this

SNAIL
 which we cannot put an identification to, the possibilities are
Kentish, a species that has not been recorded here, alternatively
White-lipped or Brown-lipped?

 This discarded EGG was of interest as on location there was a good
chance of it being that of a Bullfinch.

Closer examination showed none of the light purple suffusion around the
black spots, which would have pointed to the Finch, so we concluded
that it was a
SONG THRUSH 
Onward to our usual rounds of the Heath and so few were they that we are happy
to note all of the Birds recorded in full.
Stonechat, Swallow, Green Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Chiffchaff,
Blackcap, Willow Warbler, pheasant, Carrion Crow, Magpie and Mallard,
a poor showing.
REPTILES
however were quite another matter and from under our
dozen or so covers we recorded

 c13

 SLOW WORM

 c6
SMOOTH SNAKE
and at long, long last a First For The Year

GRASS SNAKE

From here we did head directly for the
ECO RECYCLING PLANT
 taking full advantage of the fact that it was Sunday and making
the most of the absence of the workforce. However, that part of
our report will make up Part II of Waders of the Lost Arc.

Getting that little bit ahead of ourselves we decided to revisit first, the Gravel Pit and then the Irrigation Pond in the hope of relocating the Redshank, which very luckily we did at the latter. Just standing static at first before becoming a little more active and, as will be heard on the final video clip, also vocal.

REDSHANK

On the way back a stop at the only couple of acres on Parley Court Farm that might pass as Heath Land, not much of it and being overgrown, but it does attract some interesting Insects from time to time. On the day it was the turn of

 First of the Year

 RINGLET

 Ditto

SMALL SKIPPER

 a few Ant Hills developing

 MEADOW BROWN
and

LARGE SKIPPER

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Somewhere Over the Rainbow - The Wizard of Oz

The efforts of some of our readers and those of our own had been enough to send our readership stats rocketing, in fact rising to just above double the usual daily intake. However, this has proved to be no more than a 'flash in the pan' as already number have dropped back almost to their former self - especially those associated with the USA. However, when we look at the distribution map and that sprinkling of you that still visit us on a daily basis, it can be seen that our Valued Readership covers close to

⅔ of the Earths Surface.

Not bad when you consider Temüjin (The Great Khan)
got nowhere near conquering such a vast area.

GENGHIS KHAN
(but to be fair, as far as is known he didn't have a 'laptop'!)
It is felt that in the none too distant future, like Chinngis, we shall also soon be confined to history!
Otherwise this short Post is simply centered on 

Dinner Time at Harbins Farmhouse.

Another cloud-burst at close to 19:00 brought with it a fantastic

RAINBOW

to the sky

and all having had our fill returned to the comfort of the lounge.

Not for long however as the distant 'calling' of what at first

ear-shot sounded good for an Oystercatcher (a first for Parley Court Farm

had it been one). More raucous as it got closer, this is what manifested itself,

landing on

Harbins Farmhouse Roof.

GREY COCKATIEL

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The Night Before - The Beatles

Catches from the Moth Traps continue to be sporadic mainly dependent on overnight weather conditions. An extremely poor show yesterday morning so maybe as well we had a few 'left-overs' from The Night Before? Is it a coincidence that the headline is the same? A long-distant migrant which may have come from as far away as the Shara the tiny

 VESTAL

reached Parley Court Farm for the first time this year, as did

 LILAC BEAUTY

 OAK NYCTEOLINE

 had already been caught here this year but not of this 'form'

 of a very variable Insect.

Also among the catch was this

 ICHNEUMON WASP

 Amblyteles armatorius 

and always willing to give the more distinctive Micro Moths a try

it is hoped that this is

PYRAUSTA PURPURALIS

With a little more than a 'keen eye' for addition to our ongoing July List,

we started as usual at

 PARLEY POND

(note bottom left hand corner)

 where it was clear that all the Alpaca were back in residence

and all sporting that Summer Look.

 (bottom left hand corner)

and already the previously c4 family of

 COOT CHICKS

is now reduced to c2 which is of no surprise as the hazards to these tiny birds are many and varied. From above the ever hungry Gulls are merciless while from below both Pike and the Red-eared Terrapin lay in wait, and with domestic animals also taking their toll! Interest at both the Irrigation Pond and Gravel Pit was no more than in previous days, although the Coots there have started sitting on the nest again? So, a little more time spent walking the perimeter fence of the Sewerage Works, with most likely addition being Grey Wagtail and Feral Pigeon. Of the latter, and stated before, this is an uncommon visitor/occasional resident here, so hopes were not high, while the Wagtails are still likely at their breeding grounds elsewhere. In a nutshell the search was fruitless but, driving towards the Solar Panel Compounds - that is no Jackdaw on that transformer - or is it?

 FERAL PIGEON

entered the log at 07:05

another 'tick' in a box!

The Heath was only interesting for a small but delightful show of

 FOXGLOVE

 and a single

 SMALL HEATH BUTTERFLY

plus, as usual during these days, a feeding juvenile

STONECHAT

Before leaving, and not for the first time on such breezy days,
a full 30 minutes were spent just sat under the

TREMBLING ASPENS
you can keep all your Wind Chimes

this is about as therapeutic as it gets!
There is unfortunately some bad news from this most diverse area,
where last year at this time somewhere in the region of 30??
juvenile Dartford Warbler fledged but not so this year.
Throughout the whole period of June 2016 only a 'single' has been 'heard',
where they have gone or what has happened is not known!
Since Hugh added a species to the June List a good deal of time has been spent
in the area known a Hale trying to relocate it but as yet without any luck.

 Only a matter of a few meters down the cart track

 and in exactly the spot described, there was found a

 RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE
 another addition to the July List.
Along with a number of Lapwing and Black-headed Gulls there was also a

HERRING GULL
The Equestrian Centre was a 'last ditch attempt' to find a
Grey Wagtail but without success, but there was found Dani, one of our
Equine Ladies who took time for a chat and to enjoy the sight of 

 recently fledged

 SWALLOW

still being attended by the parent birds.

In passing Dani also pointed out this 

 NEST
which looks quite likely to be that of a
BLACKBIRD

 from the pristine condition, neither does it look to have been occupied yet?
In addition to all of this, no fewer than c3 Garden Warblers were heard singing
during the course of the day, which made up the 'third' Species never
recorded here in the month of July before.

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