but not for long!
Despite
some heavy overnight rain, the moth trap still provided 3 additions to
the Farm List one of which proved to be something of a scarcity in the
county.
THE SALLOW, looking a little anaemic due to over-exposure, along with
COMMON MARBLED CARPET were not altogether unexpected
but DEEP-BROWN DART was a completely new one on me.
Having
been out of the 'game' for some while combined with leaving my Moth
Field Guide at home, I had to recruit help from Paul Harris to confirm
my identifications. Having got the first 2 (almost) right, I had put the
third down to Black Rustic which I am told is the only confusion
species with Deep-brown Dart. By no means an annual sight in Dorset, I
further found that 2 have been caught by Martin Cade, Warden of the
Portland Bird Observatory (2007 and 2008), while over the years our
farmer friend Hugo Wood-Homer seems to recall he has secured about 5
records. Thanking Paul for all his efforts, he found it of sufficient
interest to send the record and photograph to Dorset Moth Group.
A
stiff north westerly wind plus every sign of rain was the order of the
day, but a minor emergency and the recovery of the Clancy Moth Book saw
me return to Weymouth during a break in farm duties. More or less on the
way is Hartland Moor which had to be worth a look, and where I found a
couple of
DARTFORD WARBLER,
a few GOLDCREST, which are also building in numbers back at Parley,
and a STONECHAT.
Unfortunately,
time was short but not to short to forsake a visit to Portland having
been absent now for almost 2 weeks. Very little to report bird-wise, but
WALL BUTTERFLY was still on the wing, while the 'lines' of the
Yacht
SCEPTRE, passing close under the East Cliff, where worth more than a
second look. All else to report was another first yesterday when I ate
Grey Squirrel for the first time. Seemingly the 'in' dish at many
upmarket restaurants these days, when the opportunity arose I took it -
That's Life!
