Swallow - Placebo

Despite a reasonable influx of migratory birds along with being out 'every day' this month, there hasn't been a single addition to the Year List since April Fool's Day. However, after tending the Moth Traps, where the catch was also low, the negative situation was rectified with a 'hat trick'! There was but a single Insect in the Electric Dustbin,

 MUSLIN MOTH

 but one that has not been recorded on the Farm thus far.
Not only quiet and still for much of its brief confinement it also
performed a couple of 'barrel rolls' giving good views of
stunning underparts.

 From another trap came
LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH
a Micro (we don't do Micros) along with a

 HARLEQUIN LADYBIRD

The properties Brazilian Digger Driver was already hard at it digging
out the silt and mud brought to the storm drains by the recent foul weather
as I headed for Longham Lakes. Not through the kissing gate, when a single

 SWALLOW
flew overhead, the first of the 3 Year Ticks.

With 'no chance' of photographing the bird in question these
images are from the archive.

 Barely cleared from view and the next manifested itself in the shape of a

 COMMON SANDPIPER
which beat a hasty retreat.

 COMMON SHREW
just disappearing into the shaft of light, it's hoped you can see it!

Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of 

amphibians and reptiles, which to the enthusiast are usually 

referred to as Herpes. I am by no means an expert but have a love 

for all things 'wild' including such amazing creatures as

 these c3
SMOOTH (Common) NEWT

With only 3 species in Great Britain,

 all distinctly different,

 Smooth, Palmate and Great Crested

 even I was able to identify these and a fairly close relative the
 
 COMMON TOAD
(this a male).

 This extremely noisy aircraft has been operating from Bournemouth International Airport (a neighbouring property) in recent days and has caused some interest. With INFLIGHT SIMULATOR emblazoned on the fuselage and bearing the Pennant (Identification) Symbols N 102 VS its full ID is

1974 Gates Lear Jet 25B C/N 180, Calspan Inflight Simulator

 Flushing the TUFTED DUCKs soon after take off, the Jet has
been whizzing around all day and looks to be staying??

 This GREY HERON paid it little heed and continued

 'fishing'
not that this Minnow (possibly young Greyling) is going to go far if it has young?

 High Flying

 MEDITERRANEAN GULL

followed by the third of the Year Tick Trio

COMMON REDSTART
it too was a fly-by so again we lean on the archive.

 DUNNOCK

 were, like all else today, performing well and that's when we came
upon two species which are often difficult to separate.

 WILLOW WARBLER

 is often 'brighter' in overall appearance and has

 paler legs

 than the

 CHIFFCHAFF

 but by far the easiest way to differentiate between the two is by song.
Willow Warbler has what is described as
a fluent series of similar wistful descending notes
while its cousin simply emits
a repeated monotonous chiff-chaff song.
If you should happen to see one of these 'plain' little birds in the Winter
then it will be of the latter as ALL Willow Warblers migrate.

BLUE TIT on ASH
ends today's show but this is only half of the story, the other half being prepared for tomorrow!

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