Heading For The Light - The Travelling Wilburys

It was only while listening to the Wilburys today

did it dawn on me that this has to be every 

Moths Signature Tune!

Due to a serious Farm Yard 'clear out' it was necessary to move 2 of the Moth Traps to other locations on Thursday, which will be at least for the duration of the works or maybe the end of the season. The overnight weather here has been 'bad', to put it mildly, but Wednesday night chose to be worst of all with one trap found blown half way down the 5th Fairway, another flooded while a 3rd was found with yet another expired bulb. Far more caution prevailed during Thursday night when the greatest sacrifice of all was made, the traps were kept in their stowage. However there was a nice surprise awaiting as I drove through the Farm gates this morning to find this

 female 

WIGEON

on Parley Pond but having a bit of a rough time of it.

Firstly chased by this juvenile MOORHEN,

 then given short shrift by this pair of

MALLARD

 Managing to escape all of these she headed for the bank

(she'll be needing a few quid to pay the landing fees)

and clambered up the 'scrape'.

 

So obliging, these images were taken from inside the car!

Rested, she again took to the water and headed off.
It is hoped the short video clip works for you.

This is not only the first 'returning'
WIGEON
seen at this end of the year but a first for me on Parley Pond.
While there it was thought best to take advantage of the other confiding
WATERFOWL

adult
MOORHEN
feeding alongside a couple of

juvenile

MOORHEN
With the Bulldozer and Digger having completed the required work
around the

IRRIGATION POND
(looking South)
along with the small amount of titivating that needed to be done,
we can now take you on a short tour.

Looking in the opposite direction, with the top soil now levelled,
this area will eventually be turned over
to the proposed Horse Paddock with Solar Panels beyond.

The vehicular access runs parallel with the main Farm track along the
Eastern perimeter, separated by a narrow corridor of deciduous trees.
Mainly Silver Birch with a couple of Oaks, along with just a single
Gorse Bush. It might be the case that if Dartford Warblers are not
nesting in it by Christmas its days may be numbered?

The south edge is bounded by a high bank with flattened grassy top and Sallow Bushes beyond, and here too are 5 recently planted Oaks with one in particular needing a little attention. Initially, it was thought that removing the old galvanised Gate Post would make was for extended vehicular access, to observe the expected nesting Killdeer and Mongolian Plovers on the Island, but that was not to the liking of the management. However, thought to be inaccessible to the Grey Squirrel (with the sacrifice of a nearby Sallow Sapling) it should make a fine

FEEDING STATION

Hastily 'knocked-up' with what off-cuts of wood that could be found and only 6" nails available, it will suffice for now. Don't look too closely, Thomas Chippendale has already been for a look and continues to  'quake in his boots'!

During the building/erection of the Bird Table, this marshy area was discovered beneath a pile of tree and bramble cuttings and once cleared out looks ripe for who knows what? Maybe the return of the now disappeared Jack Snipe! Walking this boundary then turning back north

the pond bank gets steeper, while between it and the Solar Panels
there is a Drainage Ditch. This is the only spot, thus far, on the
130 x 130 yard reserve where successful breeding
of any bird species has yet been confirmed.

REED WARBLER
have already taken a liking to the Great Reed Mace there.
(photo from earlier this year)

Just a little further along the second, smaller Pond comes into view

and looking back that previously described.

The SCRAPE
covers about 1/3rd of the perimeter

around the North East corner

ending at what is considered a rather ornate Land Bridge,
with the Island beyond.

I have waxed lyrical a number of times through these pages about Hugh and Janet's culinary prowess, and with another invitation to dinner last night a good meal was in the ofting. It was that alright and fitted into 2 categories, 'SIMPLE' and 'DELICIOUS'. Cubed haunch of Venison (Roe Deer to be precise) braised along with Baby Potatoes in a Port Wine sauce and 'home produced' Broad Beans to compliment. However, the  Pièce de résistance came in the shape of Dumplings, crispy on the outside and as fluffy and light as a Fairies undergarments within. It would be impossible to choose which has been the best meal historically, there have been so many and all fantastic, but accompanied by a decent Claret and followed by a 'largeish' slice of White Chocolate Brownie this was certainly in the Top Five Ever!

Although the new day started with yet another downpour viewed 

through my Sky Port, a window in the deckhead directly above my bunk, 

the clouds were seen scudding across the sky, the meteorological 

pyrotechnics were incredible as the odd Star / Planet peeked

through heralding some brighter weather at daybreak.

There were also some Moths 79 in total of 19 species, nothing new

but a fairly diverse collection. Along with yet another single and beautifully marked

MERVEILLE du JOUR
there were singles of

 RED UNDERWING

 CYPRESS CARPET

Vapourer (1), Beaded Chestnut (26), Square-spot Rustic (13), Shuttle-shaped Dart (3), Large Yellow Underwing (4), Setaceous Hebrew Character (1), Barred Sallow (2), Deep-brown Dart (2), Mallow (2), Brick (1), Red-lined Quaker (4), Lunar Underwing (8), Sallow (5), Turnip Moth (1), White Point (1) plus one which still remains a mystery?

All to report from the Pond are the pair of

MALLARD

which now seem to have their 'feet under the table' along with

at least some success, our first customer on the Bird Table

ROBIN
Rock 'n' Roll Trivia
Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, George Harrison, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison
would refer to all their Musical Equipment, Amps, Speaker Cabinets etc
as 'Wiburys', which would always 'Travel' with them.
Hence the name.
but my favourite track has to be
Tweeter and the Monkey Man  
Take a listen and get those Lyrics!
PLEASE SEND THIS LINK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES
http://bagsy-thecaptainslog.blogspot.co.uk/ 

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