Hercules Unchained

About the only advantage of being on your own, lonely, unhappy, no one to talk to, overlooked, nothing to do (and all day to do it in), mistreated and penniless is that once you make a Plan for the day nothing, but nothing will waver you from your chosen track. Simple, step one visit J Arthur Sainsbury and Co Ltd, purveyors of 2 packets of Honey Roast Peanuts, 6 cases of cheap Merlot and a box of Kleenex to keep the tears at bay and you're off. Next, over to the Office to print a number of Wildlife Reports and finally clean and stow away most of the Moth Traps until early next Spring. 

Despite a temperature of -5°C, a reasonably heavy frost and light mist

the sun was peaking above the treetops as I set off to visit the afore mentioned grocer. The short list filled and a little banter with the 'check-out' lady and I was on my way back for Phase II. That's when that 'squealing binta' cackled into life announcing a mobile phone call. Most likely Condoleezza Rice seeking advise but I won't pick up even for her whilst behind the wheel. Next port of call was to be the Irrigation Pond, not 5 minutes away, so it could wait until then. On arrival I found 'white van man' parked right across MY entrance and felt a skirmish was close at hand, but was pleasantly surprised to find it was my friend Dave Foot. My unwavering plan only wavered for about a split second before we headed off to find the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker everything else 'back-heeled' including composing and posting this Blog. The rest of the day was spent 'in the field' together, Dave not heading back to Weymouth until the Full Moon was well above the horizon. So, with my plan in absolute tatters I get round to reporting on the last 3 days. At least on Moth Trap has been activated each night but only to the tune of

RED-LINE QUAKER

CHESTNUT
and

WINTER MOTH
but there lurking in the bottom of one was a Micro which looked interesting?

As we don't do Micros (whoops, I wasn't going to say that again) the images were sent out to some of the Moth'ing Community where it caused a little consternation until an identification was finally agreed. This tiny Insect is usually on the wing in Spring, after which it hibernates until the next year. It was considered that during the period the temperature must have risen enough to wake it from its sleep and send it winging its way to me!

ACLERIS HASTIANA

The Pond on Wednesday was visited by a familiar band of

MUTE SWANs

P7E and his Family Group

with the Ring No of the other adult bird also being revealed.
Most of the following 2 days were spent carting around the Farm

seeing just how many species of Winter birds could be found.

Up to c3

LITTLE EGRET
are now being seen daily.

CORMORANT

on a high perch before I happened along

and spooked it.

Jay
are now becoming thinner on the ground likely due to the total failure
of the Acorn crop?

BROWN HARE
as ever running in the opposite direction.

ROE DEER

and a few

MALLARD
on the 'flight pond'.

Oh, more Roe Deer

The 'nomadic' Mute Swans had followed me to the Southern Section.

First alerted to the presence of c2

TREECREEPER
by their plaintive, wispy call

not at all common here, or 'overlooked'?

ROBIN

GREY WAGTAIL

in the stable yard was the first seen here

for 2 weeks.

and finally, when you find yourself just in the right place

at the right time,

it would be foolish not to just keep snapping away

until the

HERCULES TRANSPORT

has flown directly over your head and landed at

BOURNEMOUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
THERE'S MORE TO COME SO DON'T GO AWAY!

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