A Winters Tale - David Essex

With that single record of Barn Owl, from the final evening of November, still firmly fixed in my mind a few sorties to that end of the farm, at the appropriate time of day, have been made. Unfortunately, all have come to nought as far as Owls have been concerned, but driving back along the Bridle Way undercover of dark the path suddenly became alive with Moths. Only those of the small and delicate type, it was now a mission to identify them. With the 'ever handy' Butterfly net c4 were quickly 'bagged' and gently confined to the folds of the net. Back at Slight II the net was unfolded to find not a single Insect with, where the flip have they gone thought I? A little disappointed the net was returned to the car, where all 4 were found perched on the windscreen - Thank Heavens. Kept in cool conditions until the following morning it was soon revealed that they are in fact

WINTER MOTH
and first for the Year.

The strange thing was each, during its fluttering, would alight in, or
at the at the edge of one of the many puddles along the track.
It is though, as with some Butterfly species, that they were likely seeking
minerals or maybe just the water itself? Bit of a conundrum!
We have been running a single Moth Trap on the occasional warmer night

and have thus far captured

c6 LARVAE (Caterpillar) of who knows what?

a few
YELLOW DUNG FLY
Scathophaga stercoraria

along with lots of
DANCE FLY
Empis tessellata
but no Moths yet.
Over the passed 2 or 3 days we have been getting away from the Farm

with the first Port of Call being

LONGHAM LAKES
where immediately on arrival

POCHARD
and

GADWALL
were added to the County List
while

KINGFISHER

was new for the Year.

Water levels are about as low as I've ever seen them but this is

closely regulated by pumping water from the Rivers

Avon and Stour as required.

Just a couple of passing shots with no real significance included

BLACK-HEADED GULL

CHIFFCHAFF

and a bevy

of very smart looking

HOUSE SPARROW

It was at that moment the Sheik decided to fly overhead in his

JUMBO JET
not to the liking of the Wildlife.

It looks every bit as though the sheets of roofing felt placed on the
southern bank to attract hibernating Reptiles etc have been abandoned,
also suffering from the weather. A very quick glimpse revealed

c3

SMOOTH (Common) NEWT

along with good numbers of 

GARDEN SNAIL
Helix aspersa

Thought most likely to be the Eggs of the above, but

could be Slug's Eggs
There followed a quick look around the Solar Panel Farm where

SONG THRUSH

along with loads of

CHAFFINCH

were utilising the perch, while a

ROE DEER
was seeking shelter.
Moving on to the Eco Recycling Works and a great surprise by
way of another 'First' for the Property

c2 female

SHOVELER

were in company with a male bird.
Another First for the Year was relocating the 2014

SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF
and to make up the Hat Trick a skein of c47 Greylag Geese also flew overhead.

A quick drive down to the
Avon Causeway
in pursuit of Egyptian Goose came to nought by in the far distance

another, or the same, party of Greylags in flight.

Totalling 48 it was thought likely to be the same bunch except nothing
was seen of the 'albinos' at the first viewing??
Finally, and the most bizarre discovery of the day

GOLDFISH
(type once known as Comet before mankind started tinkering with genetics)
Strangely found dead on Avon Bridge, maybe dropped by a Gull??

and for your amusement
Willie Wine on the loose.
We also thank John Gifford for his assistance with identifications.
Cheers Matey. 

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