Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - Jimi Hendrix

Someone must have forgotten to remind Friday of the old adage
"Rain before 7 dry by 11".

It was raining as we swung from the hammock at 04:30, to commence gathering the Moth Traps, with just a short lull between 09:00 and 10:30. During that short period it was off for a rendezvous with the Secret Lemonade Drinker at Bere Regis to collect my 'big' laptop which he had repaired for me 'once again'! With that reinstalled we can now let our fingers do the talking and consign the tiny travel version back to the depths of the cupboard. Thereafter, it was wall to wall heavy rain and it was 18:00 before the final trap was cleared.

BIRDS ARE STARTING TO 'RETURN'
An excellent start to the last 3-day period as an early morning 'calling'

GREENSHANK

transited the property.
Among a very healthy catch from the traps
representatives included

SCALLOPED HOOK-TIP

OAK HOOK-TIP

 DARK SPINACH
(not at all common in Dorset)

 JULY HIGHFLYER

 With little noticeable difference between
ENGRAILED
and Small Engrailed
only 'flight period' points to the former.

 Second Brood
SALLOW KITTEN

 Again, there would be conjecture between this
GREY DAGGER
and
Dark Dagger

 BORDERED SALLOW

 ROSY RUSTIC

 COMMON RUSTIC

NUTMEG
and reserving the BEST 'til LAST
an addition to the Parley Court Farm Moth List
and my own personal records.

 WEBB'S WAINSCOT
Out in the field our

CANADA GOOSE
family have forsaken the sanctuary of the Gravel Pit

to that of the recently 'refilled' Irrigation Pond

from where COOT seem to have been absent for almost 2 weeks now. A closer look at the image above will reveal that the Prodigal has returned. However, being in company with another adult and a 'none-flying' juvenile it is likely they have never left the area. Should have gone to SpecSavers? Looking up, there was an overflying

LITTLE EGRET

the first returning bird since early spring when they all likely

decamped to Poole harbour to breed?
While no great find, this

GREY HERON,
one of 2 that has been gracing the Gravel Pit daily for
the past 2 weeks,

finally fell to the camera.
Additionally, since the first returning

GREEN SANDPIPER
was found during early July it was first joined by a second, then a third

and finally 2 days ago by a forth, which was reluctant to

join the throng.

The other 3 were more than obliging

 allowing us to treat you to these short video clips.
In conjunction the harbingers of the Autumn arrival of

GREY WAGTAIL

also showed up (c3 in number)

and although a little more distant

they too performed appropriately for your Correspondent.

The said Pit is also currently 'covered' in

WHIRLIGIG BEETLE

showing examples of choreography that
Darcey Bussell
couldn't conjure up!
Whatever the calling, it was decided to return to the IP
and inspect beneath the stratigicall placed sheets of
galvenised metal to serch for Herps, out luck was in as
my first personal record of

GRASS SNAKE

was found under one.

Perhaps no need to say but this was a

'first photograph' here and

'first' video footage.

Continuing while the luck was in we high-tailed it to

Merritown Heath

where fortunes turned out to be good, and not-so-good.

Yet another
SMOOTH SNAKE
fell to the lens but a very much larger
ADDER,
also a first for me here, clicked into reverse and was to
view in the blink of the eye.
Better Luck Next Time!

Returning to the Farm House what appeared to be the first young
SWALLOW
to have fledged from the garage was perched on the Tennis Court Netting.
Given the prevailing weather conditions and some recent
Memory Jerks
there is every chance of a Bonus Post tomorrow!

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