Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree - The Andrews Sisters

The 'highlight' of yesterday didn't appear on that Post, as it hadn't happen by the time we went to press, which was the arrival of my dear friend Lyn from Hampshire. Here on a 10 days stay, like myself she spent all of her professional career at sea so what better common denominator? Priding myself on knowing just how to treat a Lady it was straight into the 'Charm Offensive' opening with one of my, guaranteed to impress lines, "ay-up mi Duck, we're off to look for Woodcock and Nightjar this evening". Unable to resist my Boyish Charms we arrived at Merritown Heath 

 just as the Sun dipped below the horizon

 and took up station for the vigil. 

Lovely to be in such company but now 

we would have to focus more on listening for the distinctive 'voices'

of both these nocturnal birds. However, it was the 'call' of a distant

TAWNY OWL

that was heard first but just as we caught sight of Venus the

sleek silhouette of Lyn's first ever 

 NIGHTJAR

passed very close overhead. We had c6 close quarters views of at 

least c2 individuals but as it was now getting quite dark we decided

to give our mission just 10 more minutes. That was just enough time

for Lyn to point and ask "what's that"? The lone and silent

WOODCOCK

flew one complete circle close overhead before, along with the Nightjars,

disappearing into the gloom. GREAT excuse for a hug and a nightcap back at

Slight II 

Neither of these enigmatic creatures have ever been recorded by myself during

a Dorset September, so were excitedly added to that particular list.

(Illustrations are 'on loan' from Wikipedia)

Today, along with the first day of Autumn, has been free from any precipitation although at time the cloud formations did look rather threatening, but again it was the low overnight temperature (5°C) that let the Mothing side down. Nothing to generate any great excitement but here are a few of the more common species that were found in the traps this morning.

 GREEN CARPET

 MAGPIE

 c27 HORNET to contend with.

 PEBBLE HOOK-TIP

 ANGLE SHADES

 BRIMSTONE MOTH

GOLD SPOT

NOTHING!
was the net result of our search of the northern half of PCF, including both Ponds,
but with the memory still fresh of the 'flush' of Egrets over the
Bank Holiday Weekend
and with both

Cattle Egret and Great White Egret
awaiting addition to not only the

Dorset/September List but also our own Recording Area List

where better to start a search then than among

neighbouring Farmer Greg's Herd of

 CHAROLAIS CATTLE

grazing the Water Meadows along the banks of the Moors River.
ANOTHER BLANK
so onward to
Merritown Heath
where first up were even more Cows this time the 4

 BELTED GALLOWAYS

 gorging themselves on the 'fallers' but........
Don't Sit Under the 'Apple Tree'
With Anyone Else But Me.
Otherwise the day concluded with this

diminutive example of one of the Species of

HYGROCYBE FUNGI
a

WHITE-LIPPED SNAIL
a close-up of

HEATHER
and an example of one of the

SPEEDWELL FAMILY

which it is hoped will bloom in days to come, we'll be waiting.
AS EVER WE THANK 'JOHN GIFFORD' FOR SOME OF THE I.D's.
Finally, a degree of annoyance is generated by Helicopters particularly
flying across the Heath, when surely there must be alternative
Air Space??

No doubt interesting to watch this
PILOT TRAINING AIRCRAFT

but also very worrying as it was thought they might be
coming to take me back to the

OIL RIG!

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