The Solar System - Kids TV 1-2-3

It's been a while, but this morning the weather broke before daylight with pulses of heavy, windswept rain driving in from the south. However, the southerly airflow brought with it a scorching 15°C at dawn but thus far the attendant rain has prevented us getting into the Moth Traps to see if we have benefited from that. From yesterday, a relatively dismal showing, comes a

 COPPER UNDERWING (type)

 and we say (type) as there were suspicions that this may have been

Svensson's Copper Underwing

pushing the limits of my knowledge and experience of such a creature.

After cooperatively posing for the photos it seemed to have had enough

and flew off - we'll never know!

Along with that was another

 flavescens form of

SALLOW

However, other Insects came to the rescue as far as interest was 

concerned, throwing up a

LONG-WINGED CONEHEAD

 an  Ophion species of

ICHNEUMON WASP

 EMPIS TRIGRAMMA

a species of

Dance Fly

and

 copulating 

(if indeed that is the correct word for such actions in Insects?)

CRANE FLIES

As may be obvious to many dedicated readers, John Gifford has had 

a hand in this part of the Post sorting out

some of the identifications for us.

MANY THANKS JOHN!

Continuing with Sunday, a calm day with a fair share of sunshine,
returning one of the Moth Traps to the vicinity of the 5th Tee on the

PARLEY COURT GOLF COURSE

there appeared to be a fair amount of Common Bird Activity.

 Just sitting quietly in the St-Range Rover firstly this

 WREN

 appeared

 followed by a foraging

 GREAT TIT

then

 DUNNOCK

 and finally a

BLACKBIRD
We also spent some time on that beat of the River Stour searching for
the now 'elusive' Cetti's Warbler without success, so maybe just a single
wanderer looking for suitable winter quarters? 

A nearby

 HAWTHORN

overborne with fruit

 seemed worthy of a couple of 'clicks'

but the next 'click', which is of some significance, ain't going to win

no Oscars!

Some may simply have to take our word for it that this is a 

RAVEN

with the significance being it was the first and only to have been seen

perched in a tree withing the Harbins Farmhouse Garden.

 Passing Parley Pond a couple of

 MOORHEN

 were showing well, so click, click while further on at the

Irrigation Pond

 it was previously thought that only 2 of this years brood of 14

MALLARD

had survived, 

but given that these are likely one and the same we'll settle for 'five'. 

Not quite a 'blank' at the Gravel Pit but only this strange looking plant

which at first baffled us before realising it is the unopened flower buds and

seed cases of

 EVENING PRIMROSE

 Ever onward, and having walked the Sewerage Works Hedge

found the gate to the horse field beyond unusual to be open.

 Investigating the 2 large fields which make up the north west corner of

Parley Court Farm,

these 2 fellas were found 'strimming' the single Gorse bush and a

few small saplings.

 A further conversation with the Foreman revealed that this was in

preparation for the 

 Third Phase of Solar Panel Farm.
As an aside,
while surfing 'SOLAR', we came across this link which was thought mighty nifty so was
immediately sent off to my 4 Grandchildren and now to be shared with you!
SOLAR SYSTEM 
Children's Learning Device LINK - Pass It On

He informed me that the Herpetologists had spent time scouring the area but had found only a single Common Toad which was removed to the sanctuary of another field. What we envisage here, after the build, is yet another sanctuary for Wildlife which along with the others we hope to gain access. We will keep you posted of progress. Before leaving we found, among the horse droppings a couple of examples of

 PSILOCYBE (Species)

 of Fungus.

All else to report from the day was a brief sighting of a vocal 

SEDGE WARBLER

which is a very scarce visitor to our neck of the woods,
only the second of the year, with the image

having been lifted from our archive.

Finally from yesterday and today, like the Cetti's not a single Hirundine has been seen, although undoubtedly still in the country for a while yet, but on the up side the/a Merlin is still hunting the Solar Panel Compounds.

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