The Bagsy Blog: 03/08/15

Sunday, 8 March 2015

Hully 'Gull'y - The Grateful Dead

The signs on Haigh/Asbury in the 60's used to read

LAND of the FREE - HOME of the DEAD!

RIP Gerry!

The Meteorological Office had predicted an overnight temperature of +7°C on Thursday, so as quick as a flash it was on with the (as yet still single) Moth Trap but we were to be disappointed. Dawn saw a fairly heavy frost and the mercury down to a chilly -1°C. Maybe needless to say there were no Moths but one hardy, black and tiny Spider had sort refuge among the egg trays. Yesterday morning showed a little more promise as c2 were taken, both having been caught here before, but certainly a step in the right direction.

HEBREW CHARACTER

and

DOTTED BORDER

and just before we drift off the subject of Insects, we are told by our friend
John Gifford
that the outstanding Fly, shown on a previous Post as 'unidentified', is in fact a

TACHINID GREENBOTTLE
on
COLTSFOOT

These wanderings, which include records from the past 3 days, began
on the bank of the
River Stour
where first up were some strangers in the camp. There is a resident 'pair' of

MUTE SWANs
which bred here last year but they had already been spotted earlier.

as can be seen neither are 'ringed' so are added to the

Spring Total which already stood at 10.
Arriving at the south west weed field (Mash) the Common Snipe
were already springing skyward and for a small alteration of course

c3 JACK SNIPE were also discovered.
Unlike their larger cousins these small Waders don't take to the wing
until almost trodden on and remain 'silent' when doing so. Another trait,
also unlike Common, is that they land fairly quickly and not too far away.

What remained of the 2 - 300 Herring Gull flock of earlier in the week
amounted to an easily countable 97, but among them was something
far 'scarcer' here than Lesser Black-backed Gull. a
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
As if the
Great God of the Gullible Gullfinder
were smiling down on us another 'even rarer' was just at the end of
Mousey's Wood and favouring the Horse Paddocks. This

COMMON GULL

is only the 'second' to be seen here

since starting my wanderings here back in

2006

It was in company with a good many Black-headed Gull and these c2

MISTLE THRUSH

Even more excitement, if you go for that kind of thing, as reaching the

Irrigation Pond
this presumed 'pair' (you can't tell these days) were really snuggling up
and appeared to be prospecting the Island.

Eventually, (presumed again) She had seen enough and took flight

while he on the other hand started 'throwing a wobbler', 'spitting out the dummy'

and generally behaving badly before deciding to calm down

and try a song,

which worked a treat - stand-by to climb aboard!

Which takes me on a little diversion, to tell of

'A Moment In Time'.

Socialising isn't high on my agenda these days, but invited out to lunch during the week by 2 lovely people, caused me to make an exception to that rule. Great Time, Lovely Meal, Stimulating Conversation so not mindful of either time or situation. Major roadworks close to Parley Cross are making anytime extremely difficult, but woe betide those who fall into the bracket of Rush Hour, which is precisely what I did. Literally 'grid-locked' both ways, each side was only making a cars length every 5 minutes, but of little consequence to me, as my favourite adage is "Life Ain't A Rush" - "we all get to the same place in the end"!, just as long as the iPod is to hand. I fell seriously in Love with the 5-piece, 80's Goth Band from Stevenage, London

the very second I first heard them and have played their music endlessly ever since.

Close to my destination, it was their seminal album
ELIZIUM
issuing from the quad-sound system
with the haunting and almost menacing voice of front man

CARL McCOY

predominating on my all time favourite track

"And There Will Your Heart Be Also"
Glancing to my right, there sat in a similar vehicle was this
beautiful young woman beaming from ear to ear seemingly
at my nonchalant antics? The moment, the music and certainly the lyrics
were just right, so I wound down the window and sang to her.
We must suffer to free our pain
Can you help us to find our way?
You're here to stay, stay here in Paradise
I'd end this moment to be with you
Through Morphic Oceans, I'd lay here with you, only to stay
Stay here in Paradise only to stay, so lonely
From this Maelstrom free are you
From this Maelstrom to be with you.
Note:- The Nephilim are a Biblical race of giants or angel-human hybrids,who some believe, like the the Norse Valkyrie, carry the dead bodies of believers to 'Elizium' (Valhalla).
Meanwhile, back at the Ranch