MOTH - East of EDEN

There is a blurred memory of meeting up with

Bristol based Prog Rock Band

EAST of EDEN

at some Festival or other in the early 70's but cannot remember which.

Doubt they can either - MAN!

Another day of blustery wind, overcast skies and regular outbreaks of rain has at at least allowed us time to bring to you the third and final (who said that) run of Moth photos from the weekend. However, before we allowed ourselves the indulgence there were today's catches to investigate followed by the usual 'rounds' of Parley Court Farm. Nothing of any real significance to report from the former, but arrival at the Irrigation Pond did start the pulse racing a little as c2 juvenile Little Ringed Plover were feeding at the waters edge in company with a single adult bird. Were these the long suspected 'second brood'? there was only one way to find out. A reasonably quick dash to the Solar Panel Compound found it devoid of any Waders at all let alone the LRP's so it looked very much like one and the same were taking an Away Day from the location of their birth. Onward to the Gravel Pit where it was thought the first returning

 GREEN SANDPIPER

 was immediately relocated, but a scan along the waterline

produced a 'second' bird so who knows which was which?

GREEN SANDPIPER CLIPS
With an extended look at these fine Wader and the video footage above
'in the can' there was still time to wander just a little further afield and try
for the Black-necked Grebe which conveniently arrived back at
Longham Lake on the last day of June.
A potential second addition to the 'Ongoing July Dorset List', to
add to the Woodcock on the second day would be well worth the short drive.

 Here, such things as

 GREAT CRESTED GREBE
are considered 'common fare' but a first appearance is still awaited at PCF.

 COOT
seem to have done well there also with broods of differing age

which is by stark contrast with Back at the Ranch where the c3 Chicks
have disappeared from the Irrigation Pond and despite a number of attempts
at Parley Pond new families have amounted to naught.
However, that is when, after a bit of a search in not the best of conditions, the

 BLACK-NECKED GREBE
was re-spotted.

Not under the best of conditions it might be added as the wind was
causing a Sea State 5, the bird was at great distance and despite the
darkness attributed to total cloud cover there was also some glare.
Reason then for extracting these images from the archive as illustration.
Notice's To Mariner's
A Navigational Warning to those already 'hack-off' with the amount
of Moth photographs over the past few Posts, it is suggested you
Look Away Now! 

Continuing from a most satisfying week-end in the company of
Dave Foot we start with
PINE CARPET

GRASS EMERALD

HORSE CHESTNUT

A most obliging

EARLY THORN
which are always most reluctant to spread their wings,

the delightful
TAWNY BARRED-ANGLE

WILLOW BEAUTY

SNOUT

BROWN-TAIL

which we had to turn upside-down

to get a look at the tail.

BUFF FOOTMAN

BURNISHED BRASS

(please be in touch if you consider this to be a Buff Arches)
Private Joke as I typo-ed the Buff Arches as Burnished Brass on
yesterday's Post, which we are sure you all noticed anyway????

Sunday morning was the first time I had ever taken a moment to look at
the extremely pleasing 'face view' of this Insect - well worth it!

POPLAR GREY

BIRD'S WING

and one day it is hoped that this equally delightful

LARVAE

 will emerge into a far more pleasing

PINE BEAUTY

and
SLENDER PUG

Not wishing to sound too learn'ed, (knowledge of Micros is all but nonexistent) my steep and seemingly endless master class continued with an introduction to the Micro Moth family 'Psychidae' which are referred to as Bagworms and/or Case-bearers. A complex group, the Larvae of which build there own little home where they pupate and eventually emerge as the adult Insect. Knowing just where to look, Dave seems to spot these tiny 'dots in the ocean' in the same way as I might eventually spot a Red London Bus which are of great interest when he brings such things to my attention (not the Buses). The example above was constructed by the Caterpillar (if we are allowed to describe it as that) of 

Pachythilia villosella

Pyrausta purpuralis

WHITE PLUM E MOTH
and to complete the run of Micro Moths
2 that were witnessed over the weekend but with neither being
Identified or Photographed by Myself.

 Cosmopterix scribaiella
and

Hedya salicella

Even with the 'Gregories' on I could not see these Insects in the trap!

Home, home again I like to be here when I can

(Time - Pink Floyd)

Where once again I am almost
Lord of the Manor
while Hugh and Janet take a well deserved break in Seattle, Washington State.
My duties include feeding the Chickens, collecting the eggs
and watering the Strawberries so you can see just how close I am to being
The Ayatollah
Collecting the bowl of scraps they go towards supplementing their diet,
on top was about a ¼ loaf of Janet's 'home made bread'.
Far too rich for the Chucks, after I had eaten my fill the remainder
was strategically placed on the lawn hoping to attract at the very least

 HOUSE SPARROW

 which, as can be seen,

 worked very nicely.
There was also a bonus

 BLACK-HEADED GULL

Finally, I would describe my association with John Gifford as a rewarding two way street. Should I photograph a creature that cannot be recognised then John is my Boy but more than that he never let's go! The following image was sent some days ago which was initially identified as to Family Group, but then Out of the Blue (ELO) comes a more specific ID along with a little more information.

DARK GIANT HORSEFLY
Tabanus sudeticus

is the 'heaviest' of all the Flies of Europe.
As ever my THANKS go to John.

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