Saturday 15 July 2017

Saturday Night's (Alright for Mothing) - Elton John

Having edited most of the images from the weekend we can now
embark on foisting them upon you!
There was so much going on over that 2 days period
that we consider it best to report over 2 Posts.
It was something of a shock waking on Saturday to find a FOOT in the door, but a welcome one at that,
as once again Dave (of the same name) had joined me for the weekend.
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
and the forests will echo with laughter.
Ooh, and it makes me wonder!
 A positive look about the start of the weekend highlighted by a fabulous
05:00 (Sun Rise) Cloud Formation
with sunrise coinciding with the setting of a near
Full Moon

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who stand looking.

Just a glimpse through the collar of the first trap indicated that we might be in for a bonanza?
All but one of these Moths were
Firsts for the Year.
 PURPLE-BORDERED GOLD
 SMALL PHOENIX
by comparison with simply

 PHOENIX
 HORSE CHESTNUT
 and now having caught
MAGPIE
we can show it as compared with the far rarer

 CLOUDED MAGPIE
caught some days ago.

 WAVED BLACK
is a complete 'new comer' to our Recording Area while
 BEAUTIFUL YELLOW UNDERWING
 is annual and followed by

 what was Moth-Wise) the highlight of the weekend by a Royal Mile

 FOUR-SPOTTED
not only a 'first' for our Recording Area but described in the
 Dorset Moth Group (Link)
literature as a
Rare and Very Local Resident
the stronghold of which in Dorset is the
Isle of Portland.
 There were also some other very interesting beasts
in the various traps but none more magnificent than another new one on me
 PRIONUS CORIATIUS
 which was initially thought to be a female
Stag Beetle
One of the Longhorn complex of Beetles, once shown to our friend
John Gifford
he quickly corrected us by saying it is in fact better known as
TANNER BEETLE
Later, we paid our daily visit to the
Irrigation Pond
where it was a most welcome sight to see c8 juvenile
LAPWING
 had gathered but only able to commit c7 of them to celluloid.

However, on closer inspection it was seen that the Lapwing were not alone as the 
Juvenile LITTLE GREBE
was noted having taken to the Beach as well!
 This brought about yet another personal first for me
not ever having seen a Little Grebe 'walking' albeit totally ungainly!
 Returning to Slight Return II for a most welcome and well deserved
cup of coffee and smoked salmon sandwich Hugh, the landowner, came rushing
over to show us a bird photograph he had taken.
Not at all a believer in coincidence our Hugh, it was something of a
coincidence that the self-same bird flew in and landed on a nearby Ash tree.
Without delay the male
KESTREL
was captured on both 'still' and
'video'
by myself before making the final discovery of the day, a fine looking
LARGE EMERALD
clinging to a tree trunk.
 Mañana will follow pasado mañana!
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