An executive decision had been made before swinging into the
hammock on Saturday night, not to publish a ‘post’ for Monday,
given the acute shortage of material - but oh how wrong you can be!!
With the exception of the odd Moth precious little has been added to
any of the
Year Lists
in recent days so a rest was going to be as good as a change?
We hadn’t even reached the half-way mark with the early morning coffee before
the first contender of the day revealed itself by its distinctive calling as an
overflying
MEDITERRANEAN GULL
was first to reach the log!
This image to show just how spectacular they can look in adulthood!
(no pun intended)
The next time we opened the door, now all dhobied and dressed
and heading for the Moth Trap, the next to be seen were a ‘first's
for year’
COMMON SWIFT
or simply Swift if you prefer hawking Insects above the tennis court.
We doubled up on this from the trap as the tiny
VESTAL
was secured to amazement, as some of these smaller than a one pence coin
Insects come from as far affield as the Sahara, and additionally the only slightly bigger
SMALL RIVULET
At the main pond it was once again a case of not being able to resist the temptation of a couple of
ROOKs
(we'll try not to do it again0
preening while balanced on the overhead cable and to the song of a nearby
SKYLARK
if you listen carefully.
Also noted there was the regeneration of the
PARROT FEATHER
which has been attacted from all sides but for my money just one of those invassive species that
Napalm wouldn't eradicate!
The local
SONG THRUSH
was trying to eradicate the local
EARTHWORM
population in the name of feedig its young as time arrived to head up to
The Common.
The focus there was to check the youngster in the poorest year we have witnessed with the
MALLARD
family just about holding it together
as most other Waterfowl have not fared at all well.
(listen out for the Wren)
On the Heath it was again partly about 'immatures', but enough about me,
as we also enjoyed the best of 2020 thus far for Butterflies.
The ever reliable
STONECHAT
were well represented
with some in
Good Voice
before the first of the Butterflies arrived and proved to be
most sociable but not the first to be seen this year
RED ADMIRAL
Being Sunday it was again time for one of my favourites of any week
the turning of the
Reptile Covers
just a 'posh' name for a rusty piece of scrap corrugated metal from where we did have a bit of joy.
Anouher
SMOOTH SNAKE
was most welcome but stationary while that wasn't quite the case with the 'second brood' of
ANTS
Next came an extrordinarily long
shedded 'Snake Skin' of unknown species before uncovering another nest of
FLYING ANTS
before the first of the sort after
Butterflies
turned up, a
a 'first for year'
LARGE SKIPPER
A
not unexpected
MEADOW PIPIT
the first sign of the
HEATHER (Erica)
coming into bloom,
a ffy and rather ragged
MEADOW BROWN
and a very short staying
JAY
The search along the Eco Bund didn't turn up the hoped for
Brown Argus Butterfly,
but still plenty of time for that, but the toe path to the Carp Lakes came up with
a relatively 'scarce' bird for here a ffy
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER
Turning to find a small 'pod' of mostly juvenile
LONG-TAILED TITs
might just have put the 'cherry on the cake' but that was left to my arrival back at
Slight Return II
where both Chloe, my adult apprentice, paying me a 'socially distanced' visit with a ffy
RINGLET BUTTERFLY
buzzing around the garden, talk about a 'double Wammy'!
17:00 and already looks like we are in for
Some Overnight or Sooner?
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