SHEEP - Pink Floyd

As the overnight temperature rose to a welcome +18°C

so did the wind, occasionally touching 20 knots!

We don’t crave the ‘perfect storm’, but oh for a ‘perfect night’ which was denied us!

Nothing even eye-catching about the Moths on home turf

so stopping to look at an overhead

SWALLOW 

taking both 'stills' and 'video'

 as who knows if

this might just be the

 Last of the Year?

 Lovely sky, but that too didn't last.

With nothing at either pond up north the first thing of note was the return of the

 SHEEP

Hopelessly passing your time in the grassland away
Only dimly aware of a certain unease in the air
You better watch out there may be dogs about
I've looked over Jordan, and I have seen
Things are not what they seem

 now, after so much rain, the grass has become ideal for grazing.

What do you get for pretending the danger's not real
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
Down well trodden corridors into the "valley of steel"
What a surprise

The look of terminal shock in your eyes
Now things are really what they seem
No, this is not a bad dream

Don't know where they have been during their absence but do know

that there is always at least one who thinks

it is GREENER on the other side

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He makes me down to lie
Through pastures green he leadeth me the silent waters by

their words not mine!

from the album Animals by Pink Floyd

a 'three parter' relating Dogs - Sheep and Pigs to Human Kind and for me no truer words spoken!

There was an effort made to release the hapless creature, with me always failing in such things,

so next move, phone Lauran the Shepherdess. 

The traps on the Heath reflected those at home and visiting the

Dorset Moth Group Website

find we are not alone in this.

With the traps cleared there was suddenly a 'moment of madness' 

as the now seemingly migrant and vocal

 SISKINs

 decided to put in a brief

 cameo appearance,

 followed just 20 minutes later by a

 JAY

 that had obviously forgotten to keep up its guard.

 Now having drifted into September and by definition Autumn,

we make best efforts to see as many departing migrants as we may 

as it will be a long wait for the next influx.

High on that adgenda is that denizen of the night and the Heath that is the

Nightjar

having always managed to see at least one of the lingerers at the begining of the month.

Up until last night there had not even been a sniff so giving up until tomorrow we

arrived at the gravel track that leads the 30 yards to

Slight Return II.

Not knowning who was most surprised me or it, there on the pathway sat

This Little Fella!

 Maybe the Last NIGHTJAR of 2020?

We end today's little foray on a particularly 'high note' as we feel sure regular readers

will remember the 'tongue in cheek' plea to make use of those redundent optics and cameras

tucked away in a cupboard that will never ever see the light of day again.

JUST GIVE THEM TO A DESERVING YOUNGSTER!

Not wanting to Sing too many Praises for fear of the

Begging Letters starting up again, I lift my lid to my dear friend

Jim the Medic,

who sent without notice a

Canon EOS 500 Camera

that looked brand new! Knowing the nature of the beast it came as no surprise and has been

handed on to 3 of my Young Wildlife Apprentices - who reacted thus........

  From 5 year's old Sophie and

9 year's old Josh depicting the moment he alerted me to a correctly identified

Peregrine Falcon

which we watched take a Wader while on the wing, and some still say that youngsters 

haven't got anything going for them!!

A final word on Jim as a true friend, great fun and sympathetic to a fault.

Some years ago we were both qualifying for

Attendance Money

onboard the Buchan Alpha Floating Oil Production Rig in the North Sea

when suddenly struck with tendonitis. Mighty painful but with no intention of raising 

Jim from the Sick Bay (I'd rather suffer) a visit was paid at 06:00 at the turn of the watch.

Asking how the pain was manifesting itself I informed him that combing my hair had become impossible with him replying that he had the perfect remedy!

"Come back at 18:00 Old Ship's and I'll shave yer head"!

SYMPATHY? 

we all know where to find it in the dictionary!