Standing on the Shoulder of Giants - Oasis

It always feels rewarding when catching yet another Macro Moth new for the year which, on the day was a

GREY SHOULDER-KNOT

followed by a performing

and acrobatic

HAWTHORN SHIELDBUG

All at ether pond was a posing cock

PHEASANT

strutting his stuff in the direction of a lone

FEMALE

The Solar Panel fence were dripping with most pleasing, dew soaked
Spiders Webs

while what was above was also most pleasing to the eye.
Again due to the weather it was thought more prudent not to flash up the Traps on the Heath, but already it seemed like some sort of compensation was within earshot as after a longish pause

vocal

WOODLARK

had retuened to the scene.

As if striking at the same time a couple of

STONECHAT

had also shown up.
Only checking the traps for any signs of

damage this rather pleasing

BLACK SLUG
had also sought shelter underneath one of them while also close by

a small patch of unidentified Fungi.

Again, some time was spent on the mist shrouded Bridleway close to the
Sewerage Works
in hopes of a Black Redstart or less common Warbler but without success.

Here's hopeing for Tomorrow.

The Show Must Go On - Queen

Empty spaces, what are we living for?
Abandoned places, I guess we know the score, on and on
Does anybody know what we are looking for?
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line
Does anybody want to take it anymore?

Absolutely no point swinging out of the hammock early yesterday as, uncannily, for the 3^rd day running, Thursday’s heavy rain started at 04:30 precisely! However, far more welcome was the +10°C hanging on doggedly in similar fashion.

With field work hampered for the best part of the day we did see and hear a few things but the Canon lay redundant throughout forcing us to rely totally on the archive for the images. Even at first knockings and despite the pitter patter of rather large raindrops we could already hear one of the resident

TAWNY OWLs

giving it large from the other side of the
River Stour.

With our self imposed journalistic licence we feature images of one of last year’s juveniles which were reared in the

DOVECOT outside of the MANOR HOUSE,

which has as valid a claim as any but, prey tell, how did the parent birds get
in there to incubate?

  We did get to the Moth Traps eventually but, despite the temperature, Best in Show only amounted to repeats of

MALLOW

and the fairly similar

FEATHERED THORN
Outside of that bracket was also the rather attractive looking

ICHNEUMON SARCITORIUS
Arrival at the Irrigation Pond was met with some bad and some good where the Posh

FLY-TIPPERS
had left their mark, looking like good kit to me, and the start of some original images!

Along with the now settled c4 Mute Swans was a likely 'newly arrived' juvenile

LITTLE GREBE

Don't Blink

Which could only be proved if the other c2 were still in attendance next door!
Along with single's of

CORMORANT
and

GREY WAGTAIL

they were

along with an adult

but one being camera shy!
On the way to the Heath there was evidence that the first of the
"little Gentlemen in the Black Velvet Waiscoat"
had arrived

MOLE
that is and which some still salute today. Thought by many to have been the demise of despised

King William III of Orange
(King Billy Hey)
In 1702 his horse Sorrel tripped on a molehill, threw his rider who broke his shoulder adding to his already frail health and died soon after to the delight of many!
Doubtless, the rich earth within the Slolar Panel Compound will be riddled with such before year's end!

First up there was a very neat row of Rare Breed Cattle with
2 x Belted Galloways (left) Old English White steer (centre) along with 2 x Shetlands, while also in neat rows just a few of the laid up

AIRBUSES
as their pals are now lined up ready to

Take to the Skies
with services already commenced and a

COLLARED DOVE

 That may well have been the last of it had not Tuesday's inclement weather not postponed Victualing and Bunkering and bringing with it the biggest 'Long Shot' of them all. With the airport fence directly ahead of our driving back, out of a now clearing sky flew, directly down the runway towards us a

GREAT WHITE EGRET
performing a carbon copy flight pattern of a similar or same Heron a few weeks ago as reported here. Three and occasionally 4 have been reported from the nearby Longhan Lakes for a few months now, so maybe this is the Prodigal returning with no intent to brand it biblically wasteful.

LATE THURSDAY

Wondering if any who clicked the 'Argent link' yesterday let it run onto the following performance, as did I, to view the splended rendition by Kiss. If not it is certainly well worth a re-visit!

 We eventually got out to the traps, during a 15 minute lull, with low expectations which were adequately fulfilled! Among a megre bunch the best, if they can be described as such, were duplicates of

BLAIR'S SHOULDER-KNOT

BARRED SALLOW

our 46th MERVIELLE du JOUR of the Year

RED-GREEN CARPET

along with
CYPRESS CARPET 

Still causing some surprise is the dogged

WOOD PIGEON
still appearing to be incubation eggs for the 13th day? while as we reached the main gate as an

A340-600, a little obscured, was taking to the skies with, so we are told, another cargo. They have surely been dormant long enough here!

A couple of dozen

BLACK-HEADED GULLs

were hanging on to the overhead wires against a less than favourable sky
but nonetheless maintaining their balance while c2

MUTE SWANs

were taking advantage of the stiff breeze

better highlighted via this short clip.

Another, or

maybe just as likely

the same

COMMON SNIPE

as early last week?
If there are any advantages to the stormy days on the Heath it is surely from the

ASPENs,

last to turn brown and loose their leaves,

but most pleasing to both ear and eye.
Once again there was little by way of Birdlife but the
Moth Traps may have come to the rescue with the likes of

the tiny

TAWNY COCKROACH 

 SOUTHERN CHESTNUT