Sauntering across to the Heath last evening the southern end of the
Bridleway was swamped in (out of focus)
BRIGHT LIGHTs
as it was seen that the
GO-KART CIRCUIT
is now back in business - good job!
We hope yesterday didn’t sound too much like a whinge, as
that is not our style, simply enjoying everything and anything that Nature
sends our way. However, we did seem to be on a bit more of an even-keel for
Tuesday as we did get a little more excitement from the traps!
New Macro Moths for the Year included
DOUBLE KIDNEY
DUSKY THORN
along with a little beauty we have been anticipating and hoping for
BEAUTIFUL YELLOW UNDERWING
which to the unweiry could be confussed with
TRUE LOVER'S KNOT
befor opening their wings!
Caught previously during 2020 we show again the 'beauty' that is
MAGPIE MOTH
for that very reason alone.
After the Traps a dusk
ROOK
kicked the 'birding' day off and on the way to the
Common and Heath
one of the NHS Airbuses was taxiing for its next sortie!
At this time of year, save for the resident Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe and Mallard
Waterfowl are otherwise usually absent, so a lone
TEAL
at the Irrigation pond, not uncommon during to colder months,
was a very welcome sight
which constituted the first ever record here for the month of August.
However, what manifested itself around the corner at a misty
Gravel Pit
outshone this by a royal mile and in the form of a 'calling' and briefly 'singing'
YELLOW WAGTAIL
which falls into the
RARE
catagory around here with less than half a dozen records since 2013.
Another strange happening there was also the sighting of a new
Little Grebe Platform
next to the existing one, for which there is a theory.
We know from experience that when the parent birds leave the eggs in the nest,
they cover them with pond weed which 'might' be to keep them out of the clutches
(excuse the pun) of preditors and/or keep them incubating.
We have already braced ourself for a little head or 4 popping out in the near future??
Who Knows?
The Heath
produced a few Butterflies, at a bit of a premiun it seems this year, as
GATEKEEPER
was a first while we have seen
GRAYLING
"which never perches with its wings akimbo"
once before this year.
As stated both species are found on the Heath but slim pickings in the garden
where the attractants are proving ineffectual,
and finally an oversight prevented us publishing these
clicks and short clips of
SHORT-TAILED FIELD VOLE
which likely qualifies as
the most numerous
MAMMAL
across the Recording Area.
We often feed them but usually only get fleeting glimpses by return!
