Yet another rather threatening looking
Weather Front
arriving from the west met us at the gateway to the Heath at Lighting Up Time,
but according to the weather gauge there had been no signs of any overnight presipitation!
Something of an eclectic day right across the board and following the
Good News with the rain there was even more to come from above.
Stepping outside there was little doubt about the calls as c15 Wading Birds flew perposfully south,
right place right time as nowhere near annual and this (below) the only
GOLDEN PLOVER
(for illustration and interest)
known to have landed here.
That occrance was on the 12/04/2016 while the
Solar Panel Engineers
were still constructing the site
and me trying to weedle my way into gaining entry
on a daily basis - which was successful!
The luck continued as we plucked a rather welcome
First for Year
CENTRE-BARRED SALLOW
from the first of the home traps.
With nothing top hold us at the Ponds we headed for the Heath where the sky
had become a totally different picture with only whispy
CIRUS CLOUD
Maring the Blue.
It would be churlish to say there was 'nothing' in the
Heath Moth Traps
even though
CLIFDEN NONPAREIL
has already
been secured this year!
Along with it came a couple of eye-catching and harmless bugs
BLACK and ORANGE SEXTON BEETLE
being one of the
Burying Beetle Line
as is
BLACK or COMMON SEXTON BEETLE
and the much less gentile
HORNET
the largest of the Wasp Family in Great Britain.
In a change from 2 and / or 6 we eventually picked up on something with
four legs
this rather smart and seemingly young dog
FOX
before encountering something with 'none at all' an
ORANGE BOLLETE
Not the best day for Butterflies, so under the circumstances considered we did OK with:-
GATEKEEPER
LARGE WHITE
SPECKLED WOOD
and
GRAYLING
(wings tightly folded as ever)
and later
BLACK-HEADED CARDINAL BEETLE
PEBBLE HOOK-TIP LARVAE
with
BROWN ROLL RIM
and
STINKHORN
Back to Barracks and finding Hugh (the owner) feverishly re-shaping the
Chicken Coup
for the impending new arrivals!
There were once 12 which, over the years, has reduced to 6 and a far
more dignified way of 'crossing the bar' than had they been reduced to the Barrery!
This was considered a to good a moment to miss clapping eyes on
BROWN RAT
which are numerous but rarely seen
(even though it is said that any of us is never more than 100 yards away from one)
BINGO!
Your Palace Awaits
HOPE TO BE BACK TOMORROW - CHEERS!
