The Kid's Are Alright - The Who

 Well beyond anticipation and Kids at the C word, when the Fat Lad comes down the chimney, we were out just before 06:00 monitoring the Moth Traps! Among a paltry haul of just 18 species and 33 individual Macro Moths there was but a single 'first for year'

TREBLE-BAR
and eminating from the edge of the Heath a rare song-bird here a

TREE PIPIT
(despite the Heath, no more than 4 records across almost a decade) while at the Irrigation Pond another surprise not as to rarity but only our second sighting here of successful breeding

EGYPTIAN GEESE

parents of just a single

GOSLING

with

Video Clips
My arrival back at Base coinceded perfectly with the arrival of

(l to r Josh, Sophie and Oliver)
those beautiful 3 who are known as my Three Apprentices and whome along with millions of others out there have not been seen since Covid struck and were striaght into the single Moth Trap left for their contemplation!

with no concerns about gently handling a
(POPLAR HAWK-MOTH each)

COCKCHAFFER

PEBBLE PROMINENT
but soon after that's when the
Law of Sod
kicked in as there was no signs of the Egyptians at the Pond on our return so onward to the Heath which kicked off with a surprise to us all, a small herd of new

OLD ENGLISH WHITE

 or more correctly known as simply

ENGLISH WHITE

along with our now long-standing friends the

8 Billy-Goats Gruff
which were followed by what undoubtedly the Children were looking foreward to the most

the turning of what they refer to as the
SNAKE TRAPS
with success at the first 2with

both covering a single

SMOOTH SNAKE

each before unexpectedly finding the

the hind-wing of a male
EMPEROR MOTH

and even better was a rather frisky

LONG-TAILED FIELD-MOUSE

which wasn't hanging about for a
Video Clip
(we roundly thank John for his help in I.D.'ing a couple of these creatures.)
but it didn't end there as a small section of shed

Snake Skin was also found.
It would seem that all the stars were in alignment, or was it the Children, Excellent Field Craft or just old fashion Good Look to find a 

SAND LIZARD

in a bit of bother

which we would not have touched in other circumstances as 'Illegal to do So'

and soon sent it on its way.

Next came very brief glimpses of a

GREEN HAIR-STREAK
BUTTERFLY
and in quicker succession no more than flashes of a single

HOBBY

this image from the archive,

a few pairs of very smart looking

STONECHAT

a quick photo-call only a single

WOODLARK
and not a sight nor sound of a Dartford Warbler, but made up for by c2

unobloging and again from the archive

REDSTART
one spotted by Sophie!

Both male and

female
BEAUTIFUL DEMOISELL
and ditto

female and male

BANDED DEMOISELL
were found on the wing

before these very Sporting Children got into a bit of Sprinting of their own,
(both lads former members of Bournemouth (Premier League next year) Accadamy and now graduating onward having been awarded a trophy presented to them by Harry Redknapp and the young lady already an accomplished, for her age, ballerina. Time certainly didn't seem to be on our side, although we had covered quite a bit of ground but there was one more final visit after a final

photo-shoot with just one more area to visit, no more than around the corner

among the old ruins which also facinated the children, where we found both our targets almost immediately, and feel sure Bomber will not mind our using his stupendous image of his self reared,

BROAD-BORDERED BEE HAWK-MOTH

while our efforts

are not quite so good but add to the story along with another
First fot the Year

HOLLY BLUE

BUTTERFLY
(we feel a Strongbow coming on!)

WILL YE NO' COME BACK AGAIN - Caroline Oliphant (Lady Nairne)