Wednesday 9 November 2022

On the Level - Level 42 (Part II)

 Dave would roundly agree that our second and final stop is something of a favourite for us both

as the parapit of the bridge affords wide and far reaching veiws not only of the
 Somerset Levels
with attendant Swans all local Mutes
with no signs yet of their more northern cousins Bewick's and Whooper
and also the regular trains with other Waterfowl
including
POCHARD
our own resident species of
WIGEON
male top and female

but during all of the many visits made across many years we have never found a confirmed answer as to what these beautifully colouful rows of
OSIER WILLOWs
are grown for, best bet Basket Making?
CORN BUNTING
were also on view and vocal.
COMMON SNIPE
PINTAIL
and
a decent numbers of
GOLDEN PLOVER
with our collective favourites left almost until last
flying and in the meadows
COMMON CRANE
This tail-ender only possed for a matter of seconds not allowing for a posative I.D.
but may well have been a
BANK VOLE
one from the archive.

There's Gold in Them There Hills

 As the year gets shorter so the daily Moth List follows suit, but turn your back for just a moment

and you may miss the Goodie which in this instance was a
GOLDEN TWIN-SPOT
something of a 'scarcity' to say the least, needing a "little help from our friends", and cetainly only our second ever.
The total overnight catch was no more than 4 x 5 but not to be sniffed at with a back-up cast of another migrant in the form of a
COSMOPOLITAN
with the 'also-rans' amounting to just a couple of
TURNIP MOTH
(pale form)
(along with the more usual) 
 and a
DECEMBER MOTH
for good measure.

Up at the

Sewerage Works,
which forms the most northerly boundry of the Recording Area, it looks as if
CHIFFCHAFF/s
are already settling in for the bounty that comes from the wealth of Insects associated with the warmth from the plant (mechanical that is) over-winter while back at the Ponds the loan
COOT
remains in-situ taking our thoughts back to the pre-nesting
squabbles associated with that time of year,
blink and it will be with us again!
Additionally, there are still c3 (one just dived)
LITTLE GREBEs
thought to be of this years vintage along with both
parent
BIRDS