The Last Great Traffic Jam - Traffic

With reference to the feedback (no pun intended) Thursday evening was a great success, when at long last

 HUGH, JANET and YOURS TRULY

got together at Slight Return II for that long awaited dinner.

Roast Thai/Peking Duck with my own slant on Susan Sauce for the men,

and Fete/Tomato Tart-let for Jan, all with a medley of 8 vegetables followed

by (the first) Luxury Christmas Pudding with Madagascan Vanilla Custard.

Wine from two 'Fifth Growth' Chateaus of Bordeaux.

1993 Ch d'Armailhac and 1994 Cantemerle 

All accompanied by The Division Bell - Pink Floyd

(charcoal rubbing of the original Jimi Hendrix' grave in the background)

By the time they made to leave I was so hyped up, over such an enjoyable evening, that there was NO chance of swinging into the hammock. Returning once again to the Bose Wave and another bottle, just about every classic by Led Zeppelin was played at high volume followed by snippets from Dave Meniketti (Lone Me a Dime), Joe Bonamassa (Tea for One), Alvin Lee (The Bluest Blue) and finally a sip of Grunge before bed from Pearl Jam, without doubt the finest track from their debut studio album 'TEN'

'BLACK' - Link

On to the Moth Traps and an early morning temperature of a

sub-tropical 14°C was a promising start, and even better for 

the 5th consecutive morning there was a

 MERVEILLE du JOUR

clinging to the side of one of the traps.

Not an uncommon Insect, but a Bobby Dazzler for all that, and

c5 taken this morning.

 SPRUCE CARPET

is new for the year

and for the second day in succession another

 OAK RUSTIC

this, along with yesterdays individual, have now been show to be

the only 'inland' records ever taken in Dorset. This surely proves

this Insect is extending its range further from the coast! 

RED-GREEN CARPET

 is also new for 2015

 LARGE WAINSCOT

of two contrasting hues and

FOLDED-WING CRANE-FLY with COMMON CRANE-FLY

It is not often we go 'off-piste', no need really, but once in a while the mood takes us, as was the case yesterday, and off we go. The destination was Blashford Lakes, just across the County Border into Hampshire, but first a quick look at our own ponds up the Common. May as well have saved the diesel but we were soon back on track until just a mile further on the traffic came to a halt. There had been some earlier indications of disaster as Police/Ambulance sirens were activated in all directions. It took a full 15 minutes to reach the Airport traffic lights and a further 10 to the Hurn roundabout when it suddenly dawned on me that this was not an accident at all. Since early September this is what all commuters, heading towards Ringwood, have had to suffer as the Borough Council slowly re-surface the A338 Bournemouth to Ringwood by-pass. Lucky then that a quick once round the bollard, aborting any further attempt to reach Hants, it was decided to try Longham Lakes instead. Not expecting anything but 'common fare' the diversity here can be somewhat different to that on the Home Patch, this is what we found including (status on our own Recording Area for comparison):-

BLACK-HEADED GULL
(common particularly in winter)

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

(not known to have been recorded on the Local Patch)

CORMORANT

(Usually absent during the breeding season, but otherwise common
but never numerous)

TUFTED DUCK

(decidedly scarce)
Only 10 minutes into the walk and the first shot of what became a  fusillade

putting the
CANADA GEESE

and most other things to flight
(breed on the property)

Now what do we have here, is it a
Birdwatcher or an Angler
no much too active for either.
(Whatever, never seen at Parley Court Farm)

COOT
(also breed here)

GUELDER ROSE

ALDER MAST

and a lovely view across to Hampreston looking much like a

GEORGE STUBBS

WREN
(a common breeding species throughout)

and then more disaster the perimeter path around the larger lake
was completely fenced off. At a subsequent meeting with my friend
George Green, it was found that Pot Hole Filling was taking place.

Distantly on the Island could be seen

LITTLE EGRET
(occasional visitor more frequent during winter)

GREYLAG GEESE
(ditto)

LAPWING
(breeds)

GREY HERON
(more or less daily and thought to breed close by)

SHOVELER
male

SHOVELER
female
(infrequent visitor)
and around the bend and almost out of sight

GADWALL
(occasional in winter)
then more gunfire put up

GREYLAG GEESE

and a very scruffy but close quarters

CORMORANT
Not quite the day expected but, always expect the unexpected, we'd seen some birds
so back for a Smoked Salmon sandwich and Coffee.

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It Might As Well Rain Until September - Carole King

The weather here HAD been as nice as it could be

Although it didn't really matter much to me

For all the fun I've had since the York's have been away

It might as well have rained until September

It started at 03:00 yesterday as the welcome spell of fine, sunny, and DRY weather came to an end, annoyingly coinciding with a planned day out with my family. This had already been dogged by interruption as the original 3 days in the new Forest Forest was unexpectedly cut to one as Benny had to undergo some unexpected treatment and even then we all had to leave yesterday afternoon to facilitate another bout. Anyroad, the time we did spend together at the 

 SHOREFIELD COUNTRY PARK

close to Lymington, Hampshire was quality and a great opportunity to catch up.

 My 'beautiful' daughter

LISA

and Mummy to

 the equally 'beautiful'

ELIZABETH

 a remarkably bouncy

BENNY,

given the circumstances,

 ALEXANDER

the Great and

 FREDERICK

the Fantastic.

After coffee we all high-tailed it down to the Visitor's Center

 giving Grandpa Bagsy the idea opportunity to

 spoil these lovely children, just a little bit

 before

 enjoying lunch together there.

Unfortunately altogether too short, by mid-afternoon we had to go our

separate ways, taking me just 30 minutes to get back to Parley,

under clear conditions, while the outward journey, through rain, commuters and

roadworks had taken all of one and a half hours!

Looking on the up-side, the early return did allow for monitoring the

Moth Traps

where at first both returning

RED UNDERWING

and

 BRIMSTONE MOTH

were found followed by a most welcome 'First for the Year'

 CYPRESS CARPET

If we were waxing lyrical about this new find, then how were we going

to feel about the next 'stranger' from within?

 Immediately thought to be a Common Rustic, the oracle was consulted

only to find that their flight period ends in late August, but did give an alternative

'similar species' as Small Clouded Brindle, but a similar flight period applied.

 Next was to consult Like Minded Friends who to my great delight

confirmed this to be an

 OAK RUSTIC

a first for Parley Court Farm

Back to the book for more learning, it was found that this species was unknown in the British Isles prior to 1999 when the first specimen was caught on the Isle of Wight (not a million mile from here). Since then it has gained a 'toe-hold' in each Southern County from Sussex to Devon and is thought likely to further extend its range. Strange to relate, at the back end of last year discussing this very species with my friend Dave Foot, as to the probabilities of catching this moth at PCF, he thought it unlikely. Even given there are a few Holm Oaks, on which the larvae feeds, in the Manor Garden this particular Insect is by and large a 'coastal dweller'. From further information received, it is also likely that this could constitute the first 'inland' record for Dorset?

and finally, nearly as smart as his Grandpa Bagsy

ALEX in his new School Uniform

"I'm in the Big School now Grandpa".

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