In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly

As the Maternity Watch continues in Galloway-Ville, and overnight temperature still deprive us of any decent catches from the Moth Traps, we'll take the opportunity to catch up on a couple of shots from the Trail Cameras and a few 'day-time' flying Insects, particularly Butterflies.

 CARRION CROW

looks poised to pounce on something while a

 MAGPIE

looks a little less eager.

 We are beside ourselves that a Nightjar has not yet alighted on this

perfect Perching Post, so in the meantime a

ROE DEER

uses it for a spot of hide-and-seek.

However, there have also been other shortfalls as after the previous reports of

COMMON BUZZARD

using the camera, mounted on a tripod, as a perching post we now 

have to contend with another invader in the shape of this rather bold

STONECHAT

was informed 'no deposit required', look a little closer!

 FLAME SHOULDER

SPRUCE CARPET

and

RUBY TIGER

have been the sum totals of those added to the Year List.

Some of the Day Time Flyers included.

 A first of the year

 HOLLY BLUE BUTTERFLY

while

ORANGE TIP BUTTERFLY

have been around for a number weeks now.

 GREEN-VEINED WHITE BUTTERFLY

 another First for the Year.

 SEDGEFLY

VIOLET GROUND BEETLE

 COLLARED DOVE

sitting on eggs in Janet's stable.

Otherwise

 COMMON GARDEN SNAIL

DOG VIOLET

 GREY SQUIRREL

It seemed a little strange to still find the odd

HOLLY BERRY

ONCE AGAIN OUR FRIEND JOHN GIFFORD 
HAS ASSISTED WITH A NUMBER OF IDENTIFICATIONS

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SNAIL - Smashing Pumpkins

With a barely noticeable increase in the dawn temperature expectations were not exactly brimming, but plucking a most attractive and by and large pristine

 MAIDEN'S BLUSH
from the collar of the first trap things looked to be on the up.
There followed 

 CLOUDED SILVER

 OAK NYCTEOLINE
along with

HEART and DART
plus a few other
Strangers from the Night. 

TIGER CRANEFLIES
and including a trio of SNAILS, just how do they get into the Moth Traps?

Unfortunately a blurred image of this most attractive and tiny

ROCK SNAIL
Pyramidula pusilla

WHITE-LIPPED SNAIL
 Cepaea hortensis

and the Best of the Bunch for me

LARGE AMBER SNAIL
Succinea putris 

ORANGE-BANDED ARION SLUG
Arion fasciatus 
Up at the Irrigation Pond the original Coot nest, built on the Island,
remains a few days abandoned but fear not

as the same 'pair' have started all over again

and thus far appear to have 5 eggs.

APPLE TREE
in the wild but not known if a cultivar or not?

Works started yesterday on building a bund along the eastern edge
of the ground behind the
Eco Recycling Plant.

We are reliably informed this is to reduce the

Noise Level

transmitted across this open space

seemingly to the annoyance

of the neighbouring farmer - here a number of ???????? should follow!
From then on the day was more or less given over to
WILDFOWL
with the first ever May Record of

TUFTED DUCK
as these 2 males with a female seemed to have settled in.
At the Moors River there was once again activity by

EGYPTIAN GEESE
absent here since the new arrivals appeared from the
Oak Tree Nest Hole

and the first
GREYLAG GEESE
in over a month.

We are still uncertain as to whether it is good or bad news that a

COMMON BUZZARD

persists in using the Trail Camera, mounted on a tripod,

as a perching post? We thought that setting the other Trail Cam pointing

at this one might be a good idea.

Before leaving the Moor this morning we recorded another new addition

to the Moth List

COMMON HEATH

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