Africa - Toto (Part I)

It will likely come as no surprise that we didn't ever leave the sanctuary of Slight Return II until the lull of 11:00 allowed a quick rummage through the 2 home Moth Traps yesterday. However, we always have a little stash put by for such occasions. We have a dormant file of images dedicated to each of the Continents of the World, so will kick off with the ‘WONDERS’ that are 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37ZaSINRDGM

AFRICA - TOTO

I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She's coming in, 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say,

"Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you"

WHITE RHINOCEROS (Joburg)

HUMBLOT'S HERON (Madagascar)

ORANGE-BREASTED SUNBIRD
Cape of Good Hope

The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what's right
As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh)

"Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you"

NORTHERN BALD IBIS
Morocco

PLUM-COLOURD STARLING
Zambia

AFRICAN JACKASS PENGUIN 

Simons Town (at the Cape)

AFRICAN ELEPHANT

 OSTRICH

both

Botswana

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa
(I bless the rain)
I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rain)
I bless the rains down in Africa
I bless the rains down in Africa (ah, gonna take the time)
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh)

HAMMERCOP

LEVAILLANT'S CISTICOLA

KNOB-BILLED and WHITE-FACED WHISTLING DUCK
all seen during a 3 days stay in the

Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho.
Lots of

CAPE FRANCOLIN
were seen across the Little Karoo, SA

GREY-HEADED BUSH-SHRIKE
Zimbabwee

MOUSIER'S REDSTART
Morocco
Deserving of a Post all of its own, and the forecast still threatening rain, we will leave the finalè, which is where the Bizarre meets the Sublime, for another day - maybe tomorrow?

Brand New Day - Sting

There seemed little, or no point in springing out of the hammock like a Thomson's Gazell at 05:00 as it is hammering it down out there! 

However a blistering +12°C first thing yesterday, on home turf and unusually the same on the Heath, saw prospects riding high but that is not the end of it! Leaning on what the weather man/woman are forecasting we can also look forward to almost  a week- long waft of warm weather blowing up from the Sahara starting soon but can only be capitalised on if the rain allows??

While not exactly brimming over the tops of the traps there were enough Insects to keep us entertained and surely a ‘first for the year’?

Indeed, but not a single in fact c2

MALLOW
and a conundrum we will leave strictly for others to sort!

AUTUMNAL MOTH and NOVEMBER MOTH
look, on the face of it, to be one and the same species but it is only by disection
 and careful examination, under a microscope, of the genitalia, that they can be confidently ascribed as being 2 seperate species. A messy business which, as stated above, is best left to others! Otherwise nothing else new but of interest our 30th of the year

MERVIELLE du JOUR
(can you see it yet?)

only our second

LARGE WAINSCOT

GREEN SHIELDBUG

along with an Insect we had rather though we had seen the back of the

WASP

tongue in cheek, this is the first year trapping at this site that we have not been stung by one, but guess there is still time left!

Strangely, and maybe due to Human Disturbance, the only
Water Fowl

on the Gravel Pit were c2

 CANADA GEESE 

(early morning Sun) 

in the mist. however interest was stimulated further by finding 'singles' of both

COMMON SNIPE

and

GREEN SANDPIPER

after something of a long absence.
Reaching the Heath the first indicator that all is well is looking the length of the
Woodland Ride

to see the first visible Moth Trap burning brightly, a sure indicator that the
power source had been running all night!
After the traps, holding some of those shown above, came a 'record breaker' we could have well done without and thought impossible. After a full rounds but a single bird was seen that being

this

CARRION CROW
Although 'flying' the passing

POLICE HELICOPTER
counted for naught, so time to get that coffee perking - MANANA!