Taking a Closer Look

 Apart from 2 new species of Moth for the year there was little else, or nothing new about anything els around us, but........ what was on hand while 'common' was Close up and Confiding!

RED TWIN-SPOT CARPET

along with the almost prehistoric

CHOCOLATE-TIP
both taken in the traps at home, but arriving at the first Solar Panel Compound

the mood changed to Birds while settling into our chair

and spotting this seemingly juvenile

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER

perched bolt upright and hardly moving a muscle

at a distance of no more than

10 feet

and simply remaining there until

the trap had been processed.

Other close encounters included

COLLARED DOVE

which by their actions appeared to be

feeding young

but without spotting their nest.

It seems unusual that the

COOTs

are rarely seen in close company

so a golden opportunity to capture them

engaged in a bout of

SYNCHRONIZED PREENING
Across the vista of the

Main Solar Panel Compound

we managed clicks and vid

of this jaunty male

STONECHAT

while the lone

MEADOW PIPIT
and

WHEATEAR

were far less obliging while back at Base the

ROBINs
continue to feed their young.

Sheep in the Meadow, Cows in the Corn

 The usual pre-daylight search around the still active home traps brought with it the best of starts to the day with yet another 'first for the year'

BRIMSTONE MOTH

 not in a trap at all but simply spread-eagled on the wet grass while within

a sharply contrasting colour-wise

BLACK-HEADED CARDINAL BEETLE
with, for company, an

obliging

BUFF-TAILED BUMBLEBEE
down south the winter sown crop is showing its head, and correct me if wrong, looks every bit like

GRASS

with rumour having it that more
Solar Panels
are on their way??

Close by we let Frank Sinatra take over as far as lyrics were concerned but not quite yet

Chestnuts in blossom, holiday tables under the trees!

April in Paris

With little other ammunition available we took advantage of the passing

COASTGUARD HELICOPTER

before finding more blooms, this time

SALLOW
in the Solar Panel Compound and yet another

BROWN-LIPPED SNAIL
hanking on doggedly to the Strange Rover windowsill and no more than a

bathing

HERRING GULL
across all of the watercourses!
and finally, if you don't believe in coincidence, look away now, as having been introduced to a new species of Cattle on our recent visit to Hampshire after the natural death of the previous tenant c3

SUSSEX REDs

parents with Calf
have been introduced to the Satellite part of the Heath.
We will happily be keeping an eye on these!

If Yesterday Was Sunday

 then surely we were out on the Heath! but not before plucking another f.f.y. from the

Moth Traps

RED-GREEN CARPET
and taking advantage of the rare breeds

OLD ENGLISH WHITE

and
BELTED GALLOWAY

at very close quarters across the
Satellite Section

along with the profussion of a plant with a dozen names but favoured by us as

JACK-by-the-HEDGE

while one reason for the lack of Waterfowl on the Gravel Pit
maybe the new practice of flushing out this bowser at vairious intervals?
But Ever Onward

to find just c2 vocal

DARTFORD WARBLERs

the 08:50 Trident as the old TV advert used to offer

along with a few 'first for the year'

WILLOW WARBLERs

out-singing the more numerous
Chiffchaffs.
From beneath 15 'covers' no more than a single

SLOW WORM
with a specimen of long time redundant

FUNGI
the new generation shouldn't be to long in appearing?
and the 2 x 2 theme continued as we could only locate a

WOODLARK

maybe feeding young?

and another 'couple' this time

STONECHAT

before a fond farewell to our Pals guarding the gate.