So Far, So Good - Gil Scott-Heron

Not exactly a 'splash of colour' but at least the Moths keep tumbling in with First's for the Year amounting to

BROWN RUSTIC

COMMON LUTESTRING

most likely a true migrant

VESTAL
maybe even from as far away as the Sahara??

DOUBLE SQUARE-SPOT

and a

FOUR-DOTTED FOOTMAN
Following suit the rest of the day was by and large of the Insect variety and would have been completely had it not been for the most confiding

GREY HERON

which would have been the closest ever had it not been for the one we 'caught' at Radiple Lake back in the 70's, a rescue mission!
With there being no Waterfowl showing themselves at either pond we could only content ourself with

rapidly surface covering

WATER CROWSFOOT
However, there were a number of Insects including

AZURE DAMSELFLYs

having a bit of fun,

COMMA BUTTERFLY

COMMON DARTER

not at all mobile and

HORSETAIL
now clogging the margins.
Again no surprises from behind the Eco Recycling Works with

BROWN ARGUS
still on the wing followed by the 'find of the day' at

GIBBETS COPSE
(as the name suggests, once the final look at life for offenders from Winchester Prison)

LARGE SKIPPER
which we cannot recall ever recording across the whole family group?
and finally a stroke of luck as we re-possitioned the Moth Traps for the overnight event to find a

SUMMER CHAFFER

still creeping around within!

and maybe a timely moment to thank those who help us on our way Dave, John and Paul + our Steadfast Readership - Thanks One and All!

Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

  From the age of 15 years, when first joining the Royal Navy, it has always been the intent to consider the “glass to be half full” while additionally, and even though we could have done without our 15^th puncture since we have resided here, we always feel that it is “an ill wind (that blows nobody any good)".

Were it not for being delayed by stopping to inflate the 'offending'

we would never have seen the

RED KITE

thermalling,directly above our humble caravan home,

albeit in shillouette.
Further harrised by the overnight conditions we only set a single Moth Trap but nevertheless came up with

DOUBLE LOBED

and

OBSCURE WAINSCOT

both added to a Year List which has now reaches a total of
201 species of Macro Moths!
Heading for the garden water-tap, to dhoby the pinkies, another nifty surprise as this tiny

CATERPILLAR

was navigating its way down to ground level and thought to be the larvea of either
Large White or Small White Butterfly??

From the dew-soaked hedge, creeps a crawly caterpillar,

when the dawn begins to crack.

It's all part of my autumn almanac!

Autumn Almanac - The Kinks 

while further west the solution to the mystery of this years crop which would appear to be

WHEAT
(and how lucky was capturing an 'in-flight' Swallow to boot.

It might seem that if that mentally deranged despot Putin will not lift the embargo,
then best grow your own - we have 2 window boxes!

Even further west it looks as if it could once again be
PUMPKINs?
Out on the main road from our view looks like the

SKYLARKs
are once again being brutally dislodged from their nest sites - a Criminal Offence according to the LAW of the Wildlife and Countryside Act! and further north a couple more surprises with at least

a single juvenile
COOT

in part fratenizing with prospective

MALLARD
parents and a juvenile

STONECHAT
and to end the saga

Kids on Quads
a new business venture up the north end

Off Piste
but doing no harm.

Oh For the Wings of a Dove - Felix Mendelssohn

 The day started very 'slowly' as we watched this

GARDEN SNAIL
complete with 'nesting material'? negociate our front door from top to bottom after which things simply went stratospheric by way of communication from Dave Foot. On the 29/11/2012 it was my luck to find a prospective

SIBERIAN STONECHAT
more correctly known as

STEJNEGER'S STONECHAT
named, we presume, after the first person to describe it to science. Being far more adept than myself at describing such a creature to the Power's That Be it was Dave who submitted the details to the British Birds Rarities Committee for their adudication resulting in them

Finding in Our Favour

Unfortunately, because of security reasons, this fine fella could not be opened to a wider audience!
On to the overnight Moths, which were thin on the ground and lacking in colour,  there were at least a number of First's for the Year including.

PALE MOTTLED

WILLOW

THE

LYCHNIS

along with

DOUBLE SQUARE-SPOT
while our dear friend Sheila in Weymouth was no more than on her early morning walk when tripping over this migrant

SILVER-STRIPED HAWK-MOTH
a belter we have never even had a sniff of!
Also close to home there have been sporadic sightings of the male

MANDARIN DUCK
along with some conjecture as to the parentage of the

('Mallard'?) ducklings but while he has most certainly been in close contact

we see no signs of hybridisation at this very early stage, but take an objective look yourself!
Continuing our legal passage we note the

HELICOPTER's
are forming on the Sycamore's

Pennies in a Stream, Falling Leaves the Sycamore, Moonlight in Vermont - Frank Sinatra

A moment to enjoy what must be the most overlooked Bird in the World, the humble

HOUSE SPARROW
(we love 'em)

While reaching the Northern Limits things did look as if they could turn inclement - but no

as we found, unusually, a 'trio' of

STOCK DOVE's

MEADOW PIPIT

(presumed feeding young - oh to witness that!)

LILAC
in full bloom, more

BLOSSOM
swaying in the gentle breeze while

CANADA GOSLINGs
passed full muster and only a shade away from being of adult size, and the rain still held off!