Moth To The Flame - Thunder

I had almost forgotten the excitement and anticipation of opening a Moth Trap, but it all came flooding back early morning on Thursday. Nothing even of a scarce nature on this first run for many a day, but in a new location who knows what's to be enticed. Having had 'open access' to all Ministry of Defence lands for 18 years in the Weymouth and Portland areas, as the local MoD Lands Conservation Representative, from the early 70's I was able to run traps on a regular basis. This was confined to the East Weares of Portland, a tract of undercliff almost untouched since the Second World War and at that time inaccessible to the general public. The 'star prize' there was a tiny insect known as 

 Portland Ribbon Wave, 

which in those days was confined to that area alone plus a small colony close to Torquay in Devonshire. During that time c2 of these rare Moths were captured. In parallel with that during the years 1983 to 1998 another trap was run at my then home high on the hill in the village of Wyke Regis, Weymouth where hundreds of species were recorded including Great Britain's 16th

Dewick's Plusia
(this specimen was caught by Martin Cade, Warden of the Portland
Bird Observatory who I believe holds the © to this image).

 I have dabbled on the odd night since then, but hope to run the trap with some regularity in the future?

Part of last night's haul included:-

CLOUDED BORDER

SILVER Y

(a very common and numerous migrant)

TREBLE LINES

SETACEOUS HEBREW CHARACTER

(my personal favourite name of any Moth)

HEART and DART

SHOULDER-STRIPED WAINSCOT (ID thanks to Paul Harris)

WHITE ERMINE

FLAME SHOULDER

and for 'good measure' a
COCKCHAFER colloquially named MAY BUG.

 Despite a multitude of 'must do' on the list there was also a
short period today spent birding.
Over the last week to 10 days the

 STARLING
population has grown from just a couple of pairs to a flock of
over 200 individuals - a successful breeding season!

Down at the Avon Causeway some distant large birds looked
right for

 EGYPTIAN GEESE
which they were, at least 18 of them. A Dorset Year Tick and a
new addition to the June list.

A little further along there were c13
MEDITERRANEAN GULLs
a Year Tick and c3 Redshank so worth the short drive.
Latest Standings
GB Year Total = 135    Dorset Year Total = 118
Thunder were part of some of my
Many Mad Metal Moments
Moth To The Flame

My Time After Awhile - Buddy Guy

With the Internet having been down for a couple of days, it's a bit of a catch up today.

Monday evening we went to the Three Tuns Pub in the New Forest to celebrate

Janet's (left) birthday along with Hugh, Daryl and Cath,

very good food spoiled by extremely poor service,

another hostelry scrubbed off the list!

Early next morning Hugh arrived back for breakfast to report a 'pair' of TUFTED DUCK (male) on the pond. By no means a regular sight here so good to see a couple braving what is a busy thoroughfare.

Plenty of activity on and around the feeders with GREENFINCH and HOUSE SPARROW in good numbers, looking pristine and seeming to have had a successful breeding season.

So, later in the day a quick run down to Longham Lake where
the activity was limited to
PIED WAGTAIL,

 

a 'blaze' of DAISIES,

REED WARBLER

GREY HERON

 

a pale (washed out) MALLARD

and other Wagtails capitalising on the abundance of Damselflies.

On my return both Tufties were on show at the pond side.

All day Wednesday was spent around Portland and Weymouth with first port of call the Portland Bird Observatory. Good to see again the few people who were there, but otherwise very quiet on the ground. The only exception to this was one of a number of

JAYs

that had been paying infrequent visits to the garden. A species that I had previously not seen on the Island, but with no time to search I made to leave. Issuing my final goodbye, the bird concerned obligingly flew into a tree give views for about one minute. Onward to Secret's house, where fortunately I found Mrs Secret (Jane) and son Robert who is presently on holiday from Bristol University. Another serious session of catching up before heading off to lunch with Lesley Brown. Being mobile we were able to venture a little further afield and ate in the Sailor's Return at East Chaldon, with the countryside thereabout as ever a fine example of just what Dorset has to offer. There was something of a reversal here compared to Monday evening as the service was superb but my 'long roast' pork belly had seen better days, but dealt with in a most professional manner.

On our way back to Weymouth we took time to watch 

THATCHERS at work in the village.

and the final 'catch up', for now at least are some photographs

received since the last post.

A very proud Grandpa with 2 of 3 very special little boys.

This image was captioned 

'The Two Fredericks'

 

and lastly a great surprise from Kourou, French Guyana as Marine Agent Ho You Fat, who I shared a beer and a little time with on the last adventure, wrote

Master Bagsy. Good day, how is the world treating you? Excuse me while I look after the sun and the big moon in this morning day!

Kind regards

Yvan HO YOU FAT - HYF SHIPPING

Bird of Prey - Uriah Heep

Part of formulating a new life and direction is getting down (at long last) to the onerous task of catching up on editing and labelling 'tens of thousands' of photographs, a process that has already started. Disciplining myself to spending the Dog Watches pursuing this task has the 'up side' of viewing shots that have lain in the archive for too long. While most of these may be familiar to regular readers some, like those posted here, are thought to be so exciting that a second viewing will be no hardship. 

Sunday 26th February 2012 in Gangwon-do Province, South Korea was bitterly cold, to say the least, but crossing a snow covered road bridge on the outskirts of Dong Song township there was a sight to warm the cockles of anyone's heart.

There in the freezing Hantan River below me and among a group of

MALLARD

 there looked to be a 'bird of prey' bathing.

 Apart from the occasional turn of the body it appeared stationary

in the calm water, but I was not the only one who was finding its 

presence interesting!

 

 A LARGE-BILLED CROW was also paying some attention

 but 'mobbing' is not unusual as far as Raptors are concerned 

so I continued to try and identify the bird.

 Eventually, it started moving and looked every bit as though it was 

walking on the riverbed towards the shore and ID'd as a

GOSHAWK

 The closer it got to the beach the more 'fuss' it seemed to be making,

 but all became clear as it clambered onto land

 to reveal it was 'towing' an adult male MALLARD which it had,

all this time, been stood on!

 A couple of un-cropped images to indicate distance from the bridge.

 Despite a prolonged underwater experience

 and having part of its breast pecked out

 there were still signs of life

 with a good bit of flapping

 and at one point some retaliation.

 With the Duck subdued

 the Goshawk, now seeming a little concerned,

 tucked in to the succulent breast meat.

 The uneasiness was confirmed when the Crow reappeared

 bringing with it a couple of its mates.

 The Goshawk put them to flight time after time

 but that only seemed to attract more Corvids

as the first MAGPIE arrived.

 What followed was a game of 'cat and mouse'

which was a marvellous sight to witness.

 In all the mêlée that followed attracted a total of

4 Large-billed Crows and 7 Magpies,

 but 'to the victor the spoils' and the Hawk flew off satiated. 

Perched in what looked like someones garden,

I shifted position to where

its engorged crop could be clearly seen to be distended.

In addition it let out what seemed to be a few squawks

of satisfaction

and satisfaction at which point I left it to its own devices.