Lord of the Flies - William Golding

With yet another marked drop in temperature overnight, punctuated by the odd rain shower, expectations were low on the Moth front, but there were still a few oddities. Of the c44 Moths of 6 species, all common and expected, the show stealer would have to be

 TWIN-SPOTTED QUAKER

and with Fly species in general being well represented, 

even on the coldest Spring nights, these copulating

(probable) 

EMPIS TESSELLATA
Flies brought added interest while this

MOSQUITO Sp
was no surprise.

FURNITURE BEETLE
however was as not even thought of, requiring an E-mail visit to my
friend John Gifford for identification.

(larva of what are familiar as Woodworm)

Probably known to most as a Daddy Longlegs this
CRANE FLY

is the first of the Year, but sure to be followed by plenty more!
With the traps attended it was a 15 minute drive to

one of my favourite Nature Reserves
from where there has been recent sightings of Garganey, Sand Martin, Little Ringed Plover, Red Kite, Red-crested Pochard to name but a few.
To clear away the bad news immediately, none of the above were seen
but read on.

WILD DAFFODIL

Quite a bit of time has been spent searching this one out, with
all previous sightings being of the 'cultivated variety'. So here it is!

male GOLDENEYE

ADDER
best count on the Reserve so far this year is 9.

DRONE FLY
lots of them about.
Like anywhere else, Blashford may not always come up with a
Rare Bird
but what can be guaranteed, at most times of the year, are
Close Encounters
with the more common fare such as

GREY HERON

male SISKIN

female SISKIN

LESSER REDPOLL

MEALY REDPOLL
c2 reported but only one seen.

BRAMBLING
no notification of this species on the
"What's About Board"?

ROBIN

GREENFINCH
good to see plenty of these about not only here at Blashford
but also at Longham and Parley Court Farm.

Look Mum - another Lesser Redpoll.

GOLDFINCH

and ANOTHER

BLUE TIT

female CHAFFINCH

distant WREN

and likely the find of the day?
OPPOSITE-LEAVED GOLDEN SAXIFRAGE
THANKS again go to JOHN GIFFORD for another ID.
FROM the TERN HIDE

 

male TUFTED DUCK

Roll Preening

female TUFTED DUCK

BLACK-HEADED GULL

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Time - Pink Floyd

 I set my 'Store for Life' by these lyrics

when they were written in 1973

 and as I have been  

"kicking around on a piece of ground"

 today thought it an apt 'headline' to this post.

DON'T MISS THE STARTING GUN!

 Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

There was no intention to publish a Post today and looking from the bedroom window to see all the cars had turned 'white' it looked every bit as it might be a 'mooch around the farm' kind of day. Stepping outside the 'icy blast' made matters worse, so hurrying off to tend the Traps there was little or no desire to go far. Surprisingly, there was more than expected with counts of 7 each for 

 HEBREW CHARACTER

 and COMMON QUAKER

 c2 of CLOUDED DRAB

and singles of

 EARLY GREY

 OAK BEAUTY

and SMALL QUAKER

OK, nothing new but 6 species and we didn't draw a blank.
 Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

Unusually, all of this took place before 'logging on', which came next, and was full of inspiration by way of a species too long outstanding on the 'ongoing' Dorset March List and which would take me to pastures new. The information also contained directions for

 which prior to today was not even heard of let alone visited.
A fairly small 'relict' area of prime woodland which would have covered all of this region in days gone by but had somehow survived the Woodman's Axe.

 COMMON OAK

 PINE, SCRUB with open GRASSY areas along with several

 LARGE PONDS
a child's delight (note the swing).

 Not a lot of bird-life here on the day but my wander plus an enquiry
soon found me at the right Pool where it took only moments to find

 the 'pair' of MANDARIN
first the female hove into view

 followed by her spectacular partner

 and it did cross my mind that they could easily be the pair reported,
but not found, on Merley Lake at the beginning of the month.
 So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Next, was of Great Priority, to top up the Beer and Wine Lockers. My least favourite of pastimes but this just had to be done, so with a bite of the proverbial bullet it was off to see Mr Sainsbury. No crowds so a short lived affair and soon all was safely gathered in. Off to Janet's Dad and Mum for a cuppa and a catch up chat, Proper country people, they have farmed all their lives and miss little of what is all around them. First was reports of freshly found Barn Owl pellets, but as yet no sign of nesting, as they often did, in the Straw Barn. In other out-houses

ROBIN
is already sitting on eggs in one of 14 nest boxed Gramps made
and stationed around the property, while a

WREN

had used a redundant Swallows nest as foundation for his own.
An eye will be kept on this but it is well known that the male Wren
may construct half a dozen or more before The Missus selects
the right one!

The HYACINTHS are blooming at the entrance to
Longham Lake

female and male TUFTED DUCK

Another

 
COMMON TOAD

(Scirpus Sp) BULRUSH
 

MUTE SWAN

Male left and female
GADWALL

with the preening male showing a white speculum (wing bar).

MEDITERRANEAN GULL (left)
with BLACK-HEADED GULLs
just 4 of 100's here again today.

and some of the remaining
TUFTED DUCK

Not a lot to offer here today but a bracing walk in the chill breeze.

 Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.

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