The Bagsy Blog

Monday, 16 March 2015

High Hopes - Pink Floyd

A relatively mild and not too damp Winter allowed me at least to escape the ravages of piblokto, and now we can all enjoy at least 12 hour each day of uninterupted daylight. That means monitoring the Moth Traps can start as early as 06:30 unless of cause there is a Calling From Above.The familiar sound of at least one

DUNLIN

was enough reason to abandon the traps until later, and although
it was highly unlikey that this 'over-flying' bird(s) was going to pitch
a short effort was made to prove it.

This is the first known of the species to be recorded at PCF so an
Excellent Start to the Day!
(photos from the archive as illustration)

Other moments of excitement of the last couple of days has been the deployment of an Actinic Moth Trap on Merritown Heath. With heavy rain predicted, and duely showing up, expectations were not high but 'keep the sunny side up' and look what we got. All 'firsts' for the year, and clinging to the outside of the unit a beautiful

YELLOW HORNED
just to start thing off,

this being just a ¼ of the total within.

As if that were not enough, for that speccies at least, there was also a

Copulating Pair

found with the others clinging to an egg tray.

('click' on the image to better see the colour variation between the 2)

Luck indeed, as it might take a couple of lifetimes to ever 'capture' such a situation.

SMALL QUAKER

HORSE CHESTNUT

and just singularly, the

CHESTNUT

Unidentified LARVAE likely of a Micro Moth
we carn't do the Moths let alone the Larvae!

Good numbers of common birds around over the past couple

of days and something of a Renaissance for the likes of

GOLDFINCH

GREENFINCH

remain numerous and healthy as do

DUNNOCK

Now here a thought.

This gravelled area, with associate puddles, used to be a stowage area for recently cut Turf. Latterly, it was the base for machinary and stores used for the construction of Phase II Solar Panel Farm. It was also the home, last year, of at least one Little Ringed Plover which given the Hurn Gravel Pit has now been back-filled, might just decided to settle here with its mates later on?

I am currently in discussion with the Site Manager to be allowed limited
access, to monitor whatever may arrive, with Hopes being High.

On to the Sewerage Works where once again the odd

GREY WAGTAIL

is showing up with the 100+

Pied Wagtail there.

They're still here!
Same puddle, same time of day and maybe the same bird?
GREEN SANDPIPER

ROBIN

Lots

GOLDCREST

c6 (distant GADWALL on the Gravel Pit

Just a small part of the 100+

LINNET
flock.

MERRITOWN HEATH
looking towards the Aspens

and an impromptu stop right alongside this dead

BADGER

Looking forward to seeing the changing colours the seasons will bring
and hopefully a few more of these

DARTFORD WARBLER

still keeping a very low profile at the moment.

There seem to be c2 pairs of

STONECHAT
settling in while there is still the occasional song from a

WOODLARK

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Saturday, 14 March 2015

Lorraine - Bad Manners

Not her you understand!

Tuesday was a day to meet up with an Old Flame and still dear friend Lorraine, but she knew very well that if we were to visit the New Forest for lunch, then there would have to be a bird or 2 to look at first. Not wrong, as being so near to Nomansland, there was always a chance of a Goshawk. Better still, as we took up position on the hillside a

RED KITE

flew into view, and while its only telescope views from such a distance,

it is from the archive we pluck the images.

Next up was a

GOSHAWK

in fact 2 trying to get into the displaying mood but not quiet succeeding.

There were plenty of

WOODLARK

there as well and all seemed to be vocal.

So to lunch and we had agreed on the

LAMB INN
at Nomansland

and strongly recommended it is if your down that part of the
New Forest.

A platter for 2 seemed in order along with a little catching up.
Wednesday, and it was back in harness, no rest for the wicked here!
A trio of macro Moths joined the extremely short (as yet)
Year List

CLOUDED DRAB

OAK NYCTEOLINE
and

DOUBLE-STRIPED PUG
and as you know 'we don't do Micros'
so here are a couple anyway.

AGONOPTERIX ALSTROMERIANA
and

DEPRICARIA DAUCELLA
It was the Irrigation Pond that caught most of my attention and while only
'common birds' were seen it is a joy to watch this tiny watercourse
become attractive to birdlife after all the disturbance of the Solar Panel Works.

First up were not quite so common here as only about a dozen have
entered the log since my first visit in 2006.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL

this seeming 'pair' were in the first instance just content preening,

but there was more to come.

That's when the marauders arrived

as usual proceeded by their rasping calls.

Prepare for landing.

They don't seem to cause the others any bother so
Live and Let Live!

A 'second winter'
BLACK-HEADED GULL
and the now 'resident'

LITTLE GREBE
which was being particularly confiding swimming to the near bank.

Back to the

Lesser Black-back who had taken to a bit of wing stretching

while the younger Black-headed joined an adult on the Island.

If it's good enough for the bigger birds,

then it's good enough for us!

It is though that the also 'resident pair' of
COOT
might have got cracking by now, but not a single sign of interest,

There were c3
COMMON BUZZARD
on the wing at this moment, along with a Raven giving them a bit
of grief but weren't up for all getting in shot.

It cannot be seen why this, and other, helicopters have to fly over
Merritown Heath
but I'm not going to lock horns with that lot now I'm Low Profile!