The Bagsy Blog

Saturday, 27 June 2015

Night Owl - Gerry Rafferty

Today's proposed Post had already been compiled Yesterday which was intended for publication Today, but given the happening of Yesterday this Post was written up Yesterday and appears here Today! As ever, we started monitoring the Moth Traps at about 05:00 and by 07:30 we had added 4 new species to the PCF Year List including

the diminutive

SHORT-CLOAKED MOTH

a most eye-catching

SCARCE SILVER-LINES

SMALL FAN-FOOT

In addition there was this rather 'dark' specimen of

SHOULDER-STRIPED WAINSCOT

and, while we Don't Do Micros

the exception to that rule is waved

when something like this drops in our lap.

BEE MOTH

(you could never capture the full hues of such a creature with a camera)

and just for good measure

LOZOTAERIA FORSTERANA

As a quick aside, ¾ of a dozen of us went for a meal at the

WOOLPACK INN @ SOPLEY
on Wednesday evening to celebrate Janet's birthday.

Why the subject should have changed, over the
Lamb Shank and Eton Mess, to

FALSE WIDOW SPIDER

remains a mystery but, on returning home and having never

seen one before, Jen one of our Equestrian Ladies found a

single scaling her bathroom net curtain. Now, while she got the

ID of the Arachnid right we are still convinced the other is one of

Husband Dave's old String Vests????

Once the final, battery driven, trap was completed on

Merritown Heath
with yet another far more obliging

but no less beautiful

CLOUDED BUFF

attention was turned to other things all around me such as

PERFORATED SAINT JOHN'S WORT

LARGE SKIPPER

(Butterfly)

the Herb

CENTUARY

and even a 'likely'

LESSER MARSH GRASSHOPPER?

along with a 'third'

SMOOTH SNAKE

It would have been physically impossible to be any further away, within the Recording Area, from where Hugh sent the text and I received it! However, despite having to negotiate 2 barriers which needed opening and then closing behind myself, dodging the perpetual stream of lorries tooing and froing at Eco, Sleeping Policemen before hitting the main road, it was less than 15 minutes to reach 18-Acre by which time Hugh had left - Pheeeww!

It was back in 2005, a year before even meeting Hugh and Janet

let alone visiting Parley Court Farm, that this

ASH TREE TRUCK

was cut away after being made unstable by a fierce gale.

Prior to that a pair of

LITTLE OWL
had nested there for as long as can be remembered.

Today, Hugh's call had heralded their return,

not likely to be the same pair but a 'PAIR' nonetheless.

It is now hoped that we see a lot more of these furtive birds.
The rest of the days action came from 'above'

as the noise alone was enough to alert the Devil himself

into investigating what was going on.

I am on alert to be corrected Roy, but even a

Royal Air Force
TORNADO
was not quick enough to beat me to the punch!

and then the heavy showers began beating down so hard on the roof of

Slight Return II
that it was thought to be hail.
WE'LL BE AT IT AGAIN FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
COME RAIN OR SHINE

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Wednesday, 24 June 2015

The Emerald - Thin Lizzy

Down from the glen came the marching men

With their shields and their swords

To fight the fight they believed to be right

And overthrow the Overlords

To the towns where there was plenty

They brought plunder, swords and flame

When they left the town was empty

The children would never play again

There was a certain desperation about yesterday, that being the 'third' day that we had been unable to locate the Little Ringed Plovers and while a positive attitude was being maintained there was also a feel of unease in the air. Regardless, the Birds had to second place as the sun was above the horizon and the Moth Traps must be attended too before the heat of the day sets in. Once they feel that increased temperature the overnight lethargy is soon overtaken and they become all of a flutter. All of those who pursue this fascinating activity will, like myself, doubtless spend long periods browsing one or other of the splendid Field Guides associated with with the subject. It was only 2 days ago that my interest was taken by a particular Insect which is described on the Dorset Moth Group Website as "a scarce and very local resident" which, it should be added, up until then had not been recorded here at Parley Court Farm.

BLOTCHED EMERALD

was almost the first Moth of the day

not in the trap at all

but perched precariously on the perspex collar.
BUT WE GOT IT!
The Emerald - Thin Lizzy Link
From their graves I heard the fallen
Above the battle cry
By that bridge near the border
There were many more to die
Then onward over the mountains
And outwards towards the sea
They had come to claim the Emerald
Without it they could not leave
New for the Year were

LILAC BEAUTY

SMALL DUSTY WAVE

RIBAND WAVE
with the exception to this being a nice example of the very common

DOUBLE-STRIPED PUG

The 'migrant'
BORDERED STRAW
continue to be taken daily and back to the Year List with

DOUBLE SQUARE-SPOT

It's been said before in these pages and here we go again that these

AIRBUS A400M
look mighty sinister, and even more so when passing into low cloud.
No time for Plane Spotting really as best haste had to be made for the
Solar Panel Compound.