Home By The Sea - Genesis

It won't be long now before the Blog is closed down and they ship me off to the

Home By The Sea - Link

Judging by the number of puddle-lets that reappeared overnight the rain must have been either heavy or persistent, whichever at 04:00 it was noted that both the stable and garden Moth Traps were extinguished - (misnomer)! Had the rain blown the fuse on the garden ring-main, no everything else was working, so it was more likely the U/V lamps had blown (misnomer #2). It's not that I watch a lot of TV but did rather enjoy, over a couple of goblets of decent Red anaesthetic, witnessing Gerry Standing (New Tricks) being blown to Kingdom Come and then 'predictably' being reincarnated stepping into a equally Red Ford Mustang before driving into oblivion to the strains of Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf. With absolutely no reason to get up at that hour I returned to the hammock for a Guard and Steerage, and it wasn't until enjoying a first cup of coffee a little later that it was realised I'd forgotten to turned the flippin' things on before retiring!    

'A one-way ticket to The Home By The Sea please'

Apart from being reduced to just 2 traps, from where the best on offer were

 BORDERED PUG

 PLAIN PUG

and

SMALL WHITE WAVE

process to the relentless song of a Willow Warbler

plus a fly-past of c6 Siskin.
150 Macros of 40 Species

The Day Report is also rather deplete of interest except for the return of

Raven, Grey Wagtail and a second Green Sandpiper and at the

 SAND MARTIN WALL

 c3 Nest Holes are still 'active'

with parent birds feeding young.

but then something of an eye-opener after yesterday's aborted attempt

to bring you footage of the progress at Bournemouth International Airport.

My arrival there this morning coincided with a Management Site Inspection, where I was able to 'catch the ear' of one of the Civil (in more ways than one it must be said) Engineers. He started by telling me that back in the 70's the ethic was to consign all 'services', wherever possible to underground. More modern thinking has now seen such practise reversed with the effort here centring on getting all water sources above ground. He was also able to confirm that the area covered by this shortened 

Video Clip

(which by my estimate covers an area of some 

¼ of a mile x 50 yards)

will indeed become a 'water plain area' of sorts with associate attractions for Wildlife.

Harking back to Gerry and his red Mustang,

such images conjure up memories of some great times in 1998.

During that year both my younger daughter Lisa and myself were at a bit of a low ebb (nothing serious, just the Doldrums) as I was newly divorced and she recently returned from a full year travelling through South East Asia and the Antipodes. Sat on my new sofa in my new house (Slight Return I) we decided there and then that we would return to our World Wanderings by transiting the United States of America from Coast to Coast. A sketchy plan was drawn up, starting in New York, taking in some of south east Canada, including the Falls then heading for Frisco, via Mexico, using the Central (east/west) Highways.

We had spent a full and enjoyable day in Nashville, Tennessee and early next morning we were stood in line waiting to board the Greyhound for Memphis. Behind us in the queue stood 16 years old Danial with brother Robert (14), their natural mother and step father who they had been visiting for a few days. Only the 2 boys joined us on the coach, as returning to their fathers house, where the conversation was stimulating to say the least. Arriving at the Greyhound Station on Airways Boulevard, Downtown Memphis, Lisa and I turn to say our good-byes but were stopped short by Dan and Bob. "No, you have to stay with us as Mom has given us a 'fistful of dollars' to show you around our town"! The taxi dropped us outside of a large, archetypal American house where, once inside, cold drinks and sandwiches were served before repairing to the basement to flash up their guitar, amplifier and drums, then singing along to some R and R classics. Dan then asked the 3 of us to wait for him 'out front' while he disappeared into the backyard emerging 5 minutes later driving 

 'Gerry's Red Mussy'.

This image was taken prior to crossing the Mississippi Bridge into Arkansas.
Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Just a half a mile from the 'Mississippi Bridge'.

Chuck Berry

 We were taken to 

Beale Street

the main thoroughfare and centre of the Memphis Music Industry including 

SUN STUDIO

where we listened to original recordings by

The Million Dollar Quartet 

 Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and The King

before heading for Elvis's favoured cafe next door.

 A chance to sing the

CREAM CLASSIC 'BADGE'

in the RUM BOOGIE

before heading off to

 GRACELANDS

and the 

Elvis Airport

As darkness came upon us we were taken to

THE PEABODY HOTEL

where each evening the resident Mallard Ducks find their own way to

the elevator and are taken to their 

Palace on the Roof.

Having said out Thank Yous and Goodbyes there was time for a

MARGARITA for TWO

before boarding the next Greyhound for the next destination

New Orleans

but that's another story! 

Rock 'n' Roll Trivia:- Steppenwolf changed their name from The Sparrows to the title of the Hermann Hesse novel of the same name. Born to be Wild is considered by many to be the very first 'Heavy Metal' song as the lyric of the second verse coins the term for the first time in Rock 'n' Roll, which of course became 'the genre'. 

I like smoke and lightning

Heavy Metal thunder

Racin' with the wind

And the feelin' that I'm under

Yeah Darlin' go make it happen

Take the World in a love embrace

Fire all your guns at once

And explode into space.

while a Guard and Steerage, in Royal Navy parlance, is an extra 30 minutes 'lie in' the hammock for those back in 'days of yore' who were required for such duties (Guarding and/or Steering the ship) if continuing after 23:59. It is not known if this practise still exists, as since such newfangled ideas such as Human Rights and Sexual Equality have wangled their way in RN life it is likely Jolly Jack or Jolly Jackie can get their head down whenever they want?

Every Day - Steve Hackett

While our usual ramblings are published on average 3 days apart, for some time now we have been considering 'INFILLING' the gaps with less long-winded 'Daily Reports'. Along with our Much Valued Readership we realise that the 2,000 or so acres which comprise Parley Court Farm and Merritown Heath are neither a 'headlining' Migration Watch Point or for that matter the heart of the Amazonian Rain Forest, but rarely a day goes by without something of interest. For now at least these reports will be mainly narrative with, when applicable, just a sprinkling of images of the better finding of the day. We also know that many among you log-on to our humble site on a daily basis, often to find nothing new so, this idea should also alleviate that! So here goes..... 

With the days now getting noticeably shorter there is little value in transporting the Moth Traps to the monitoring point at Slight Return II until about 06:00. With the first of these in hand, a Green Sandpiper was heard transiting the southern section of the farm while one Little Owl was on full view on a favoured perch as the other was continuously 'calling' deep in the cover of an Ash tree.

Always a welcome sight a 'migrant'

 VESTAL

was second out of the trap and closely followed by an addition to the

Year List

 

STRAW UNDERWING

if only we could have coxed it to show its most startling feature.

Moth Count + 269 Macros x 64 Species

The sight that met the eye just north of Eco may best be described as 'many hundreds' of Swallows rather than 'thousands' but none the less a large number of birds slowly making their way towards the coast. There was a, considered, second Green Sandpiper at the Gravel Pit but nothing else, while at the Merritown Gate numbers were far fewer but again Swallows dominated. All else was left to the 'regulars', just c5 Dartford Warbler along with a couple of juvenile Stonechat and a single Slow Worm under one of the 35 sheets of metal or roofing felt now scattered far and wide across the area. However, most interest was of a human nature as there was a massive increase in activity beyond the barbed wire fence separating us from Bournemouth International Airport. Where in recent days there has been little or no activity at all, today both Contractors and Plant were present Mob-Handed!

The short video clip it seems is too large to be uploaded,

so it is hoped the 'still' will give some idea of the shape of things to come.

A couple of the workers were asked about the full plan, but it would seem the depression now forming will be what they described as Leveling Ponds, whatever they may be. 'Ponds' have to mean water, and water Wildlife, so bring it on! Otherwise, the dull weather with occasional showers of rain continued throughout ,which saw a raucous male Kestrel feeding an even more vocal juvenile in the trees behind Harbins farm House and a Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding on Hugh beloved Tennis Court.

MORE MANANA!

Sunday Girl - Blondie

Sunday Girl - Blondie (Link)

Someone once said of me "you have a Childlike (not to be confused with Child-ISH) enthusiasm for Wildlife" which was taken as a huge compliment. That hasn't changed one IOTA Martin, save for perhaps even more enthusiasm. My firm belief is that neither Life nor Luck will fall into ones lap, both are to be chased vigorously, grabbed by the scruff of the neck then milked for all they are worth. With the metaphoric wooden stool under my arm yesterday morning the mission was both Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Woodlark, the chances being minimal, but 'faint heart never won fair lady' - something known very well! Collecting 2 of the Moth Traps from the wooded area beyond the Farm Yard, it was noted that the 

BARLEY
was just about ready for mowing but the Moths were priority, so no time to linger.
Among them were

CRESCENT
not seen personally since the 80's was a great start as an addition to the
Parley Court Farm Moth List.
Next came

MARBLED GREEN

and

SMALL RUFOUS
which were both additions to the Year List and followed by more
usual fare such as

SINGLE-DOTTED WAVE

MAGPIE
and

DUN-BAR
It is unfortunate that a small proportion of our catch fall to waiting predators,
but this Cheeky Little Git a

juvenile
ROBIN

was deep 'inside' one trap securing this hapless
BROAD-BORDERED YELLOW UNDERWING.
As an aside, we have been sent this image by Dave Foot who at his
last visit here took h with him the eggs of a

LOBSTER MOTH
which he nurtured and brought to Larval form.
What a Bizarre looking Creature!

During monitoring of the traps a young

SONG THRUSH

looked as if it were crossing the railway lines,
while further on at the Northern part of the property the first returning

REED BUNTING
of the year was discovered.
There has been no evidence that breeding has taken place here, in fact
the banks of the River Stour seem to have been devoid of this species
all season.

A very close encounter with a

COMMON BUZZARD

was the next treat, usually so jittery that they fly off at the 

first sign of human activity.

A short clip before checking both ponds where there was no more than
c2 Green Sandpiper followed by yet another encounter with a (the) Cuckoo, thought
to be the same as of recent days, before being blessed with excellent close
views of a daytime flying Nightjar, but without photographic evidence.
Checking the various sheets of corrugated metal and squares of roofing felt
c4 Slow Worms were added to the log by which time it was plainly apparent
that 'second broods' of both

STONECHAT

and

DARTFORD WARBLER

were on the wing.
The last record of Lesser Spot here was just outside of our Recording Area
to the north, so thought a good site to check. There was no need to
consult my calendar to confirm the day

as the continuous retorts of small arms fire was enough to confirm it was Sunday.

At the second to last gate before leaving the Heath there were signs of someone trying to gain access which turned out to be Gary Clarke the Herdsman who has small pockets of 'Rare Breeds' Cattle scattered across the County. A most amiable and interesting fella, our all too infrequent encounters are most enjoyable to say the least, so no problem for me to report his c4 Belted Galloways by text each time they are seen. This meet was also very short as he was preparing the Cattle for a Veterinary Inspection, and you know what I was after! A full 30 minute (slow) walk to the bridge spanning the Moors River, where at least Cetti's Warbler was hoped for, but not seen or heard, but there were some interesting way-side Plants to occupy my time.

HEMP AGRIMONY

WATER MINT

There having been no ACORN crop at all here last year a watchful
eye has been kept on the OAK TREES for signs of life this year.

It couldn't have been imagines the feeling when discovering an abundance
of Fruits, it is unlikely that the quarry would have made me feel any better?
Little Things etc, etc!

Also adding to the Autumnal feel
BLACKBERRIES
too are ripening as are the berries of the

GUELDER ROSE
On my return Gary was met again and this time someone was noticed sat in his
Land Rover. Ever inquisitive  (an anagram of 'nosy') I asked who it was and
was quickly introduced to the charming

Reiko Shimada
from Shizuoka, Japan - seen here in company with Gary and his trusty
Airedale Terrier 'Gordon'.

Hands together and offering a shallow bow, I uttered the Japanese word
'sayonara' in greeting and the dear lady must have thought I was leaving
as it was remembered later that means 'Goodbye'.
There followed a short period of reminiscing covering her homeland from

 YAKUSHIMA MACAQUE

 and the DEER that allow the Primates to ride on their backs, the

 GEISHA
and

CHERRY BLOSSOM
of  Hiroshima
Do you remember the Cherry Blossom in the market square
Do you remember I thought it was confetti in our hair

Kayleigh - Marillion

a series of
BULLET TRAINS
from
FUKUOKA in the south to the most northerly town of WAKKANAI

SHINTO SHRINES
A 'deadly encounter' with the

 

 and a far less menacing one with our dear friend

CHRIS COOK
at his office with the Tokyo Times where he is Fashion Editor.
plus much, much more.

STELLA'S SEA EAGLE
now where have we seen that before?
By the time we parted company my head was in the clouds, a
heady, heady day. In fact as I wandered back across the Heath
I skipped a light fandango and occasionally 
turned cartwheels across the floor.
I was also feeling kinda seasick but as ever
the crowd called out for more.
By then the room was humming harder and believe it or not
the ceiling moved away,
so I called out for another drink and yes you've guessed!
the Waiter brought a tray

With eternal thanks to Procol Harum

The day was by no means over, in fact there were still a couple of Goodies left to see!

GOLD-RINGED DRAGONFLY
landed directly in front of the Strange Rover
and a second visit to the Irrigation Pond produced an all too brief

COMMON SANDPIPER

Photo and Video from the archive.
Returning to replace the Moth Traps the Barley had gone.

The Changing Face of Farming

Youngest son Gavin tells me that the 'grain yield' was not high but
but the by-product straw was plentiful.
Neon on my naked skin, passing silhouettes 
of strange illuminated mannequins. 
Shall I stay here at the zoo 
or should I go and change my point of view 
for other ugly scenes. 
You did what you did to me 
now it's history I see 
here's my comeback on the road again. 
Things will happen while they can 
I will wait here for my man tonight 
it's easy when you're big in Japan 
Aah when you're big in Japan-tonight
Big in Japan - Alphaville (Link)

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