The Bagsy Blog

Wednesday, 5 October 2016

The Spirit of Autumn Past - Mostly Autumn

Maybe we were a little hasty in branding the weather of the new month the same as that of September. OK, the first day was dreadful but since then not bad at all so we continue the search of our Recording Area. At the Moth Traps we are still recording the odd Insect New for the Year but only a little migrant action such as

WHITE SPECK

also considered a transitory resident along

with the migrant Micro

RUSTY-DOT PEARL

with the best of the 'also rans' being a single

VAPOURER

There was additional interest via a

HAWTHORN SHEILDBUG

while identifying this splendidly shiny and one of complex group of

LEAF BEETLE

after some discussion we settled for

CHRYSOLINA BANKSI

If you consider differently we would be most pleased to hear from you (not easy)!

There is no such thing as a Dull Day in the Field

but yesterday was certainly pushing the bounds with only the following to report.

At the Irrigation Pond a few

MALLARD

are starting to show up in their new colours, while the single

TEAL

Almost as STILL as the STILL.

(seen here in company with a Grey Wagtail)

seems not to have caught up yet or is more likely a female?

All else there was a lone

ROE DEER

SMALL HEATH BUTTERFLY

AUTUMN HAWTHORN

SHAGGY INK CAP

BOG BUSH CRICKET
(courtesy of Gary the Cowman)

CANNIBAL ISLAND
2 recently delivered Boeing 737's

it is believed they strip these redundant aircraft for spares?

Finally, from our dear friends in Thailand

a couple of Moths we wouldn't mind seeing in our traps.
Thanks to Jean-Francois and Roong.

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Monday, 3 October 2016

I Know What I Like in Your Wardrobe - Genesis

It would seem that October inherited everything bad, weatherwise, that September had to offer on day one but things certainly perked up yesterday Unusually, we had company at the Moth Traps during the week when my new protégé, bee-keeper and upholstress Chloé Norian joined me for the usual rounds. In fact this is her second visit and to be honest it was amazing to find that she had remembered more than 50% of the Moth names so feel the tables may well be turned inthe near future! See everyone isn't as thick as me.

On the strength of that it was Chloé who opened and sorter
all but one of the traps.

Best in Trap today was this

RED UNDERWING
but there were also a few other most interesting Creepy Crawlies

HORNET

ROVE BEETLE

CRANE-FLY
(more familiarly known as Daddy Long-legs)

FOLDED-WINGED CRANE-FLY and on the outside

BLACK SLUG

With the numbers already arrived, it looks like it could be a bumper year for

JAY

SMALL-FLOWERED EVENING PRIMROSE

and also mobbed handed of late

juvenile and adult

STARLING

At the Airport the tributary has now got

Water and some of its Flow back, but all else on the Heath only included this

SMOOTH SNAKE
which may well be the last before hibernation sets in.

Roy writes to tell us that this is an
AIRBUS A340-300 VIP
Longhaul business jet which carries 100 passengers with the company based in Malta.

That's about the time my little man comes around to cut the grass.

As the sun beats down I lie on the bench,
you can always hear them talk.
'Cus me, I'm just a Lawn Mower,
You can tell me by the way I walk!
and I know what I like and I like what I know
getting better in your wardrobe, getting one beyond your show.

Genesis

A cue for the

BLACK-HEADED GULL

and

PIED WAGTAIL
to drop in for dinner.
Fianally, and long overdue, we would extend our
THANKS
to John Gifford who as ever has been instrumental in
identifying a number of our Creepy Crawlies and Others.

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Saturday, 1 October 2016

Falkland Islands I

While monging through the plethora of images that might adorn our headed, to herald yet another new month, we happened upon one that was not only thought suitable but also inspired some long overdue research. That of the Yellow-footed Gull (above) is associated with a third exciting trip along the full length of the Alaska Highway, a sensational and not to be missed adventure in itself. For some years prior to 2011 we had been pursuing all the 54 species of Gull in the World, but up until then any additions to that list were simply as part of any particular trip rather than a dedicated ‘twitch’! With only c3 species left to record at that time it was decided to try for the penultimate c2 (if indeed that phrase is grammatically correct) in ‘one fell swoop’, although considered mightily ambitious even for a seasoned traveller such as myself. The goal was eventually achieved with both species being not only seen but also photographed, but what had never been calculated, until yesterday at least, were the number of miles travelled on certainly my longest ‘twitch’ ever. The accompanying caption tells the tale of the first, but the second