Sunday, 21 June 2020

Festoon - Chauvet DJ

Please Stand Advised We are Still Catching Up
on a none too clement morning with persitant heavy rain, gusty winds and a gloomy outlook 
here in a less than sunny Dorset!
The Good News is you have the Bagsy Blog to cheer you up,
so why not reach for the 'All Adressees Button' and cheer up all your Pals as well!
On a day that was mostly dogged by heavy rain, it was the previous evening
that proved a sight for sore eyes!
As part of our nocturnal wandings a stop to unlock the gate to the Heath
brought with it what will surely be one of the highlights of 2020.
No more than 100 feet away was a Hobby, in flight, scribing an ovate and undulating
flight pattern from just above ground level up to tree tops level. It was also carrying
an avian prey species which it was also plucking at the same time - WOW!
The rain didn't hamper monitoring the Moth Traps, from where there was more success, 
but soon set in not helping to enhance the best of posts!
All 'first for year' we kicked off with the diminutive  
FESTOON
followed in line by
 BLUE-BORDERED CARPET
 COMMON FOOTMAN
 FAN-FOOT
 PEACH BLOSSOM
 SMALL FAN-FOOTED WAVE
and an early
COMMON RUSTIC
 Otherwise, and through the gloom it was left mostly to 'young birds'
to make up the rest of the post.
 While it did start a little misty that soon cleared bringing the juvenile
KESTRAL's
out to play but only at great distance
and maximum zoom, a little shakey
 but growing up rapidly.
OPIUM POPPIES
are now starting to bloom
 on the bund right next to the caravan (of love)
All of the other action was confined to the 
Solar Panel Compound
where there was nothing unexpected but did pass a 
Very Interesting Hour
of just 'common fare'!
Having convinced the Panel People long ago not to mow the grass just for 
cosmetic purposes the likes of
 GOLDFINCH
thrive on the abundance of
Weed Seeds
and for reasons best known to themselves young
 RAVENs
annually spend their early days of fledging within,
 maybe waiting in hope of the 
 
odd Sheep carcass?
 LAPWINGs,
usually a little more confiding, are also finding sustenance here
 but this year, for reasons unknown, they seem to 'spook' readily?
 SWALLOWs
mostly juveniles
 are also prevalent and likely favouring the
 high perches
and abundance of Insects
 with just a single adult also seen carrying nesting material.
It Ain't Over Yet!
We haven't as much as heard a Common Buzzard over the past few days
 but feel still in attendance as finding this feather along the way
while on the Heath the only bird to come anywhere near to 'close' was this
MEADOW PIPIT
Quiet Times
 but that will change as the year grows - hopefully.

Saturday, 20 June 2020

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

The Solstice arrived along with 2 eminent gentlemen of the
World of Moths
to join me with their own traps and in the shape of
Phil Sterling once again along with his brother Mark.
On the face of it the weather conditions were perfect and with 9 traps on the go hopes are high.
We will bring you the results in days to come, otherwise
the day started with a few more additions to the
2020 Moth List
 BORDERED BEAUTY
 GARDEN TIGER
 SMALL FAN-FOOT
along with
 SMALL BLOOD-VEIN
To the towns where there was plenty
They brought plunder, swords and flame
When they left the town was empty
And children would never play again

 as the long time absent
 Royal Air Force
once again entered our air-space.
 Another 'first' as far as
Eddie Stobart Livery
is concerned we ain't seen Beryl Joan before.
 A relatively dense mist greeted us at the gateway to the Heath
(having found nothing at the 2 ponds)
with the dew highlighting what must be tens of thousands of
 FUNNEL SPIDER WEBS
 Settling to monitor the traps, as ever we wondered at the great privilege 
that it is to be allowed to wander on such a place.
 never losing sight
of the wonders hereabouts.
 Additions to 2020 here included the beautifully
 ghost-like
 WHITE SATIN
 GREY PUG
COMMON EMERALD
along with
 DUSKY BROCADE
with
 HONEYSUCKLE
now in full bloom we also had hopes of a
Hummingbird Hawk-moth,
 but no and still early days yet. What is considered to be, vernacularly speaking,
KING ALFRED'S CAKE
 (Fungi)
 was next to be found followed by singles of 
STRIPED MILIPEDE
and
7-SPOT LADYBIRD
Having returned to base by mid-afternoon it was found that the rumours may in fact be founded as
 BRITISH AIRWAYS
might in fact be clearing out some of their craft with these
getting airbourne!
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 mountain
and outward towards the sea
They had come to claim the Emerald
Without it they could not leave
One of, if not 'the' BEST Battle Hymn in the whole of Rock 'n' Roll
but let's not discount
The King Will Come and Throw Down the Sword - Wishbone Ash
played in tandem!