Well, I did it. Up at 4.45am, out of the house by 5.
Heronry Pond - the Stats:
Tringa sp - 0
Little Egrets - 1
Grey Herons - 3
Coots - 6
Mallards - 10
Moorhens - 13
Biting Insects - 23,483,751,974
Was it worth it? No, not even remotely, although a Buddhist Monk wearing an Ipod was a patch tick to add to the Nun last year some time. My legs in particular have been well and truly ravaged, and one very evil bug got me just above my eye which is intensely irritating. On balance, staying in bed would have been much more satisfactory.
Putting this dismal failure aside, I eagerly came home to examine the contents of the moth trap.
Moths - 0
Wanstead wildlife - setting the world on fire.
News of a Redstart at Rainham (potential patch tick!) got us out of the house by about 10, and we had a pleasant amble round. It was so hot though that we didn't get much past the woodland feeders, and we headed back to the centre before too long, Redstartless. I am not officially keeping a Rainham 2009 list, but Long-tailed Tit was #112 if anyone else is counting - a nice flock in the cordite along with gazillions of juv Chiffchaffs. Very very quiet indeed, until we got home that is! Small blue butterfly seen briefly from the back door, and a veritable frenzy kicked off. Camera!! Where did it go!? There, on the sage! Phew got it. Common Blue. Woo-hoo! Garden Tick! Good, now I needn't get stupidly excited about that one again. Other bloggers I read are experiencing the same thing this summer - common butterflies seen in the garden triggering mass celebrations, high-fives, fireworks and generous dollops of well-being. Enjoy it while it lasts, soon they'll be boring again. "Ah, Common Blue. Hmmm, whatever, ho-hum. Hey, what's that Hoverfly over there??!!!! Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Heronry Pond - the Stats:
Tringa sp - 0
Little Egrets - 1
Grey Herons - 3
Coots - 6
Mallards - 10
Moorhens - 13
Biting Insects - 23,483,751,974
Was it worth it? No, not even remotely, although a Buddhist Monk wearing an Ipod was a patch tick to add to the Nun last year some time. My legs in particular have been well and truly ravaged, and one very evil bug got me just above my eye which is intensely irritating. On balance, staying in bed would have been much more satisfactory.
Putting this dismal failure aside, I eagerly came home to examine the contents of the moth trap.
Moths - 0
Wanstead wildlife - setting the world on fire.
News of a Redstart at Rainham (potential patch tick!) got us out of the house by about 10, and we had a pleasant amble round. It was so hot though that we didn't get much past the woodland feeders, and we headed back to the centre before too long, Redstartless. I am not officially keeping a Rainham 2009 list, but Long-tailed Tit was #112 if anyone else is counting - a nice flock in the cordite along with gazillions of juv Chiffchaffs. Very very quiet indeed, until we got home that is! Small blue butterfly seen briefly from the back door, and a veritable frenzy kicked off. Camera!! Where did it go!? There, on the sage! Phew got it. Common Blue. Woo-hoo! Garden Tick! Good, now I needn't get stupidly excited about that one again. Other bloggers I read are experiencing the same thing this summer - common butterflies seen in the garden triggering mass celebrations, high-fives, fireworks and generous dollops of well-being. Enjoy it while it lasts, soon they'll be boring again. "Ah, Common Blue. Hmmm, whatever, ho-hum. Hey, what's that Hoverfly over there??!!!! Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Bo-ring!
The rest of the day was the usual domestic bliss. Two loads of washing done, a huge shop at Sainsbury's, and then just following the children around the house picking things up. My lego skills are coming on a treat - new career?
Anyone for a Puffin photo? Oh, OK then, if you really really insist.
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