Margaret’s grandchildren’s father lives in the Caribbean working in the sailing and underwater repairs business. Recently he helped sail a catamaran from St Martin’s to Madeira for the owner and took the opportunity to fly to Britain to visit his daughters. They are now all camping at Lytchett Minster.
Happy campers - Amber, Kara and Tom Jonsonn.
As a treat Tom and I took the girls to Go Ape at Moors Valley Country Park. A bit costly, but a great experience.
I first went there in autumn 2005 and to be honest found it really scary.
I might be clipped on but I was really suffering from vertigo !
Back to 2011. Clearly Amber doesn't suffer from vertigo !
Kara on the 'stirrups'
- The scary Tarzan swing
I didn’t get a photo of the girls on the Tarzan swing, this shot was taken on my 2007 visit.
Smiles all round when the course was completed
I have just received an arrears payment from my former employer – for 5p !
Glad to know they are honest. Hope it’s not my monthly pension!
Went to Go Ape at Moors Valley today with the grandchildren.
Will post some photos tomorrow.
I have been ringing at Durlston CP both mornings. On Sunday a group of us caught 57 new birds in the ‘garden’, today I was alone for much of the morning and trapped 35 new birds.
On Sunday we had 9 species of warbler, Grasshopper (2), Willow, Sedge, Reed, Garden (6) plus Common and Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.
Today the best birds were a Reed and a Grasshopper Warbler.
Most first year Grasshopper Warblers are brown but a few have this lovely yellow tinge.
Not all birds can be ringed, this male Bullfinch is suffering from a mite infestation. This is quite common in some species of finch.
This Lesser Whitethroat had hardly started its post juvenile moult and had presumably hatched nearby.
Many Sylvia warblers such as this Garden Warbler feed on blackberries in the autumn, hence the red staining around the gape.
Later there was a public demonstation of mothing at the Wildlife Centre. The big news was a Small Marbled, a rather unremarkable little moth, but the first record for Durlston CP
Small Marbled one of the smallest 'macro' moths. Before 2011, an extreme rarity in Dorset.
The Drinker, apparently only the caterpillar 'drinks' the adults have no proboscis.
The Magpie Moth
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