Curate's Egg

Friday May 17

The Bad

A really short night, I ended up with less than five hours sleep. Pam had a little more.  After a busy morning with moths, we set off for Bayhead store to find that they hadn't kept me yesterday's newspaper. They were shut when we returned from Barra. 

Setting off for Baleshare, the car slowed down to 18 mph, and despite Pam flooring the accelerator, there was no increase in speed. It went normally in reverse but my suggestion that we drive home backwards was not met with approval nor humour. 

It was 18 mph with intermittent loud pips and flashing from the display panel until we reached the cottage. We kept a couple of people waiting in lay-bys for our stately, funereal approach. 

Ian was mystified.

I read the entire handbook and was mystified. 

Pam phoned the AA, they were mystified - as to where we were that is. Pam had to spell everything.

The Good 

Just about an hour later, the AA rep turned up, whisked his buttock length dreadlocks over a shoulder, drove the car down the road and announced that he knew the problem. The cruise control button had been set at 18 mph. We didn't even know that this button existed.

Now we do.

A very pleasant morning with Ian and Sue sorting out both last night's moths and then, opening this morning's trap. Scalloped Hazel and Flame Carpet were the best of yesterday's. To-day's most exciting was a beautiful female Fox Moth, new to us all. She has laid a load of eggs in the pot this afternoon. I haven't photographed her yet, that will have to wait until the morning.

We also had two Cinnabars, more Flame Carpet, Knotgrass and  Dark Swordgrass.

Ian brought the Belted Beauty round so that I was able to photograph it out of the pot. It appears on the machair around Balranald and that is where it was released by Mike this evening.

Mike and Pat called in late afternoon to see the Fox Moth and our cottage. They are leaving in the morning. It's so lovely to have another week. Mike caught up with Golden Eagle to-day, seeing two birds well.

Such a beautiful evening. Still warm, virtually wind free and a virtually cloudless sky. We drove to Balranald first, seeing the black Ruff on the way. Corncrakes calling all over the place, no sightings to-day.

Next, Committee Road, As soon as we'd passed the Griffin's cottage we saw two Short-eared Owls being hassled by Lapwing. 

Three more owls before we reached the viewpoint. Brilliant.

Nothing else to-night apart from Ian's excellent photo of a Whinchat sat on their garden fence and a Whimbrel sat amongst the vegetation. We've stopped counting Pam's Meadow Pipit sightings.

A really lovely way to end the day.