Thursday, 22 May 2008

Moths and Bird Song

When I get stuck identifying a moss or lichen or fungus I can get a bit frustrated but at the end of the day I accept it. Apart from the more common species these can be hard for the non-expert to tell apart.
I find it extremely difficult to accept being unable to identify a British macro-moth because I consider myself to be something of an amateur expert. But the hardest thing of all for me to acknowledge is my inability to identify bird songs. I am hopeless at it.
I would have loved to have been taught bird songs at an early age. I have tried using CDs and tapes and the sometimes wonderful verbal versions of what a bird sounds like but I remain very poor at it. The other morning I was attracted by the sound of an l.b.j. (“little brown job”) sitting on a telegraph wire against the light. It looked like a bunting in outline but most distinctive was its call which I cannot remember having heard before. “Tooo-eee; tooo-eee…” When I tried to get a photo it flew off. Most frustrating. It will have to be added to those many dozens of natural history species that I have seen but not identified…



In the meantime I am refusing to give up trying to put a name to this Geometer moth that is to be found among the long grasses on the croft. I have tried my two favourite books - which go everywhere with me - but when I get home I shall delve into my dozens of other moth books until I find it.

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