Wednesday 19 January 2011

Working All Day, I'm Digging Up The Roads - Gentle Giant

Well here he is Alexander (the Great) James York, I'm proud to be able to share my third grandson with all my readers. A fantastic moment for all of us and I'm champing at the bit to meet both of these little fellas.

Frederick III and Alexander with mum Lisa - that's my girl,

and, quite rightly, dad Bernard joins the throng - Well Done all of you!

Namibia joined the readership yesterday as the 121st country / region which matches exactly my own total countries visited. A great addition as the African readership is a little behind other continents, so hope our readers there will pass on the link - WELCOME!

The initial plan today had been to drive north and take a look around the area beyond our county town (Dorchester). However, finding there had been a severe overnight frost I considered there to be enough hazard on the roads without me climbing into a car and adding to it! So, confining myself to local areas, I arrived at the cemetery to a cascade of bird song and rapidly developing bright sunshine. Coal Tit was the best bird on view and as I crossed the bye-pass to access Radipole more voices joined the throng and the sun continued to shine. Wildfowl and Gulls were almost absent, but replaced by many more small birds plus there was the added pleasure of another Peregrine, c4 Bullfinch, a Pheasant and my mate Mark Hill. Not working until noon today it was an ideal opportunity to head for Lodmoor and catch up on each others news.

The moor seemed a little subdued bird-wise, but the appearance of another c4 Bullfinches (this one a male) certainly added some colour to the scene.

female Bullfinch. The colour was further enhanced by a passing Kingfisher, my first in Dorset this year, as a lone Sparrowhawk terrorised just about every bird there. Unfortunately, there was no sight or sound of a Bearded Tit at either reserve, so acting on information received from Daragh Croxson we headed to Preston Beach to view

these 2 Slavonian Grebes that had been a good deal nearer before we arrived. Leaving Mark to get to work, I boarded the No1 bus to Portland where the only thing of note was the hatch of flies, they were everywhere but none had tempted a Stonechat . By the time I reached Reap Lane I felt too hot to continue, not at all a common statement during an English winter, so made for home.
Weymouth, and surrounding areas, still remain dogged by extensive road-works but I was interested to watch this powerful machine stripping the old tarmac surface (to a depth of 6 inches) as easily as skinning a fish - don't worry they will soon be finished, only another year!

and finally, readers will not be surprised that the birth of Alex James has set me off on a reminiscence of passed Antipodean adventures, try these for size!

Agile Wallaby

Bar-shouldered Dove

Blue-winged Kookaburra

Brolga

Clamorous Reed-Warbler

Comb-crested Jacana

Crimson Finch (male)

Crimson Finch (female)

Gouldian Finch


Num Perc. Country Name

drill down799076.10%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down7076.73%United StatesUnited States
drill down2292.18%EstoniaEstonia
drill down1551.48%CanadaCanada
drill down1271.21%GermanyGermany
drill down1071.02%FranceFrance
drill down1010.96%AustraliaAustralia
drill down920.88%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down840.80%SwedenSweden
drill down740.70%JapanJapan
drill down710.68%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down600.57%DenmarkDenmark
drill down550.52%ItalyItaly
drill down490.47%SpainSpain
drill down330.31%IndiaIndia
drill down310.30%PolandPoland
drill down280.27%BelgiumBelgium
drill down270.26%IrelandIreland
drill down260.25%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down240.23%FinlandFinland
drill down220.21%GreeceGreece
drill down200.19%UkraineUkraine
drill down200.19%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down170.16%BrazilBrazil
drill down160.15%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down160.15%BulgariaBulgaria
drill down160.15%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down150.14%NorwayNorway
drill down120.11%Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
drill down120.11%PortugalPortugal
drill down120.11%MadagascarMadagascar
drill down110.10%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down110.10%TurkeyTurkey
drill down110.10%SerbiaSerbia
drill down110.10%VietnamVietnam
drill down100.10%Russian FederationRussian Federation
drill down100.10%AustriaAustria
drill down100.10%MexicoMexico
drill down100.10%CroatiaCroatia
drill down90.09%EcuadorEcuador
drill down90.09%MauritiusMauritius
drill down80.08%MaltaMalta
drill down80.08%PakistanPakistan
drill down70.07%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down70.07%HungaryHungary
drill down70.07%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down60.06%Sri LankaSri Lanka
drill down60.06%RomaniaRomania
drill down60.06%PeruPeru
drill down60.06%IndonesiaIndonesia
drill down50.05%CyprusCyprus
drill down50.05%PhilippinesPhilippines
drill down50.05%SloveniaSlovenia
drill down50.05%SingaporeSingapore
drill down50.05%Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
drill down50.05%MalaysiaMalaysia
drill down40.04%ColombiaColombia
drill down40.04%IsraelIsrael
drill down40.04%ChileChile
drill down30.03%IcelandIceland
drill down30.03%ThailandThailand
drill down20.02%Bosnia And HerzegovinaBosnia And Herzegovina
drill down20.02%JerseyJersey
drill down20.02%Iran, Islamic Republic OfIran, Islamic Republic Of
drill down20.02%GuadeloupeGuadeloupe
drill down20.02%ArmeniaArmenia
drill down20.02%GuatemalaGuatemala
drill down20.02%Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
drill down20.02%NepalNepal
drill down10.01%EuropeEurope
drill down10.01%AlbaniaAlbania
drill down10.01%ReunionReunion
drill down10.01%BangladeshBangladesh
drill down10.01%AlgeriaAlgeria
drill down10.01%MacedoniaMacedonia
drill down10.01%LebanonLebanon
drill down10.01%Costa RicaCosta Rica
drill down10.01%EgyptEgypt
drill down10.01%LuxembourgLuxembourg
drill down10.01%Trinidad And TobagoTrinidad And Tobago
drill down10.01%SurinameSuriname
drill down10.01%PanamaPanama
drill down10.01%NamibiaNamibia
drill down10.01%Aland IslandsAland Islands
drill down10.01%HondurasHonduras
drill down10.01%Isle Of ManIsle Of Man
drill down10.01%Anonymous ProxyAnonymous Proxy
drill down10.01%SlovakiaSlovakia
drill down10.01%ChinaChina
drill down10.01%Hong KongHong Kong
drill down10.01%MaldivesMaldives
drill down10.01%GeorgiaGeorgia
drill down10.01%MongoliaMongolia
drill down10.01%GuernseyGuernsey