Wednesday 20 April 2011

Dodo (from the 'Abacab' album) - Genesis

Why not just hand the Planet over to the DESTROYERS?

Too big to fly, Dodo ugly so Dodo must die,
Doggo with fear on its side, can't change, can't change the tide.
Dog baiter, agitator, asking questions, says he wants to know why.
Ain't no reason that money can't buy.
Mink he pretty so mink he must die, must die, must die.

Fish he got a hook in his throat, Fish he got problems
Where does he go, what does he do?
Does he hope he's too small, to poor a haul,
Who'll end up being thrown back in the sea.
I'm back in the sea.

These 2 Grey Herons flying to the north, high above the cemetery, greeted me on yet another sunny and warm Summer-like day, with good news awaiting me across the by-pass.

Yesterday's pneumatic drilling and industrial digging was not enough to deter our stalwart

Robin from tending its family, and I was pleased to hear Steve Morris's report of the days events.

Personally, he had completed a full daylight vigil to protect the Robins from the Borough Council's VANDALS, feeding them throughout the day, but no one from that organisation showed up, as promised, to assess the situation.

Robin is not the only concern here as many other birds also use this area to breed, including the Chiffchaff this morning singing its heart out, and also

Lesser Whitethroat that now seem to have taken up territory for another year.

Such a difficult bird to see, these images are taken from the archive to illustrate what a beauty it really is. In the glow of the morning sun, even the most common birds looked great

with just a small representation of the large number of Canada Geese deserving of a shot, and

Tufted Duck similarly.

Up on Portland, the Circus is in town and will be here until 25th April, while alighting the bus at Barleycrates Lane, Blackcap, Sedge Warbler and another Grasshopper Warbler were all in good voice.

Half way along the path to the cliff my first Whinchat of the year hove into view,

with no fewer than 6 already congregated in the same field.

another of my Spring favourites there were yet more,

3 to be precise and bringing the total to 9, at Reap Lane.

There was even more of a surprise as I took a look over the cliff, to see a total of 25 Eider seemingly content to rest on the sea, comprising one adult male, 9 'eclipse' males plus 15 female types. This was not only my first sight of an adult male Eider in Dorset, but also the largest concentration for me in the county.

Ever onward to the Observatory with little else to report, but there Ron 'Chunky' King along with his band of marauders, had taken up temporary residence, something of an annual occurrence! Great to see you all once again.

An impromptu shot of one of many Swallows arriving today, while

Add Imageamong the dense vegetation that is Culverwell, I found an obliging Lord & Lady.

To complete my day, it was a couple of pints in The Swan and a meeting with several friends not seen for a while, including Dugger & Mary Harding who were my next door neighbours when I lived on Portland. The conversation was a little restrictive only moving from the North American Indians, through firing a multitude of weapons in Vietnam, to drinking Potcheen (which Dugger and I often did) and eating Whale meat in Greenland so I look forward to changing the subject next time we meet! Val & Alan Watts were also there, who have managed to secure a little present for me which we will talk about tomorrow, so till then - Good Hunting!

The GB Year List reached a 'landmark' 230 today

Followed by an update on the Stats:-



Num Perc. Country Name

drill down802376.41%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down5084.84%United StatesUnited States
drill down2382.27%EstoniaEstonia
drill down1901.81%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down1571.50%FranceFrance
drill down1471.40%SpainSpain
drill down1291.23%CanadaCanada
drill down1151.10%GermanyGermany
drill down830.79%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down810.77%SwedenSweden
drill down510.49%JapanJapan
drill down470.45%AustraliaAustralia
drill down450.43%IndiaIndia
drill down430.41%Russian FederationRussian Federation
drill down380.36%ItalyItaly
drill down310.30%BelgiumBelgium
drill down280.27%ThailandThailand
drill down270.26%PolandPoland
drill down240.23%BrazilBrazil
drill down210.20%FinlandFinland
drill down200.19%HungaryHungary
drill down200.19%MexicoMexico
drill down180.17%PortugalPortugal
drill down180.17%Hong KongHong Kong
drill down170.16%DenmarkDenmark
drill down150.14%PeruPeru
drill down150.14%SerbiaSerbia
drill down140.13%ColombiaColombia
drill down140.13%EuropeEurope
drill down130.12%RomaniaRomania
drill down130.12%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down130.12%IrelandIreland
drill down120.11%Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
drill down120.11%PhilippinesPhilippines
drill down110.10%Isle Of ManIsle Of Man
drill down110.10%TurkeyTurkey
drill down110.10%NorwayNorway
drill down100.10%SingaporeSingapore
drill down100.10%EcuadorEcuador
drill down100.10%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down100.10%GreeceGreece
drill down100.10%BulgariaBulgaria
drill down90.09%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down90.09%CroatiaCroatia
drill down90.09%MaltaMalta
drill down90.09%IndonesiaIndonesia
drill down80.08%MalaysiaMalaysia
drill down80.08%UkraineUkraine
drill down70.07%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down70.07%AustriaAustria
drill down70.07%JordanJordan
drill down60.06%GuernseyGuernsey
drill down50.05%United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
drill down50.05%ChileChile
drill down50.05%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down50.05%VietnamVietnam
drill down40.04%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down40.04%Sri LankaSri Lanka
drill down40.04%Moldova, Republic OfMoldova, Republic Of
drill down40.04%PakistanPakistan
drill down30.03%LatviaLatvia
drill down30.03%IcelandIceland
drill down30.03%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down30.03%ChinaChina
drill down30.03%Trinidad And TobagoTrinidad And Tobago
drill down30.03%MauritiusMauritius
drill down20.02%Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
drill down20.02%Anonymous ProxyAnonymous Proxy
drill down20.02%YemenYemen
drill down20.02%EgyptEgypt
drill down20.02%MacedoniaMacedonia
drill down20.02%BelarusBelarus
drill down20.02%LuxembourgLuxembourg
drill down20.02%SlovakiaSlovakia
drill down20.02%OmanOman
drill down20.02%ArubaAruba
drill down20.02%IsraelIsrael
drill down20.02%KazakhstanKazakhstan
drill down20.02%ZimbabweZimbabwe
drill down10.01%QatarQatar
drill down10.01%Tanzania, United Republic OfTanzania, United Republic Of
drill down10.01%BahamasBahamas
drill down10.01%Costa RicaCosta Rica
drill down10.01%Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
drill down10.01%Virgin Island, U.s.Virgin Island, U.s.
drill down10.01%SloveniaSlovenia
drill down10.01%BangladeshBangladesh
drill down10.01%TunisiaTunisia
drill down10.01%IraqIraq
drill down10.01%UruguayUruguay
drill down10.01%BarbadosBarbados
drill down10.01%LebanonLebanon
drill down10.01%GeorgiaGeorgia
drill down10.01%Bosnia And HerzegovinaBosnia And Herzegovina
drill down10.01%LithuaniaLithuania
drill down10.01%MoroccoMorocco
drill down10.01%GabonGabon