Sunday 2 October 2011

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square - Nat King Cole

With the temperature rising to 29.9C in some parts of the UK yesterday, this was an October record for the country, and if early morning was anything to go by that record could soon be broken. Heading straight to Portland, as usual stopping at a recently ploughed Helen's Field to find it teeming with birds albeit of common species only. Difficult to ascertain numbers but I did count 150 Pied Wagtail with at least a similar number in adjoining fields. Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch and Wheatear were all showing in many 'tens' while Robins, Chiffchaff, Blackbirds and Siskins were also numerous.

Wheatear

Wheatear with Goldfinch

Continuing on to the Bird Observatory The Warden Martin Cade had already been busy for a number of hours tending the mist nets, from which on one 'round' he re-trapped yesterday's

Nightingale. I wasn't there for either of these events too slack yesterday and too late today, but with Martin's blessing thought these fine shots of a species more often heard than seen

should be conveyed to a wider audience. What a beauty? Portland Bird Obs You will find this link well worth a look. So, with the number of birds dwindling as the morning wore on, and unable to locate the Little Owl that had been showing earlier, it was back to the reliability of the Moth Traps where quantity was much greater that quality!

Blair's Shoulder Knot

Feathered Brindle and

Beautiful Gothic.

There was a small bonus by way of a 7-spot Ladybird on the patio wall before I left the Obs, to find

this single, unidentified Fungi (looks like the Chestnut Mushrooms I get from Asda)

and a Carrion Crow, bill agape, obviously being effected by the now soring temperature?

and so to Australia where there was a birthday yesterday.

Frederick David aft (seen here being ably assisted by brother Alexander) my second Grandson was 2 years old yesterday.

It was by all accounts a great party, attended by lots of family (mostly children)

who no doubt were 'champing at the bit' to get tucked into the Fred is 2 Choo Choo.

but there were of course traditions to maintain, such as blowing out the candles, but seemingly a little out of puff he was helped by

Daddy Bernard & Mummy Lisa.

After all those Smarties it must have been nice just to take the weight off your feet and get the Old Man to read a few Birthday Cards.

Congratulations Son! May there be many, many more!

and finally an end of month look at the Stat Counter where the Motherland has gained a further 1,000 points and the USA getting closer by the day to the 2,000 mark. it is fantastic to note that with the addition of India there are now 15 countries inside the treble figure boundary, but most pleasing to me this month are the number of 'new' African Countries that now participate in the read, 14 in all - WOW - but unfortunately 10 others having dropped off the scale.

Thank You
to each and every reader and hope you will pass the Link on to EVERYONE you know!



Num Perc. Country Name

drill down1808972.36%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down18327.33%United StatesUnited States
drill down6242.50%CanadaCanada
drill down5512.20%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down3431.37%EstoniaEstonia
drill down3181.27%AustraliaAustralia
drill down2470.99%GermanyGermany
drill down2370.95%FranceFrance
drill down2120.85%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down1930.77%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down1530.61%ItalyItaly
drill down1320.53%JapanJapan
drill down1320.53%BrazilBrazil
drill down1120.45%SpainSpain
drill down1010.40%IndiaIndia
drill down800.32%BelgiumBelgium
drill down690.28%SwedenSweden
drill down670.27%PolandPoland
drill down670.27%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down610.24%ColombiaColombia
drill down580.23%ThailandThailand
drill down580.23%PeruPeru
drill down490.20%American SamoaAmerican Samoa
drill down420.17%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down410.16%MexicoMexico
drill down410.16%MalaysiaMalaysia
drill down400.16%Russian FederationRussian Federation
drill down400.16%FinlandFinland
drill down390.16%RomaniaRomania
drill down390.16%DenmarkDenmark
drill down380.15%NorwayNorway
drill down360.14%HungaryHungary
drill down350.14%SingaporeSingapore
drill down350.14%IsraelIsrael
drill down350.14%PhilippinesPhilippines
drill down330.13%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down300.12%ChileChile
drill down290.12%BulgariaBulgaria
drill down280.11%TurkeyTurkey
drill down270.11%Sri LankaSri Lanka
drill down270.11%GreeceGreece
drill down260.10%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down260.10%Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
drill down250.10%IndonesiaIndonesia
drill down250.10%UkraineUkraine
drill down250.10%CroatiaCroatia
drill down240.10%Hong KongHong Kong
drill down230.09%PortugalPortugal
drill down220.09%VietnamVietnam
drill down180.07%Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
drill down180.07%SerbiaSerbia
drill down180.07%PakistanPakistan
drill down170.07%IrelandIreland
drill down170.07%MaltaMalta
drill down170.07%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down150.06%Costa RicaCosta Rica
drill down140.06%Anonymous ProxyAnonymous Proxy
drill down130.05%MadagascarMadagascar
drill down130.05%United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
drill down120.05%GuatemalaGuatemala
drill down120.05%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down110.04%LithuaniaLithuania
drill down110.04%EuropeEurope
drill down100.04%SlovakiaSlovakia
drill down80.03%AustriaAustria
drill down80.03%GuernseyGuernsey
drill down80.03%EgyptEgypt
drill down70.03%JordanJordan
drill down70.03%EcuadorEcuador
drill down60.02%OmanOman
drill down60.02%KuwaitKuwait
drill down60.02%BangladeshBangladesh
drill down60.02%Virgin Island, U.s.Virgin Island, U.s.
drill down50.02%CubaCuba
drill down50.02%MacedoniaMacedonia
drill down40.02%Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
drill down40.02%GrenadaGrenada
drill down40.02%Trinidad And TobagoTrinidad And Tobago
drill down40.02%Bosnia And HerzegovinaBosnia And Herzegovina
drill down40.02%BermudaBermuda
drill down40.02%ArmeniaArmenia
drill down30.01%LatviaLatvia
drill down30.01%JamaicaJamaica
drill down30.01%IcelandIceland
drill down30.01%SloveniaSlovenia
drill down30.01%LesothoLesotho
drill down30.01%GuyanaGuyana
drill down30.01%ZimbabweZimbabwe
drill down30.01%ChinaChina
drill down30.01%BelarusBelarus
drill down30.01%LebanonLebanon
drill down30.01%QatarQatar
drill down30.01%KenyaKenya
drill down30.01%GeorgiaGeorgia
drill down30.01%AlgeriaAlgeria
drill down30.01%JerseyJersey
drill down30.01%Palestinian TerritoryPalestinian Territory
drill down20.01%UgandaUganda
drill down20.01%LuxembourgLuxembourg
drill down20.01%MauritiusMauritius
drill down20.01%NepalNepal
drill down20.01%MalawiMalawi
drill down20.01%GabonGabon
drill down10.00%MoroccoMorocco
drill down10.00%GhanaGhana
drill down10.00%Isle Of ManIsle Of Man
drill down10.00%CameroonCameroon
drill down10.00%AlbaniaAlbania
drill down10.00%UruguayUruguay
drill down10.00%Tanzania, United Republic OfTanzania, United Republic Of
drill down10.00%MacaoMacao
drill down10.00%MaldivesMaldives
drill down10.00%GibraltarGibraltar
drill down10.00%BoliviaBolivia
drill down10.00%Faroe IslandsFaroe Islands