Sunday 20 November 2011

All Over the World - Electric Light Orchestra

The Stat Counter has been out of commission during the last few days, but when it returned to normal service yesterday Fiji was seen to have joined the readership. We extend a warm welcome to the reader from this Pacific Island with long connection with the UK and hope the word will spread to encourage other readers there.

A rapidly waning moon was still high in the sky this morning as I walked to the cemetery in continuing mild and dry conditions which combined with a light south easterly breeze made for very pleasant weather.

The resident Grey Squirrels there are capitalising in the bumper crop of Acorns while occasionally offering these kind of poses.

Another welcome sight was the first returning Great Spotted Woodpecker of the autumn

but it would have been even better had they stayed here to breed - maybe next year?

The only item of note at Ferry Bridge was this unfortunately dead Garfish, which begs the question why was it not returned after catching by the 2 angler on the other side of the road. I have tried eating this species which are not at all tasty and also full of bones, so what was the point of just leaving this lovely looking creature to die!

On the West Cliff at Portland the unseasonable weather has kept a few plants blooming with lots of Red Clover, that the book tells me should flower between June and August, along with a good number of

of this Knapweed type plant. As if to endorse the mildness I also watched 2 Carrion Crows at Southwell carrying twigs to the top of a Fir tree (surely not nest building?). With only a very distant Great Skua and 2 Peregrines showing off their flying skills at the Observatory, the walk was continued via the Top Fields

where one paddock was awash with this species of Fungi. Further along the 2 Raptors that were content to hunt side by side just 2 days ago

were today engaged in an aeriel skirmish with the Common Kestrel (above) getting the upper hand with a much larger

Common Buzzard.

A couple of Pheasants announced their presence with raucous calling as I continued across

Helen's Field named and dedicated to Miss Helen Brotherton, the Bird Observatory benefactor, who passed away some months ago. I get the feeling that after all the hard work that has gone on here with the planting of saplings, erecting of a Rabbit control fence and

an excellent pond we may well be seeing the making of another Culverwell in years to come.

As if lightning were striking twice, Bahrain also joined our throng of now 158 countries/regions participating in the readership. Also an island, although I am told there is now a bridge adjoining the mainland of Saudi Arabia, this country holds many fond memories for myself and the ships company of HMS Eskimo. During our 12 month deployment on the Persian Gulf Squadron (1965/66) Mina Sulman was our main base as we worked to deter drug/gold/weapon smugglers, here and in the Indian Ocean while also taking a very active part in the withdrawal of Yemen and in particular Aden. Great days hey Huck?

So welcome to those readers and it would be a great delight if more of your countrymen/women followed suit.

It can be seen from today's Stat Counter readout that Sweden remain in treble figure with both Brazil and Japan having arrived there during the shut down. Switzerland are not lagging too far behind while Taiwan, once in the Treble Bracket, continue to decline in reader numbers. The 'log size' of 25,000 readers was exceeded long ago!

Thank You ALL for tuning in!


Num Perc. Country Name

drill down1875575.02%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down15366.14%United StatesUnited States
drill down3981.59%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down3371.35%GermanyGermany
drill down3211.28%CanadaCanada
drill down2751.10%EstoniaEstonia
drill down2380.95%FranceFrance
drill down2270.91%AustraliaAustralia
drill down2060.82%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down1680.67%ItalyItaly
drill down1560.62%SpainSpain
drill down1290.52%BrazilBrazil
drill down1290.52%JapanJapan
drill down1190.48%BelgiumBelgium
drill down1140.46%IndiaIndia
drill down1010.40%SwedenSweden
drill down900.36%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down660.26%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down560.22%UkraineUkraine
drill down540.22%PeruPeru
drill down530.21%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down510.20%PortugalPortugal
drill down500.20%MexicoMexico
drill down490.20%RomaniaRomania
drill down490.20%Russian FederationRussian Federation
drill down490.20%PolandPoland
drill down430.17%Anonymous ProxyAnonymous Proxy
drill down420.17%NorwayNorway
drill down420.17%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down420.17%DenmarkDenmark
drill down390.16%PhilippinesPhilippines
drill down390.16%IndonesiaIndonesia
drill down380.15%GreeceGreece
drill down370.15%HungaryHungary
drill down360.14%Sri LankaSri Lanka
drill down350.14%BulgariaBulgaria
drill down350.14%MalaysiaMalaysia
drill down340.14%ThailandThailand
drill down340.14%FinlandFinland
drill down340.14%ChileChile
drill down320.13%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down280.11%IrelandIreland
drill down270.11%Hong KongHong Kong
drill down260.10%ColombiaColombia
drill down250.10%TurkeyTurkey
drill down230.09%CroatiaCroatia
drill down230.09%Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
drill down230.09%SingaporeSingapore
drill down230.09%EgyptEgypt
drill down220.09%VietnamVietnam
drill down210.08%IsraelIsrael
drill down210.08%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down200.08%EuropeEurope
drill down180.07%Costa RicaCosta Rica
drill down170.07%LuxembourgLuxembourg
drill down170.07%PakistanPakistan
drill down160.06%AustriaAustria
drill down150.06%United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
drill down150.06%EcuadorEcuador
drill down150.06%Asia/pacific RegionAsia/pacific Region
drill down140.06%MaltaMalta
drill down140.06%GuatemalaGuatemala
drill down130.05%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down120.05%SerbiaSerbia
drill down120.05%Palestinian TerritoryPalestinian Territory
drill down110.04%OmanOman
drill down110.04%SlovakiaSlovakia
drill down100.04%MadagascarMadagascar
drill down100.04%LithuaniaLithuania
drill down80.03%BangladeshBangladesh
drill down70.03%GuernseyGuernsey
drill down70.03%JamaicaJamaica
drill down70.03%UgandaUganda
drill down70.03%AlgeriaAlgeria
drill down60.02%IraqIraq
drill down60.02%KuwaitKuwait
drill down50.02%Virgin Island, U.s.Virgin Island, U.s.
drill down50.02%LatviaLatvia
drill down50.02%MongoliaMongolia
drill down40.02%UruguayUruguay
drill down40.02%GeorgiaGeorgia
drill down40.02%Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
drill down40.02%Bosnia And HerzegovinaBosnia And Herzegovina
drill down40.02%ZimbabweZimbabwe
drill down30.01%MontenegroMontenegro
drill down30.01%Tanzania, United Republic OfTanzania, United Republic Of
drill down30.01%MacedoniaMacedonia
drill down30.01%QatarQatar
drill down30.01%ChinaChina
drill down30.01%BelizeBelize
drill down30.01%EthiopiaEthiopia
drill down30.01%IcelandIceland
drill down30.01%BahrainBahrain
drill down30.01%Trinidad And TobagoTrinidad And Tobago
drill down30.01%NamibiaNamibia
drill down30.01%PanamaPanama
drill down30.01%GibraltarGibraltar
drill down30.01%Isle Of ManIsle Of Man
drill down30.01%BermudaBermuda
drill down30.01%BelarusBelarus
drill down20.01%MonacoMonaco
drill down20.01%Netherlands AntillesNetherlands Antilles
drill down20.01%SloveniaSlovenia
drill down20.01%Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
drill down20.01%GabonGabon
drill down20.01%KenyaKenya
drill down20.01%BahamasBahamas
drill down20.01%ArmeniaArmenia
drill down10.00%CameroonCameroon
drill down10.00%Brunei DarussalamBrunei Darussalam
drill down10.00%MoroccoMorocco
drill down10.00%AlbaniaAlbania
drill down10.00%FijiFiji
drill down10.00%BoliviaBolivia
drill down10.00%CambodiaCambodia
drill down10.00%GuyanaGuyana
drill down10.00%MacaoMacao
drill down10.00%HondurasHonduras
drill down10.00%Turks & Caicos IslandsTurks And Caicos Islands
drill down10.00%GhanaGhana
drill down10.00%LebanonLebanon