Saturday 30 June 2012

Orchid - Alanis Morissette

The self impossed day at at home yesterday seemed like a fortnight, but at least quite a few outstanding chores were completed. Today, in sharp contrast it was dry, the sun was shining by 06:00 but it remained blustery, perfect! In the cemetery the wild flowers remain in tact, and
GOLDCREST, Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Chiffchaff were the most audible songsters.
 
Along the western path to Radipole the apples, here as a result of the clearance of bomb damaged buildings in WWII the rubble used to form the footpaths, are starting to swell and taking on a russet colour so won't be long before I'll need a bag.
Up ahead there sounded to be c2 LESSER WHITETHROATs, which was soon confirmed, but quickly moving on to find the object of today's visit.
A few SOUTHERN MARSH ORCHIDs had been reported to me a few days ago by Bowie and Sheila,
which seemed to be at their best for me.
An adult BLACKBIRD was feeding a fledged juvenile at the Concrete Bridge,
while this adult GREAT CRESTED GREBE cruised close by. No sign of any youngsters, but given the amount of rain in recent weeks even the nests of these hardy waterbirds are likely to have been washed out.
Another worthwhile sighting were c2 BEARDED TITs close to Edward's Folly and so special are these birds it was thought worthy of posting
 
these two images from the archive of an individual 'in the hand' (at the PBO) for a closer look.
A sight I wasn't at all happy to behold were the missing cap stones from the low retaining wall close to the Viewing Shelter (Edward's Folly as built by Bowie Edwards) a few of which had been removed some time ago.
It may just be that the RSPB have taken them away to re-dress them, but it is thought highly unlikely, my money is on the vandal!
COMMON SPOTTED ORCHID also at Radipole.
On leaving the reserve c2 COMMON TERNs were 'fishing' close to the main bridge, but soon disapeared in the direction of the Colony at Lodmoor.
In the Backwater, which is Weymouth's Inner Harbour, there were a healthy number of GREY MULLET and I was just in time to catch the first (06:20) bus to Portland.
A stop at Ferry Bridge produced just singles of RINGED PLOVER and Curlew, c4 Common Terns and the Little Terns at the Colony as usual.
Another bus, another destination, this time Southwell Village, where a family of HERRING GULLs
seemed little deterred by the array of anti-Gull spikes.
 
It was nicely timed luck that this shot was taken of one of the young birds stretching its equally young wings, what a marvelous sight those developing feathers make?

Climbing Bill Hill the first Butterfly of the day was this RED ADMIRAL, but I was hoping for better later at the Obs Quarry where Lulworth Skipper had been seen during the week. At the Observatory things were still very quiet bird-wise, especially on the land, while to seaward both Manx and Balearic Shearwaters had been seem along with a small flock of Common Scoter. However, the interest once again lay in the Moth Traps where again numbers were fairly high and today there was a hint of scarcity. I have had an interest in these amazing insects for 3 decades now, but am still intregued by many of the names.
THE SNOUT
ANGLE SHADES
THE MAGPIE
EARLY THORN
THE SHARK, and the element of scarcity was provided by
THE DELICATE x 2. A search for the Lulworth Skipper was fruitless, but the sea in its fury always provides me with a feeling of excitement and today was no exception as
one of the smaller class of Life Boat rounded
Bill Point and the Trinity House Obelisk, then heading out into West Bay.

Friday 29 June 2012

I'm A King Bee - Slim Harpo

Wet, Dull, Windy, Cold, but enough about me as the weather was even worse, it must be Flaming June! Having said that, by mid-morning there was hardly a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining and the wind had moderated, positively Spring-like, but my decision to stay at home had already been made. A pile of unopened mail, a number of brochures and the Portland Bird Observatory Annual Report for 2011 to read, some progress on photograph editing and the start of formulating a plan for my next adventure were all worthy of some close attention. So, once again, we rely on the photo archive and one of the most stunning avian families, the Bee-eaters from various locations around the world.
BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATER - Thailand
CHESTNUT-HEADED BEE-EATER - Sri Lanka
EUROPEAN BEE-EATER - Cyprus
LITTLE BEE-EATER - Zimbabwe
LITTLE GREEN BEE-EATER - The Gambia
MADAGASCAR BEE-EATER
RAINBOW BEE-EATER - Australia
SWALLOW-TAILED BEE-EATER - Botswana
WHITE-FRONTED BEE-EATER - Zambia

Thursday 28 June 2012

Dispelling the Myths of Galapagos

Apart perhaps from loosing a loved one, there can be no greater natural disaster on earth than the demise of a SPECIES. How many we have lost since the coming of mankind is immesurable, but just this week we lost another. The rarest creature on earth, with just a single specemin, the
PINTA GIANT TORTOISE is no more. I will refrain from using its human name (one of my serious pet hates) but suffice to say
he was first discovered in December 1971, years after they thought the Pinta Tortoise had become extinct, his estimated age at time of death was 100+, I do not know when he was moved off of Pinta, but he had been on Santa Cruz for a number of years, in a designated area, with his two ladies from Espanola. Breeding did take place but all eggs were infertile, and he was the symbol of conservation of all endemic creatures of the Galapogos Islands. John Gifford Just think about it, if you haven't seen this one you will never see PINTA GIANT TORTOISE - what a great shame!
It was less of a shame that once again this morning a veil of dense fog hung over the Island which, taking a quick look at the car pak, had not detered the tourists.
At a range of about 100 metres this was the view of the Lighthouse, and although I did meander down to the Obelisk it was felt best to return to Weymouth on the same bus that bought me here. Just as well really as I had left my binoculars on the back seat - luckily they were still there. So, with nothing to report other than the weather, and given the sad headliner I will continue on the Galapagos theme in the hope the information will be of help to some and inspire others.

It has to be admitted that before my first visit to
there were thoughts of some sort of 'black art' attached to such a venture, was it only possible with a tour group, with any necessary paperwork in place and how the hell would you get there.
BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY
These questions are easily answered, No, No and Fly! There is an option of ship passage but whichever you will inevitabley have to get to either Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador.
The NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ENDEAVOUR smacks to me of a Kings Ransome but there has not been time to investigate the link.
Although there are other vessels I doubt there is a more ecconomical way to get and stay there. Flights are daily from Quito and all stop at the main sea port of Guayaquil


SANTA CRUZ ISLAND where stands the Galapago Capital of
 
PUERTO AYORA to the south.
GALAPAGOS (LAVA) HERON
GALAPAGOS DOVE
All flights land at the old US Airforce Base on the Island of Baltra, a short distance north of Santa Cruz,
GALAPAGOS FLYCATCHER
and on arrival everyone must pay a $100 entrance fee to the National Park (which is all of the Archipiélago de Colóns, the official name, 18 islands and 107 rocks and islets).
GALAPAGOS HAWK
The currency thoughout Ecuador, to which the islands belong, is the $US and for just one of these you get the bus to the ferry, just a short distance away, which runs to Santa Cruz. The ferry fare is a matter of a few cents?
LAND IGUANA
while the 90 minute bus ride to the capital will cost you a few dollars more?
GALAPAGOS MOCKINGBIRD
The islands are considered expensive but that was not my impression on either trip,
GALAPAGOS PENGUIN
staying at the Castro Hotel, just a 2 minute walk to the harbour side, on both occasions for £25 (2003) and $30 (2010).
GREAT FRIGATEBIRD
The people are very friendly and courteous, food is good at UK prices, getting around easy by bus, taxi or hitching a lift. On one occasion a policeman, out in the wilds, stopped a motorist and told him to take me back to town for $5,
MARINE IGUANA
SWALLOW-TAILED GULL
All of the creatures above were seen on the last trip alone, along with many more. Some necessitate a boat ride which averaged out at $80 to $100 per person, but if for instance you wanted to see Flighless Cormorant the distance is much greater and by definition more expensive. It would only be half a trip if some time were not spent in beloved Ecuador, the longer the better, details of which are on this Blog.
and finally, I have been sent these rather astonishing pictures of the recent Jubilee Celibrations in London. 
The RED ARROWS over BUCKINGHAM PALACE and VICTORIA MONUMENT
WORLD WAR II AIRCRAFT fly along the RIVER THAMES including the LONDON EYE (wheel).
SPITFIRE from Tail-Gun of LANCASTER BOMBER