My Time After Awhile - Buddy Guy

With the Internet having been down for a couple of days, it's a bit of a catch up today.

Monday evening we went to the Three Tuns Pub in the New Forest to celebrate

Janet's (left) birthday along with Hugh, Daryl and Cath,

very good food spoiled by extremely poor service,

another hostelry scrubbed off the list!

Early next morning Hugh arrived back for breakfast to report a 'pair' of TUFTED DUCK (male) on the pond. By no means a regular sight here so good to see a couple braving what is a busy thoroughfare.

Plenty of activity on and around the feeders with GREENFINCH and HOUSE SPARROW in good numbers, looking pristine and seeming to have had a successful breeding season.

So, later in the day a quick run down to Longham Lake where
the activity was limited to
PIED WAGTAIL,

 

a 'blaze' of DAISIES,

REED WARBLER

GREY HERON

 

a pale (washed out) MALLARD

and other Wagtails capitalising on the abundance of Damselflies.

On my return both Tufties were on show at the pond side.

All day Wednesday was spent around Portland and Weymouth with first port of call the Portland Bird Observatory. Good to see again the few people who were there, but otherwise very quiet on the ground. The only exception to this was one of a number of

JAYs

that had been paying infrequent visits to the garden. A species that I had previously not seen on the Island, but with no time to search I made to leave. Issuing my final goodbye, the bird concerned obligingly flew into a tree give views for about one minute. Onward to Secret's house, where fortunately I found Mrs Secret (Jane) and son Robert who is presently on holiday from Bristol University. Another serious session of catching up before heading off to lunch with Lesley Brown. Being mobile we were able to venture a little further afield and ate in the Sailor's Return at East Chaldon, with the countryside thereabout as ever a fine example of just what Dorset has to offer. There was something of a reversal here compared to Monday evening as the service was superb but my 'long roast' pork belly had seen better days, but dealt with in a most professional manner.

On our way back to Weymouth we took time to watch 

THATCHERS at work in the village.

and the final 'catch up', for now at least are some photographs

received since the last post.

A very proud Grandpa with 2 of 3 very special little boys.

This image was captioned 

'The Two Fredericks'

 

and lastly a great surprise from Kourou, French Guyana as Marine Agent Ho You Fat, who I shared a beer and a little time with on the last adventure, wrote

Master Bagsy. Good day, how is the world treating you? Excuse me while I look after the sun and the big moon in this morning day!

Kind regards

Yvan HO YOU FAT - HYF SHIPPING