Saturday 15 August 2015

In Dreams - Roy Orbison

The Galoshes and Sou' Wester were already on before it was realised that it wasn't raining, strange but maybe it's Summer at last? As noted yesterday, for technical reasons (makes me sound important) we are still a day behind with the Moth Images so what was considered a Good Catch yesterday.
 A 'first' for PCF
 SCARCE BORDERED STRAW
 and after only a 'single' last year
SALTERN EAR
is the first of 2015.
 Also new to the Recording Area
 NI MOTH
(which we are told are being caught in many areas right now)
 with another years first being
COPPER UNDERWING
(we did make a bold attempt to make it Svensson's Copper Underwing
but were advised against)
Back to today and given the dry weather a little more time was put
'in the field' but not a great deal to show.
Approaching the Irrigation Pond the 'pale'
 COMMON BUZZARD
 was perched on what has become its 
 Favoured Vantage Point.
A decent start at the Pond as a 
 YELLOW WAGTAIL
was 'heard only' flying overhead, c3 Green Sandpiper were feeding
in the margins accompanied by the c7 juvenile Mallard and the 
similar aged Coot. Between there and the Gravel Pit a
 COMMON WHITETHROAT
was viewed atop the Fat Hen, but there was nothing to add at the watercourse.
On the Merritown Heath Wildlife Front things were very quiet save for
c5 juvenile Stonechat along with c2 adult Dartford Warbler and
plenty of
ANT EGGS
(will have to get a Goldfish)
Considered most intriguing and thought to be a (regurgitated)
PELLET
it is no more than an inch long and deposited on the top of a fence post.
Any ideas or theories would be gratefully received either via the
Comment facility or to
captbagsy@btinternet.com  
c2 SLOW WORMs
after which at the back of
Bournemouth International Airport
even the noise of aero-engines was being blocked out by that of
HEAVY PLANT
just as the
Purple Haze
crept in, was that a
Black-winged Stilt?
Working Saturday = Overtime
so they really must be in a hurry to get what have been described as
Balancing Ponds Link - Further Reading
no thought not just a
Green Heron
 EXCAVATED
Blue-winged Teal
Diggers and Lorries were at it none stop and it is thought that these
'stills' will give the reader more idea of the dimension.
 Squacco Heron
 Allan's Gallinule
Black-crowned Night-Heron
not a bad start considering there ain't even any water in there yet!
I watch the sun go down like everyone of us.
I'm hoping that the dawn will bring a sign.
A better place for those who will come after us, this time.
I'm just a Dreamer, I dream my life away (oh yeah).
I'm just a Dreamer, who dreams of better days.
Your higher power may be God or Jesus Christ.
It doesn't really matter much to me.
without each others help there ain't no hope for us.
I'm living in a dream of fantasy, oh yeah yeah yeah!
and finally, I received a communique from an ex-colleague, Old Shipmate and Good Friend on-board the Floating Oil Production Platform 'Buchan Alpha, some 120 mile north east of Aberdeen. I had known Dave Penney a number of years before on the 27/12/2007 he approached me and asked "what is it you do for all those hour 'every' morning on the upper deck, when you finish work"? Dave, a most intelligent man anyway was no virgin as far as 'birds' were concerned as all through childhood, and beyond, he had bred Parrots, and can in fact name every Psittacine on the Planet by its Latin name. I invited him to join me and reaching the upper deck asked what he could see on the dormant flare boom. "Yes Dave, Sh*te Hawks but can you see the difference"? He immediately spotted the 'creamy' coloured bird and I have kept that video clip, for posterity, ever since
GLAUCOUS GULL
"Remember this Old Ships"?
It was that very moment he caught the Bug and would often accompany me around the deck and even visit me in Dorset from time to time and vice versa.
When I retired he took over from me the mantle of
North Sea Bird Club Representative and Committee Member.
As those of us who have been 'in the game' for a while know well
the interest is infectious with others, particularly Crew Members
wanting to rub shoulders and bring things to your attention.
This very morning one of the lads plonked this in his hand, a

WRYNECK
a member of the Woodpecker family
and an annual but limited visitor to our shores.
At the time of my leaving the North Sea
WRYNECK
was not on the NSBC List and have not heard of it being added until today.
The
NORTH SEA BIRD CLUB
is considered in the same way as each County of the British Isle and
has its own Bird Recorder, Committee and Archive.
WELL DONE DAVE AND GOOD TO SEE YOU HAVE 
REMEMBERED EVERYTHING I TAUGHT YOU - 
THAT WAS THE LONGEST 5 MINUTES OF MY LIFE!
THE 'INVITATION' REMAINS FIRMLY OPEN.
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