Wednesday 1 February 2017

Theme For An Imaginary Western - Mountain Part II

 (Mid-Summer Rock Festival, Cincinnati, Ohio 1970)
MOUNTAIN
(feat Felix Papparlardi)
were, to say the least, a changeable band but the inclusion of 
Jack Bruce from the now defunct Cream and performing under the new heading of
Bruce, West and Laing
was an unforeseen reformation.
Felix Papparlardi was no longer able to play for them as on
17 April 1983 his doting and beloved wife 'shot him to death'!
We can only assume he must have upset her??
As we recommenced our search, as ever, the Lottery Syndrome raised its ugly head, as in do we divert or do we keep on the straight and narrow? Again it would not be a prolonged detour but with these short winter days every penny counts, but against the risk was the fact that the Pacific Diver had not been reported for a week now! Oh, sod it, faint heart never won Fair Lady, nor Pacific Diver for that matter, but arriving at Mounts Bay with 
SAINT MICHEAL'S MOUNT
looming in the distance it was once again The Gillie who picked up the
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER
miles away only needing 3 attempts to get me onto it, unlike
'The Mount' which took 4 goes!
(no wonder I let him come with ME on MY adventures)
By no means a wasted journey, particularly as Portland and Poole Harbours
have hardly had a glimpses of such a creature so far this year, we were happily on our way again.
Arriving at
LEASFOOT SANDS
back across the border into Devon the search began for our second 'target'
which I was almost FIRST to spot (it looks convincing without yer specs on).
Only my second ever
 DESERT WHEATEAR
a most active little bird
 which took quite some keeping up with
and not helped one little bit by so called 'birders' who, as has become
usual in recent years, insist on keeping up a perpetual commentary on
every darn move the bird makes.
Then when you turn to them and dare to utter "if you shut the something 
up it might get to within touching distance" you are battered with a tirade
not fit for delicate ears!
Desert Wheatear World Distribution


So tiny, Leasfoot Sands does not even warrant a mention on Google Maps
but there were a couple of maybe insignificant but nonetheless
interesting features around the place.
Surf was breaking over a close inshore reef where on arrival
at least a dozen divers were swimming around preparing to submerge.
By the time the bird had been seen well enough to turn attentions to
other things, they were gone.
 A World War II Pill Box set in the sandy cliff
 was worth a second look, as was this small
Marine Rock Arch
not quiet as grandiose as our own Durdle Door back in Dorset
but noteworthy for all that.
With daylight now rapidly fading there was one more location to try for before
setting sail for home Heathfields, still in Devon and on the extremely busy A38.
There, as posted on Twitter "opposite the Tile Factory" we found after a short search c11
 WAXWING
 annual visitors to our shores but not true migrants.
 Their arrivals, in vary numbers, is dependant on the availability of
Wild Berries across Northern Europe and beyond.
When supplies are low, or the crop fails completely, they are willing
to brave the rigours of the North Sea to glean berries in Great Britain.
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